golden gate bridge in san francisco

San Francisco Car Rental

San Francisco gives drivers access to major neighborhoods, waterfront areas, downtown districts, and regional routes across the Bay Area. Whether you are visiting for work or need a replacement vehicle while your car is unavailable, Enterprise helps you find the right car rental in San Francisco. With flexible vehicle options for airport travel, business trips, and city driving, you can choose a rental car that fits your schedule. Reserve your rental car in San Francisco today.

Enterprise Car Rental Locations in San Francisco

Enterprise makes it easy to rent a car in San Francisco with locations at San Francisco International Airport and in neighborhoods across the city, including Richmond District and SoMa. Travelers arriving through Oakland International Airport can also pick up a rental car there and drive into San Francisco or other parts of the Bay Area.

Deals

Car Rental Deals

Find low rates & seasonal offers to get more out of your trip. Whether you’re booking last minute or planning ahead, Enterprise makes it easy to find a deal that fits your budget.

Earn Free Days

Enterprise Plus Rewards

Join Enterprise Plus® and start earning points with every rental. Members enjoy free rentals, faster reservations, and exclusive benefits that make each trip even more rewarding.

Manage On The Go

Save Time With The Enterprise App

Manage reservations, choose your car, and check in before you arrive with the Enterprise car rental app. Spend less time at the counter and more time on the road. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Things to do in San Francisco

San Francisco packs major landmarks, waterfront stops, and historic neighborhoods into a compact city layout, so you can cover a lot in one trip. The city is known for its cable cars, bayfront attractions, and well-known sights that sit close to one another across downtown, the waterfront, and surrounding hills. 

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of San Francisco’s defining landmarks, stretching 1.7 miles between the city and Marin County. It opened in 1937 and remains known for its tall towers, Art Deco design, and signature International Orange color. Visitors come for the bridge itself, but also for the wide views of the bay, coastline, and surrounding headlands from nearby lookout points and walkways.

Fisherman’s Wharf is one of San Francisco’s best-known waterfront districts, with seafood restaurants, shops, museums, and bayfront activity packed into one area. The neighborhood is especially tied to local seafood culture, including Dungeness crab, clam chowder, and working-pier history. It is also a central spot for cruises, family attractions, and access to nearby landmarks such as cable cars and the waterfront.

Pier 39 is one of the city’s most visited attractions, with two levels of restaurants, shops, entertainment, and waterfront views along the San Francisco Bay. Its setting near the historic waterfront gives visitors clear views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, and the skyline. The sea lions at K-Dock are a major draw, and many visitors also spend time here for the aquarium, boat tours, and family-friendly attractions.

Alcatraz Island sits in San Francisco Bay and has served as a military fort, a military prison, and a maximum-security federal penitentiary. Today it is a National Park Service site that also interprets the 1969 occupation by the Indians of All Tribes and other parts of the island’s history. Visitors reach the island by ferry from Pier 33 and typically spend several hours exploring exhibits, ranger programs, and the cellhouse audio tour.

Lombard Street’s best-known block in Russian Hill is famous for its eight sharp hairpin turns, brick paving, and landscaped slope. The switchbacks were added in the 1920s to make the steep hill safer and more manageable for vehicles and pedestrians. People visit to walk down the stairways, watch cars navigate the curves, and take in views from the top toward the bay, Coit Tower, and nearby neighborhoods.

San Francisco’s cable cars are one of the city’s most recognizable experiences and the last manually operated cable car system in the world. These moving historic landmarks have been part of the city since the 1870s and still run through some of its best-known districts. The remaining lines connect areas such as Union Square, Nob Hill, Chinatown, North Beach, and Fisherman’s Wharf, which makes the ride both a sightseeing experience and a way to move through the city.

Popular Road Trips from San Francisco

San Francisco is a launchpad for unforgettable road trips across the West Coast. Whether you're heading to alpine lakes, coastal cities, or vibrant urban centers, these scenic drives offer a mix of natural beauty and cultural discovery. From weekend escapes to longer adventures, here are six popular road trips starting in the City by the Bay.

Popular Rental Cars in San Francisco

San Francisco visitors often explore a mix of neighborhoods and nearby Bay Area destinations. Compact cars make it easy to navigate city streets and find parking, while SUVs offer extra room for families or longer drives beyond the city. Premium vehicles add comfort for scenic routes along the Northern California coast or through wine country. Enterprise provides a range of options to help you find the right rental car for your travel plans.

suv rental

SUVs

Whether you are going on a weekend family trip or exploring the countryside we are sure to have the ideal SUV for your needs.

van rental

Vans

Our minivans and passenger vans can seat up to 7 or 15 passengers and are great for family vacations or large groups.

compact car

Compact Cars

Compact cars are great for city driving, quick errands, and shorter trips. They are easy to handle, fuel efficient, and simple to park.

luxury car rental

Luxury Cars

Choose from our range of premium cars and SUVs to rent, including convertibles, coupes, hybrids and more.

friendly enterprise employee hands over rental car keys

One Way Car Rentals

Go One-Way, Your Way

Skip the round trip and return your rental car at a different branch. One-way rentals offer the flexibility to keep your travel plans moving forward, whether you’re heading out on a road trip, relocating, or catching a flight from another city.

San Francisco Travel Tips

San Francisco parking rules require drivers on slopes greater than 3 percent to angle the wheels so the vehicle would roll into the curb if it moved. Drivers should also set the parking brake and leave the vehicle in gear or in park.

Very strict. San Francisco Public Works says most residential streets are swept weekly or twice a month, and commercial streets are generally swept at least once a week, so checking the exact schedule before leaving the car matters.

Red means no parking. Blue is for disabled placards, white is for passenger loading, green is short-term parking, and yellow is commercial loading, so curb color alone can tell you a lot before you even read the sign.

Yes. SFMTA’s parking guide notes that some metered spaces and major corridors turn into commute-hour tow-away zones, so a legal parking space at one time of day may not be legal later.

For short stops, maybe. For longer visits in dense areas, a garage is often easier because city streets can stack multiple restrictions at once, including meters, sweeping windows, permit limits, and tow-away periods.

It helps. Bay Area toll bridges are all electronic now, and the Golden Gate Bridge only collects tolls southbound into San Francisco, with no cash taken at the bridge. FasTrak is accepted on all eight Bay Area toll bridges and is the easiest way to pay without dealing with invoices later.

Construction and lane closures are common enough that it is worth checking live traffic before heading out. Caltrans is actively rehabilitating major San Francisco freeway segments including I-80, US 101, I-280, and 19th Avenue, and 511 posts live alerts for closures, incidents, and expected delays.

Visibility can change fast near the coast and bridge approaches, especially during fog events. When dense fog develops, the National Weather Service advises drivers to slow down, use low beams, and leave extra distance between vehicles.

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Ready To Hit The Road?

Choose the right rental for your trip and get on your way with Enterprise.

Enterprise Car Sales - San Francisco

Looking to buy? We sell cars, too. Shop our selection of quality used cars, trucks, vans and SUVs. And, when you’re ready, experience the Enterprise customer service you know and expect.

Exotic Car Rental - San Francisco

Explore San Francisco in luxury with exotic sports cars, sedans and SUVS. We have the area's largest selection of exotic and premium vehicles available for rent.

Enterprise Truck Rental - San Francisco

Need a truck? Our moving trucks, cargo vans and towing equipped pickup trucks are available for daily, weekly or monthly rental.