That is why these two adjoining neighborhoods are another must-see for your driving tour. 7h. This tour covers some of the most interesting sites in the historic Chinatown district of San Francisco. San Francisco by car: driving down the eight turns of Lombard Street. We'll learn all about this building's strange history as we pass. Drive to the summit of Russian Hill and you will find the street said to be the crookedest street in the world: Lombard Street is the steepest street in San Francisco. Nashville We definitely came away with much more of an appreciation for Castro and the Mission (love Dolores Park!) Andrew H 10/26/2019. Fisherman's Wharf walking tour & Alcatraz visit. Subscribe to new Routes and Trips posts directly to your email: Hi, my name is Liisa. Simplify your planning process to this neighborhood by taking a guided tour. I wanted to package my love of San Francisco into a Self-Guided Free Walking Tour and this is the result. My tours offer you a step-by-step route to make it easy to get around. A self guided driving tour we did with our friends.. read more Andrew H 10/26/2019. The Castro District is a great place to visit on a driving tour, as it offers a little bit of everything that makes San Francisco the charming, quirky city that it is. 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. Read reviews, compare customer ratings, see screenshots and learn more about San Francisco Audio Tour Guide. However, the people who live in them will surely assist you with the boundaries and the colorful . This website uses cookies to improve your browsingexperience and analyze the use of the website. Segway Tours Looking for fun things to do with friends? Got a soft spot for the hippie-dippie days of the 1960s? 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. Learn more about both options on the museum's dedicated Barbary Coast Website. As we continue driving, we'll dive into what makes SF the city that it is: it's past, it's present, and the promise of it's future. Despite that they look really cute, social and intelligent. You can listen to the audio on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or any other MP3 player. English. Temporary new starting point address: Alamo Square Park, Steiner St, San Francisco. Without a doubt, one of the most enchanting things about this magical city is the neighborhoods. The sun heats the air and the seals have their dear friends and neighbors around them :). Cable car conductors also sell day passes. You will only notice when walking through its neighborhoods. Great exercise- best way to see SF. Alcatraz, the historic prison island of San Francisco. This is the end stop where two cable car lines, the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines turn back, so just set yourself in the queue and wait for the next cable car to come. On especially foggy days you may not even be able to see key attractions like Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Transamerica Pyramid. This drive introduces you to large swaths of San Franciscos history while allowing you to enjoy some great scenic views and hit up the highlights of the city. 5 Travel to Point Reyes National Seashore. Check them out below! Open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. From tasting delicious food to feeling the hippy love, to exploring the haunted past of San Francisco, theres something there for everyone. We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. Drive carefully! Be sure to check your email before you begin to download the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. For one block, this road turns into the crookedest street in the world! Youll make EIGHT hairpin turns within that one block! This one hour and sixteen minute tour can be done at your own pace. Here you can see our San Francisco driving itinerary marked on a Google map. Send us your resume, All Rights Reserved 2023 Real San Francisco Tours | Sitemap. San Francisco by car: driving itinerary on the map. Finally something like 100 000 hippies from all over the States and abroad gathered in Haight and the nearby parks of Panhandle and Golden Gate. Lisbon Past members include luminaries like Imogen Cunningham and Ruth Asawa. 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! The trail is marked with gold medallions embedded within the sidewalks. Chinatown Self-Guided Tour. This website does not sell any personal information. Summer of Love in Height Ashbury, San Francisco. Park and explore wherever you wish. No problem! You will also find some of the best Mexican, Cuban and other cuisines from both South and Central America. Wil and Erin at Ride Free organised our whole trip along route 66 then the coast road to San Francisco. Britt is a San Francisco Bay Area native, and has spent 25 years in this magical city. More California posts that might also interest you: Your email address will not be published. Buy now, travel whenevercoupon code on the next screen. We still want you to have a great time here, so weve prepared these free self-guided tours that you can do on your own. Probably the most comprehensive tour of San Francisco is the 49-mile Scenic Drive . You can take a ferry to Sausalito and Tiburon north ofthe bay, or to Oakland and Vallejo in the east. Email, phone, and chat support are available if needed. This 3-hour guided tour takes you to bike across GGB and then explore Sausalito's waterfront. Be aware of this as you start the drive. In case you get hungry while driving around, The Mission District also has some of the best authentic local restaurants in the city. No worries! Check COVID guidelines and opening hours before your visit. Plan your shuttle time back to Sausalito carefully so you can catch your ferry back to San Francisco. There are options for guided tours at $25 per person, and camping fees vary by campground. Liked Haight Ashbury the most. Alternatively, we also offer a fully guided free walking tour of Fishermans Wharf. Please arrange for a vehicle before you take the tour. Tour purchase is per vehicle (not per person), GPS-connected audio plays as you approach the next location. The Financial District of San Francisco has changed a lot since the Gold Rush when this place already was a base for trade functions. San Francisco has well developed public transport and many connections. A large part of San Franciscos charm is in the little quirky details. Choose the Go City San Francisco Explorer Pass for maximum flexibility and stress-free sightseeing! After youve seen enough of Pacific Heights, turn south to see a totally different neighborhood. This is a self-guided experience and not an entrance ticket. Recommended by 97% of travelers. This tour is valid forever - from the moment of booking. Lowest price guarantee Reserve now & pay laterFree cancellation. 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. Your virtual audio guide will share interesting . The best way to go on self guided walking tour of San Francisco is with City Walks. The following health and safety measures are in place, so you can relax and enjoy your experience. 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: >> Find additional self-guided tours plus some multi-day itineraries. Subscribe to our newsletter belowcoupon code on the next screen. Most tour companies spend between 1.5 to 2 hours in the forest. See an interesting view? San Francisco sightseeing: driving down Lombard Street. If your time in San Francisco is limited, taking a driving tour of the city could be a good option for you. Everyone can listen at the same time! Now selling 4-5 bed, 3-4 bath homes starting at $786990. 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. This tour has been developed by local guides, curated by creative writers, and narrated by professional voice artists. So most old harbor buildings have been transformed to restaurants and shopping malls. Between Carmel and Monterey, 17 Mile Drive affords dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean and Del Monte Forest along the Monterey Peninsula. For those who like to sit and relax, packages can be customized to include private city tours or even private road . Explore all that SF has to offer with this ultimate self-guided experience! 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 . 2022Outdoor Activities in San Francisco. 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. You will not need to change the booking if your travel plans change. 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. HOLLYWOOD AND VINE TOUR. 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. As noted below, some companies (such as Skyline Sightseeing . As distances are long in San Francisco, driving is by far the best way to explore the city. 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. You only need to book one tour per vehicle, not per person. Required fields are marked *. Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. If you have ever watched Full House, you will know what we are talking about. over San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and north into misty coast redwood forests. Carmel and Steinbeck's Cannery Row in Monterey. Begin at Haight and Stanyan Street, which is also the westernmost Golden Gate Park entrance. Hit the road whenever youre ready, stop as often as youd like, and just enjoy the journey! The tour works offline which means you do not need your phone network to enjoy the tour. Charleston Northern California Guided Motorcycle Tour. 7 Sites to Visit on a Driving Tour of San Francisco. New York City Recommended: Purchase one tour per vehicle. . As we drive through the city, we'll learn all about San Francisco's realtionship with technology, Silicon Valley, and more. The curves enable driving down but the turns are too sharp for any longer cars and buses. Changing travel date? As we drive, we'll learn all about how this city was founded and why it grew. The San Francisco Museum and Historical Society offers two self guided walks of the Barbary Coast Trail in San Francisco. Save up to 55% and visit San Francisco's top attractions. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Here is the breakdown of the cost involved in this self-guided Muir Woods tour: ADULT Roundtrip Discount Ferry Ticket: $18 Shuttle to . 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. This picturesque, winding road has been another Hollywood staple for ages, but experiencing it for yourself is a whole different ball game. This SF self-drive tour route is circular so you can opt to begin wherever is most convenient. After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. 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. Powell-Hyde Line: Cable Car Museum and Russian Hill. Berlin . Youll have access to the tour for 72 hours and can start and stop as often as you want. 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. While youre up there, youll learn to identify some of the most famous structures which make up Friscos skyline. These houses called the Painted Ladies can be seen on San Francisco postcards. No worries! Pacific Heights surprised us: all streets are lined with old-style Victorian homes. Wil and Erin at Ride Free organised our whole trip along route 66 then the coast road to San Francisco. The signs have a seagull featured on the top left corner. Friendly & very informative. . 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. He gave us lots of fun facts along the way and the whole experience was very interesting. 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). If youre not driving, use the steps for walkers that exist on both sides. You can spot some of San Franciscos most famous landmarks from here. The trail is marked with gold medallions embedded within the sidewalks. Fishermans Wharf is known for its seafood restaurants (that exist in all price classes), cafes, shops, museums and other typical tourist attractions. Traffic. Book your Alcatraz tickets to explore the infamous prison and enjoy two days of hop-on hop-off access to all of San Francisco. The best of San Francisco isn't found in the typical tourist destinations. It should say Powell-Hyde (it has a brown sign). Got a late start? Be sure to check your email before you begin to download the Action Tour Guide app, enter your unique password, and access your tour. Next, youll climb Telegraph Hill to look at the famous Coits Tower and some truly unbeatable city views. Its super easy, yet its best to visit on a Saturday or Sunday when there is less traffic. TOURS All Destinations Hawaii. We experienced different methods of transport (avoiding those big hills!) 7 Sites to Visit on a Driving Tour of San Francisco, Alternatives to a San Francisco Driving Tour. Copyright 2009-2023 by SFTourismTips.com. For example, you could easily drive past Tessie Walls infamous brothel without knowing about it! 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. So, if youd rather have some help seeing the best sites in the area, this is an excellent option. It started when wealthy families started building their houses up on the hill after the cable car line was opened. 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. From there, youll hear about the citys unique history and how it became one of the most progressive cities around. And why not? Then its on to Chinatown and Manilatown, where youll hear about both historic districts long, embattled history. We also offer a new favorite spots map of San Franciscos downtown core. These signs themselves are part of the history of the scenic drive. Visit Tours-USA.com. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All rights reserved. Be sure to also check out our free, guided walking tours of San Francisco. Are you ready to turn your phone into a personal tour guide? 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. Opening hours: Fri 12:00am-11:59pm. Oahu; Big Island; Maui; Kauai; Utah. From Chinatown we took California Street up to Nob Hill. In the evening when the sun shines on the painted ladies from the west it makes them shine. You will then walk from each historical marker to the next as you learn all about the oldest Japantown in the US.