Locals call it the blast from the past, and for good reasons. Book a self-guided driving tour of San Francisco with route and audio instructions on your smartphone via an app. In all, we have prepared 12 self-guided walks for you to explore San Francisco, which cover everything from charming streets and neighborhoods to the most famous architectural achievements, street art and shopping areas. This tour covers some of the most interesting sites in the historic Chinatown district of San Francisco. After the booking, you will receive an email with a link to the Action Tour Guide app and a unique password to access the tour within the app. We also offer a free walking tour of the Golden Gate Bridge which is fully guided, ensuring you wont get lost as you walk around the attraction. If you want to keep in touch, follow Routes and Trips. San Francisco sightseeing: Market Street in photos, Cable car turning at the Powell Street cable car turntable. On this San Francisco tour, drive down the very steep and crooked Lombard Street, and around neighborhoods such as the Mission. All tours are valid for a lifetime. Starting Point Address (Southbound) - SF to LA: PG6H+8F Lakeshore, San Francisco, CA, USA. And this little car can go where the tour buses can't. Best of all, the sightseeing adventure happens at your pace. This post will show you aSan Francisco sightseeing itinerary by car. GoCar Tours of San Francisco: GoCars & Electric Mopeds Download San Francisco Audio Tour Guide and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. DIY Muir Woods Tour Cost. Alamo Square has nice sets of Victorian houses, one of which is the famous postcard row that probably is the most photographed spot in all San Francisco. The curves enable driving down but the turns are too sharp for any longer cars and buses. 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. Alcatraz tickets with 2-day hop-on hop-off San Francisco bus pass. So, if youd rather have some help seeing the best sites in the area, this is an excellent option. Here you will find some of the best wine tasting trips to both of these regions. The tourist area of San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf. 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. You can start and end anywhere along the way. The Castro District. Miami They were designed by an artist who won a competition held by San Franciscos Downtown Association in 1955 and have marked the scenic drive ever since. So we started with downtown San Francisco. San Francisco itself has much to offer the first-time visitor. Nob Hill, the highest summit of central San Francisco, is our next destination. View All . In the evening when the sun shines on the painted ladies from the west it makes them shine. To get to the end of the pier where the sea lions are you will need to walk all the way through the tourist zone, souvenir shops and carousels. Alcatraz, the historic prison island of San Francisco. Learn the fascinating history of this city from the water. 59-Mile Scenic Drive in San Diego, CA Self Guided Walking Tours of San Francisco - SF Tourism Tips San Francisco Audio Tour Guide on the App Store For those who like to sit and relax, packages can be customized to include private city tours or even private road . Plus, meet Claude the alligator, hang out with the African penguin colony and the 38,000 other live animals. If you decide to add a few stops along the way, these cards will help you easily get back to your original route. You will be taken through parts of the city that arent always all that pretty before you get back on route. Haight Ashbury has another kind of history. An audio guide, map, and tour book all in one! and will seek out other neighborhoods on our next trip! You will only notice when walking through its neighborhoods. At that time the business people were miners that came here to weigh their gold and get a quote on it. Here's just a small sampling of what you'll see when you pilot your rental car around on my best damn driving tour of San Francisco: San Francisco as viewed from the East Bay. We also cover this part of the city in a fully guided free walking tour of Downtown San Francisco. This is an excellent alternative if you prefer to interact with a professional guide rather than an app on your phone. I could start and stop the tour whenever I wanted to break and resume. Take a deep dive into everything Haight-Ashbury and the Castro District have to offer. Alamo Square Park, Steiner St, San Francisco, Tour of California Self-Guided Driving Bundle. Each one covers many of the top attractions and points out the hidden gems you would have missed by walking the neighborhood on your own. How to Plan Your Own Cable Car Tour of San Francisco - TripSavvy With TourCentric, you'll be completely immersed in the stories, sights, and sounds of San Francisco. FREE TOURS BY FOOT IS THE ORIGINAL PAY-WHAT-YOU-LIKE WALKING TOUR. 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 . We have put together a list of 7 must-see sites for San Francisco visitors. A San Francisco self-guided tour is a must-do on your . Guide Name: Chinatown Walking Tour Guide Location: USA San Francisco (See other walking tours in San Francisco) Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing) # of Attractions: 8 Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s) Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles Author: doris Sight(s) Featured in This Guide: 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. 7h. Be sure to check your email before you begin to download the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. Limantour Beach to Olema. However, you should know what youre getting into before you tackle the task of doing the entire drive. Past members include luminaries like Imogen Cunningham and Ruth Asawa. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative result from a recent antigen or molecular test may be required, please check the local requirements before your visit. Park and explore wherever you wish. Want to go back in time to the 1920's and 30's and the Golden Age of Hollywood? As we drive, we'll learn all about the impact of Chinese and Asian immigrants on San Francisco. Self-Guided Tour: Mrida Neighborhoods San Francisco City Self-Guided Audio Tour Through Golden Gate Bridge Photo stops will be made along this gorgeous drive. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Refund Policy. And as you can imagine, there are a lot of interesting sites to see in the neighborhood. . 2 reviews. Its a great place to watch street performers, see some of the citys most intricate vintage murals, and just soak in the atmosphere. These handy tools helped us find where to park. Powell-Hyde Line: Cable Car Museum and Russian Hill. HOLLYWOOD AND VINE TOUR. Lying in the sun side by side and diving into the waters when they get hungry. To get the best views of the painted ladies come here in the evening and look at them from the Alamo Square Park. No need to worry about driving in Central San Francisco. Self Guided Tours of San Francisco | Free Tours by Foot Next, travel through the famous 17-Mile Drive and see Pebble Beach Golf Course. It has three Michelin stars (the highest rating) and the James Beard Award for outstanding restaurant. Perfect for photographers, the bridge offers stunning views of the city, even if the evening fog has already rolled in. To start exploring the Victorian quarters, first drive around Lafayette Park that has rows of pretty Victorians on all four sides. North Beach: There is a lot of history in the North Beach district. Visit Tours-USA.com. 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. The GoCar takes you to spectacular places few visitors get to see. No problem! This tour covers some of the most interesting sites in the historic Chinatown district of San Francisco. In particular there are certain areas of the city that are not very car-friendly, such as pedestrian-rich. Self-Guided San Francisco Audio Tours | Extranomical Tours This post provides a list of free self-guided tours of San Francisco that you can enjoy anytime, day or night, every day of the week. And even if you do have more time to spend in the city (or even if you live there) its worth it to take the drive at least once to see all that San Francisco is known for, discovering a few of the gems that people sometimes miss like Mission Dolores. Chinatown: This is one of the most visited neighborhoods in SF, since there is so much to see and do. After driving down from the freeway we got into a deep gorge with super high skyscrapers on both sides. Know more. My tours are one full day in each district. San Francisco Self-Guided Tours | USA Today The tour departs from Fisherman's Wharf, following the San Francisco waterfront until the entrance to the Golden Gate Bridge bike's path. . You only need to book one tour per vehicle, not per person. Follow the turn-by-turn directions and enjoy the fun storytelling as you approach the next location. After that, buckle your seatbelts because youre heading down Lombard Street, aka the most crooked street in the world! Discover the iconic locations from Lombard Street and the Golden Gate Bridge to Pier 39. . Next we'll see two iconic symbols of San Francisco's Chinatown: the Chinatown Mural and the Old Chinese Telephone Exchange. With 12 tours across the state, our value-for-money California bundle (priced at just $39.99) gives you the flexibility to see all the top sights in the state at your own pace. 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). Recommended: Purchase one tour per vehicle. I found the one in the picture on the left in the North Beach neighborhood. On especially foggy days you may not even be able to see key attractions like Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Transamerica Pyramid. A self guided driving tour we did with our friends.. read more. 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. Stop off wherever you want for as long as you want, and then get started again at your leisure! Some of the best hotels near San Francisco City Hall include Hotel Whitcomb, Renoir Hotel, and the Hayes Valley Inn. . The Financial District of San Francisco has changed a lot since the Gold Rush when this place already was a base for trade functions. As we drive towards Chinatown, we'll pass a strange sight: a huge, glass pyramid. This self-guided tour allows you to explore San Franciscos historic wonders with maximum flexibility and value. My tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Download Hawaii's highest-rated travel apps + now introducing self-guided tours in Utah! This comprehensive self-guided driving tour of San Francisco covers everything from the Painted Ladies to the Embarcadero. . The tour includes 3 hours of media content, so we recommend planning for a minimum of 4 hours. This district is widely considered the home of the gay rights movement in the United States. Make Memories & See the city in one of our self-guided San Diego tours! Checkout Lombard Street, claimed to be 'the crookedest street in the world', containing 8 hairpin turns. These beautiful, colorful homes exemplify Friscos funky culture and are a great way to start your journey. Fantastic how people keep up their traditions! Enjoy Santa Barbara's quintessential downtown and then continue down to Ventura and Malibu. Our San Francisco self drive tour offers you complete flexibility and convenience. Washington DC. Haight Ashbury is one of the places that made San Francisco world famous and represents for the people of that time the real old San Francisco Yet its good to know that today Haight Ashbury is an area with severe crime and drug problems. From there, head east along Haight Street . You will then walk from each historical marker to the next as you learn all about the oldest Japantown in the US. Interested in seeing as many gorgeous views of the city as possible? San Francisco City Hall, Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl, San Francisco, California 94102, U.S. Next, youll head into the citys tech quarter, where youll spot big-name HQs like Uber and Twitter and get a crash course in how Frisco became the go-to spot for the most cutting-edge tech produced anywhere. Hit the road whenever youre ready, stop as often as youd like, and just enjoy the journey! Looking upwards you will see how high these earthquake protected buildings are! Opened in 1924, Eastern is the United States' oldest Chinese bakery. Our post on walking the Golden Gate Bridge also includes several additional details about where to enjoy the best views of this landmark and things to do in the area. Los Angeles Without a doubt, one of the most enchanting things about this magical city is the neighborhoods. However, if you don't plan to spend much time at each attraction or stop, you can cut the time down significantly. Copyright with All Rights Reserved 1996-2017. Thanks! The experience complies with government regulations, Areas frequented by visitors are regularly disinfected, Hand sanitizers are provided for staff and visitors, All gear/equipment is sanitized between use. After youve seen enough of Pacific Heights, turn south to see a totally different neighborhood. Haight Ashbury got its name from the corner of its two major streets, Haight and Ashbury. Learn the history of this great city as you follow a navigated route in the app and listen to commentary. You just need to buy a day ticket at a kiosk (something like USD 20) and having that you are free to use buses, streetcars and old San Francisco cable cars for a day. You can take a ferry to Sausalito and Tiburon north ofthe bay, or to Oakland and Vallejo in the east. San Francisco highlights self-guided 3-hour driving tour, Sorry, we couldn't find any reviews based on your filters. Join us! Our tour of SF brings us to one of the city's most active neighborhoods: Chinatown. Tips for a Self-Guided Driving Tour of Napa Valley Wine Country This comprehensive self-guided San Francisco City Tour covers everything from the Painted Ladies to the Golden Gate Bridge. This picturesque, winding road has been another Hollywood staple for ages, but experiencing it for yourself is a whole different ball game. Be sure to check your email before you begin to download the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. 7 Sites to Visit on a Driving Tour of San Francisco. The heyday of the Haight was the 1967 Summer of Love when thousands or young California dreamers flocked to the place and filled all quarters. 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. With TourCentric, youll be completely immersed in the stories, sights, and sounds of San Francisco. With the bonus tour, youll get up close and personal with that famous landmark and even drive across it for some killer views! Included with your San Francisco tour is a complimentary bonus tour of the Golden Gate Bridge. See an interesting view? 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. How many people know what San Francisco is like? We include a few details about each tour to give you an idea of what to expect on each outing. This means only a small number of sea lions stay here throughout the year. A San Francisco self-guided tour is a must-do on your tour of California. But the whole experience was amazing and well worth the trip from San Francisco! Interested in creating custom self-guided tours for your customers? I found the one in the picture on the left in the North Beach neighborhood. Gold Rush to Golden Gate: Self Guided Tour of San Francisco. Frommer's also has a second audio tour that covers the San Francisco Waterfront. City Guides, founded in 1978, is an independent 501c3 non-profit organization with more than 300 trained volunteers who lead FREE historical and architectural walking tours in San Francisco for over 35,000 locals and visitors each year. Expedia, Inc. is not responsible for content on external Web sites. The painted ladies at the top of San Francisco hills. Book your San Francisco bay cruise service now and discover Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Your email address will not be published. Self-Guided Tours View Floor Plans. It started when wealthy families started building their houses up on the hill after the cable car line was opened. You will also receive a full color map of the route. From Lombard Street its a short drive down to the North Shore of San Francisco and to Fishermans Wharf. This trail connects important historical sites throughout the streets of SF. Id also done a tour with the sister company in Los Angeles several years ago. We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. 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.