Walking Tours

• The lifestyles of the first Americans
• The periods of Spanish and Mexican rule
• America’s conquest of the West, including California
• How the Gold Rush, Comstock Lode, and Transcontinental Railroad made San Francisco the “Paris of the West”
• Why President Lincoln said one man  in San Francisco preserved the Union in the Civil War
• Earthquakes, fire and rebirth of the 1906 and 1989 City
• The infamous Barbary Coast and the City’s heritage as the greatest port on the west coast
• Fighting World War II in the Pacific from San Francisco
• The Beat Generation of the 1950s and the Hippies and Activists of the 1960s
• How a conservative Republican, blue collar, manufacturing and maritime town, dominated by Irish and Italian Catholics, transformed into the liberal Democratic city of finance, technology, and multi-cultural diversity

We include a generous mixture of anecdotes, humor, and quotes by and about some of San Francisco’s most colorful characters.  The tour will reveal the truth behind myths and legends that most San Franciscans believe are true.  We talk about places that are not on the tour – it’s our way of recommending other places that are unique to San Francisco that you should visit.

To further enhance the tours, we show dozens of historic photos of the places, events and people we talk about.

We believe we provide the most comprehensive, enriching and entertaining walking tours of the history of San Francisco available today.

Why We Have Two San Francisco Walking Tours Daily

Because there is simply no way to tell the story of San Francisco in less than 3 1/2 hours.

Of course, you don’t have to take both.  Each tour stands alone and some of the stories overlap the two tours, such as how the native American village became San Francisco in the Gold Rush, and some aspects of the Barbary Coast.  If one walking tour is enough for you, we know you will find either tour worthwhile.

But if you do want to take both tours, you get 25% off the second tour … forever!  You don’t have to take both tours on the same day – take the second tour the next day, next week, next month or next year.  The discount never expires, and you don’t have to pay in advance.

Taken together, both tours combine to give you the entire history of San Francisco, which no other tour can offer.

Before the end of 2012, we will also have a Chinatown and Barbary Coast Tour. The 25% discount applies to those as well.

The Morning Tour starts at 10 a.m. at Union Square, and ends at Portsmouth Square no later than noon.  Our Afternoon Tour starts from Portsmouth Square at 1 pm and ends at Washington Square in North Beach no later than 3 p.m.  Please see the Tour Details page for all the details on taking either tour or both.