running from Galleria Park Hotel in downtown San Francisco

Find your way to Fell St and head west; you'll run right into Golden Gate Park where you'll find plenty of dirt. There's a (more or less) 8 mile loop of dirt that goes around the main perimeter of the park (check it out on gmaps).

The whole city is just 12km x 12km so it won't be that far from your hotel.

Or take Market St. to the Embarcadero, go north along the water to the Golden Gate Bridge. There have been recent threads about running in the city, just use the search function.

Just agreeing with the first two posters. Personally, I prefer the run along the water to the Golden Gate bridge, but they're both great runs.

thanks for the advice all. Yeah, I've ran GG Park before and would love to run in there, but it looks to be about 2-3 miles straight through the city from my hotel via Fell St. Wouldn't this be a lot of stop and go running? Is there a way to get there where I wouldn't hit much traffic & have to stop every block?

Also, for those who suggested the Ebacardero, what street would be the "least busy" to run down there? Is there a side street where I could avoid a ton of people & traffic?

Market was fine the times that I have been there. The walk signs tell you how many seconds you have left to cross, which is very helpful. Just be sure to avoid the annoying, overly aggressive homeless people.

I wouldn't expect much stop and go on Fell St (but do expect a lot of up and downhill). It's a one way street, so just be mindful of cars making right turns.

For a 11-13 mile run (not sure of the total distance), I would head through the Presidio to Baker Beach, then follow the water back up to GG Bridge, continue following the water back to Fisherman's Wharf, then head back downtown along Columbus.

Run up Kearney to California, turn left on California, right on Taylor, left on Broadway. Broadway will end at the Presidio - just continue heading in the same direction (west). Eventually you'll have to cross Park Presidio, then turn right onto 15th. From there pick up the dirt trails to the left of the abandoned hospital. Those go all the way down to Baker Beach. From there you just follow the trails along the water back under the bridge, along the Marina Promenade, through Fort Mason, along Beach Street. I'd try to pick up Columbus in Fisherman's Wharf so you can see North Beach. That'll take you to the base of the Transamerica Building, which is downtown and close to your hotel.

You'll see everything on this run - Nob Hill, Grace Cathedral, crazy steep hills, Pacific Heights, amazing views of the Bay, the Presidio, the Pacific Ocean, the beach, Golden Gate Bridge, the Marina, North Beach, Transamerica Pyramid.

mcgato wrote:

Or take Market St. to the Embarcadero, go north along the water to the Golden Gate Bridge. There have been recent threads about running in the city, just use the search function.

What mcgato said. Actually, there is no "path" on the Embarcadero, you'll be running on sidewalk. Once past Fisherman's Wharf and into the Marina District out to Chrissy Field you're on a gorgeous run.