RV towing on 5 through San Francisco

GG Bridge Notes: Right lane only for RVs both ways and it's 1' wider. Drift to the right and the bridge structural steel deposits red paint and is unforgiving. :( North bound free. :C

South bound toll: You owe the toll, there are no toll collectors, you DO NOT STOP. You pre pay, post pay or have a FasTrak device. They take pictures and count axles, hence post pay might be best with a RV. You can look up places to stop and pay. You can go online and post pay which is what I recommend. Otherwise you will be billed based on you license plate, using snail mail. Due it 2 weeks but I don't know how strict that is for out of state.

For the FasTrak device I have both the RV and toad registered, they add another $25 from my account and the toll is paid.

I know I am a little late to reply here, although I would agree that anyone towing a large sized anything thru San Francisco would only wish I-5 existed....

I only driven to and thru San Francisco streets back in 1982 and 1989 and that it was nerve racking without towing anything....and I was raised in Los Angeles.

As noted, 19th Ave (Hwy 1) would be the route I would use if I had to tow anything passing thru San Francisco.

I can't imagine me towing something large thru Van Ness or Lombard streets on the 101.

One will notice a fair share of transmission and brake shops in San Francisco too.

I certainly can confirm that the lanes are narrow thru main thoroughfares and Golden Gate Bridge as well.

It's nice to know that northbound on the Golden Gate is still toll free.

Although I never been to the French Riviera, I would say driving thru Monaco with a large RV would be a close comparison to commuting on San Francisco narrow lanes and streets.

Well I've taken 19th Ave both ways through SF midday multiple times. 42' plus toad. Yes it's city streets, traffic and traffic lights.

I've driven twisty mountain roads, rocky forest roads, LA freeways, you name it. No big deal. But taking even a small trailer through SF in traffic is one of my least favorite trips. (I've done it twice -- not by choice.)

Unless you have no other choice, do not take a really big rig through that town. It's all surface streets, not freeway. Narrow lanes, lots of traffic lights.

If you want to visit SF, leave your rig outside of town and take your truck into town.

The other problem is that there is a scarcity of RV parks within driving distance of SF. Land in the Bay Area is very, very expensive, as you might imagine.

CA Traveler wrote:
Never take a large RV on 101 through SF. Instead take 280 to 19th Ave midday. It's about 6 miles and use the middle or left lane. I've done it many times. No north bound toll on the GG bridge.

That twist on Park Presidio through Golden Gate Park is not fun if you're towing (and even many car drivers don't manage to stay in their lane). I'm not sure that's better than Lombard+Van Ness (which is easier after the Doyle Drive rebuild finished around 5 years ago)

https://www.google.com/maps/place/San+Francisco,+CA/@37.7643857,-122.4852447,15z

The best midday SF bay bypass is 680 (San Jose), 780, 80 37, 101.

Never take a large RV on 101 through SF. Instead take 280 to 19th Ave midday. It's about 6 miles and use the middle or left lane. I've done it many times. No north bound toll on the GG bridge.

blazenpm wrote:
My motorhome including my tow is a 60' rig. I am wondering if that is too long to go through San Francisco on State I-5? Anybody have similar experience?

Driving a RV through SF is in my opinion, a "WHITE KUNCKLE" trip!!!

If you tackle the 101 through San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge, have your camera ready and video on. Fantastic!

I admit...I left my heart...in San Francisco...do be do, do be do...

Went over the GG bridge with my trailer on Memorial Day no less. Lots of traffic. No issues. Nice thing was we were northbound - no toll.