Blacksmithing Youth Classes. In addition to this outing, you can also take our free guided walking tour of The Castro. So we started with downtown San Francisco. If you have decided that taking a stroll through San Franciscos most charming neighborhoods sounds like a good plan, weve got you covered with our Walking Tours of San Francisco. It started when wealthy families started building their houses up on the hill after the cable car line was opened. For first-time visitors discovering the lay of the land or those who can't leave until they've seen it all, the 49-Mile scenic drive is a fantastic way to get acquainted with all of San Francisco. Take in the open space - and famous St Francis Hotel - before heading down Maiden Lane, SF's old red-light district (now full of designer boutiques). Parking, however, may cause problems, but we found good solutions for that which I will share. Nob Hill and the next hill, Russian Hill, have splendid views to the city and to the bay area: A San Francisco city tour on Russian Hill. Lowest price guarantee Reserve now & pay laterFree cancellation. Past members include luminaries like Imogen Cunningham and Ruth Asawa. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Haight Ashbury got its name from the corner of its two major streets, Haight and Ashbury. This tour starts at Union Square, visits Chinatown, Grace Cathedral, the Cable Car Barn and Museum, North Beach (the Little Italy part of San Francisco), Lombard Street, Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf. From Lombard Street its a short drive down to the North Shore of San Francisco and to Fishermans Wharf. Changing travel date? TOURS All Destinations Hawaii. But the whole experience was amazing and well worth the trip from San Francisco! And very soon we got used to driving up and down San Francisco hills. This picturesque, winding road has been another Hollywood staple for ages, but experiencing it for yourself is a whole different ball game. HOLLYWOOD AND VINE TOUR. The Castro District is a great place to visit on a driving tour, as it offers a little bit of everything that makes San Francisco the charming, quirky city that it is. San Francisco itself has much to offer the first-time visitor. If you have ever watched Full House, you will know what we are talking about. On my self-guided walking tour, you will see where history was made for the LGBTQ community. We'll exit SF's Chinatown through the Dragon's Gate. If so, then these self-guided walking tours of San Francisco are just for you! . Simplify your planning process to this neighborhood by taking a guided tour. Or, if you are in the mood for ice cream, the Bi-Rite Creamery salted caramelice cream is worth waiting in line for. Mission: The Mission is home to our largest concentration of street art and murals. The busy season falls around October through May, and entrance fees are $30 for a 7-day vehicle permit or $15 per person on foot. Next, our SF tour brings us to the famous Lombard Street. California Street is so steep that it was almost too exiting for us to drive behind a cable car, stopping each time it stopped and starting uphill again each time it started. The original hands-on paranormal investigation tour. 7 Sites to Visit on a Driving Tour of San Francisco, Alternatives to a San Francisco Driving Tour. Wil and Erin at Ride Free organised our whole trip along route 66 then the coast road to San Francisco. California sea lions are noisy, they bark and they smell. Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The Action Tour Guide app functions as a guide, an audio tour, and a map all in one. The best way to go on self guided walking tour of San Francisco is with City Walks. One of the major highlights in San Franciscos history was the Golden Gate International Exposition held at Treasure Island in 1939 to celebrate the building of both the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge, which had each only recently been completed at the time. It's a totally weird and unique San Francisco thing ( here's a list of a bunch of other weird San Francisco quirks). (A) Caltrain Station - aka, the OG San Francisco Station. In the evening when the sun shines on the painted ladies from the west it makes them shine. Taking a self-guided walking tour around San Francisco is a great way to get to know our amazing city. The preceding steps require good internet/wifi access. Its easy to find parking space and have an urban walk in the deep shady canyons protected from all sunshine. You can download a (free, printable) up-to-date version of the San Francisco 49 Mile Drive Map to follow the whole drive. Over 50 points of interest in San Francisco! Copyright 2009-2023 by SFTourismTips.com. Next, youll climb Telegraph Hill to look at the famous Coits Tower and some truly unbeatable city views. I want them all PLUS general travel tips. We also cover this part of the city in a fully guided free walking tour of Downtown San Francisco. The 49-Mile Scenic Drive map also is available from the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Visitor Information Center on the lower level of Hallidie Plaza at Market and Powell streets (near the cable car turnaround). Take in the open space - and famous St Francis Hotel - before heading down Maiden Lane, SF's old red-light district (now full of designer boutiques). More California posts that might also interest you: Your email address will not be published. Youll turn next onto Stockton Street and get a good look at something else you wont see every day: cable cars. Our North Beach tour is close to stops in both Chinatown and Fishermans Wharf, so it might make sense to enjoy more than one outing at the same time. It stops at the top of the curved block and you can walk down the stairs and see the cars. You can zoom in and out the map and use it as your guidance when driving. Liked Haight Ashbury the most. Then its on to Chinatown and Manilatown, where youll hear about both historic districts long, embattled history. POIPU AND KOLOA DRIVING TOUR $29.99. The onsite gallery hosts monthly exhibitions, as well as permanent work by current and past members. City Guides, founded in 1978, is an independent 501c3 non-profit organization with more than 300 trained volunteers who lead FREE historical and architectural walking tours in San Francisco for over 35,000 locals and visitors each year. At the other end of Market Street is the old Ferry Building. Two lines leave from this same spot, so you need to check the name at the end of the car. Ferry cruises to the bay also start here. See an interesting view? Haight Ashbury is one of the places that made San Francisco world famous and represents for the people of that time the real old San Francisco Yet its good to know that today Haight Ashbury is an area with severe crime and drug problems. Be aware of this as you start the drive. Begin this self-guided tour in the heart of San Francisco. Miami You start at the Japan Center Malls where you will find a plaque outlining the walk. The busy street begins at the Dragons Gate and you will find loads of Chinese restaurants on the main street and even more on the side streets: On the nearby Kearny Street the Chinese community of San Francisco gathers for Chinese music and games. Included with your San Francisco tour is a complimentary bonus tour of the Golden Gate Bridge. Our tour of Fishermans Wharf covers 13 stops and includes 8 great restaurants or foods you may want to enjoy while youre in the area. Transport by luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi and restroom. And I like the pretty flower beds in between. This is a walk through the past and future of San Francisco. Gold Rush to Golden Gate: Self Guided Tour of San Francisco. Start in San Francisco or LA, and simply follow the GPS guide to explore one of the most beautiful stretches of coastal road in the world. 5648 Ebbshore St, Sacramento, CA 95835. Our San Francisco exploration begins at one of the city's most iconic stops: the Painted Ladies! Hit the road whenever youre ready, stop as often as youd like, and just enjoy the journey! Let California Tours take care of all of your accommodations on a self-guided driving road trip vacation. Below are links to a few that might be helpful, and look for more on Google. Visit the fascinating San Francisco Modern Museum of Art, including seven floors of galleries and exhibits, three dining options, two museum stores, and more! Here you will find some of the best wine tasting trips to both of these regions. You cant visit San Francisco without flashing back to the hippie-dippie days of the 1960s. Get your Go City San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass, save up to 50% and take advantage of unlimited access to 25+ top attractions and a downloadable guide. Our next San Francisco sight: the hippie suburb Haight Ashbury. You can buy these together or separately through Amazon. Table of contents. This is where most department stores are, making the San Francisco Market Street one of the main shopping streets of the city. Opened in 1924, Eastern is the United States' oldest Chinese bakery. I could start and stop the tour whenever I wanted to break and resume. And now, the Map So you need to watch up when walking here. Welcome to the GPS-enabled offline driving tour of San Francisco, California by Action Tour Guide! After that, buckle your seatbelts because youre heading down Lombard Street, aka the most crooked street in the world! Bring your walking shoes we started at 10 am and finished at 6 pm, I highly recommend you do this tour. Britt is a San Francisco Bay Area native, and has spent 25 years in this magical city. Your tour will conclude here, but that isnt where the fun ends! See the top attractions such as Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square and the Hyde Street Pier. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative result from a recent antigen or molecular test may be required, please check the local requirements before your visit. Next we'll see two iconic symbols of San Francisco's Chinatown: the Chinatown Mural and the Old Chinese Telephone Exchange. Good news! GoCar GPS Guided Tours: Best self-guided tour of San Francisco even for locals - See 1,140 traveler reviews, 219 candid photos, and great deals for San This self guided walking tour of NYC The Ultimate Self-Guided Walking Tour of San Francisco: we've made a printable map of the self-guided Walking Tour of 2 San Francisco to Sausalito. You will also see where some of the most famous people of the 60s lived including the Grateful Dead and Charles Manson. You can also cycle this route very easily (there are numerous bike rental shops in the area). There was a lot more to see than we had thought, coming from Europe and being fist time visitors. This is one of the self guided audio walking tours of San Francisco. . Open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. For one block, this road turns into the crookedest street in the world! Youll make EIGHT hairpin turns within that one block! All tours are valid for a lifetime. We definitely came away with much more of an appreciation for Castro and the Mission (love Dolores Park!) Visit its top attractions, see where the Beat Generation spent their days and nights and taste some of the best goodies in the district. We entered San Francisco from the freeway from the downtown exit (Fremont Street). This is where you come for some of the most gorgeous views of the city. Our tour continues to Carmel by the sea, where ample time is given to walk through this charming town dotted with lovely shops and beautiful architecture. The tour includes 3 hours of media content, so we recommend planning for a minimum of 4 hours. Go City | San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass. Lombard Street was so steep that it needed eight turns to make it drivable: San Francisco by car: driving down the eight turns of Lombard Street. You will only notice when walking through its neighborhoods. . Please arrange for a vehicle before you take the tour. We offer Escorted Motorcoach Tours, Self Drive Tours, Cruises and Vacation Packages in North America. Despite that they look really cute, social and intelligent. After that go through vibrant Fisherman's Wharf, pass Fort Mason and the Palace of Fine Arts, before enjoying some of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge, in Crissy Field. Local insider narration and special guest interviews. This self-guided tour starts by first visiting the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center in Richmond, CA. These steps require good data/wifi. Just be aware of this. If you want to travel, simply pay the conductor. Most stops along the tour have animated videos allowing you to visualize what you cannot see, such as snapshots from different centuries or interior rooms. 3. Our San Francisco self drive tour offers you complete flexibility and convenience. San Francisco is a technology hub without rival, and the upcoming Uber and Twitter headquarters prove it! Its a great place to watch street performers, see some of the citys most intricate vintage murals, and just soak in the atmosphere. You can experience ourdrivingandwalking tours at your own pace and literally at any time of the day! Its like this, and will be. Here is the breakdown of the cost involved in this self-guided Muir Woods tour: ADULT Roundtrip Discount Ferry Ticket: $18 Shuttle to . Guide Name: Chinatown Walking Tour Guide Location: USA San Francisco (See other walking tours in San Francisco) Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing) # of Attractions: 8 Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s) Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles Author: doris Sight(s) Featured in This Guide: over San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and north into misty coast redwood forests. North Beach: There is a lot of history in the North Beach district. While a driving tour is a decent option, if you want to visit as many tourist spots as possible, a walking tour is the best way to really get to know the city. Most San Francisco seals travel south in summer to give birth to their pups and to be back here for winter. If youre planning to bike across the Golden Gate Bridge, this could be an interesting addition to that activity. Without a doubt, one of the most enchanting things about this magical city is the neighborhoods. Drive carefully! 4 Muir Beach to Muir Woods and Mill Valley. The San Andreas Fault has unleashed a shockwave felt from Los Angeles to Oregon, with the epicenter just off the coast of San Francisco. Perfect for photographers, the bridge offers stunning views of the city, even if the evening fog has already rolled in. You can choose from either a self guided audio download or a printed map. Take a deep dive into everything Haight-Ashbury and the Castro District have to offer. He gave us lots of fun facts along the way and the whole experience was very interesting. Download Hawaii's highest-rated travel apps + now introducing self-guided tours in Utah! Download San Francisco Audio Tour Guide and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. As we drive, we'll learn all about how this city was founded and why it grew. San Francisco sightseeing by car: Alamo Square. >> Find additional self-guided tours plus some multi-day itineraries. Probably the most comprehensive tour of San Francisco is the 49-mile Scenic Drive . Hit the road whenever you're ready, stop as often as you'd like, and just enjoy the journey! This trail connects important historical sites throughout the streets of SF. Dubai Follow a live GPS map down a curated route. Northern California Guided Motorcycle Tour. Are you ready to turn your phone into a personal tour guide? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. When you book with an account, you will be able to track your payment status, track the confirmation and you can also rate the tour after you finished the tour. Haight-Ashbury was once the favorite hang-out spot of The Grateful Dead, the famous rock band from the 1970s. San Francisco City Self-Guided Driving Tour Through Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco highlights self-guided 3-hour driving tour, Sorry, we couldn't find any reviews based on your filters. Youll have access to the tour for 72 hours and can start and stop as often as you want. We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. 49 Miles of Pure San Francisco. Alternatively, we also offer a fully guided free walking tour of Fishermans Wharf. You can get a free, printable, detailed map of the San Francisco 49 Mile Drive right here for your trip. From the Powell Street cable car end stop you can take the cable car and travel to the Chinatown, Nob Hill and all the way to the other side of the hill where the Fishermans Wharf is. Tour along Highway 1 by the towns of Santa Cruz and Capitola. Make a stop here to take some photos, or simply drive by so you can tell your friends you saw them! 6 Your California: San Francisco to Point Reyes tour concludes. The trail is marked with gold medallions embedded within the sidewalks. San Francisco City Self-Guided Driving Tour in English. Add to cart. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there. It's a day of gorgeous art and tasty treats. Dont have the time or money to book one of our guided tours? We experienced different methods of transport (avoiding those big hills!) This district is widely considered the home of the gay rights movement in the United States. Explore all that San Francisco has to offer, from the twists and turns of Lombard Street, through the bustling streets of Chinatown, and to the top of Telegraph Hill! Washington DC. Self-Guided Driving Tour. Next, travel through the famous 17-Mile Drive and see Pebble Beach Golf Course. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Refund Policy. In case you get hungry while driving around, The Mission District also has some of the best authentic local restaurants in the city. One of the key features of this expo was the launch of the 49-Mile scenic drive, which showed off both of the bridges and ended at the Treasure Island fairgrounds. Then well guide you all around, making sure you see everything this historic place has to offer! Id also done a tour with the sister company in Los Angeles several years ago. Some of the key attractions on the drive that can easily be enjoyed without getting out of the car include: Here are some of the attractions that the 49-Mile scenic drive will take you past but which may be worth getting out of the car and exploring in more depth: The 49-Mile scenic drive is a great experience and a terrific way to see a lot of what the city has to offer. Or you could opt to stop frequently and make this a whole day tour of San Francisco. Travel has always been my passion and work and with this Routes and Trips Travel Guide I want to inspire you to travel the world. Required fields are marked *. This is based on an audio guide I did . Our guide Damien was so very knowledgeable about the area and history of SF. Book your Alcatraz tickets to explore the infamous prison and enjoy two days of hop-on hop-off access to all of San Francisco. from. I found the one in the picture on the left in the North Beach neighborhood. Prague With TourCentric, youll arrive as a tourist and leave as a local.