This is the first season for the San Francisco 49ers at the new Levi Stadium, so we were excited to book a trip to see a game, experience the stadium, and be able to compare it to the old Candlestick Park.
Flying to San Francisco
We fly Southwest as our primary option because the airfares are pretty cheap (most of the time) and because we have the Southwest Companion Pass, which enables my wife to fly for free wherever I go.
Fares from SoCal to the Bay Area are usually around $70-$100 each way on Southwest… or, if using points, fares start below 4,000 Southwest points each way. If I had to pay cash for a ticket, I’d use my Barclay Arrival card because I could use the points I earn to offset the travel expenses for my flight, BART tickets, and hotel!
We’re flying in to Oakland, then taking the BART into San Francisco. SFO is a nicer airport, but it has problems with postponed and canceled flights due to the fog from the bay, so I always choose OAK instead…even if it means a little longer commute into the City.
On the way home, we’re flying home from San Jose since the airport is only 6 miles from the stadium. Since it’s a 1:30pm game, we should have enough time to stay until the end, take a quick taxi or shuttle to the airport, then catch our flight home.
Where to stay in San Francisco?
Although the game is in Santa Clara (near San Jose and Silicon Valley), there are so many more fun things to do in San Francisco, so we’re staying the night up there. Plus, we have a bunch of friends from school, work, and conferences I’ve attended who live in the Bay Area, so this will give us a chance to hang out and catch up on old times.
We’ll be staying in one of the Kimpton hotels in the main part of San Francisco. Each hotel is unique within their collection, and they provide excellent customer service, including an evening Wine Hour from 5p-6p and special goodies and upgrades for members of their Kimpton Karma rewards program.
Kimpton has 9 boutique hotels in the heart of San Francisco – Downtown, Fisherman’s Wharf, Japantown, Union Square, or Waterfront. We’re still deciding which of the properties to stay at, but I think the decision is between the Palomar San Francisco, the Monaco San Francisco, or the Sir Francis Drake.
If you use the code “TRPR” to book on the Kimpton.com website, you will receive 15% off the rate and Kimpton will donate $5 to the Trevor Project.
Normally, I book with Booking.com to find the best rates on hotels when I travel. However, it is great that Kimpton is making these donations. If the rate you find on Booking.com saves you more than $5 off the rate above, use Booking.com and make the $5 donation yourself!
Going to the San Francisco 49ers game
Anna and I went to a game at the old Candlestick Park back in 2007 or 2008. The park was in the middle of nowhere (drive or taxis just about the only way in or out) and public transportation was not an option.
Candlestick was nowhere near modern. The “jumbotrons” at either end of the stadium were about the same size as the TV in my bonus room, so good luck seeing the replay!
The new Levi Stadium is supposed to be AMAZING.
We bought a couple of the few remaining tickets on the NFL Ticketmaster.com website without needing to buy them second-hand. It was a great opportunity to use Anna’s NFL credit card to earn extra points towards our goal of attending the Super Bowl using points!
It will be awesome to experience the new stadium with Timmy and #2 as a bun in the oven. I’m pretty lucky to have a wife who’s willing to travel and attend games with me when she’ll be 6 months pregnant!!! Since the direct sale tickets from the 49ers are virtually gone, I would recommend buying San Francisco 49ers tickets from Ticket Office Sales.
Get Your Team Gear
Before you attend a game, you have to check out the latest t-shirts, hats, and jackets. Every year they come out with new styles, so it’s worth a look so you can represent your team with the latest fashions!
What else is there to to do in San Francisco?
So many fun local museums and attractions available with the CityPass, including a 7-day MUNI & Cable Car passport! Taking the Cable Car up Powell Street is a must-do while in San Francisco. You could also bike or walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, visit Alcatraz, take a tour of the Ghiradelli chocolate factory, walk along the harbor, or take in some of the fantastic shopping.
Should you rent a car?
San Francisco is a metropolitan city with class. The public transportation system gets you everywhere you want to be. However, getting from San Francisco down to Santa Clara is going to require a train ticket. In some ways, renting a car would be easier... however, parking rates can be high in the city and I'm sure parking at the stadium is going to be expensive. You need to decide for yourself if the convenience of renting a car outweighs the additional expense for parking.
If you're going to rent a car, do it in style with an Audi A4 from SilverCar. Really, would you rather cruise up in a sweet Audi or in something you drove in high school?
Conclusion
It will be a great time in San Francisco with the family and it will be fun at the game. An interesting side note about Candlestick Park...
- In August 1966, 24-year-old Paul McCartney and the Beatles played their last concert as a group at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, an 11-song show.
- In August 2014, 72-year-old Paul McCartney played the last concert and last event ever at Candlestick Park in Francisco, a 40-song show.
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