Car rental in San Francisco

Friendly, fun and iconic, San Francisco is famous for the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars and Alcatraz. It is the perfect place to start a car rental road trip. The surrounding area offers so much to see.

Around an hour from San Francisco lie the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. These towns are in the heart of California's wine country, and make for great stops on a car rental trip. As you drive through the picturesque countryside, you will come across many individual growers selling their own wines in individual vineyards.

The nearby resort town of Calistoga is also a good car rental destination. Renowned for its mineral springs and mud baths, the town is also home to the world famous geyser, 'Old Faithful' - which spurts boiling water 60 metres into the air every 40 seconds.

Car rental will also take you over the awe-inspiring Golden Gate Bridge into neighbouring Marin County. The first town you reach there will be Sausalito, a relaxed conurbation popular with artists and bohemians. It has plenty of shops, art galleries and boutiques to offer the car rental traveller.

You'll see some of the most memorable sights on the scenic coastal road of Highway 1. It runs along the Pacific coast away from San Francisco, both north and south.

Use your car rental to drive north to beauty spots like Laguna Point in MacKerricher State Park - great for seal watching. Don't miss Salt Point State Park and the unique coastal habitat of Gerstle Cove Marine Reserve. Further north, the Sonoma Coast State Beach of Shell Beach is a great way to complete the northern part of your car rental tour.

You could head south instead and see some breathtaking sights. Car rental will take you to the seaside city of Santa Cruz. The boardwalk is a fun place to take the family - it has a host of fairground rides to enjoy. Further on, you'll find a small town called Carmel. Teeming with a rich art and culture scene, it has had several mayors who were poets or actors - including Clint Eastwood. Finish your car rental trip south with a drive past the famous Big Sur region. The dramatic cliffside coast is unforgettable.

An alternative car rental itinerary is to head to the stunning Yosemite National Park. Car rental will get you here in around four hours from San Francisco. Get your camera ready for the beautiful vistas of giant sequioa trees, waterfalls and granite cliffs.

We work in partnership with Avis to provide your car hire. All Avis car rental includes mandatory third party liability insurance*, unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver (excess applies), theft protection (excess applies), taxes and airport surcharges* required for car rental in North America. If you want to reduce excess payments, you can pay for Super Collision Damage Waiver when you collect your car.

(* for North American residents we offer Exclusive car rental plans in North America, details of which can be viewed in relevant search results).

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