Top San Francisco Cultural Tours

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.

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 Hayes Valley, plus see the Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Civic Center, and more.

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.

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.

Stroll through North Beach and Chinatown, two of San Francisco's most vibrant neighborhoods 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!

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.

Hop on a ‘70s-era VW bus and get to know the hippie past and hipster vibe that make up San Francisco today. Starting and ending at Fisherman’s Wharf, this 2-hour sightseeing tour takes you around the city, including Chinatown, North Beach, the Castro, the Mission, downtown and more. See the homes of The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, while listening to ‘60s classics. So settle into a neon-blue seat and dig your shoes into groovy shag carpet. Each bus accommodates up to just six people.

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).

Explore one of California's most iconic settings from the beauty of San Francisco Bay. This narrated Golden Gate Bay cruise journeys alongside Alcatraz and Angel Island State Park, past the shores of Sausalito and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. You can choose to view the sights from inside your boat or out on deck.

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.

Escape to California’s famous wine country on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Taste regional varietals at multiple wineries in Napa and Sonoma, including both big-name and family-run estates. Learn about the winemaking process during guided tours of vineyards and barrel rooms, and savor the area’s gourmet culture with a stop for lunch in charming Sonoma Square Plaza.

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 either of the two departure points or taking the Sausalito ferry back to San Francisco (Pier 41).

Ride a double-decker sightseeing bus to San Francisco's most famous landmarks with a choice of 2 different passes. Explore the city's 49 square miles, including stops at big-name attractions like Pier 39, the Palace of Fine Arts and Union Square. Go at your own pace, hopping off at any of 16 stops, exploring at your leisure, and then hopping back on when you're done. Choose the Premium pass to include a night tour or a Deluxe pass for an additional 24 hours of hop-on-hop-off and a night tour.

Enjoy a relaxing outing on San Francisco Bay with a cruise. Take in panoramic views of the city skyline, marvel at Alcatraz Island, and journey beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Choose to sit indoors or savor cool bay breezes from an outdoor deck and experience San Francisco in a whole new way from the water. You can even learn about the sights that you're seeing from a free audio tour—available on any personal wifi-enabled device. This ticket allows you to skip the box office line and go straight to the gate.

Sail across San Francisco Bay at twilight to admire the city skyline as it begins to light up for the night. With an experienced captain at the helm, you’ll glide past Alcatraz Island and cruise underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

Drive down one of the most scenic roads in California on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Cruise along the coast-hugging Highway 1, passing the mansions of Pebble Beach on the iconic 17-Mile Drive. Enjoy free time to explore Monterey, where you can stroll down Steinbeck’s Cannery Row or visit the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. Browse the ritzy boutiques of Carmel-by-the-Sea and get a glimpse of Silicon Valley’s tech campuses on the return drive to San Francisco.

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.

Save time and money with the San Francisco CityPASS, which gives you admission to top area attractions, a cruise on San Francisco Bay, and discounts for shopping and activities. You can choose to visit science and art museums like the Exploratorium or the Walt Disney Family Museum. You’ll have important details like hours of operation right in your pocket with the provided mobile ticket.

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 small-group 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.

Secure two top San Francisco activities with a single booking, combining an Alcatraz Island visit with a same-day Golden Gate Bridge boat cruise. If time is limited, coordinating the two experiences can be a challenge. This double ticket takes the hassle out of planning, featuring a self-guided audio tour of Alcatraz and a waterfront cruise with the chance to spot San Francisco Bay marine wildlife in a natural environment.

Explore San Francisco in style during this private, customizable tour in a mini-coop convertible. Enjoy open-air views of the stunning city as you follow a bespoke itinerary of your choice of must-see attractions or under-the-radar local hotspots. Tours include door-to-door pickup and drop-off and personalized recommendations from your guide.

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.

Combine some of San Francisco's top sights—Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge—in a single day tour. This combination of stops may be a little bit different than traditional San Francisco tours, but it lets travelers get a better look at the true culture and history of the city. Hop aboard a cable car through the Financial District and down into Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf. Snap photos of the Golden Gate Bridge from up close and listen to in-depth commentary as you travel.

- Explore the city with San Francisco's most hilarious, imaginative and EXCITING storyteller! - Get to know these three famous neighborhoods: the Mission, the Castro and the Haight. - Enjoy original FOLKLORE and FAIRYTALES told by Clyde Always: a professional storyteller, published poet and decade-long resident of the City by the Bay. Hear about witches & pirates, hobos & hipster devils... bring your imagination! - Get insider knowledge of the best restaurants, bars, coffeehouses, parks, shops and more. See beautiful street-art, landmarks and architecture. Experience the City like a local. - Beware! Some of the information presented will be highly UNBELIEVABLE. Have fun sorting the fact from the fiction. -A 2.5 mile (4 km) walk with no hills. One public restroom along the way. - Please note: this tour is NOT for the whole family. Script includes profanity and you might see a nudist or two. - Guaranteed to entertain, enliven and uplift. An experience you'll always remember.