I need a plan of attack for Fleet Week in San Francisco.

October 10, 2008 1:50 PM

I need a plan of attack for Fleet Week in San Francisco. Where is the best place / least crowded place to see the airshow? Where should I park or should I take the BART/Caltrain in?

It will be me and the two kids who are able (if only marginally willing) to walk anywhere. I've been to San Francisco lots of times before but I'm not sure whether Fleet Week(end) is especially busy or crazy.

posted by GuyZero to travel & transportation (2 comments total)

It's a zoo. At least, anywhere near Fisherman's Wharf is a zoo.

If you can get up early, and pack a lunch, you can always try Hawk Hill, up at the top of the Marin Headlands. The view from there is great. But the nearest bathroom is a port-o-potty about a 1/4 mile from the top of the hill.

A couple of years ago, quite by accident, we happened to catch much of the airshow from the deck of an Angel Island ferry. We'd been on the island much of the day, just walking around and picnicking, and we caught the 3something ferry back to Fisherman's Wharf, and I think the boat pilot drove especially slowly, because the view of the planes from the water was fantastic.

I'd say take BART, but it depends on where you ultimately decide to watch the show from.
posted by rtha at 2:19 PM on October 10

Angel Island is fun, but you have to bolt back to the ferry after the show to catch the last one.

Still, I recommend it- it's where I usually go.

Ft. Point is fun, too, if you have time to get there early (it'll be a zoo), and no fog is predicted.

Going out on a boat is fun, but you're really stuck out there with hundreds of other drunken weekend sailors, so unless you're on a BIG one, like a ferry or a cutter, I don't recommend it.

Angel Island is the least zoo-ish option.
posted by small_ruminant at 2:33 PM on October 10