The lucky part about our location is we are close to many airports: Reno, Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, and Medford, Oregon. We have used all these airports at one time or another except for Medford.
The unlucky part about our location is that we are close to many airports, but next to none of them.
So, how to get to the airport, and what to do with the car for two, four, eight weeks?
We could fly out of our local, one airline airport, but it costs more to fly from here to SFO than to go from SFO to New York. So we NEVER fly from here. I'd rather spend the money on, say... tickets to New York!
One time we found a coupon for long term parking in Oakland, for $5 a day and one week free. The lot was out a ways, but they had free shuttle service in, so that wasn't too bad. The usual charge for long term parking is about $7 to $15 a day. That is pretty expensive for a six week trip. Hell, that is expensive for a two week trip! I'd rather stay overseas longer (I figure about $100 = 1 day more).
We had our son drive us to SFO and drop us off, and then come pick us up eight weeks later. I paid him for the service, plus meals and gas, and it was cheaper than long term parking for that period of time. He appreciated the extra money, we enjoyed the visit.
There are several "Park-N-Fly hotels in the SFO area. For the cost of a room you get 10 days to 2 weeks free parking, and then a rate of $5 to $7 a day after that. Free shuttle also. Not a bad deal, especially if you are coming in late, or flying out early.
When we flew out of Reno for a month on the big island of Hawaii, we stayed at the Peppermill Casino. We asked in advance, but they kept our car for us in their valet (fenced) parking lot, for free! They also had a courtesy airport shuttle, and when our flight over was delayed from 6AM until 4PM they allowed us to come back and check back into our room, for free.
Rent a car. Seriously. It costs around $100 to rent a car for one day, one way. My friend George came up with this idea.
This Mexico trip we are going to use a Park-N-Fly hotel we have used before. The cost with taxes is $173, with 14 days free parking. That works out to about $12 a day parking with a free room thrown in, or say a $100 room with parking at $6 a day. Because of our flight times we will drop the car and shuttle to the airport on our flight out, but then stay a night on our return flight, which comes in late.
El Rancho Best Western Inn.
They have comfortable, quiet rooms, complimentary breakfast (or, if your flight leaves in the afternoon, they have fresh fruit, drinks and snacks) and a good location. Free 24 hour shuttle service.
The link is below: