You can also cycle this route very easily (there are numerous bike rental shops in the area). Leave San Francisco feeling like a local. There are also ferries to the historic Alcatraz Island, leaving from another terminal further north. We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. 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). Alternatively, you may also want to consider taking our free, fully guided Chinatown walking tour. It's a day of gorgeous art and tasty treats. The price is about $275 per person and does not include wine. But the whole experience was amazing and well worth the trip from San Francisco! 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. Traffic. A self guided driving tour we did with our friends.. read more. Wrap up the tour in Los Angeles at the famous Santa Monica Pier. According to an article on the history of the drive, a few of the annoyances you may encounter during the drive include: If you do the drive from start to finish with just a few stops at the major attractions it should take you three to four hours to complete the drive. Britt is a San Francisco Bay Area native, and has spent 25 years in this magical city. It started when wealthy families started building their houses up on the hill after the cable car line was opened. Our self-guided San Francisco walking tour is 6 miles long and spans 8 unique San Francisco neighborhoods: A San Francisco self-guided tour is a must-do on your tour of California. Lombard Street twists down past green bushes and flower beds. This is a self-guided experience and not an entrance ticket. 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 was great and I would totally come back and try other routes when theyre up and running! If so, then these self-guided walking tours of San Francisco are just for you! It will let you visit a wide variety of tourist destinations in a short amount of time and without walking up a single hill! Visit the lavish Castro Theater building while you are there, or stop for the most delicious chocolate chip cookie you will ever have at the Hot Cookie Bakery. Follow a live GPS map down a curated route. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Refund Policy. Pick back up tomorrow when youre refreshed! San Francisco City Hall, Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl, San Francisco, California 94102, U.S. This app offers a fully-guided experience - just like a local giving you a personalized, turn-by-turn, fully-guided tour. A self guided driving tour we did with our friends.. read more Andrew H 10/26/2019. Learn more about both options on the museum's dedicated Barbary Coast Website. An audio guide, map, and tour book all in one! 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! 2022 Outdoor Activities in San Francisco: Check out reviews and photos of the San Francisco City Self-Guided Audio Tour Through Golden Gate Bridge. Points of Interest along the San Francisco:-. I could start and stop the tour whenever I wanted to break and resume. Just remember to bring a jacket it gets windy up there! The app knew exactly where I was each time. 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 Telegr. The self guided treks are 3.8 miles long and take you through several SF neighborhoods including Union Square, Chinatown, North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf. Photo stops will be made along this gorgeous drive. Begin at Haight and Stanyan Street, which is also the westernmost Golden Gate Park entrance. 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. The tour works offline which means you do not need your phone network to enjoy the tour. Enjoy an immersive walk with amazing views and riveting stories of San Francisco and visit the notorious Alcatraz prison during this guided tour! Northern California Self Drive Motorcycle Tour . Totally 14 000 Victorians have been saved in the city after all earthquakes and fires that have destroyed a lot of the city, time after time. This comprehensive self-guided driving tour of San Francisco covers everything from the Painted Ladies to the Embarcadero. You start at the Japan Center Malls where you will find a plaque outlining the walk. A graduate of the University of Maryland and University of Southern California, he has been leading tours for Free Tours by Foot since 2015. free, guided walking tours of San Francisco, free, fully guided Chinatown walking tour, self-guided tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, GPS-enabled audio tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, free walking tour of the Golden Gate Bridge, GPS-enabled audio tour of the Financial District, free walking tour of Downtown San Francisco, GPS-enabled audio tour of the Castro District. Wil and Erin at Ride Free organised our whole trip along route 66 then the coast road to San Francisco. POIPU AND KOLOA DRIVING TOUR $29.99. San Francisco Sightseeing: A Driving Tour, Coastal Drive from San Francisco to Monterey, Drive in Central Bali: Batuan, Goa Gajah, Mount Batur, Yarra River Walk through Central Melbourne, How to Make a Bus Trip from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Sightseeing in Melbourne on Foot and Circle Tram, Italy by Train and Car: Rome, Florence and Tuscany, Wicklow Mountains Scenic Drive from Dublin, Madeira by Car: Santana Day Trip from Funchal, Las Palmas Mountain Trip: Gran Canarias Scenic North. Go City | San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass. You can spot some of San Franciscos most famous landmarks from here. Make a stop here to take some photos, or simply drive by so you can tell your friends you saw them! We loved it as it had been our first time visiting. Know about new tour launches, get exclusive access to sales and much more. Youll get to know their history and why these quirky little cars are still used today. This district is widely considered the home of the gay rights movement in the United States. Zion; Bryce; Capitol Reef; Arches . Our Self Drive Motorcycle Tours provide a route, daily itinerary, motorcycle, and booked or not booked lodging. San Francisco sightseeing by car: Alamo Square. Then its on to Chinatown and Manilatown, where youll hear about both historic districts long, embattled history. Past members include luminaries like Imogen Cunningham and Ruth Asawa. Not all of the scenic drive is actually very scenic. Fantastic how people keep up their traditions! You'll hear historical facts about SF events such as the California Gold Rush and the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. Changing travel date? Check out our favorite local recommendations listed in the app and stop for a bite. Alamo Square is the home of the Painted Ladies: the beautiful Victorian-era homes of the 1870s. Feeling hungry? 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. Open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. Begin this self-guided tour in the heart of San Francisco. As one of San Franciscos oldest neighborhoods, the Mission District is full of rich ethnic history. Gold Rush to Golden Gate: Self Guided Tour of San Francisco. Double Bottom Assembly, Kaiser Shipyards, Richmond CA [RORI 1039_b] . However, if you are planning to start and finish the drive at the traditional spot, near San Francisco City Hall, then youll want to get a hotel close to that point. Youll have access to the tour for 72 hours and can start and stop as often as you want. This tour is also available as a PDF that you can download onto your smartphone, allowing you to save some money on data or even avoid using data at all! Subscribe to new Routes and Trips posts directly to your email: Hi, my name is Liisa. All rights reserved. All tours are valid for a lifetime. English. Then well guide you all around, making sure you see everything this historic place has to offer! Table of contents. Even when the Americans insist on driving up and down the steep 44 San Francisco hills, one street turned out too steep even to them. North Beach: This district is also called Little Italy. Note, this is a self-guided driving tour : You will need to arrange your own means of transportation; Book a self-guided driving tour of San Francisco with route and audio instructions on your smartphone via an app. He knew a ton of history which we loved and we were able to see a ton. Founded as a "sketch club" for female artists in 1887, San Francisco Women Artists (SFWA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and expanding women in the arts. We spent a sunny Saturday driving around Central San Francisco and on Sunday we explored the Golden Gate area. Our self-guided tour of Chinatown includes a map that you can use to pinpoint the location of each individual stop, making it easy to explore at your own leisure without getting lost. It has three Michelin stars (the highest rating) and the James Beard Award for outstanding restaurant. These steps require good data/wifi. For those who like to sit and relax, packages can be customized to include private city tours or even private road . In addition to this outing, you can also take our free guided walking tour of The Castro. San Francisco Aquarium of the Bay tickets. This 3-hour guided tour takes you to bike across GGB and then explore Sausalito's waterfront. The tour departs from Fisherman's Wharf, following the San Francisco waterfront until the entrance to the Golden Gate Bridge bike's path. Make Memories & See the city in one of our self-guided San Diego tours! Discover the highlights of San Francisco at your own pace, on a self-guided driving tour available on your smartphone. Then, stop at Pier 39 to see the seal lion colony and the two-level carousel at the end of the pier. About Us. Prague As the name suggests, the tour uses GPS to provide directions to each stop. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. While a lot of people are happy just to see this beautiful bridge or even cross the historic structure, there is a lot more to see in the area which we cover on our self-guided tour. Add to cart. DIY Muir Woods Tour Cost. Id also done a tour with the sister company in Los Angeles several years ago. Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 24 hours before the experience begins. DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO TOUR. View All . 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. We also offer a new favorite spots map of San Franciscos downtown core. Here, youll get the inside scoop on how Hollywood uses this building as a stand-in for Washington, D.C.s Capitol building in all sorts of films. Our guide Damien was so very knowledgeable about the area and history of SF. Everyone can listen at the same time! You will also find some of the best Mexican, Cuban and other cuisines from both South and Central America. To get the best views of the painted ladies come here in the evening and look at them from the Alamo Square Park. By the way, the carousel below has two levels: Pier 39 is always packed with people and unlike elsewhere in the city, has a good choice of restaurants where to have lunch. Lowest price guarantee Reserve now & pay laterFree cancellation. 2 departure locations in San Francisco to choose from: 478 Post St. SF (Union Square Area) - Departs at 7:40 AM. Philadelphia Required fields are marked *. The Action Tour Guide app functions as a guide, an audio tour, and a map all in one. 7h. Cable car conductors also sell day passes. To make driving easier, the most curved section of Lombard Street was made a one-way street (only down), and there is a strict speed limit (5 mph, 8km/hour). FREE TOURS BY FOOT IS THE ORIGINAL PAY-WHAT-YOU-LIKE WALKING TOUR. These signs themselves are part of the history of the scenic drive. San Francisco is a technology hub without rival, and the upcoming Uber and Twitter headquarters prove it! Starting Point Address (Southbound) - SF to LA: PG6H+8F Lakeshore, San Francisco, CA, USA. 29. Streets like this would never work in Europe where a lot of cars still have manual gears. It's a totally weird and unique San Francisco thing ( here's a list of a bunch of other weird San Francisco quirks). Subscribe to our newsletter belowcoupon code on the next screen. These pretty Victorian houses together with bay views from the 44 hills make San Francisco what it is. While youre up there, youll learn to identify some of the most famous structures which make up Friscos skyline. Despite that they look really cute, social and intelligent. Next, we'll head up one of SF's famous hills: Theres a phenomenal view of the bay and of the city skyline once youre up there. Choose the Go City San Francisco Explorer Pass for maximum flexibility and stress-free sightseeing! 2. The back of each card offers the address and a little information about each point of interest on the route. Probably the most comprehensive tour of San Francisco is the 49-mile Scenic Drive . . What all nature lovers come here for is the Pier 39 with colonies of barking Californian sea lions. Stop at Eastern Bakery: 720 Grant Avenue. Your home, the capital of the West Coast, has been reduced to rubble in minutes: 28,000 buildings destroyed, 3,000 dead and more than . Review of: Golden Gate Bridge Bike Rental - Near the Golden Gate Bridge! Follow the turn-by-turn directions and enjoy the fun storytelling as you approach the next location. Explore all that SF has to offer with this ultimate self-guided experience! A San Francisco self-guided tour is a must-do on your . Learn how your comment data is processed. Begin this self-guided tour at the Ferry Building, near downtown's Financial District (or you can shorten it by starting at Fisherman's Wharf), before taking in San Francisco's picturesque waterfront and the infamous Alcatraz, just across the bay. A main street facade in Chinatown San Francisco. 1. Explore California Academy of Sciences entrance tickets. No worries! San Francisco highlights self-guided 3-hour driving tour, Sorry, we couldn't find any reviews based on your filters. After driving a long while up and down the incrediblysteep hills (yes, they are steep) we left the car for a few hours in a parking garage (Beach Street close to Pier 39 on the map) and explored the Fishermans Wharf area by foot. He has traveled to over 30 countries, and has never found a place he loves as much as this one! The thing I love about these walks is that all 50 are printed on their own cards. Next we'll see two iconic symbols of San Francisco's Chinatown: the Chinatown Mural and the Old Chinese Telephone Exchange. This is a walk through the past and future of San Francisco. This post presents a driving route in the Golden Gate area on the westside of San Francisco. To start exploring the Victorian quarters, first drive around Lafayette Park that has rows of pretty Victorians on all four sides. Between Carmel and Monterey, 17 Mile Drive affords dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean and Del Monte Forest along the Monterey Peninsula. The residential area of Pacific Heights is on the next hill in order and offers great views to the city and the bay area. From tasting delicious food to feeling the hippy love, to exploring the haunted past of San Francisco, theres something there for everyone. and areas we would not otherwise have known about. Sturgis Tour "The . Do you love venturing out on your own? The signs have a seagull featured on the top left corner. Discover the iconic locations from Lombard Street and the Golden Gate Bridge to Pier 39. . Fisherman's Wharf: Walk around one of our most popular districts. Below are links to a few that might be helpful, and look for more on Google. Hop in your car and enjoy this self-guided audio tour along the Pacific Coast Highway. After that walk through Chinatown, which has some of the best food in the city, making it the perfect spot . 3. On the front, you will see the full walking route. Entrance ticket to San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Our self-guided tour of Chinatown includes a map that you can . However, you should know what youre getting into before you tackle the task of doing the entire drive. You can take a ferry to Sausalito and Tiburon north ofthe bay, or to Oakland and Vallejo in the east. In particular there are certain areas of the city that are not very car-friendly, such as pedestrian-rich. 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! You will also find others that offer either audio or a map to get you from point to point. You know that San Francisco is famous for its hills, right? This is one of the most popular neighborhoods in San Francisco, and its not difficult to see why with all of its family-friendly attractions and activities. Powell-Hyde Line: Cable Car Museum and Russian Hill. And this little car can go where the tour buses can't. Best of all, the sightseeing adventure happens at your pace. The start of your scenic drive celebrates San Diego as a seaport city as our massive bay is filled with aircraft carriers, cruise ships, historic sailboats and private yachts. The current route takes you through large regions of the city and does allow views of both bridges but no longer goes all the way to Treasure Island. San Francisco sightseeing: Market Street in photos, Cable car turning at the Powell Street cable car turntable. Each of the following companies offers tours to Muir Woods. This tour covers some of the most interesting sites in the historic Chinatown district of San Francisco. >> Find additional self-guided tours plus some multi-day itineraries. and will seek out other neighborhoods on our next trip! And now, the Map This means you only have to bring along the ones you plan on using that day. 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. There are a total of 19 stops to visit, and they are all in the same general location, so it shouldnt take longer than 1 - 2 hours to complete. Northern California Guided Motorcycle Tour. That post is about driving around Central San Francisco, but now: time for the Golden Gate area . You can find new. This comprehensive self-guided San Francisco City Tour covers everything from the Painted Ladies to the Golden Gate Bridge. You dont want to miss out on seeing the Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill. Many of their idols like Jimi Hendrix were living here at that time and rock music was heard and hippie art seen in all places. We designed our self-guided walking tour of San Francisco to include several examples of that quirky San Francisco charm. No need to worry about driving in Central San Francisco. Join us for a walk along the streets . Want to go back in time to the 1920's and 30's and the Golden Age of Hollywood? Fisherman's Wharf walking tour & Alcatraz visit. Next, our SF tour brings us to the famous Lombard Street. Send us your resume, All Rights Reserved 2023 Real San Francisco Tours | Sitemap. Alternatives include taking a tour bus that goes along most of the route or renting a bicycle and doing it on bike, which takes approximately six hours but eliminates some of the difficulties of having to drive in the city. Carmel and Steinbeck's Cannery Row in Monterey. Buy now, travel whenevercoupon code on the next screen. Required fields are marked *. Stop to enjoy the view, take pics, eat, walk, etc! In case you get hungry while driving around, The Mission District also has some of the best authentic local restaurants in the city. Great exercise- best way to see SF. If you come to San Francisco, you might join one of Britt's tours of the city. This tour covers 14 stops in total, and almost all of them can be seen along Columbus Avenue as you walk North toward Fishermans Wharf. There are options for guided tours at $25 per person, and camping fees vary by campground. The tourist area of San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf. n audio guide, map, and tour book all in one app! In the evening when the sun shines on the painted ladies from the west it makes them shine. Chinatown: This is one of the most visited neighborhoods in SF, since there is so much to see and do. This is a self-guided experience and not an entrance ticket. After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. Take one of these to learn more about its famous residents, controversial stories and Italian roots. Simply put, Action Tour Guide is an audio guide, map, and tour book all in one app! Next visit the historic birthplace of San Francisco, then see the burial site of one of the hundred odd ships on which the Financial District is built. 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. HOLLYWOOD AND VINE TOUR. That is why these two adjoining neighborhoods are another must-see for your driving tour. San Francisco itself has much to offer the first-time visitor. It's all up to you! No extra fees are applied to this booking. If you dont spend too much time taking photos and waiting in bathroom lines, you could visit all 7 sites we talk about in this article in under 3 hours. Looking at them you could imagine being in China. From there, youll hear about the citys unique history and how it became one of the most progressive cities around. Local insider narration and special guest interviews. Book this sunset cruise now for a relaxing and romantic tour of the San Francisco Bay. This self-guided tour starts by first visiting the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Education Center in Richmond, CA. 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). Also, if youre looking for more ideas on how you could spend your time here, be sure to read our helpful guideThings to Do in San Franciscofor some suggestions. Start this self-guided tour at the stunning Pantages Theater, before taking a stroll back through Hollywood history (via Amoeba Music Store) to some of the oldest studios in Los Angeles, where film-making began here. Copyright with All Rights Reserved 1996-2017. 3 hours. A San Francisco self-guided tour is a must-do on your tour of California, so be sure to visit our website for more information. We'll learn all about this building's strange history as we pass. Download Hawaii's highest-rated travel apps + now introducing self-guided tours in Utah! Benefits Over Live Guides and Group Tours: Pick up right where you left off and continue your search for things to do, This information is provided by our partners. Email, phone, and chat support are available if needed. No self-respecting local would be caught dead at Pier 39 (except to visit the resident seals), or the "visitor's center" at the Golden Gate Bridge, or Alcatraz ( many of us have never bothered to tour Alcatraz). If you're looking to explore some of San Francisco's most famous neighborhoods by pounding the pavement, try this self-guided itinerary from local authors Kristine Poggioli and Carolyn Eidson. 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. These include the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Transamerica Building. So you need to watch up when walking here. Miami, Orlando, Kennedy Space Center and more American National Parks 20 Day Self Drive Tour Explore San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park, The Rocky . Subscribe to our newsletter below. Finally, finish your self-guided tour at the beautiful, historic, San Francisco Presidio (ideally with an ice-cream). Opening hours: Fri 12:00am-11:59pm. You can stop along the way to learn even more about each attraction - or even skip ahead if it's an attraction you already visited. Musement helps you get the best from every destination, by giving you easy access to memorable experiences around the world. Got a soft spot for the hippie-dippie days of the 1960s? I want them all PLUS general travel tips. You can stop for photos, take detours, grab a coffee or break for lunch. It is the perfect way to learn more about the history of San Francisco at a time and pace that works for you! There are a total of 19 stops to visit, and they are all in the same general location, so it shouldn't take longer than 1 - 2 hours to complete.