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San Francisco Grand City Tour

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Experience San Francisco and beyond like you’ve never experienced it before. Embark on our Grand City Tour, a thrilling 4-hour bus expedition through San Francisco. Discover the city's soul with 4 picture-perfect stops. Your seasoned guide will share insider stories for an unforgettable adventure. Join us and be captivated by San Francisco's charm!

• Golden Gate Bridge
• Golden Gate Park
• Fisherman's Wharf
• Pacific Ocean Views
• North Beach
• Haight-Ashbury neighborhood
• Awe­-inspiring views of Alcatraz and the Pacific Ocean
• Guided bus tour of San Francisco narrated by a local expert and professional guide.
• Photo stops at iconic San Francisco landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, Twin Peaks, and Golden Gate Park.
• Transport by air-conditioned luxury coach.
• 2 departure locations in San Francisco to choose from:
• Departure #1 - 8:40 AM - Union Square (Downtown) - 478 Post St. San Francisco, CA 94102
• Departure #2 - 9:00 AM - Fisherman's Wharf - 2805 Leavenworth St., San Francisco, CA 94133
• Hotel pick up or drop-off.
• Gratuities (optional)

Restrictions

• In order to cancel the booking with no penalties you must contact us at least 24 hours in advance.

When would you like to go?

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Pickup Info

Hotel pick up is not provided for this tour. Please select the meeting point that is closest to your location. Make sure to choose the departure location that is nearest to you and arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Departure #1 - 08:40 AM - Union Square (Downtown) - 478 Post St. San Francisco, CA 94102 Although there is no physical Gray Line storefront, you'll find Encore Cafe situated right next door. To board the bus, simply head across the street and our team will meet you at the designated time for the tour departure. Departure #2 - 9:00 AM - Fisherman's Wharf - 2805 Leavenworth St., San Francisco, CA 94133 Although there is no physical Gray Line storefront, you'll easily spot Pomegranate Cafe directly across the street. Wait there, and our team will meet you at the designated time for the tour departure. * If you have any questions about your booking, please contact us at [email protected] or call (415) 353-5310. Our support is available local time, from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM PST only

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Last-Minute Alcatraz Combo Tours Available! Check Availability and Book Now!

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Limited Offer! San Francisco Hop on Hop off - Save $5 Online

Live guides, hop on hop off, walking tours.

See the best of San Francisco with Hop on Hop off Bus Tours. Our open-top  sightseeing tours will introduce you to all the city's must-see sights,  with stops conveniently located at iconic landmarks and attractions.  Your flexible ticket allows you to hop on and hop off the bus as much as  you like, so you can enjoy the freedom to stay for a few snaps, or  immerse yourself for hours. 

Our carefully designed Red Route ensures that you capture all the  key sights of San Francisco, and you'll even get to enjoy an open-top  ride over the Golden Gate Bridge - an essential San Francisco  sightseeing experience. Upgrade to a 2-day Explore Ticket , which includes 2 Days unlimited hop on hop off. You'll also enjoy other great inclusions exclusive to Big Bus Tours, such as drink tokens and free bike hire.  

Hop on Hop off Ticket Options

• Essential Ticket: 1-Day Hop on Hop off + bonus 2nd day free
• Explore Ticket: 2 -Day Hop on Hop off + Chinatown walking tour + Bike rental or USS Pampanito
• Night Tour: 1.5 hour

Valid for any day/time to start!

The San Francisco Hop on Hop off Bus Tour Experience

Check out this great video about our San Francisco Hop on Hop off bus tour!

$5 OFF - OPEN TICKET VALID FOR ANY DAY/TIME TO START!

You will receive an email voucher once the booking is complete. Please show the voucher to any Big Bus driver for redemption whenever you wish to start the tour. Day pass time will activate only after the first use.

Ticket can be redeemed at any Big Bus stops with the driver, or at the Big Bus office at 99 Jefferson street, San Francisco (near Pier 39 in Fisherman's Wharf)

Discounted San Francisco Hop on Hop off Tickets

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Explore the stunning city of San Francisco with ease and comfort on one of our San Francisco Hop On - Hop Off Bus Tours. With over 20 stops at the city's top landmarks, you have the freedom to Hop On and Hop Off at your leisure. Enjoy panoramic views from the open-top double-decker bus, making this the perfect way to sightsee in San Francisco

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Our Tours Include the Most Famous Sites In and Around San Francisco

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Tours for a lifetime of memories, downtown city tour.

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from the Bay to the Pacific Ocean, with stops throughout for photo opportunities you won’t want to miss!

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Deluxe Evening Tour

Enjoy an evening tour around one of the most famous cities in the world. San Francisco absolutely glows at night and you can see first hand all of the magnificent sites San Francisco has to offer at night from our original double decker bus.

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The 5 best san francisco bus tours of 2024.

Visit the top attractions in this hilly city without breaking a sweat.

The 5 Best San Francisco Bus Tours

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With so many can't-miss San Francisco attractions , it can feel overwhelming to try and see it all. That's where organized bus tours come in. They can help you see everything you want in a short amount of time – without having to navigate the city's traffic and hills yourself. Consulting both expert opinion and traveler sentiment, U.S. News selected the top San Francisco bus tours. Whether you're interested in a comprehensive hop-on, hop-off experience or a more intimate tour by minibus, you're likely to find an option that suits your itinerary.

Gray Line San Francisco – Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour from San Francisco

Price: Adults from $96; kids from $75 Duration: 5 hours

Cross a few items off your San Francisco bucket list on this bus trip, which travels across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods National Monument . From there, the tour heads to the Mediterranean-style town of Sausalito, where you're given free time to explore its shops, art galleries and waterfront restaurants. Travelers have the option to board the bus back to the city or extend their time in Sausalito and hop on a return ferry to San Francisco at their leisure (note that the ferry fee is not included in the base ticket price). Throughout the journey, guides share stories and provide cultural context – a point of praise for visitors. Another highlight for reviewers? The comfortable buses and variety of photo-ops.

Tours are offered daily at 7:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tickets include the entrance fee to Muir Woods National Monument, and kids 4 and younger tour for free. Gray Line offers a variety of bus tours in the Bay Area, including trips to Yosemite National Park and Napa Valley .

Check prices & availability on:

Big Bus San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Tour

Price: Adults from $69; kids from $59 Duration: 2.5 hours

Big Bus San Francisco offers an easy way for travelers to get an overview of the city within a day. Tourgoers can hop off the bus when they want to explore and catch the next Big Bus (which comes about every 15 minutes) when they're ready to move on. The tour features nearly 20 stops at key attractions, such as Fisherman's Wharf , Chinatown and Haight-Ashbury, as well as a ride over the Golden Gate Bridge. Without hopping off, the tour lasts around 2.5 hours. Buses are equipped with free Wi-Fi, an open-air deck and prerecorded commentary in 10 languages. Many reviewers say this is a great tour for first-time visitors as it hits all the top sights. However, a few express disappointment in the lack of an onboard guide, as there is little opportunity to ask questions.

Day tours run daily between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; a sunset tour is offered at 6:30 p.m. Visitors can also upgrade their tickets to include extras like a night tour and entrance to Alcatraz , among other perks.

San Francisco Love Tours – The Love Tour

Price: From $85 Duration: 2 hours

With space for just seven guests, this San Francisco bus tour promises a more personal experience than the typical coach bus can provide. During the ride, you'll drive around the city in the company's vintage Volkswagen bus, making two stops to snap photos of the Golden Gate Bridge and the city skyline. Along the way, your guide will share tidbits of San Francisco's history. Reviewers describe the tour as fun and informative and praise the music chosen by the guides. Travelers also appreciate that the vehicle's size allows access to areas of the city unreachable by larger tour buses.

Tours depart daily at 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Children 4 and younger are only permitted when booking a private tour, and you must bring your own car seat. For a different perspective of the city, consider the company's nighttime tour.

Dylan's Tours – Dylan's Famous Tour with Muir Woods and Alcatraz

Price: Adults from $189; kids from $129 Duration: 9.5 hours

If you're looking for a San Francisco bus tour that promises an intimate, small-group experience, consider this full-day excursion. You'll travel around the city by minibus stopping at must-see locations like Pacific Heights and the Golden Gate Bridge for photos. Then, you'll head to Muir Woods, where you'll enjoy more than an hour to explore. After a lunch break in Sausalito, you'll depart for the ferry to Alcatraz. Reviewers rave about the locations visited, and they also describe the guides as entertaining, knowledgeable and personable.

Tours are offered daily at 8 a.m. Tickets include entrance to Alcatraz, but not Muir Woods. The company offers a version of this tour that does not include Alcatraz, as well as general city tours and food-themed outings.

Painted Ladies Tour Company – San Francisco City Tour

Price: Adults from $85; kids from $65 Duration: 2 hours

Sightsee your way around San Francisco in style with the Painted Ladies Tour Company, which offers city tours in vintage Volkswagen buses. Because of the vehicle's size, groups are small – a highlight, according to reviewers. You'll have two photo stops and see Lombard Street, Chinatown, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Golden Gate Bridge, among many other sights. Tourgoers describe the experience as fun thanks to the unique buses, and they rave about the detailed and personable guides.

Tours operate daily beginning at 8:30 a.m., with multiple morning and afternoon departures from Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf. Complimentary water and snacks are provided for all tours; free white wine and beer is available for afternoon tours. If you're hoping to explore outside of the city, consider the company's Wine Country Tour, which travels to Sonoma to visit three wineries.

You may also be interested in:

• The Best San Francisco Tours
• The Best San Francisco Boat Tours
• The Best San Francisco Walking Tours
• The Best San Francisco Wine Tours
• The Best Napa Valley Wine Tours

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San Francisco Tours

Premium san francisco tour.

Walking Tour of San Francisco with Ferry Cruise & Sausalito experiences

35+ Attraction, Downhill Walking Tour Itinerary:

• Start at: The Ferry Building (Meet outside)
• Grace Cathedral
• Fairmont Historic Hotel
• Cable Car Barn Museum & Powerhouse (Tour inside)
• 1906 Earthquake Exhibition
• Chinatown (Full guided walk)
• Fortune Cookie Factory
• Transamerica Pyramid
• Ferry Building (Tour inside)
• Ferry Cruise to Sausalito (Walking tour customers)
• Sausalito (Time for exploring, Lunch)
• Ferry Cruise Back to San Francisco (25 minutes)
• Tour Ends at: The Ferry Building

Tour Benefits:

• Experienced, Knowledgeable Tour Guide.
• Only Downhill walks. No Uphill.
• Golden Gate Bridge included (see from Ferry Cruise).
• Ferry Cruise to/from Sausalito.
• See Alcatraz close up from Ferry Cruise.
• Visit Sausalito (small Mediterranean town with great SF views).
• Ferry Cruise offers outside and inside seating.
• Ride the famous Cable Car (fee not included).

Customers of this Tour Like/Want:

• More outdoor experiences.
• Unique, creative tour stops.
• Ferry / Bay Cruise.
• To avoid the crowds.
• Freedom of a walking tour.
• No uphill walking.

Ferry Cruise to/from Sausalito included in itinerary:

Take a 25-minute ferry cruise from The San Francisco Ferry Building to and from Sausalito on this tour. The sausalito ferry goes right by Alcatraz and the boat often slows down so you can get great views of Alcatraz Island. You will also get water views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Timing & Pricing

• Start Time: Daily at 9am
• Tour Duration: 5 hours
• Start location: The Ferry Building (Meet out in front)
• Available: 7 days a week
• Tour Type: Downhill walking Tour of San Francisco with Ferry Cruise & Sausalito experiences

Available San Francisco Tours:

Premium San Francisco Walking Tour

Muir Woods Tours

Muir woods tour.

This Muir Woods Tour is the only Redwood Tour that uses a Separate Tour Guide from Driver and stays longest in Muir Woods (90 minutes). This tour is also unique in that it goes to Marin Headlands (see below) to see the most majestic views of the Golden Gate Bridge (a very rare stop). You will also go to Sausalito, Muir Beach Overlook and a 25-minute Ferry/Bay Cruise. More tour details »

• Start at : The Ferry Building
• Muir Woods National Park (90 minutes)
• Sausalito (approximately 1 hour)
• Ferry/Bay Cruise (25 minutes)
• End at : The Ferry Building

Tour Benefits

• Includes Muir Woods Entry Ticket!
• Separate Tour Guide from Bus Driver. This benefit is crucial for a Muir Woods Tour – where guiding is prohibited in the park. Our Tour Guide will get to offer you face-to-face interaction so you can ask all of the questions before and after our stop in Muir Woods. This is better than looking at the back of your bus driver’s head on other tours.
• More Tour Stops are offered on this Muir Woods tour than any other comparable tour. It’s not just a Muir Woods tour! We also stop at Sausalito and include a ferry cruise.
• Ferry/Bay Cruise. Includes Ferry Cruise ticket costs! Get back from Muir Woods to San Francisco with a Ferry/Bay Cruise that goes right by Alcatraz Island (stones throw away). We are only tour operator that includes this ferry cruise in the itinerary!

Muir Woods 2018!

Available Muir Woods Tours and Combo Tours

• Muir Woods Tour Book Tour More Tour Details

Alcatraz Tours

Alcatraz Penitentiary was truly "The Rock," where America sent the worst of the worst criminals from 1934-1966.

Public enemies like Scarface Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Creepy Karpis, and the Birdman (Robert Stroud) all learned this first hand. People on the outside have always been fascinated with Alcatraz. Visitors peered at Alcatraz through telescopes when the prisoners were there, and ever since it was opened to tours, thousands of visitors have come every year.

San Francisco Comprehensive Shuttle Tours can get Alcatraz Tickets sometimes even at last minute, and we can arrange these for guests who buy our 5 our Premium City Tour (9am).

Morning Combo Tour

• Start at : Alcatraz Landing (Arrive at 8:30am) Pier 33
• 9am Sailing to Alcatraz
• Alcatraz (2+ Hours)
• Walk or F-line Train from Pier 33 to Ferry Building
• Board Shuttle Bus at 2pm
• Fisherman's Wharf
• Nob Hill (Guided Walk)
• Cable Car Museum
• Lombard Street (Guided Downhill Walk)
• Golden Gate Bridge (20 minute stop)
• Palace of Fine Arts
• Tour ends at Ferry Building or Fisherman's Wharf

Afternoon Combo Tour

• Start from: The Ferry Building (9am)
• Sausalito (time for lunch, shopping and exploring)
• Golden Gate Bridge
• Chinatown (Guided Walk)
• Ferry/Bay Cruise Included
• Walk or F-line Train to Pier 33
• Alcatraz Ferry from Pier 33 - departs at: 3:20pm or 3:50pm (tickets included in price)
• Alcatraz (2 hours)

* This tour has a 25-minute Ferry/Bay Cruise

• Award winning audio tour of the Alcatraz cell house, featuring interviews with former guards and former prisoners
• Possibility of meeting an actual Alcatraz guard or ex-prisoner, who are often on the island to talk to visitors
• Learn about the 1962 escape that was featured in the movie Escape from Alcatraz. Decide for yourself if they really made it or not!
• Man-eating sharks? Dungeons? Executions? Learn for yourself what was real and what is only legend
• Step inside an actual Alcatraz prison cell to have your photograph taken, including their famous "Hole", which was reserved only for the very worst criminals
• Incredible views of San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge from Alcatraz Island
• Beautiful gardens that were planted by prisoners and are now being restored by volunteers
• Large colonies of nesting seabirds such as gulls, cormorants, and night herons

Available Alcatraz Tours and Combo Tours

Alcatraz Island Tickets

Yosemite by Motorcoach Tour

See yosemite in 1 day by motorcoach.

Safest Yosemite Tour Around. More Free Time in Yosemite. Expert Separate Tour Guide (not a bus driver guide). Lowest Cost Tour. Comfortable Bus. Sightseeing Stops in Valley Floor. More Free Time in Yosemite!

13.5 Hours Tour Itinerary

• Start at: The Ferry Building (San Francisco 7:00am)
• Bus Ride to Yosemite (2 Hours)
• Break for Breakfast (cost not included)
• Bus Ride to Yosemite (1.5 Hours)
• Arrive Yosemite National Park
• See: Half Dome
• Bridal Veil Falls
• Sentinel Bridge
• Tunnel View
• Yosemite Falls
• Free Time in Valley Floor (2 Hours )
• Bus Ride Back (4 Hours)
• DROP OFF AT: San Francisco Area Hotels*: (10:30pm ) — Fisherman's Wharf – Financial District – Union Square

* If they prefer, customers can also be dropped off at a Taxi stand to get to their hotel.

Safest Yosemite Tour Around

Our Driver does not drive more than 7 hours per day compared to other companies work their drivers 12 to 14 hours and require naps.

You will have one Driver the way up to Yosemite Valley and then a new, well-rested driver, who stayed-over the night before, will be your driver on the way home.

Other Tour Benefits

• More Free Time in Yosemite.
• Expert Separate Tour Guide (not a bus driver guide).
• Lowest Cost Tour. No need for Driver and Guide OT. We pass savings to you.
• Comfortable Bus.
• No Third Party Tour Company! Many Tour operators are running the same itinerary and passing you off to a brand you didn't book with.

Tour Details

• 16 Potential Tour Stops
• See the Entire City in a full day
• Get off the shuttle at any of 16 stops, catch the next shuttle
• We use 16 Passenger Sprinters, 30 Passenger Shuttles - - much smaller, more intimate than 70 passenger Huge Hopper Buses in SF
• Our 16 Passenger Sprinters are really small; our 30 Passenger Shuttles are decked out with wood-flooring and phone charging stations
• Temperature Controlled inside (Winter or Summer benefits)
• You can actually hear the PA announcer (Tour Guide) on this tour (big benefit)

Available Yosemite Tours

Yosemite Tour

Robert Mondavi Tour

Napa experience tour w/ robert mondavi winery.

Only the Wine Country Tour Shuttle visits the great Robert Mondavi winery for guests traveling from San Francisco. Just like the Wine Country Tour Shuttles regular tour, this tour boasts: Ferry/Bay Cruise, 4 winery stops and a picnic lunch in Napa Valley. The difference with this tour is that Robert Mondavi winery is a guaranteed stop.

• Shuttle to Napa Valley  (over the Golden Gate Bridge)
• Domain Chandon Winery - Napa Valley
• Bouchon Pastry & Coffee Shop
• Robert Mondavi Winery - Napa Valley
• V. Sattui Winery - Winery of the year
• Picnic Lunch in Napa Valley
• St. Clair Brown Brewery & Winery w/ Winery Tour
• Break at OxBow Market
• Ferry/Bay Cruise to San Francisco
• Ends at : The Ferry Building

Available Tours

Napa Tour from San Francisco with Premium Wineries and Flexible Itinerary

Combo Tour of Napa and Sonoma

Premium Napa Tours from Napa Valley

Private Tours

San francisco private tours.

You actually save money (in most cases) with a San Francisco Private Tour. Medium to larger sized groups actually enjoy the benefits of a lower price per person for tours of all types when they come in larger numbers.

Further, with private tours of San Francisco you really do get first class treatment ranging from 1) A before tour discussion with your tour guide is customary 2) San Francisco hotel pickup and drop-off 3) change the itinerary anyway you wish 4) Include lunch in the overall price of the tour. Basically, whatever you want is our command with a private tour.

Tour Highlights

Choose your own tour times, Change the itinerary!, Free San Francisco Hotel Pickup and Drop-off, Free Refreshments (bottled-water), Bathrooms on board available upon request for buses, Separate Tour Guide from Driver.

Available Private Tours an Combo Tours

Private San Francisco City Tour

Private Alcatraz Island Tickets

Private Muir Woods Tour

Private Napa Valley Wine Country Tour

Private Monetery / Carmel Tours

Must See & Do in San Francisco

Take the san francisco city tour.

Look for SF city tours that offer more stops and visit more than the most known landmarks in San Francisco. We recommend the SF Premium City Tour with Ferry!

Visit the Wine Country - Don't drive your first time!

We don't recommend drinking and driving thus, we don't recommend renting a car to go to Napa or Sonoma. Go on a bus tour from San Francisco that visits great wineries and has lots of variety during the tour.

Don't Miss The Redwoods - Go to Muir Woods!

So many people come to San Francisco and fail to visit the Giant California Sequioa Coastal Redwoods at Muir Woods National Park. We highly recommend this even over Alcatraz Island. Find a bus tour that uses smaller shuttles and visits other surrounding areas in Marin along with Muir Woods.

Go to Yosemite by Train instead of Car or Bus

The Yosemite Park Train Tour from San Francisco or Sacramento rocks! It's the coolest way to get to Yosemite. We highly consider you investigate the train tour versus a regular old bus tour to Yosemite.

Buy your Alcatraz Tickets Early

You need to book all Alcatraz tour combos at least 2 weeks in advance. Alcatraz tickets need to be sold as a tour combo. Be weary of anyone selling tickets solely and not combined.

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Which San Francisco Bus Tour Is Best?

As tour guides, we do our best to provide a helpful and interesting experience in San Francisco, but there's a lot to see in this city, and we usually can't cover all of it by foot.

The Bay Area is perhaps one of the best in the country for bus tours, because you won't have to worry about walking up any steep hills!

There are two main types of bus tours in San Francisco:

• Hop-on Hop-off
• City Bus Tours

While hop-on hop-off bus tours allow you to jump off at various popular attractions, the basic city bus tour typically only offers stops for photo opportunities.

There are also a few city bus tours at night , allowing you to see the skyline as it is all lit up after dark.

If you're interested in getting out of the city for a while, there are also bus tour packages that include a trip to Alcatraz and other day trips you can enjoy by bus .

While we do our best to provide useful information about these tour companies, we'll also include a selection of comments from locals and travelers who use San Francisco Travel groups on Facebook.

Disclosure:  Our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the  full text .

HOP ON HOP OFF SAN FRANCISCO BUS TOURS

There are currently two different hop-on hop-off bus tours in San Francisco: Big Bus Tour and Skyline Sightseeing.

These open-top bus tours make stops at all the most popular sites and attractions in the city, so you can jump off and explore at your own pace.

Once you're done looking around at one location, you can hop back onto the bus and head to your next destination.

If you're looking for a convenient way to get around town, these services are an excellent option to consider.

For more information, make sure to read our full post covering San Francisco hop on hop off bus tours .

SAN FRANCISCO CITY TOURS

Unlike hop-on-hop-off bus tours, these full-service tours take you on a guided journey of the city making some stops for photo opportunities.

Some of these tours take you to one or two destinations in and around the city, while others will have several stops. 

DYLAN'S TOURS

One of the most popular tour companies in the city, Dylan’s Tours offers several different combo tours which include an exploration of the city and surrounding areas such as Sausalito, Alcatraz, and Muir Woods.

Most of their services are offered via minibus, but they also have electric tuk-tuk tours and bike tours you can take in and around San Francisco.

Depending on which tour you choose, you can expect to see sights in North Beach, the Mission, the Castro, Pacific Heights, and more.

The local guides and small group size really set these tours apart. Hop on hop off San Francisco bus tours only include audio commentary, so the live commentary from local guides is definitely a nice touch.

San Francisco, Muir Woods, and Sausalito Tour

• $129 Adults | $69 Children 
• Additional $15 entry fee for Muir Woods for guests 16 years or older.
• Departs daily at 9:30 am
• Duration: 5 hours
• Purchase tickets or learn more .

San Francisco, Muir Woods and Alcatraz Tour

• $189 Adults | $129 Children
• Departs daily at 8 am
• Duration: 9 hours

Reviews of Dylan's Tours

There’s a reason why Dylan’s Tours is ranked as the #1 Outdoor Activity in San Francisco ( read the reviews ).

Guests report back with very positive reviews, saying that the tour is an “awesome way to see the sights.” A few negative reviews can be found, but not many.

The intimacy of the tour, as well as the high quality of the guides, is repeatedly praised by visitors who traveled with Dylan’s Tours.

TOWER TOURS

Tower Tours offers a wide range of trips throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

You can take a trip through San Francisco, head up north to California Wine Country to see their wineries, take a boat to Alcatraz, or even go far inland to explore Yosemite!  

One really convenient feature bonus is that Tower Tours offers free pick-up from most San Francisco hotels.  

See their full list of San Francisco tours . We recommend that you start with their Grand City Tour .

You can expect to see sites such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Haight-Ashbury, Chinatown, The Castro, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, and other iconic landmarks or famous neighborhoods.

Their tours are not technically hop-on, hop-off tours since the buses don't stop at all the main attractions.

However, on some tours (such as their trips to Muir Woods or Yosemite Valley), you can get off the bus to walk around for a while, experience the outdoors, and snap some pictures.

Grand City Tour   

• $65 for Adults (Ages 12 - 59)
• $45 Child (Age 5 - 11)
• Free for kids under 5.
• Tour departures: 8:40 am (April to October) and 2 pm (November to March)
• Duration is 4 hours.
• More info and to book .

Reviews of Tower Tours

Tower Tours has received a 4 out of 5-star rating on TripAdvisor for its high-quality service.

As with many other highly rated services on this list, most of the complaints from customers are too random to even be worthy of mention.

Most reviewers had a blast on this bus tour, so chances are that you’ll have a good time as well!  

Tower Tours also offers combo packages and tours outside of San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO LOVE TOURS

For those who didn't experience San Fran's Summer of Love in 1967, San Francisco Love Tours takes you on a ride to the past.

This 2-hour tour brings you back to the era when Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead were playing in the Bay area. 

Learn about beatniks like Alan Ginsburg and Jack Kerouac who sipped drinks at Vesuvio Cafe across the street from City Lights Bookstore.

• $85 per person (regardless of age). 
• Purchase tickets here .

Reviews of the Magic Bus Tour

The Magic Bus is one of the highest-rated tours on this list. They have received an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars on both TripAdvisor and Viator.

There are very few negative reviews, and those that are negative typically complain that it simply wasn’t the kind of tour they would enjoy.

This really is an eclectic option, so make sure you’re actually interested in the concept of traveling back to the ’60s before you get your tickets.

For those of you who lived through those interesting times, this is a fantastic way to relive your experiences.

Alternatively, if you just want to take a trip back in time, sign up and enjoy the ride!

Lucky Tuk Tuk Tours

If you’re looking for a unique tour of the city, these outings are an interesting alternative to other San Francisco bus tours.

A Tuk Tuk is essentially a modified electric motorcycle that has been extended to provide seating for up to 5 people (on average). Think of it as a modern rickshaw!

These zippy vehicles can get around the city with ease, and thanks to their size you can rest assured that each Tuk Tuk tour will include more personalized attention from your guide/driver.

Each tour includes multiple opportunities to jump off and take a close look at important landmarks in the city, so they’re actually very similar to a hop-on-hop-off service.

The Lucky Tuk Tuk Tour company offers two tours either as public or private outings in San Francisco.

You can expect to see sites such as:

• Fisherman’s Wharf
• Golden Gate Park
• Haight-Ashbury
• Alamo Square
• The Painted Ladies (Victorian Homes)
• Union Square
• North Beach
• Lombard Street

Private VIP San Francisco Tuk Tuk Tour

• Per Person Average: $76
• Availability: Daily at 9 am, 1 pm
• Duration: 2 hours

SAN FRANCISCO SHUTTLE TOURS

When it comes to full-service bus tours, few are as good of a value as San Francisco Shuttle Tours.

This company prides itself on offering premium shuttles to many major landmarks and locations in the Bay Area.

Although this is not a hop-on-hop-off tour, the bus stops at various locations such as The Palace of Fine Arts, The Grace Cathedral, and Lombard Street. 

Each stop lasts for between 10 and 30 minutes, giving you plenty of time to explore the area with the help of a guide.

In addition to their city shuttles, they also offer trips to Wine Country, the Muir Woods, Alcatraz, and Yosemite.

This is a great option for anyone who wants an excellent guided tour of the San Francisco area.

Tickets: 

• $199 per person
• Includes a Ferry Bay Cruise
• Only private tours are available as of December 2023

Reviews of San Francisco Shuttle Tours

San Francisco Shuttle Tours has a 4 ½ out of 5 stars  rating on TripAdvisor.

Of the negative reviews that exist, most of them take issue with scheduling problems.

Aside from these complaints, it would appear that most of the other concerns about this service are too random to represent enough of a pattern that it would be worth mentioning.

Most guests absolutely adored their Shuttle Tour, and it’s safe to say that this is one of the higher-rated bus tours in San Francisco.

NIGHT BUS TOURS OF SAN FRANCISCO

One of the best ways to experience San Francisco is by discovering the skyline at night.

In addition to the options listed below, both hop on hop off San Francisco companies offer night bus tours as well.

THE LOVE NIGHT TOUR

This 2-hour tour may be more expensive than the others, but it is sure to be an experience you won't forget. 

The tour bus is a 1970s Volkswagen Bus, decked out as it would have been in the era of hippies. 

The tour is a very small group of just 6 guests so you'll get to know one another as you get to know the city. 

You will cover all the major sights of the city: 

• Fisherman's Wharf
• Marina District
• The Presidio
• Golden Gate Bridge
• Haight & Ashbury
• The Castro District
• Mission District
• Little Italy

Best of all, because this is a small vehicle, you will get to drive down Lombard Street, the curviest street in the world!

Price: $85 per person. You must have a minimum of 2 people in your group but no more than 6.

Tours run every night at 7:30 pm. Purchase tickets  here .

ALCATRAZ TOUR PACKAGES

Many of the tour companies listed above also have packages that include a ferry ride to Alcatraz Island.

If you’ve ever wanted to visit this historic high-security prison, these combo deals are a good way to save some money while seeing as much of the Bay Area as possible.

In addition to the options below, there are also a few hop on hop off San Francisco bus tour combo deals that include admission to Alcatraz.  

Read our post covering Alcatraz tours for more details about the attraction.

These combination packages are mostly useful for convenience, especially when tickets on the Alcatraz Cruises website are sold out.

At times, these packages might even be the only way to get tickets!

If you are looking for a premium package, or are looking to avoid a hop-on-hop-off bus, this might be the package for you.

When you consider what you get in this package, it's another good deal.

Grand City 3 Hours + Alcatraz  (full duration 7 hours)

• Alcatraz Day Tour
• Grand City 3-Hour Tour 
• Cellhouse audio tour (available in 11 languages)
• Dining voucher to a San Francisco staple restaurant for breakfast or lunch 
• Price: $144 per person (3 and under free)

One Day in San Francisco Tour with Alcatraz

• 9-hour full-day tour of San Francisco, Muir Woods, Sausalito, and entrance to Alcatraz
• Includes a ferry ride across the San Francisco Bay
• $169 - Adult
• $109 - Child (0-11) 

Premium City Tour + Alcatraz

• 5-Hour Premium Bus Tour of San Francisco
• 2-Hour Tour of Alcatraz
• $150 per person
• Currently Inactive.

TOURS OUTSIDE OF SAN FRANCISCO

Many of the bus tour companies we have discussed also offer tours to various locations that are just outside of San Francisco.

Whether you’re interested in discovering Yosemite or want to do some wine tasting in Sonoma, these tours will take you outside of the city for a wonderful excursion.  

For more in-depth detail about particular day trips , be sure to read our posts on: 

• Muir Woods  
• Napa Valley
• Yosemite National Park
• Whale Watching Tours
• Silicon Valley

Tips From Locals and Travelers

Although we do our best to give you unbiased views of these services, the reality is that we inherently have a bias because we are tour guides.

As such, this section will include some of the more helpful advice and suggestions from both locals and travelers who use either the San Francisco Travel group or our very own San Francisco Travel Tips group on Facebook.

When it comes to city bus tours, a lot of travelers swear by the San Francisco Love Tours.

One of the best things about these groups is that members are usually willing to share their own personal thoughts and experiences with various activities and attractions in the city.

As Janene points out, the Love Tour allows you to spend some time at Haight-Ashbury, and it sounds like you can also make special requests to focus on areas of interest if you go with their private tour.

While it costs more to get the VIP treatment, it might be worth it to have a more personalized experience!

Dylan's is also quite popular, and several travelers recommend their tours for day trips to nearby locations such as Sausalito and Muir Woods.

While Dylan's Tours does offer a city bus tour with most of their packages, it is worth noting that most people who sing their praises specifically mention their day trips outside of the city.

One thing that tourists note about Dylan's Muir Woods tour is that it does give you some time to explore the woods on your own.

While that might seem daunting, especially given the size of the National Park, there are a lot of well signposted trails that aren't too complicated to walk.

For more details, make sure to read our post covering Muir Woods hiking trails .

If you're looking for even more advice about Bay Area bus tours, make sure to check either the San Francisco Travel group or our very own San Francisco Travel Tips group on Facebook.

And much, much more

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Bus Tours in San Francisco

One of the best ways to see any new city is via bus tour: not only will you get to see all the major attractions and hot spots, you’ll get to meet fellow out-of-towners and never have to worry about directions or getting lost on your own. San Francisco bus tours come in a variety of packages depending upon your interests. You can visit all the places you’ve been hearing about or you can opt for a more specialized tour designed to your personal interests and tastes.

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Bus Tours by San Francisco Neighborhoods

• Twin Peaks/Diamond Heights

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sf city tours

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SAN FRANCISCO CITY TOURS

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Big Bus Tours

In a city of stunning bays, bridges and hills, our San Francisco bus tour is the perfect way to sightsee. Hop on, hop off, and revel in the flexibility...

San Francisco Love Tours

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Classic Cable Cars Tours

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Tours by Locals

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Walter White

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Want to see the real San Francisco? Ride a Muni bus

Everything I know about San Francisco I learned from riding a Muni bus. Or better yet, a streetcar.

Riding public transit is the easiest and best way to explore a city. A tour bus shows you the highlights: a tourist’s view of the place. A city bus offers real life. Want to see a city? Ride the bus.

This is something a lot of San Franciscans learned as kids. We roamed the city on the streetcars and buses — Sunday trips to visit our grandmother in the Western Addition, rides to the Zoo on the L car, trips to Golden Gate Park to the aquarium, to North Beach, to the Top of the Hill in Daly City, all over. We explored the city.

I can still remember those trips through the dark and mysterious Twin Peaks tunnel on those old streetcars, rattling and banging and bouncing as if they were going to jump the tracks. The tunnel had a funny smell, too, like musty old socks.

But this piece isn't about the good old days. It’s about exploring the city on the Muni system in real time. I always wanted to be an urban explorer anyway. So I took about 20 Muni rides over a few days last week just to see.

I got the idea the other afternoon in Union Square when two 38 Geary buses rolled up one after the other. The destination sign on the first said 33rd Avenue. The second: Lands End. Who could resist a city bus to Lands End? Not me.

Two days later in Noe Valley, a 48 Quintara bus rolled up, headed east, down 24th Street. Its destination: 22nd and Iowa Streets. Even for a lifelong San Franciscan 22nd and Iowa was a mystery, a blank spot on the map. Worth exploring.

So I did. The Geary bus is like a ride through the real San Francisco. It runs from the glittering Salesforce transit center, up Market Street a bit, up Geary, past Union Square westbound, past the theaters, past old style apartment houses, through a district unchanged since Dashiell Hammett’s time — gritty, “as real as a dime,” he might say. Past Van Ness, Japantown, Fillmore Street, the Western Addition, out Geary, on and on. The Richmond District goes on forever: San Francisco in all its complexity: Irish bars, Chinese restaurants, a Russian cathedral, the end of the city at the end of the line.

The 38 line is like the city in miniature — overcrowded sometimes, noisy, rough riding, complicated. And some of the riders bring their problems on the bus.  

The 48 bus runs across the city, too, but it’s a different city. Iowa and 22nd turns out to be an end-of-line stop under the 280 freeway, one foot in Potrero Hill the other in Dogpatch. When the bus heads out it runs over Potrero Hill, up 24th Street, one half Latino, the other Noe Valley gentrified, up over the slope of Twin Peaks, across the spine of San Francisco then down to West Portal, out Ulloa, Santiago and Quintara, through the Parkside District, all the way west to the Great Highway, the Pacific Ocean across the street. When I got off the bus I got sand in my shoes.

There are other crosstown routes worth trying: the 24 Divisadero from Fillmore and Jackson streets, the heart of Pacific Heights, down hip Divisadero Street, through the Castro, over the big hill into Noe Valley, over Bernal Heights to Third Street and Palou Avenue. The heart of the Bayview neighborhood. One could transfer there to the T Third train. A choice — going south to Sunnydale, going north to Chase Center and Chinatown.

Or the 30 Stockton bus: Chinatown, North Beach, the Marina and Crissy Field in the Presidio, a San Francisco kaleidoscope in an hourlong bus ride.

I took the scenic routes — the F streetcar the length of Market Street and out along the Embarcadero, the 25 Treasure Island bus for a stunningly beautiful ride across the Bay Bridge to Treasure Island, the city skyline in the distance.

My favorite was the 39 Coit, which runs from Fisherman’s Wharf up Telegraph Hill. It’s a small bus, and it runs infrequently, an urban neighborhood bus with regular riders who seem to know each other.

It ran up the Union Street hill from Washington Square past upper Grant Avenue, past little alleys that always remind people of Europe up to the top of Telegraph Hill at Montgomery Street. The intersection is too small even for the smallest Muni bus to make a U-turn so the driver has to back down a bit to make the turn. It’s a postcard view up there: the bay, the bridges, the towers of the city, Russian Hill, a kind of dream San Francisco. But in real life nobody can live there. Too expensive.

The trick in exploring the city the Muni way is to avoid rush hour, stay clear of sketchy districts like the Tenderloin, and get off the bus now and then to explore. There are a million places — parks, restaurants, coffee shops — to check out.  

Let’s face it, though: Muni riding is not for everyone. We all know people who wouldn’t be caught dead on public transit. I know one woman who was amazed when I told her I’d ridden to an event on the streetcar. Muni, she said, was dirty, smelly, and dangerous. “When was the last time you rode?” I asked. “Never,” she said.

But for urban explorers, it’s just the ticket, although these days at least half the customers don’t bother with tickets or paying the fare. And that’s another problem worth exploring.

Carl Nolte’s columns appear in the Chronicle’s Sunday edition. Email: [email protected]

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