Walking Tours in San Francisco

The Californian city of San Francisco has a fascinating history as a harbor center and a rich heritage of waterfront and inner-city attractions. With a large variety of walking tours in San Francisco on offer, you can visit all of these highlights in just a day or even a few hours.

Explore popular quarters such as Fisherman’s Wharf, North Beach – also known as Little Italy for historic reasons – Union Square, Chinatown and the exceptional Financial District.

Continue reading to find out more about walking tours, one of the most captivating sightseeing activities in San Francisco.

What are the most popular walking tours in San Francisco?

“San Francisco in a Day” walking tour

Discover San Francisco’s eclectic downtown quarters on this guided walking tour of the city. Visit the unique and fascinating parts of San Francisco, including popular Fisherman’s Wharf, Little Italy (North Beach), Chinatown, the Financial District and Union Square. Along the way, you will learn about San Francisco's history as a port city.

Your tour starts at Fisherman’s Wharf, from where you can admire the amazing bay views of two of the city’s main icons, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. You will see Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39 and the sea lions, historical ships and the old cable cars. Walk part of the historic Barbary Coast Trail while your guide tells stories about the early days of San Francisco.

Continue along Lombard Street, named the “crookedest street” in the city,” due to many hairpin turns, before reaching North Beach, known as Little Italy. You will hear stories about the immigrant families who built powerful banking and seafood empires. Also visit the Bohemian abodes of renowned authors, such as Jack Kerouac and Francis Ford Coppola.

From here, go into the famous Chinatown. See the colorful facades, temples and shops and stop by the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company to make your own fortune cookie. Have lunch (not included) at the Ferry Building Marketplace and experience a fine variety of foods. Your guide will explain the local transit system before you board SF Muni to Union Square’s shopping mecca.

Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach craft beer walking tour in San Francisco

On this guided craft beer walking tour of two of San Francisco’s most popular neighborhoods, you will visit three craft beer bars and enjoy a brewery tour. Hang out in Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach, stop for beer tastings and learn about California’s craft brews at a local brewery.

The meeting and pickup point is in downtown Polk Street near Ghirardelli Square. This is a small-group tour limited to 12 people for a more personal experience. You and your group of beer companions will be joined and guided by a knowledgeable local craft beer fanatic.  Through colorful historical accounts and local tales, your guide will let the neighborhoods come alive. At the same time, with his knowledge of the areas, he can also point out the best photo opportunities.

During the tour, you will sit down in two of San Francisco's premier beer bars to swig some of the San Francisco Bay’s best craft beer on offer. Your beers at the pubs and snacks are included in your tour price. You will also visit a brewery where you can enjoy local craft beer and learn about San Francisco’s beer culture, brewing techniques and beer styles. Be prepared that on this 4-hour tour, you will walk about 3.5 kilometers.

San Francisco free walking tour

Explore the sights and sounds of San Francisco on this fascinating free walking tour of the city. Led by an English-speaking guide, you will visit main quarters such as Union Square, Chinatown and the Financial District.

At the agreed time, you will meet on Post Street for the start of the tour at Union Square, San Francisco's most important public plaza. Union Square lies in the heart of the city and is a popular meeting area for locals and tourists. The square has also hosted numerous concerts and shows, but also saw political protests during its colorful history.

Wander through the streets off Union Square and head in the direction of Maiden Lane. It is one of the city’s best-known shopping avenues, with fancy boutiques and galleries. Continue until you reach Dragon Gate, the characteristic archway that marks the opening to San Francisco's Chinatown, the second-largest Chinese quarter in the United States.

The neighborhood is alive with colorful temple, shop and restaurant façades, and an abundance of Chinese lanterns and Mandarin boards. On your free walking tour, you'll have time to discover more about the local culture and even visit a fortune cookie shop.

Leaving Chinatown behind, you’ll head into San Francisco’s Financial District, where you will find a contrast of architectural styles. See the former Pacific Stock Exchange building, clad in expensive marble, and contemporary skyscrapers such as the futuristic Transamerica Pyramid building. On weekends and public holidays, this tour ends at the pier.

Are there any combos available with walking tours in San Francisco?

Golden Gate Bay cruise and Fisherman's Wharf walking tour

Discover top sights along San Francisco's waterfront during this guided tour of the popular city. Learn about its development, from the Gold Rush to the introduction of the cable car. Enjoy lovely views of the Golden Gate Bridge, visit the historic Old Del Monte Fruit Cannery and see the sea lions on Pier 39.

San Francisco Embarcadero scavenger hunt walking tour and game

Combine history, sightseeing and adventure in one tour on this scavenger hunt in San Francisco’s Embarcadero. Enjoy solving riddles with your private group and do challenges to move you around the Embarcadero.

Alcatraz Island ticket with guided Chinatown and North Beach walking tour

Get value for your money with a 7-hour guided tour around beautiful San Francisco. Learn about the city’s fascinating culture and history and observe the interesting life of its people.

Which areas will I see on a SF walking tour?

Golden Gate Bridge

During walking tours, you will have fine views of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco’s most famous landmark. It was designated one of the Seven Wonders of the modern world. Construction started in 1933 and the bridge was opened in 1937, after a hard struggle against the elements. With its completion, the Golden Gate Bridge brought the communities of San Francisco and Marin counties much closer.

It stretches 2.8 kilometers across the Golden Gate Strait and rises as high as a 65-storey building. The bridge is anchored by high towers and was once taller than any building in San Francisco. The suspended roadway is supported by two cables, each more than 2,133 meters in length and containing about 128,700 kilometers of wire.

Historical cable cars

San Francisco’s cable cars are the last manually operated system in the world. They were named a national historic landmark in 1964. The first cable car ride took place on in August 1873, going down Clay Street. Cable cars operate from 7 AM to 10:30 PM, Monday through Sunday. You can board from the cable car turnarounds at Powell, California and Market Streets, or along the routes.

Fisherman's Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf gets its name from the mid-1800s and later, when there was an influx of Italian immigrant fishermen who took advantage of the gold rush. It is one of the most popular tourist areas in San Francisco and one of the best to visit.

Once known as the Little Italy of San Francisco, it has a lovely setting along the waterfront with many shops and restaurants. You can also take sightseeing tours from here for great views of the city.

Chinatown

San Francisco's Chinatown is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia, and also the oldest of its type in the US. It was devastated in the earthquake that hit the city in 1906, but was entirely rebuilt in the Chinese style. Visiting Chinatown has become one of the top tourist activities in San Francisco.

The quarter boasts small businesses, a variety of shops, temples, theaters, teahouses and much more. Chinatown’s main street for tourists is Grant Avenue, with Chinatown Gateway at Grant Avenue and Bush Street.

The Financial District

This is the city’s business center, and one of the prominent skyscrapers dominating the skyline is the spire-topped Transamerica Pyramid building. For your shopping, to grab a meal or watch a movie, the Embarcadero Center is just the place. It’s a large outdoor mall, spanning four city blocks.

You will find a large variety of bars and restaurants, including the well-known and popular Tadich Grill, San Francisco’s oldest restaurant. In the Jackson Square Historic District there are still remnants of the Barbary Coast, the old 19th-century red-light quarter that housed dance halls, saloons, bars and brothels.

Alcatraz Island

You will enjoy great views of the island on the walking tours of San Francisco. Originally the site of the first lighthouse in the Western United States, Alcatraz became a notorious federal penitentiary from 1934-1963. It housed famous gangsters such as Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly, but the last prison inmates were removed from the island in 1963.

Alcatraz is now part of the San Francisco Bay Area’s 80,000-acre Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It lies only 2.4 kilometers from the Fisherman's Wharf, and is one of the city's most visited attractions. Island excursions include the cell house tour, where visitors can see the former prisoners’ quarters.

What are the prices of walking tours in San Francisco?

The “San Francisco in a Day” 6-hour guided walking tour costs US$90 per person, but excludes lunch.

The 4-hour San Francisco craft beer walking tour in Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach costs US$110 per person and includes beer tastings at three locations, a tour of a craft brewery, snacks and all taxes, fees and handling charges.

What is included?

The tours include a local guide, all taxes, fees and handling charges. The craft beer walking tour includes beer at three locations, a tour of a craft brewery and snacks.

Where does it start?

Starting points for the walking tours of San Francisco vary but are usually in downtown San Francisco, for example from Beach Street, Fisherman's Wharf, Post Street and Polk Street.

What is the typical duration?

The typical duration of a walking tour in San Francisco is 2 to 4 hours, but some such as the “San Francisco in a Day” tour last 6 hours. The free walking tour of the city lasts 2.5 hours and the craft beer tour in Fisherman’s Wharf and North Beach about 4 hours.

When is the best time for a walking tour in San Francisco?

The best time for a walking tour in San Francisco is from September to October, when the weather is balmy and crowds are smaller. The months of December and January offer many nature-based tours like whale watching.

Are children allowed on a walking tour in San Francisco?

Children of all ages are allowed on most tours, but not on the craft beer tour, where the minimum age is 21.

Travel tips

• Make sure to book your walking tour of San Francisco in advance.
• Wear a good pair of walking shoes or sneakers.
• Bring along a bottle of water to stay hydrated.
• Don't forget a hat and sunscreen to protect against the sun, especially during warmer months.