Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

San Rafael travel guide

San Rafael Tourism | San Rafael Guide

You're Going to Love San Rafael

With a population of 57,713, San Rafael is a must-see destination in California, United States. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything San Rafael has to offer.

Article

Where to Eat in San Rafael

If you’re looking for affordable options, Los Moles- San Rafael (912 Lincoln Ave) and La Toscana Ristorante (3751 Redwood Highway) are great picks.

When to visit San Rafael

San Rafael in December
Estimated hotel price
$140
1 night at 3-star hotel
San Rafael in December
Estimated hotel price
$140
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to San Rafael in July, when the average temperature is 68 °F, and the highest can go up to 80.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 41 °F, with an average temperature of 48.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 8.2″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in San Rafael, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to San Rafael

Plane

Although San Rafael doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Oakland Airport (OAK), which is located 25 miles from San Rafael. Oakland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from United Airlines, Air New Zealand, Southwest and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to San Rafael departs from Los Angeles and takes around 1h 16m.

Car

Another option to get to San Rafael is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 15 miles from San Rafael. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in San Francisco.

Plane

Although San Rafael doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Oakland Airport (OAK), which is located 25 miles from San Rafael. Oakland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from United Airlines, Air New Zealand, Southwest and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to San Rafael departs from Los Angeles and takes around 1h 16m.

Car

Another option to get to San Rafael is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 15 miles from San Rafael. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in San Francisco.

Airports near San Rafael

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving San Rafael

Lufthansa
Good (8,220 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,576 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,212 reviews)
SWISS
Good (2,068 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,474 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,567 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,247 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,650 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,733 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,653 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (959 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (10,205 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,984 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,200 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,617 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,535 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,430 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (429 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,482 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,600 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in San Rafael

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Villa Inn and Extended Stay America Suites - San Rafael - Francisco Blvd East.

Where to stay in popular areas of San Rafael

Most booked hotels in San Rafael

See all
San Rafael/Marin Lodge
2 stars
Excellent (9.1, 1131 reviews)
$130+
View
Mill Valley/Acqua Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (9, 598 reviews)
$276+
View
Best Western Corte Madera Inn
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 910 reviews)
$163+
View
The Evergreen
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, 71 reviews)
$144+
View
AC Hotels by Marriott San Rafael Downtown
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 66 reviews)
$228+
View
Holiday Inn Express Mill Valley San Francisco Area
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1123 reviews)
$207+
View

Renting a car in San Rafael

Renting a car in San Rafael costs $62 per day, on average, or $185 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in San Rafael.

Expect to pay $4.43 per gallon in San Rafael (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $53.15 and $70.86. Compact (Ford Focus or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in San Rafael, while also 42% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in San Rafael costs $62 per day, on average, or $185 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 8% cheaper than airport locations in San Rafael.

Expect to pay $4.43 per gallon in San Rafael (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $53.15 and $70.86. Compact (Ford Focus or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in San Rafael, while also 42% cheaper than other types, on average.

Car rental agencies in San Rafael

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Avis

Avis

Hertz

Hertz
Find car rentals in San Rafael