Driving in for Academy of Sciences - Need Help (Kennedy: moving, garage)

[zdg]

We're driving in to SF tomorrow morning to go to the California Academy of Sciences in GG Park (from North Bay).

Just wondering what the best place to park really is, what time we should get there, what time we should leave by to beat traffic out of the city on a Friday, and any other useful advice you might give.

Much appreciated.

[zombocom]

You might find street parking inside the park if you want to hunt around (it is a week day, so I think there is a limit on how long you can park on the street), otherwise there is a parking garage underneath the academy of sciences - convenient, but not the cheapest parking - although, the tickets to the academy are pretty expensive, so it won't seem like that much...

I only come up from south bay, so I can't tell you about traffic heading out towards other parts of the north bay...

[CarlosAtun]

We drove in last week to go to the DeYoung Museum and the Academy of Sciences from southern Marin. Left at 9 and were there by 9:30. We parked behind the museum on John F. Kennedy Drive, free for 2 hours, and just walked across the music concourse after we went to the museum. If you plan to be longer than 2 hours, you could leave the Academy and move your car, or alternatively park in the underground garage.

Best to get to the Academy at opening or soon thereafter. It is summer and there is definitely a very large wiggly kid contingent visiting with harried parents. Very crowded but it was interesting to see the Oracle sailboat, although calling it a sailboat is a stretch. Just across from the white alligator.

[cornblitz]

Park on JFK heading west from the de Young, toward Stow Lake. Parking time limits are not enforced in that area (there are no 4 hour parking signs), and there is plenty of parking on the street, especially in the morning.

[peninsular]

I second trying to find parking in the park itself. Inner Sunset is known for scarce parking. As far as other suggestions, there is tricky part of turning left off of the Crossover drive (highway 1) when you are in the park. There is no left turn directly onto the MLK drive, so there are a couple alternatives. One is to turn right early, before you get to the park, onto Geary and then left onto the 25th avenue. This will also take you to the Crossover drive, but as soon as you enter the park, stay to the right onto the Transverse drive. After a few small turns and a couple of stop signs you will be on the MLK drive. Or you need to go through the park and then take 3 right turns to go left on Irving (from the 19th avenue right onto Judah, then right onto 20th and right onto Irving). Then take Irving all the way to the 9th, make a left turn onto 9th and take it into the park. Hope this all makes sense. Good luck and enjoy the park.

[zdg]

Cool. What if we planned on being there for many hours and would rather not leave to go move our car? Is there a long(er) term parking option around there?

What time does out-bound traffic start on Fridays going north across the GGB?

[cornblitz]

As I said above, if you park on JFK drive in the vicinity of Stow Lake Drive, a very short walk to the Academy of Sciences, there is no time limit enforced.. you can park there all day without moving your car.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by zdg

We're driving in to SF tomorrow morning to go to the California Academy of Sciences in GG Park (from North Bay).

Just wondering what the best place to park really is, what time we should get there, what time we should leave by to beat traffic out of the city on a Friday, and any other useful advice you might give.

Much appreciated.

There is paid underground parking under the music concourse. There is also easy street parking inside the park on weekdays.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by peninsular

I second trying to find parking in the park itself. Inner Sunset is known for scarce parking. As far as other suggestions, there is tricky part of turning left off of the Crossover drive (highway 1) when you are in the park. There is no left turn directly onto the MLK drive, so there are a couple alternatives. One is to turn right early, before you get to the park, onto Geary and then left onto the 25th avenue.

It is much easier to turn right on Anza,turn right on 14th,turn right on Geary then turn right on 8th and go straight into the park on 8th. Or turn right on 10th and take 10th ave right into the pay garage.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by zdg

What time does out-bound traffic start on Fridays going north across the GGB?

Early enough that I would have dinner on Clement St. and would plan to leave at 7:30 pm to avoid the traffic. It hardly seems worth the work to drive all the way to SF then have to leave before 3 to avoid the jam on the 101 going back. When deciding when to return,I would check the Sigalert site to see if traffic is jammed.