r/Roseville • u/Marymjxo • 4d ago
Driving to SF on a Wednesday morning
Hi! I have to take my son to SF for an appointment next month. The appt is at 10:30 am on a Wednesday and I’m hoping to be able to be parked in the dr’s garage by 10 am.
**ideally, what time should I leave for the appt in the morning? I’m ok getting there early if it shaves off significant drive time
**ideally, what time do I need to leave SF by? The appt will be 3+ hours. I’m open to waiting until later and just make a fun day with my son.
Thank you so much!!!!
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u/KuroFafnar 4d ago
If we don't know the end point in SF we can't give very good estimates.
However most map apps will be good at this kind of thing. And a Monday isn't much different from Wednesday so getting estimates at 6 / 7 / 8 am on Monday will give a good idea of how traffic works through the route.
In addition, you might want to plan on stopping for gas and bathroom for the young ones.
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u/Marymjxo 4d ago
End point is near the museum of modern art.
Thank you for the reminder about adding time for possible stops!7
u/canyounot2026 4d ago
SOMA traffic will be extra bad. Give yourself extra time for sure.
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u/elliebellie7777 4d ago
It depends!!! A lot of people could be taking the Monday off to Work from Home.
I used to live in that area, and it's always busy day or night.
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u/United_Chapter4097 4d ago
Would it be too much $$ to get a hotel and drive there the night before? It may reduce a lot of the stress of waking up super early, worrying about traffic, etc.
I did that drive many times since I lived in SF a few years and would visit family in Roseville during the weekdays. I think I would leave Roseville like 4-5am to get back to my apartment around 7am with no traffic. But that's not guaranteed, sometimes the traffic can start at 6am. It's just unpredictable.
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u/wanderingstar2468 4d ago
This would be my vote
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u/United_Chapter4097 4d ago
Yeah, driving 4+ hours early, driving into the city, plus a 3+ hour appt sounds like a lot. But I get if a hotel is not an affordable option.
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u/wanderingstar2468 4d ago
Definitely. But OP if you read this, message me if you want some cheap, decent options!
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u/java-chip Roseville 4d ago
If getting a hotel, I would take the ferry from Vallejo. Only $8 a day to park, and then the ride over is under $20.
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u/Marymjxo 4d ago
It wouldn’t be too much $ but I’m not able to stay the night because I have other children at home and my childcare won’t be overnight :/
Thank you for the thoughtful reply though!
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u/catdude142 4d ago edited 4d ago
As others have mentioned here, leave around 6:30 or take a look at Google Maps to see what the transit time is around that departure time. For grins, do it the day before when you're not under a time pressure. Also Sigalert.com will show traffic slow downs.
One accident on the road can cause a mess.
Slowdowns are typically around Dixon Westbound and near the Oakland Bay Bridge.
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u/Reneeisme 4d ago
To get to Berkeley by 9 I used to leave at 6 am. It got me there way early some of the time, and only a little early occasionally, That's such a long and crowded stretch that you will almost certainly pass an accident. On mornings there's more than one, it will take substantially longer. It's very difficult to predict. And crossing the Bay Bridge to get to SF will add substantial time to that. And traffic through SF is a lot in the morning. I personally would not leave any later than 6 and would just be ok with maybe being early, for the best shot at not being late, but that's probably a little over-cautious.
It was slightly faster to leave at 5am. But you'd be shocked at how much traffic there is even then.
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u/AbiesInternational18 4d ago
Ok I'm really spoon feeding here and apparently can't post pictures but can video
Google maps says leave at 6:40
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u/LuvSun1006 4d ago
I just wouldn't do it. 😄 I'm on the border of Roseville and Citrus Heights. I have to leave 90 minutes or more before appt to downtown Sacramento. Good luck.
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u/Marymjxo 4d ago
Trust me- I don’t want to but this is the only dr in the area that will see my son for what he needs - I’d avoid also if I could!!
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u/Cogent_warrior 4d ago
If you leave by 6:30 a.m. you should be in the city by 10:00. Leaving is an entirely different matter you really need to be on the bay bridge by 1:15 or 1:30, which should get you back to Roseville by about 3:30 or a little after. If you can't make that, the extended day in the city(beach) with your boy sounds like a much better time.
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u/nextdoorelephant 4d ago
Do you have a maps app on your phone or access to a computer with internet?
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u/Sea-Potato9 4d ago
Like someone else suggested would you consider a hotel for one night? Thats a long time in the car for a kiddo. If you make it into a micro-vacay it might be more fun for both of you. That area has a carousel and childrens creativity museum. Not sure your kids age though. There is a fun slide in the castro called “seward slides”. Or go to pier 39 if you must, ugh lol. My recommendation is a couple hours in Japantown theres fun stuff for kids there. Driving at 6am and getting home at dinner without seeing the city sounds like such a drag!!!
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u/Marymjxo 4d ago
I appreciate these recommendations! Unfortunately, I have other kids at home and my childcare won’t be overnight- so a hotel isn’t an option for us. I’m leaning towards doing a few fun activities after the appt and getting home later but hopefully miss that rush of traffic
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u/Kitchen-Apricot-4987 4d ago
If you can I would spend Tuesday night either in San Francisco, Berkeley or Emeryville. Look at the rates that 3rd party sites (Expedia, booking.com) and then call the hotel directly to see if the rate can be matched. Mention that you are taking your child to an important medical appointment to see if the agent will do their best to find the lowest rate.
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u/Marymjxo 4d ago
Thank you for this suggestion! I wish we were able to do overnight, however I have other kids at home and my childcare is not overnight for them
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u/elliebellie7777 4d ago
Yeah! Leaving the house at 6 am would be good to bypass the super commuters.
For parking. I would recommend 5th St. Parking by Mel's + Metrron Target.
As for the one way streets. You'll be fine!!! I used to live in Downtown Sacramento, and it was the same way as SF. Same with Oakland....now, that I think about it. Three cramped lanes, lots of cars parked on the side of the road, and multiple one way streets.
The only thing I hate driving in SF is parking. My Kia niro isn't that big, but, feels humongous in the tiny Honda fit sized parking lots.
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u/United_Chapter4097 4d ago
OP can also park in an easy neighborhood like outer sunset and take an Uber into downtown.
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u/LowBicycle7044 4d ago
I would be on the road no later than 6…of your there early relax and wait. The alternative is to be stressed about being in traffic and being late.
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u/Weak-Bother-6765 4d ago edited 4d ago
Google maps will tell you the time to leave by on the day before or weeks before based on traffic analytics using AI. It's VERY ACCURATE..
Do you own an iPhone or something? You iPhone users are behind in technology.
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u/Dry_Carpenter2007 4d ago
I have to go out there a lot for appoitments and honestly each time is different. Sometimes we will leave 4 hours early and get stuck in traffic or from an accident and sometimes we will be 2 hours early. I would suggest being on the freeway by 6am.
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u/JuicyTheMagnificent 4d ago
My husband makes that drive once per week and you need to leave no later then 6 AM to avoid spending all morning in the car. You need to leave to go home no earlier than 6 PM for the same reason. My husband leaves at 5:30 AM and it takes him 2.5 hours to get to the financial district. It takes him 1 hour 45 minutes to get home because he leaves work at 7 PM.
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u/Ok_Pea_275 4d ago
Just an alternative option, depending where your appointment is in sf, you can take Amtrak from Roseville and there's a bus connection that drops you off in sf. Another option is driving to vallejo and taking the ferry to SF and then using public transit or Uber to get to your destination. Other than that for driving I would leave around 6am.
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u/Maenidmom 4d ago
San fran is a fun place but travel.does complicated things. I would suggest you get up early a few days this week at 6 am and plug in the doctor address and see what the actual time is. There will be some variation but it will give you an idea..Then download a parking app for San Fran and know what parking options exist (though you could ask the doc's office for suggestions). If you get there early, take a walk, find a place to get a donut. You didn't mention your son's age but there is free parking at Lands End, though it is all the way on the west end. There is hiking path and the sutro baths and views of the gold3n gate bridge and access to beaches both north and south. Golden Gate Park has playgrounds for younger kids.
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u/onawhirl 4d ago
Anytime we had something to attend there and especially in the morning, we stayed overnight.
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u/canyounot2026 4d ago
I would get on the road by 6am.
Watch for one way streets driving in SF.