BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)
The MUNI is San Franciscos main bus line. Download nextbus.com or transit511.org for real time bus arrival predictions. You can also add apps like Muni Alerts to your Android phone (that’s what I use). It is $2.75 (adults), $1.35 (ages 5-18) for a ride on the Muni bus, be sure to keep the paper transfer ticket you are given by the driver as it is good for at least 90 minutes so you can get on another bus using that same pass and not have to pay again.
For bus stops look for a metal sign with the bus numbers (usually at or near an intersection) or look for a large metal pole with a yellow stripe painted on it. In the yellow painted area will be a number, that number represents the bus line.
Buses going westbound (also called outbound) toward the Golden Gate Bridge, Presidio, Golden Gate Park, the San Francisco Zoo, Ocean Beach, Legion of Honor, etc
If you plan to stay longer in San Francisco a rental car is not absolutely necessary unless you plan to travel outside of the area (Muir Woods, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Los Angeles, etc.) The public transportation system in the Bay Area is fairly easy to navigate and will get you to the main attractions in the city.
Parking in the city can be very difficult and expensive - most hotels downtown charge $50-$75 a day for parking. If you do choose to get a rental car, we would recommend picking the car up sometime Thursday or Friday (you won’t need it while on the GCI trip). There are many places downtown SF where you can pick up and drop off the rental car that are the same price or sometimes even cheaper than renting from the airport rental car agencies.
Cabs are very popular and plentiful in San Francisco. You can get to most points within the city for $12-$20. From SFO, you can expect a cab to be about $55 plus tip (expected in the US). Ride sharing services like Lyft and Uber are used by many locals as they are often cheaper than a cab, particularly to and from the airport and for most trips within the city.