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Having your own wheels can be greatly convenient in the Bay Area, but given high-priced parking and confusing traffic patterns in downtown San Francisco, renting a car isn't always a good idea. If you're staying downtown, consider taking BART or a van shuttle to your hotel and renting a car by the day only when you need it.

Public transportation within the city is generally pretty good, with an extensive network of buses, trolleys, light rail lines and, of course, the city's signature cable cars. Most transit lines are operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI), which offers one-, three- and seven-day passes good for unlimited travel on all MUNI lines, including cable cars. See www.sfmuni.com for fare and schedule information.

Other bus and rail lines operated by regional transit agencies include BART (www.bart.gov), with service to San Francisco International Airport and suburban communities on the east side of the Bay, and Golden Gate Transit (www.goldengate.org), which operates bus and ferry service to Marin County north of San Francisco.

Taxis also can provide a good alternative to renting a car and paying for parking, but the city has a limited supply of licensed cabs, making them difficult to find during periods of high demand. Try hailing or calling a cab at 5 p.m. on a rainy day and you're likely to wait a long time.