SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco’s best days out.
The 15 most popular historical tours in San Francisco. What each one costs, how long it runs, and who you book it through.
Small-group SF walk: Chinatown dim sum and tea, North Beach cannoli and pizza. Local guide, 7 tastings, about 4 hours.
Most Popular“Great tour! There was so much cool history we heard as we walked thru china town to north beach! Awesome tour guide and food was yummy too!! Definitely recommend!”
Eat and learn in San Francisco’s North Beach. A 3-hour walking tour with espresso, bakeries, Beat stops, and award chocolate.
“Brian was very informative and gave us a good mix of history, shopping, and food. My favorite thing we tried was the mini cannolis. Turned into a convenient Christmas shopping moment in addition to some yummy food. 10/10 would recommend”
San Francisco Chinatown walking tour with dim sum, BBQ pork buns, fortune cookies, and tea. Small group, 3 hours, $86.
“Best foodie/ history tour we were ever on! Scott, a SF resident, took us to his favorite places for Peking duck, tea tasting, dim sum and more. And these were all friends of his. We learned so much. A shout out to Viator for a great experience.”
San Francisco whiskey cocktail class on Treasure Island: taste 3 Gold Bar whiskies, mix 3 cocktails, and enjoy Bay Bridge views.
“The experience was amazing! Weston was excellence profesor and he made the class so fun and we learned a lot, we highly recommend it!”
San Francisco Chinatown small-group walk with dim sum, cookie tastings, and a fortune-cookie factory stop plus real neighborhood history.
“Our tour guide was so great! He's a native of San Francisco and truly gave us more than what we expected. We felt more connected in the city where we work.”
Sample dim sum, Chinese cookies or pork buns, and fortune cookies on a 2.5-hour San Francisco Chinatown walking tour.
“Joseph is a fantastic guide, so incredibly knowledgeable about the area and the city in general. I learnt so much from him throughout the tour. Would highly recommend this tour!”
A small-group North Beach walk with Italian tastings, mural history, City Lights and Beat-era stops, ending at Stinking Rose for garlic.
“A great way to learn about North Beach and have some great food! We loved it! A wonderful way to learn about one of San Francisco’s most vibrant neighborhoods.”
A small-group North Beach food and history walk with Italian crafts, real church interiors, and sweet fudge stops for $79 in 3 hours.
“Blandina takes pride in her North Beach Little Italy neighborhood in SF. She knows so many details of a lot of the stores, restaurants, churches that have been around for 100 years. Everyone knows her! She is very knowledgeable about the music scene and all our local celebrities like Santana, Grateful Dead, Joplin, jack kerouac,…”
Walk Pacific Heights with Christian Cagigal on San Francisco’s original ghost tour, mixing documented history with close-up magic at the end.
“Our tour guide k eww his stuff! Weather was nice and learned alot about the history of San Francisco when it came to their past.”
A 4.5-hour food and history walk through North Beach and Chinatown, with dim sum, redwoods, and Fortune Cookie Factory tastings for $99.
“This was by far the best tour we’ve ever experienced! Our guide Stuart, who grew up in San Francisco, shared his deep knowledge and passion for the city, giving us fascinating insights into both its history and everyday life across different neighborhoods. The food and drinks were incredibly diverse and delicious—there was so much that…”
San Francisco Japantown in under an hour. A self-guided VoiceMap with stories of food, Japanese manju makers, and resistance.
“It’s perfectly paced, and there were times when you could pause and explore the spots she covered more in-depth.”
Mission District food-and-history walk: Mission Dolores, Golden Fire Hydrant, Balmy Alley murals, and Oaxacan tastings. 210 min, $99.
“Joseph was an outstanding tour guide! Knowledgeable and personable…”
Walk the Castro on a 1.5-hour LGBTQ+ historic tour for $39, starting at Harvey Milk Plaza and ending at The Mix.
“Took the LGBTQ+ Castro tour with Eric, who was so amazing and showed so much passion for San Francisco. I learned so much, and have a deeper appreciation for the city’s history! Eric made it super fun and engaging, and did a good job smoothly transitioning along the timeline of events down Castro.”
A 90-minute LGBTQ+ history walk in San Francisco’s Castro, led by Eric, a historian activist, stopping at Milk sites and memorials.
“Informativer Geschichtsrundgang durch Casto, Eric hat sich viel Zeit für mich genommen (obwohl ich die einzige Teilnehmerin war an diesem Tag). Ein netter Kerl! Interessanter Nachmittag und gute Gespräche!”
Ride a historic yellow boat for a guided 90-minute Bay tour with Captain Sal Alioto, landmark views, and photo chances from the water.
“The boarding of the boat involves a ladder which might not suit everyone. There could have been more info on San Francisco but otherwise Sal was great.”
The city, the bay, and the day trips beyond it. Every way to see them.
