Travel Information for Yosemite Backpacking to San Francisco Urban Service Courses
**Reminder – Please do not book travel unless you have been cleared do so. This includes medical approval as well as a course confirmation when your course has reached its minimum participants. If you aren’t sure if you have these two items, please contact your course advisor.
If a travel delay occurs, please call (415) 504-3646 as soon as possible so that we can facilitate your pick up.
COURSESTART
Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) – Baggage Claim Area – Terminal Map
FlightArrival: Book your inbound flight to arrive by 1:00PM on the first day of the course. If you arrive early, please go to baggage claim to connect with your group. An Outward Bound representative will be there by approximately 12:00 for those wishing to arrive early.
Greyhound/Amtrak: An Outward Bound staff member can pick you up from the station. Please schedule this with your course advisor. Trains/buses arriving by 12:45 PM are fine.
COURSEEND
San Francisco International Airport (SFO):
Students will meet at the Arrivals Level Lobby/First Floor of the International Terminal. There is a sign in the lobby area with the words "Meeting Point" across from Emporio Rulli in the Main Hall. From the curb, the Meeting Point is between doors 2 and 3. This online map can be used as reference. SFO has two domestic terminals, with the International Terminal in the middle.
FlightDeparture: Book your return flight after 12:00PM on the last day of the course, you’ll be back by 10AM or earlier if there are no travel delays.
Driving: For those being picked up, you’ll be back at the airport by 10:00 AM on the last day of the course. You'll meet at the Meeting Point referenced above.
Note About Course End Drop Offs
Youth, Teen Course - Ages 14+: Any Unaccompanied Minors booked through airlines will be taken through security by an OBCA staff member. For other students, an OBCA staff member will be available to assist with check in and support as needed for a limited time after drop off. Unless Unaccompanied Minor Services have been purchased through the airline, students will not be supervised after drop-off unless they have specifically requested support from staff.
UNACCOMPANIED MINORS
Unaccompanied Minors Definition: This is a term that airlines use for minors who have purchased their Unaccompanied Minor service. It ensures that a staff member from OBCA connects the student to a staff member from the airline and then the airline staff ensures that the student connects again to a designated adult upon final destination.
If your child travels as an Unaccompanied Minor, one of our staff members will meet your child at the flight gate to escort them to the group. From Outward Bound, you'll need the name of a representative who will collect and return your child to the gate. As we staff our courses often later than you'll need this info, we'll provide a temporary name and details until we are able to confirm the correct person. Once we have that, you'll need to call the airline to update the contact person.
Families are responsible for making arrangements with the airline and any additional fees. This usually requires calling the airline to book this directly. If your child flies as an Unaccompanied Minor (UM), be aware that some airlines place restrictions on what flights are eligible. Please notify your course advisor when flying as a UM.
If you or your child plans to leave the day after the course ends, we suggest staying at one of the following hotels. Minors will need to stay have a parent/guardian present to check in.
Fresno Hotels - each hotel has a shuttle to the airport
Wyndham Garden Fresno Airport – 5090 E Clinton Way, Fresno, CA 93727 - 1-800-207-4421
Quality Inn Fresno - 5113 East McKinley Avenue - (559) 375-7720; free continental breakfast included
Piccadilly Inn Airport Hotel - 5115 East McKinley Avenue - (559) 375-7760
San Francisco Hotels - each hotel has a shuttle to SFO and a free continental breakfast.
Hampton Inn & Suites - SFO Airport South - 1755 Old Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 - (650) 697-5736,
Best Western Plus Grosvenor Airport Hotel – SFO - 380 S Airport Blvd, South San Francisco, CA 94080 - (650) 873-3200
Days Inn San Francisco International Airport West - 1550 El Camino Real, San Bruno, CA 94066 - (650) 616-9600
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