Top San Francisco Cultural Tours

Take a journey around San Francisco's top sights in a retro way with this "painted ladies" tour by vintage Volkswagen bus decorated with long gorgeous eyelashes so you can't miss your tour vehicle. You'll pass by neighborhoods like Chinatown, Union Square, Pacific Heights, North Beach, Haight-Ashbury, the Marina, and the Castro, plus see the Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, and more.

Dive deep into one of San Francisco’s most historic neighborhoods on this Chinatown walking tour. From paper lanterns to medicinal herbs to a fortune cookie factory, explore both popular and lesser-known gems in this bustling district with an in-the-know guide. See sights including a Buddhist temple, and upgrade, if you wish, to include a 9-course lunch of dim sum for an even more memorable experience.

If you fancy yourself a foodie or culture enthusiast, don’t miss this walking tour of San Francisco’s Little Italy—the neighborhood of North Beach. Voted one of the 15 best foodie tours in the USA by U.S. News, join an insider guide and experience a slice of the top things to do in North Beach, such as tasting coffee and witnessing bread being freshly made. Soak up the lively atmosphere of one of the city’s most popular districts as you learn about its cafes and bakeries and see landmarks like Saints Peter and Paul Church.

Riding across the Golden Gate Bridge in a tour van leaves you free to take in the epic views instead of focusing on the driving. This tour takes you from downtown San Francisco to Muir Woods and Sausalito—two of Marin's top attractions—in a single day. You'll have free time to explore both sites, making this organized option a great choice for independent travelers.

Avoid the crowds, confusion, and limitations of large buses and discover San Francisco by luxury minivan. This half-day tour takes you to numerous parts of the city for the perfect overview. Enjoy fascinating facts provided by your guide's live commentary. Stop for photo opportunities at some of the city’s most popular attractions, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks.

Stroll through North Beach and Chinatown, two of San Francisco's most vibrant neighborhoods, by night on this food and walking tour. Discover the spots only locals know for dim sum, coffee, and other treats while you learn about the history and culture of these diverse districts from your knowledgeable guide. Samples make up enough for a meal so come hungry!

You're in a special city. Why take an ordinary tour? This is the ONLY convertible MINI Cooper tour in the country! This tour is totally customizable – you choose the length of the tour, what time you want to be picked up, and what you want to see. I love San Francisco and have spent 20 years studying and exploring the city. I’ll work with you to plan your tour so you can see the famous sites and the hidden gems other tours can't go to or don't know about. I’ve designed this to be the type of tour I would take if I visited San Francisco, but where you go is up to you. I make suggestions along the way, but how long you spend at any site is up to you. You're never rushed, and never have to wait for other people. It's all about you! Plus, it's fun! In the convertible MINI Cooper, you see everything up close and personal as we drive along. I love showing guests San Francisco, and talking about the history and culture of this unique and special city.

Guarantee your visit to Alcatraz when you book in advance. Relax aboard your ferry transportation and return at a time of your choosing. Afterward, use your food voucher at a preselected restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf.

'Forget it Jake. It's Chinatown,' but if you're willing to get off the tour bus, then San Francisco's Chinatown and its foodie adventures don't have to remain a riddle. Explore the roads less-taken, sample Chef Han's world-famous Szechuan cuisine and the delectable Peking duck, take in the sights and smells of the real Chinatown, and see how San Francisco's Chinese Americans live during this culinary and gourmet food tour.

Experience the supernatural side of one of the city’s most famous neighborhoods on this San Francisco ghost tour. During this evening walking tour, you’ll explore the streets of Chinatown with a guide, who fills you in on the spirits said to haunt this historic area. Hear chilling tales and mysteries, and enjoy an alternative way to discover Chinatown.

Discover the highlights of Chinatown and North Beach on a 2.5-hour walking tour. Your knowledgeable guide provides insight into the Chinese and Italian immigrant cultures that have shaped these famous San Francisco neighborhoods. In Chinatown, visit a historic Chinese temple, bakery, fortune cookie maker and tea shop for tastings of their delectable goods. Then stroll past Italian cafes and restaurants in neighboring North Beach where you visit City Lights Bookstore, hear about the Beatniks and Barbary Coast, and see Coit Tower and Washington Square Park.

Experience the distinctive architecture, history and culture of San Francisco’s Chinatown with a 3-hour guided walking tour through this thriving, colorful community. Explore Chinatown alongside a knowledgeable guide, visit an exclusive teashop that specializes in fine Chinese teas and browse traditional remedies at a Chinese herbal shop. Learn how the neighborhood was founded and built then get a glimpse inside the area’s elaborate Taoist and Buddhist temples. Stay after the tour for an optional meal, and enjoy a sumptuous dim sum tasting menu followed by an entrée, side dish and dessert.

This Tour will take you across the Golden Gate Bridge and stop at the north Vista Point for pictures, walk during 1h30min among old growth coast redwoods of the famous Muir Woods National Monument Park (entree fee $15 not included for and free for 15 and under. As well free up to 4 people if you have the National Park pass). Then we will stop for an hour and admire the beautiful seaside Mediterranean style City of Sausalito you you. The transportation will be in a luxury brand New Mercedes Sprinter Van with only 11 passenger total. The toll and parking fees is included. You will have a particular attention from your tour guide during all your trip.

Explore two of San Francisco's most distinctive neighborhoods side-by-side on a walking tour of Chinatown and Union Square. Learn the fascinating history behind the oldest Chinatown in the United States, and be immersed in the city’s contrasting cultures as you stroll alongside cable cars through Union Square’s chic hotels, architectural landmarks, and luxury boutiques.

Discover the food scene of San Francisco's Mission District on a walking tour that takes you to five food venues, from mom-and-pop shops to bakeries, where you'll enjoy tastings. Along the way, learn about the history and culture of one of the city's most popular neighborhoods from your guide.

Alcatraz Island is one of San Francisco’s most visited landmarks, known for its notorious federal prison. This combo tour package is ideal for travelers who want to visit Alcatraz and enjoy sightseeing in San Francisco at their own pace. Use your round-trip ferry tickets to visit Alcatraz, then make the most of a full-day bike rental in San Francisco to be used on the same or following day. Also included is a lunch voucher for a Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant.

Harken back to San Francisco’s days as a Gold Rush boomtown on a 2-hour walking tour of the Financial District, once known as the rowdy Barbary Coast of California. Hear tales of buried ships, fortune hunters, and Wild West saloons as you explore the city’s former waterfront, and learn how it transformed into the business hub of modern-day San Francisco.

Explore San Francisco in the company of a professional photographer on this private tour. Choose a custom route through the city that is tailored to your interests. As you stroll, your photographer-guide will capture candid moments of you on your vacation. After the tour, all your images are available to download.

Get a taste of San Francisco’s Mission District on this 3-hour food tour. Led by a local guide, you'll treat your taste buds to a diverse range of cuisine, from traditional Latin recipes to modern spins on local dishes. Bring an appetite for authentic tacos and Mexican delicacies, house-cured pastrami sandwiches, horchata-flavored cupcakes and more. This tour is offered along Mission in the evening along 18th Street.

Our tour guide, Barry, has studied and experienced this fascinating area of San Francisco extensively and has tremendous passion for it. We will relive 1967, the Summer of Love and the heart of the hippie movement. Among other highlights in this fascinating historical, artistic and cultural journey, we will visit the homes of, and explore the lives of, many rock legends, including The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. But the Haight has so much more to explore. We’ll learn about Golden Gate Park, the history of baseball in Haight-Ashbury, and the many famous (and infamous) people who have lived here. And, of course, what would a tour of Haight be without visiting several “Painted Ladies” (San Francisco style Victorian homes) and discussing what makes them so charming? Throw in a brief but fascinating history of Haight-Ashbury, and you’ll have an experience to tell your friends about when you go home. You may even find yourself saying words like “groovy”.

Experience the best of San Francisco in two ways with this combo tour that takes place over three consecutive days. On day one, visit Alcatraz Island by ferry to explore the former prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Then enjoy a 2-day bike rental, which allows you to cruise through the city at your own pace to see the attractions that interest you. (You may start the 2-day bike rental on the same day as your Alcatraz tour, if you prefer.)

Spend the day exploring San Francisco’s vibrant neighborhoods on a small-group tour. Walk the bustling streets of Chinatown and North Beach and feel the groove on Haight Street. Leave the urban grid behind and relax under the towering redwood trees in Muir Woods National Monument, then stop in Sausalito for free time to admire waterfront views, peruse upscale boutiques, and have lunch (own expense).

This private tour takes 2½ hours. You'd barely notice the time as it's less walking and more fun facts and conversation so you never get tired or bored. The tour goes through all of the Downtown San Francisco: Chinatown, Financial District (there be buried ships!), Embarcadero. We talk City's history, the Gold Rush, influential women, buried ships under the buildings, current affairs, tips and tricks to the city and many many more! Minimum 6 people per tour.

During this out-of-the-box, self-guided audio tour, you'll explore the colorful, picturesque district of Haight-Ashbury from a synesthetic perspective, adding color to music and flavor to words. Learn about the bohemian neighborhood's role in San Francisco's "Summer of Love" as you walk at your own pace, with audio commentary timed to your location using GPS.