Recently, our team at Smart Self Storage, the company behind Harbour Point Self Storage, had a fun team offsite in Elk Grove, CA. Held at TownePlace Suites by Marriott Sacramento Elk Grove, we had a great time planning our team strategy for 2026 and beyond.
Our company, Smart Self Storage, operates self storage facilities throughout California. We span cities all the way from Los Angeles, to Oakley (Bay Area), to Roseville, and beyond. Up in the Greater Sacramento Area, we operate 5 different neighborhood self storage facilities.
In planning our offsite agenda, we quickly realized that our team would focus on marketing, with videography being a highlight. (Stay tuned, please, for our multitude of manager video tours which are forthcoming.) The beauty of Smart Self Storage is we are locally-owned and are small enough to give each facility an incredible level of personal attention. (We champion our local communities.) At the same time, we are large enough to offer stability, scale, and operating excellence from our 5 decades of real estate experience.
Fly!
In organizing our offsite, we decided to fly in team members from Southern California, and one team member from out-of-state (myself). One team member drove all the way from Los Angeles, as well.
As the team member who flew in from out-of-state, I want to share today my experience with Sacramento International Airport (SMF) and its rental car center. I’m a frequent traveler who experienced over 50 flights in 2025! I’ve learned a thing or two from my business and personal travels that I’d like to share today.
This blog is for anyone who plans to visit SMF airport. Maybe you’re moving to Elk Grove. (By the way, if you are, we are here for you at Harbour Point Self Storage, your neighborhood self storage facility.) Maybe you’re visiting friends/family. Maybe you have a team offsite, like myself. Maybe you live in Greater Sacramento Area, and want to live more a more mobile lifestyle, traveling the world. No matter your situation, today’s travel blog should have a helpful insight or two for you.
A Grand Entrance
When you enter the main entrance of SMF airport, you will immediately notice the tall ceilings and the massive escalators. I like to call it a grand entrance! I feel like when I landed in Sacramento, I got an immediate sense of just how grand Sacramento has become. The architecture is neat, and provides a great photo/Instagram opportunity.
SMF Airport and Rental Car Center: Leave Adequate Time
If you are a traveler who rents cars, like myself, a key takeaway I want to share today is to leave plenty of extra time when you visit Sacramento International Airport. The car rental center is accessed via bus. The busses come regularly, but are full of travelers. It’s important to leave extra time for transportation between the rental car center and the terminal.
If you are departing, it’s important to understand which terminal your flight will depart from. I noticed that there are different rental car busses for the different terminals, A and B. You want to make sure to get on the correct buss. Tip: Don’t hesitate to ask the bus driver if you are getting on the right bus. Everyone is super friendly.
Once you arrive at the terminal, it’s important to understand that there is a (very short) tram ride from the security area to the actual jet bridge area. While short and easy, this is another factor to consider.
As a frequent traveler, I always like to keep in mind how fast I can get from my car rental return to actually boarding the airplane. Or, when landing, how quickly I can get from landing to my rental car.
In the case of SMF, there are two additional factors to consider. You must consider the tram ride from the gate to the main entrance of SMF. And, you must consider the bus ride to the rental car center (for those renting cars).
A smaller airport that I often utilize in Southern California, Burbank (BUR) airport, has direct access from jet bridge to walkway to rental car. It’s all walking and no trams/busses. To be fair, BUR is a smaller airport and is currently being rebuilt from the ground-up.
Importantly, I had an overall great experience at SMF. I’m not trying to put down the airport, but rather I’m trying to educate the reader that a little extra time can go a long way with the airport’s configuration. I have found as a traveler that it’s so important to understand what I’m getting into. If I know what to expect, I can plan. If I can plan, there will be fewer surprises. With fewer surprises, I have a very fun and productive travel day.
Key: Make sure to leave extra time if you are like me and tend to worry about having more steps involved.
Sacramento International Airport: Lots of Direct Flights
Another by takeaway from my experience is the multitude of direct flights to SMF, a huge selling point for the airport and the Greater Sacramento Area overall. I’m a fan of convenience. As a frequent traveler, I like to minimize connections when possible. Connections can really slow down my day. (But, they can also come in handy if I’m trying to build up segments to hit a status level with an airline mileage program, but that’s a story for another day.)
With this team offsite, I had no time to waste. I had a short turnaround with a packed agenda. I couldn’t believe it when I noticed that I could fly in directly from my even smaller airport in Boise, Idaho! Thank you so much Alaska Airlines for offering that direct flight. And, thank you SMF for accommodating so many direct flights. The fact that this direct flight exists makes SMF so much more accessible to me as someone who lives remotely. It makes my life easy, and a delight. This is a huge blessing to me.
It goes beyond my immediate situation, however. When I was at SMF, I noticed that SMF has so many more direct flights. I heard flights boarding for the island of Maui, for example. Wow! Direct from SMF to Maui, it does not get better than that.
I bring this up because convenience is a big deal in our modern world. If you’re thinking of moving to Sacramento (or a suburb such as Elk Grove), having access to so many direct flights can be a blessing to you too. I think this is a huge benefit to the local community.
SMF Airport: Supporting A Growing Area
There’s no doubt about it. We see it every single day. The Greater Sacramento Area is growing. Whether you live in Sacramento or are moving to the area, you will likely utilize SMF airport at some point. I encourage you to arrive early and explore all the flights. I think you’ll be surprised that you don’t have to visit a larger airport like SFO for your flying needs.
Speaking of growing, at Smart Self Storage, we are here for you. Self storage is not a topic we all think of day-to-day, but we want self storage to become part of your day-to-day life. If you are moving to the area (Elk Grove or beyond), consider Smart Self Storage for your storage needs. Having a self storage unit can make your move so much easier.
If you live in Elk Grove but love to travel, why not downsize? Consider downsizing your living space, and storing your items at Harbour Point Self Storage. Then, you can make SMF your home base for your travels. These days, air travel is more popular than ever before. The Internet (and AI) has made it so many of us can work remotely. Why not explore the world, with your items in self storage as you travel? At Harbour Point Self Storage, we are here for you.
Are you considering building a new business or growing your existing business? Self Storage can be the perfect location to store your inventory, vs. a costly office (or cluttering your home).
We also know that nothing can replace an in-person, face-to-face meeting. While in Sacramento, I not only met with our team for many hours at TownPlace Suites Elk Grove conference room, but I also met with various managers and business partners in-the-field. The trip was incredibly productive. Travel is essential to many businesses. And, self storage goes hand-in-hand with inventory/business records. Consider Harbour Point Self Storage for your business needs.
In Conclusion
In closing, I am a fan of SMF. It’s a unique airport, with a lot of direct routes. In leaving myself some extra time (especially when departing back home), the bus was easy to navigate for my rental car. I’m thankful for the direct route from Idaho, and I cannot wait to visit again.
At a high level, the scenery of the Greater Sacramento Area reminded me so much of home in Boise, Idaho. I felt a sense of peace with the nature and scenery of Sacramento. I’m proud of our business in Sacramento and I’ll definitely find reason to visit again for our next team offsite!
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
6900 Airport Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95837
+1 (916) 929.5411
flysmf.gov
