Gilroy to Petaluma through San Francisco
36 foot motorhome with car in tow. I am thinking of taking I-280 to 1 to 101 and over the golden gate rather than I-680 to avoid the tolls on the I-80 or I-680 bridges. What is your opinion? I ...
Forum Discussion
If you go that way stay on 280 until you come to Highway 35, exit 41 (aka Skyline Blvd).
Exit there and go north on 35 following it until you see Lake Merced on your right get into the left lane and follow the sign for the SF Zoo which is a left turn that puts you out at the beach on "the Great Highway".
Stay on the Great Highway for about 4 miles, you'll come to the "Cliff House" (on your left) as you curve right and climb up from the beach you're now on Geary Blvd.
At the top of the hill you might stop at a signal. Stay on Geary Blvd. as it veers to the left you're still on Geary and run a couple of miles to the general area of 23rd to 20th Avenues (cross streets) make a left turn where you find a left turn lane and go two blocks over to California St. and turn right.
Stay on California, when you cross 16th AVE you have two blocks before you hit "PARK PRESIDIO BLVD", best to get in the left lane again. At PARK PRESIDIO BLVD turn left and head out to the Golden Gate Bridge. You'll go up a grade and through a tunnel. I ran my old Winnebago Chieftain & toad and pulled my 34' Alpenlite through there many times. There's plenty of clearance in the tunnel, but if you don't feel comfortable move into the left lane. The lanes are kinda narrow but safe.
A little footnote; 280 is a 4 to 6 lane freeway from SJ to SF. I was raised on the SF Peninsula a long time ago and the street routes seem to have held together, they just go bigger.. If you have a paper version of the MAPQUEST ATLAS look in the California section around page 18 for a blow up of the SF Peninsula and you'll be able to see what I laid out for you above. Or go on line to MapQuest and enter "The Great Highway, San Francisco, Ca" and that will also give you the map I'm talking about.
Oh yeah, the tolls are only charged coming into San Francisco not going out.
Personally, I wouldn't run that East Bay freeway system on a bet as it's a zoo 24/7.
The best part is you'll get to see a beautiful part of SF that most people don't even know is there.
Enjoy Roger
Exit there and go north on 35 following it until you see Lake Merced on your right get into the left lane and follow the sign for the SF Zoo which is a left turn that puts you out at the beach on "the Great Highway".
Stay on the Great Highway for about 4 miles, you'll come to the "Cliff House" (on your left) as you curve right and climb up from the beach you're now on Geary Blvd.
At the top of the hill you might stop at a signal. Stay on Geary Blvd. as it veers to the left you're still on Geary and run a couple of miles to the general area of 23rd to 20th Avenues (cross streets) make a left turn where you find a left turn lane and go two blocks over to California St. and turn right.
Stay on California, when you cross 16th AVE you have two blocks before you hit "PARK PRESIDIO BLVD", best to get in the left lane again. At PARK PRESIDIO BLVD turn left and head out to the Golden Gate Bridge. You'll go up a grade and through a tunnel. I ran my old Winnebago Chieftain & toad and pulled my 34' Alpenlite through there many times. There's plenty of clearance in the tunnel, but if you don't feel comfortable move into the left lane. The lanes are kinda narrow but safe.
A little footnote; 280 is a 4 to 6 lane freeway from SJ to SF. I was raised on the SF Peninsula a long time ago and the street routes seem to have held together, they just go bigger.. If you have a paper version of the MAPQUEST ATLAS look in the California section around page 18 for a blow up of the SF Peninsula and you'll be able to see what I laid out for you above. Or go on line to MapQuest and enter "The Great Highway, San Francisco, Ca" and that will also give you the map I'm talking about.
Oh yeah, the tolls are only charged coming into San Francisco not going out.
Personally, I wouldn't run that East Bay freeway system on a bet as it's a zoo 24/7.
The best part is you'll get to see a beautiful part of SF that most people don't even know is there.
Enjoy Roger
