Top California Half-day Tours

Wander through an ancient coastal redwood forest and explore the artistic bayside enclave of Sausalito on this half-day tour from San Francisco. Travel across the Golden Gate Bridge to visit Muir Woods, home to some of the oldest and tallest trees on Earth. Then, soak up stellar views of the San Francisco skyline and browse art galleries along the Sausalito waterfront. At the end of your tour choose between getting dropped off at Union Square in San Francisco or taking the Sausalito ferry back to San Francisco.

Explore San Francisco and Alcatraz on this 2-in-1 tour. Hop aboard a ferry for a scenic ride to Alcatraz and enjoy the award-winning audio walking tour. Plus, enjoy a coach tour with a knowledgeable local guide. Learn about the City by the Bay through visits to top attractions such as Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, the Presidio, and the Palace of Fine Arts.

Explore the famous groves of the Northern California redwoods on this tour of Muir Woods. Departing from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, a local guide drives you over the scenic Golden Gate Bridge and into the moist air of Muir Woods National Monument. Crane your neck to admire these 1,000-year-old trees standing 260 feet (80 meters) tall. Afterward, enjoy a drive through the charming town of Sausalito before heading back to the city.

Even if you only have a few hours to spare you can still enjoy California's famous wine country on this half-day adventure from San Francisco. Cruise over the Golden Gate Bridge to start your outing, and visit two Sonoma Valley wineries for included tastings. Sip local wines, enjoy an estate tour, and learn about the wine production, aging, and bottling process from an expert host.

Go whale watching from San Diego aboard a replica of a historic sailing schooner that won the world’s first America’s Cup sailing competition in 1851. Throughout your cruise, your expert guide shares informative commentary about gray whales, dolphins, and other marine animals, along with details about the US Navy sites you pass as you head out on the Pacific Ocean.

With its iconic hills, architecture, bridge and bay, it’s no wonder so many movies have been filmed in San Francisco. See filming locations from more than 55 productions—from blockbusters like ‘San Andreas’ to family favorites like ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’—on this movie sites tour from Fisherman’s Wharf. Watch clips on the tour bus as you pass by the real locations with an informative actor-turned-guide who shares stories about the city and cinema history.

Encounter some of Earth's most magnificent creatures on a 3-hour whale-watching cruise in San Diego. The voyage departs right from Mission Bay, so you’ll be out into the open ocean and looking for animals in just 10 short minutes. Marine biologists onboard help you spot whales and dolphins and learn about their life in the deep blue sea.

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.

Tahoe photographic tours offer a unique way to enjoy Lake Tahoe’s natural wonders and receive photography tips as you are led by an experienced photo guide who provides tips and shares information about the area. Whether you’re looking to snap a poster-worthy shot of snow-covered mountains, towering trees, wild flowers or the glassy lake itself, you’ll learn how to shoot in the great outdoors and see some of Lake Tahoe’s most beautiful natural sights, including Emerald Bay. Select either a half-day or full-day tour.

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.

Embark on a unique wine country experience with a trip aboard the Sonoma Valley Wine Trolley. Modeled after the famed cable cars of San Francisco, the trolley shuttles you through Sonoma’s picturesque winemaking region with stops at three different wineries. Taste regional varietals at each estate, and enjoy a delicious lunch from local winery VJB Cellars. Learn about the history of Sonoma from your spirited guide as you roll past a handful of historic landmarks throughout the day.

Ride a GoCar all over San Francisco as it navigates for you and provides a guided tour. Take as long as you like to explore the city with a storytelling car as your guide — what Time Magazine has called "one of the coolest inventions of the year." Let this tiny car show you what the city is all about, learn about its history and visit sites like the Presidio, Coit Tower, Chinatown and Lombard Street. Pick up your car at one of two convenient locations: Union Square or Beach Street near Fisherman's Wharf.

Take a San Francisco half-day tour to pack in the city’s top sights in a convenient way that leaves you with plenty of time to spare so you can enjoy the city however you wish. With a driver-guide, travel the city by bus, stopping at major attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks and neighborhoods like North Beach and Chinatown. Plus, you can upgrade to include a San Francisco Bay cruise, a half-day bike rental, or admission to Aquarium of the Bay.

Experience world-famous wine country from the air on an early morning hot-air balloon ride. Then climb into a comfortable basket to take to the skies as the valley below you awakens. Enjoy a bird’s-eye perspective of rolling hills, expansive vineyards, and elegant estates during your flight. Your pilot will offer insights on ballooning and the landscape as you float above it all! * Wine Country Hot-air balloon ride * Learn about the world famous Wine Country as your soar above it all

Visit charming Sausalito, cruise across San Francisco Bay and stare up in wonder at the redwood trees of Muir Woods on this combo tour from San Francisco—the perfect day out in the Bay Area. Experience the Golden Gate Bridge from both above and below as you drive across it and glide under it, and learn about some of California’s oldest and tallest natural wonders, the coastal redwoods. In Sausalito, you can stroll along the waterfront or shop in the galleries and boutiques.

Enjoy an insider overview of San Francisco on this excursion that includes a trip across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Muir Woods National Monument. You are driven around the city in a small group to see its diverse neighborhoods and geography, stopping several times for breathtaking photo ops of famous sites and memorable stories. This local-led tour visits culturally significant neighborhoods like Chinatown and the Haight-Ashbury, as well as the large homes of Pacific Heights. After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, guests will visit the towering redwood trees of Muir Woods and the beautiful waterfront town of Sausalito for lunch (own expense).

See the sunrise from one of the most impressive vantage points—the sky—during this Temecula hot-air balloon flight. Take off from Vindemia Winery with an FAA-licensed pilot, and soar above citrus groves vineyards. Afterward, touch down on the ground and enjoy a European breakfast in a private rose garden.

Eat delicious lunch food, drink great drinks and learn about downtown Santa Barbara on this 3.5ish-hour walking tour. Indulge your palate for a few hours with sipping, sampling, and savoring. You will enjoy food from 5-6+ local eateries, 1-2 wine tastings or 1 wine tasting plus another alcoholic beverage (depends on the day, it could be wine, beer or a cocktail). Go where locals like to go. This fun, informative and local walking lunch tour is sure to pleasantly fill you up and entertain the whole family. Great for a daytime activity and awesome way to learn about other places to eat and drink on your visit! TOURS CAN EASILY BE MADE PRIVATE - please email, call or text us for more information regarding private experiences. IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE WALKING OR HEALTH ISSUES, please let us know, we do occasionally offer slower paced tours or please consider a private tour experience to meet your comfort level.

Visit Los Angeles’ most glamorous neighborhoods and iconic sites on a sightseeing tour in a multimedia-equipped luxury van. Watch footage that highlights Hollywood history on a 32" HDTV flat screen monitor as you cruise the palm-lined streets of Beverly Hills, and take in sweeping views of the city from Mulholland Drive. Try to find your favorite stars while spotting celebrity homes, and enjoy live narration from a professional guide, whose facts, trivia and insider gossip will bring your Tinseltown trip to life.

Watch the sun slip behind the mountains on a Lake Tahoe dinner cruise aboard the M.S. Dixie II, and enjoy champagne, live music and an elegant dinner on the water. Dance to tunes from the local Steve Walker Band, see a spectacular Sierra sunset, then sit down for a freshly prepared meal. Enjoy selections like grass-fed beef or trout, organic greens, and vegetables. Finish the evening with fresh berries and cake as the first stars appear above the peaks, and Lake Tahoe’s scenic shoreline is illuminated.

Visit many of Los Angeles’s highlights and landmarks on one fun and convenient outing. Learn about LA history and culture—its historic filming locations and crime scenes, celebrity homes and trendy restaurants—from a narrator as you traverse the city in a convertible bus. Stop at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, a farmer's market for lunch, and the Hollywood Sign on this easy and affordable tour.

This is not your usual scripted tour. In contrast, it is customized and peppered with discussions about Los Angeles culture and history. By the end of this tour, you will have all the "Must Have" LA pictures, make friends with LA locals, and have a very big smile on your face! During the trip, you will have 3-4 actual stops at the most iconic locations throughout the city, and get the best photo opportunities as well as the stories behind the places by your own local tour guide. We will cruise through the mountains for the BEST outlook points like Mulholland Dr, make a stop at the HOLLYWOOD SIGN (SUPER CLOSE), and jump out at famous Palm Trees' Street. Also, we will see the American Film Academy, where hundreds of blockbusters (X-Men, Batman, SpiderMan, Rush Hour...) were shot and explore the hidden gems of Sunset Strip, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Dr, AND MORE... Perfect for travelers, friends, couples, families, or groups of up to 8 people.

Step aboard a vintage Volkswagen bus for a San Francisco city tour. Travel down streets a typical tour bus can't access while your guide fills you in on the history of the City by the Bay, from the Gold Rush to Silicon Valley. Get views of landmarks such as Twin Peaks, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Painted Ladies as you travel through distinct city districts.

Savor the best of Sonoma’s cuisine on a food tour in the heart of California wine country. Sample locally-made wines and artisanal cheeses as you stroll Sonoma’s historic downtown with a foodie guide, then try fine chocolates and olive oil at chic, cutting-edge boutiques. Soak up the latest flavors at six curated tasting stops along a relaxed, route and get an insider’s perspective on Sonoma’s gourmet culture. Learn the stories behind the region’s culinary legends, thriving vineyards, and remarkable artisanal renaissance.