WALKING TOUR DESCRIPTIONS

You can also see complete tables of our tours organized by neighborhood, by date as a printable pdf.

Tour Name	Months Offered	Next Tour	Tour Description	Directions
1850's San Francisco: Paris Of The Pacific	All Year	Saturday, September 28 at 1:30 pm	Gold Rush San Francisco had a large population of French Parisians. Their influence, abilities, and taste for the finer things of life helped San Francisco to blossom almost overnight from the mud of Yerba Buena Cove into a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city.	Meet at the corner of Clay and Montgomery at Transamerica Pyramid
1906: Earthquake And Fire	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am	Imagine awakening before dawn on April 18, 1906 to the unthinkable--a massive earthquake has toppled chimneys and buildings, and ripped apart city water pipes. With the fire on your heels, escape from the alleyways south of Market to what should be the safety of Union Square.	Meet between the 525 building and 555 building on the south side of Market Street.
A Touch of Glass: Glass in San Francisco's Commercial Architecture	All Year	Sunday, September 29 at 10:00 am	The tour examines the great varieties of glass in 20th Century San Francisco, from the Financial District to Union Square. It will be found underfoot, overhead, and in the wall; in buildings by famous masters and by lesser-known local practitioners.	242 California Street (Tadich Grill) between Battery and Front.
A Turbulent Port	All Year	Saturday, September 28 at 11:00 am	Look behind the seawall to find evidence of what once was, and what might be expected in the future. The built environment tells the story of San Francisco's transformation from West Coast premier port, to one of the world's premier hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship. We'll examine resistance to change, and some of the global economic, social and geological forces that have made it inevitable.	Meet at Mission & Steuart Streets, by Rincon Center. Public transportation: Muni lines 12, 14-Mission, all Market Street lines (to Ferries), and Embarcadero BART/Muni Station.
Alfred Hitchcock's San Francisco	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am	The Master of Suspense loved San Francisco and used its beauty, elegance and mystery to great effect in several films. From Nob Hill to Union Square, you'll see some of the hotels, clubs, retail stores and other locations featured in Vertigo and other Hitchcock classics. You'll hear why Hitchcock chose them and how he filmed them. And you'll learn about their history, architecture, and the stories they tell about the San Francisco of fifty years ago and today.	Meet at the fountain in Huntington Park, off Sacramento Street between Taylor and Mason. Tour ends in Union Square and includes a steep downhill walk.
American History in Golden Gate Park	All Year	Sunday, October 6 at 1:00 pm Monday, October 14 at 1:00 pm	Here are statues, plaques, monuments and trees in Golden Gate Park that commemorate events in American history. This two hour walk takes you to sites familiar and unfamiliar to most visitors. Come for a nice walk in the Park as we review American history.	Meet in Front of the Conservatory of Flowers at the top of the stairs.
Architecture Downtown	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 10:00 am	Delight in the multifaceted blueprint created as the result of 1906 Earthquake. More than 15 architectural styles will be represented from the 20th century.	Meet at the corner of Stockton and Maiden Lane, just east of Union Square. Public transportation: MUNI line 38; also near Powell Muni/BART station.
Armchair Presentation: Ghosts, Sinners and Secret Places	Periodically	Schedule to be announced	Wander streets in the comfort of your own chair. Explore hidden tunnels used during prohibition to enter secret speakeasies, learn about hotels with apparitions and hidden rooms, a murder scandal with a legendary Hollywood actor, a notorious stagecoach robber, and ghosts that haunt a theater, a cabaret, the brothels of Maiden Lane and Chinatown.	Meet in the Koret Auditorium, lower level of the SF Main Library, 100 Larkin Street.
Art Deco Marina	All Year	Schedule to be announced	Admire the stylish and elegant buildings in the Marina District while learning to recognize the Art Deco style made popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Chevrons, zigzags, speed lines and stylized floral forms decorate the facades of the commercial buildings along Chestnut Street and apartment buildings in the residential Marina neighborhood. The 1925 Worlds Fair in Paris featured art and artifacts inspired by King Tut's Egypt, the Mayans and Cubism. The other layers of history in the Marina include the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.	Meet in front of the Marina Library, 1890 Chestnut Street, near Webster. Public transportation: MUNI lines 22, 30, 43.
Bawdy & Naughty	All Year	Schedule to be announced	This two-block stroll explores how, starting with the Gold Rush, professional women arrived to become a part of San Francisco's legend and lore. Learn about Belle Cora, Ah Toy, French parlor houses, and Barbary Coast dives.	Meet at Kearny & Maiden Lane. Public transportation: MUNI lines 9x, 9ax, 9bx, 15, 30, 45, 81x; also one block west of Montgomery MUNI/BART station.
Billionaires' Row: Outer Broadway Architecture	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am	Explore the most exclusive corner of Pacific Heights; where, since the late 19th century, San Francisco's wealthiest families have built mansions with spectacular views of the bay. Find out which rehab program had its headquarters in this unlikely setting and visit a humble church that ignited a new architectural movement.	Meet at the top of the Lyon Street steps at the intersection of Lyon and Broadway. Public transportation: MUNI lines 3, 43.
Bungalows of Westwood Park	May & October only	Schedule to be announced	Craftsman, English Tudor, Spanish Revival, Colonial Revival-you'll see all these styles and more strolling through this west side neighborhood of 650 cozy bungalows built for middle class San Franciscans in the early 20th century.	Meet at Ocean & Faxon Avenues
Castro: Tales Of The Village	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am	Explore a neighborhood you thought you knew. What was once dairy farms and dirt roads is now one of the city's most vibrant and cohesive communities. Stairs and steep hills.	Meet near the giant rainbow flag - southwest corner of Market and Castro Streets, upper level of Harvey Milk Plaza. Muni K, L, M, Castro Station
Chinatown	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am	Explore local alleys and walk among sites of temples and tongs, and shops of joss, dim sum, herbs; learn some colorful history and stories from the oldest Chinatown in the US.	Meet inside Portsmouth Square Park, PARK LEVEL, in front of Parking Garage Elevators adjacent corner of Walter U. Lum Pl. & Washington St. Public transportation: MUNI lines 1, 30, and 45.
Chinatown Family Associations, Tongs and Gangs: A Historic Look	Periodically	Thursday, September 26 at 10:30 am	We'll walk down colorful alleys, go over immigrant history, and learn how family associations and tongs started in Chinatown after the 1850's Gold Rush.Content may not be appropriate for children under 14 years of age.	Meet across from the elevators in Portsmouth Square, Washington between Kearney and Grant.
City Hall and the Civic Center	All Year	Tuesday, September 24 at 11:00 am	Explore a National Historic District and tour San Francisco's most beautiful building: its City Hall. PARTICIPANTS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO NOT BRING BACKPACKS OR LARGE TOTES.	Meet at steps of Main Library facing the Pioneer Monument on Fulton St. between Hyde & Larkin. Public transportation: MUNI line 19; MUNI/BART Civic Center Station
City Scapes And Public Places	All Year	Friday, September 27 at 10:00 am Friday, September 27 at 1:30 pm	Discover hidden parks, rooftop gardens, while learning colorful history and distinctive architecture of San Francisco's Financial District.	Meet at the Native Sons Monument, Montgomery at Market. Public transportation: MUNI/BART Montgomery Station; all Market Street buses & streetcars.
Club Land - Architecture and Culture of San Francisco's Grand Old Clubs	All Year	Friday, October 18 at 10:00 am	Some older tourist guide books from the mid 20th century refer to the area between Nob Hill, Union Square, and the Financial District as Club Land or Club Row. The heyday of these social clubs was from the late 19th century up to the Great Depression. There were clubs for men, women, and a huge range of social, ethnic, and interest groups. They all took pride in a handsome club house. After the Second World War, society and its clubs changed into a more mixed and uneven phenomenon. Some clubs disappeared, others adapted, and a small number remained just as powerful and exclusive as ever. This tour includes 11 buildings, starting on Nob Hill and ending at Union Square. On Saturdays, whenever possible, we will go inside one of the clubs, so please observe an informal but appropriate dress code.	Meet at the northwest corner of California and Mason (near Pacific-Union Club).
Coit Tower Murals	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am	Murals--some controversial--created by 25 of California's leading artists of the 1930s reflect scenes of the Great Depression, landscapes, farm workers, industries, a stylish soiree, and vibrant city life.	Meet at the main entry of Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill. No parking. Public transportation: MUNI line 39.
Corona Heights Stairways (Castro)	All Year	Sunday, October 13 at 2:00 pm	Explore the Corona Heights neighborhood, directly adjacent to the Castro.The tour visits the Corona Heights Hill, Buena Vista Park, Mount Olympus, and takes in some of the most spectacular views of San Francisco. You will learn about the history, architecture and the underlying geology of the neighborhood, and some of the people and events that shaped the hill. PLEASE NOTE: this tour includes several stairways, some steep hills and uneven ground. You should be reasonably fit to get the maximum enjoyment from this tour and sturdy walking shoes are highly recommended.	Meet near the giant rainbow flag - southwest corner of Market and Castro Streets, upper level of Harvey Milk Plaza. Muni K, L, M, Castro Station
Cow Hollow	All Year	Sunday, October 6 at 10:00 am	The tolling of historic bells cast halfway around the world, a rare building type from 1861, a grand Italiante manor house, and San Francisco's most exotic building. These and other unique experiences await you on the Cow Hollow tour.	Meet at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Van Ness and Green. Public transportation: MUNI lines 45, 47, 49.
Diego Rivera Mural at City College	May & October only	Schedule to be announced	See the last and largest of the murals done by Diego Rivera in the U.S.: Pan American Unity, painted for the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1940.	Meet in the lobby of Diego Rivera Theatre (approach from Judson), San Francisco City College, Judson and Phelan. Public transportation: MUNI lines K streetcar, 36.
Diego Rivera Mural at the Stock Exchange Tower (RESERVATIONS ONLY!)	All Year	Monday, October 7 at 3:00 pm	*This tour is limited to the first 25 people with reservations.* The mural "Allegory of California" graces the stairwell of the City Club (Formerly the Pacific Stock Exchange Club). Normally closed the public, this is an opportunity to see the first mural painted in the US by the great Mexican artist Diego Rivera. The Pacific Stock Exchange Lunch Club, now the City Club, is considered the best interior in the Art Deco style in San Francisco, and among the best in California.	Meeting location is provided by email upon making a reservation only to those with with a reservation. Please note: Reservations open up 10 days before a tour date. Tours typically are the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. To see available reservations and make a reservation please click this link and look under Schedule and Reservations!
Dogpatch and Potrero Point	All Year	Sunday, October 6 at 11:00 am	Designated as a San Francisco Historic District, this colorful neighborhood has important ties to many of the city's past commercial industries. Explore the past and present of this eclectic neighborhood in transition, from its historic working-class cottages and industrial-age relics to modern lofts.	Meet at 3rd and 20th Streets. Muni 22 or T-3rd.
Downtown Deco	All Year	Wednesday, October 2 at 2:00 pm	Discover downtown's legacy of the Jazz Age through skyscrapers and office buildings from the Roaring Twenties and early 1930s. Visit some stunning lobbies and learn about some of San Francisco's architects and artists who embraced the Art Deco style.	Meet in front of the Telephone Building at 140 New Montgomery, in between Mission and Howard. Public transportation: MUNI/BART Montgomery Station; all Market Street buses & streetcars
Embarcadero Skyway	Periodically	Schedule to be announced	Take flight (sort of)! Most of the tour is above the ground. View "Rockefeller Center West" from a different angle. Discover a hidden urban oasis. Tread on buried ships that once housed saloons, jails, stores and brothels.	Meet in front of 400 Sansome Street (at Sacramento). Lots of stairs; wheelchairs/walkers not advised.
Excelsior Stroll	Not currently offered	Schedule to be announced	This 'urban village' was once a Mexican land grant. Then came land speculators followed by Ligurian and Tuscan truck farmers. And next? Hear the the history and the more recent story.	Meet at the Excelsior Library, 4400 Mission Street at Cotter. Public transportation: MUNI lines 14, 49.
Fairmont Hotel (RESERVATIONS ONLY)	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am	In 1906 the "Grand Dame" rose from the ashes of the earthquake and fire making the history of the Fairmont Hotel an important part of the history of San Francisco. Learn how this famous hotel rose from the ashes of the 1906 earthquake, why Presidents and diplomats from around the world choose to stay in this magnificently designed Italian Renaissance palazzo masterpiece. The Fairmont Hotel tour winds it's way through several beautiful and surprising venues and rooms that are not always open to the public. Join your City Guide and enjoy discovering the history and secrets of the magnificent Fairmont Hotel, the Grand Dame of San Francisco.	Starting point for this tour will be provided upon confirmation of your reservation.
Ferry Building	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am	Enjoy an hour-long walk on the rise, tragic fall, and modern rebirth of one of San Francisco's most renowned historic landmarks. Visit a contemporary swirl of shops and learn the history of ferries, freeways and quakes. Meet at the foot of the stairs at the front entrance, Market and Embarcadero.	Meet at the main entrance, near the stairs to the 2nd Floor. Public transportation: MUNI F/Market, 14/Mission; MUNI Metro/BART Embarcadero Station. Lots of stairs; elevator available.
Fisherman's Wharf: A Hidden History	All Year	Monday, September 23 at 11:00 am	Experience hidden treasures most visitors miss. Go behind the scenes to learn about the bay, ships, swimmers, and fishing history of this vital part of San Francisco.	Meet by the Mermaid Fountain, main courtyard of Ghirardelli Square, off Larkin St. between North Point & Beach Sts.
Fort Mason Historic District	All Year	Saturday, September 28 at 2:00 pm	A unique San Francisco landmark, Fort Mason's Port of Embarkation, once known as the "Gateway to the Pacific," has evolved from a dynamic military post to a contemporary cultural center. Enjoy spectacular Bay views, Gas House Cove, unique and special architecture. Discover the important role of nearby Lobos Square in San Francisco history.	Meet next to the Gate House, just inside the Main Gate, Laguna and Marina Blvd.
Fort Mason To Aquatic Park	All Year	Thursday, October 3 at 1:00 pm	Amazing views, a hidden garden, wild parrots, historic buildings, colorful characters, scandals, secrets, a famous duel and more await you.	Meet at NW corner of Van Ness & Bay.
Ghost Walk at City Hall	October only	Schedule to be announced	Disinterred remains, assassinations and other ghostly lore form the focus of this tour, plus little-known facts such as the cemetery that once covered Civic Center. Instead of history and architecture, hear snippets from interviews with city employees detailing chilling paranormal activity. You will be amazed--or terrified! Who - or what - might be walking behind you?	Meet in North Light Court, through Goodlett Pl. (Polk St.) entrance. (Allow time for security checks. Travel light - full security, including metal detectors and bag searches, will be in effect.) Tour duration approx. 30-45 mins. Wheelchair friendly.
Gold Rush City	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 2:00 pm	Relive the early history of an instant city. Learn about the Vigilance Committee and a fleet of abandoned ships. Who was Emperor Norton? Walk the streets of Yerba Buena Cove, the haunts of the original 49ers.	Meet on the northeast corner of Clay & Montgomery at the Transamerica Pyramid. Public Transportation: MUNI lines 1.
Golden Gate Bridge	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am	This tour has everything. Soaring design, stunning engineering, terrifying geology, ripping currents and tides, famous fog, sailboats, ships and marine mammals, fearless ironworkers, cowardly bankers ... and then there's the view!	Meet at the Strauss statue in the visitors plaza, the SF side of the Bridge. Weather can be unpredictable. Bring a jacket! Public transportation: MUNI lines 28.
Golden Gate Heights Stairways	May & October only	Sunday, October 13 at 11:00 am	On this hearty walk, a multitude of stairways connects comfortable Inner Sunset residential streets with dramatic chert outcroppings offering magnificent views of San Francisco, the Pacific Ocean, and the Marin Hills.	Meet at Kirkham and the base of the 15th Avenue stairway. Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes Muni N Judah.
Golden Gate Park Stroller Walk	Periodically	Schedule to be announced	Explore the twelve scenic areas of Golden Gate Park in this series of peaceful walks. Each walk departs from a new location, enabling walkers to discover fascinating history and natural features unique to each area. This walk is ideal for adults with children in strollers, seniors, and those with mobility impairment. Terrain is generally flat and tour lasts one hour. Please see our website for specific tour descriptions and meeting locations.
Golden Gate Park: East End	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 1:00 pm	The East End of Golden Gate Park holds many features and stories of its past one hundred and forty year existence. The Conservatory of Flowers, underground tunnels, a rock quarry, and a long gone aviary are part of its past. View the AIDS Memorial Grove, and the new buildings in the Music Concourse, site of the 1894 World's Fair. We will be walking up small hills and climbing some stairs in this two-hour walk.	meet at the top steps of the Conservatory of Flowers
Golden Gate Park: West End	All Year	Saturday, September 28 at 11:00 am	A magical garden and the windmills that helped create Golden Gate Park. Discover Lucien Labaudt's magnificent murals of 1930s city life in Willis Polk's landmark Beach Chalet,	Meet at the Dutch windmill, northwest end of Golden gate Park, J.F.K. Drive at Great Highway near Fulton St.
Haight-Ashbury	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am	Come explore San Francisco's first "suburb," evolving from a Victorian playground to a post 1906 earthquake and fire refugee camp, to ultimately the epicenter of the San Francisco Sound during the Summer of Love, hosting Hippies, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Hell's Angels and Charles Manson. Somewhat strenuous.	Meet at the Park Branch Library, 1833 Page St. Public transportation: MUNI lines 33, 43.
Hike in Glen Canyon Park	All Year	Schedule to be announced	A hidden gem in plain site. Uncovering what happened and didn't happen in the colorful history of Glen Canyon Park. The opening of the Mission Zoo in the 1800's was labeled "The sensation of the century". Designated a significant natural area. The last above ground creek open to the public.Limit 15 hikers, rain cancels. Transportation BART OR BUS #44,52,23,36	Meet at the park entrance on Elk Street near the end of Chenery Street.
Historic Market Street: Path Of Gold	All Year	Tuesday, September 24 at 1:30 pm	From the Ferry Building to Lotta's Fountain, Market Street provides a cross section of San Francisco history as it slices diagonally across the city. Lining the city's first boulevard, dubbed the "Path of Gold" as it was rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake, are historic buildings, monuments and modern skyscrapers. Hear the street's relevance to everything from the Gold Rush to Bay Area Rapid Transit and vintage street cars.	Meet in front of the Landmark Building at One Market Street, south side of Market St. between Steuart & Spear Sts.No hills. Wheelchairs welcome. Public transportation: BART and MUNI lines F, 2, 6, 9, 9L, 14, 14L, 21, 31.
Inner Richmond: Part I	May & October only	Sunday, October 20 at 10:00 am	The district's rich history goes back to the 19th century and includes robbers' roosts and racetracks, squatters and roadhouses, a saloon district and a red light district, as well as charming Victorian row houses and beautiful Craftsmans, the 1902 and 1903 Big Games, an earthquake shack camp, Wyatt Earp's house, and what may be the city's oldest Chinese laundry business.	Meet at the corner of Geary and 3rd Ave.
Inner Richmond: Part II	May & October only	Sunday, October 27 at 10:00 am	The district's rich history goes back to the 19th century and includes robbers' roosts and racetracks, squatters and roadhouses, a saloon district and a red light district, as well as charming Victorian row houses and beautiful Craftsmans, the 1902 and 1903 Big Games, an earthquake shack camp, Wyatt Earp's house, and what may be the city’s oldest Chinese laundry business.	Meet on the corner of 6th Ave & Geary.
Inner Sunset: The Birth Of A Neighborhood	All Year	Schedule to be announced	Discover how this charming neighborhood emerged from the windswept dunes originally deemed hopeless and uninhabitable. Explore the area, see the bustling local color, and hear fascinating history (and an occasional bit of lore).	Meet at Arguello and Hugo. Tour ends at 9th & Lincoln. Public transportation: MUNI lines 71, N Judah streetcar.
Japanese Tea Garden	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 1:00 pm	Join us for a stroll through this five-acre world-famous garden. Learn about the icons of the Garden and the family that lived there. Admission to garden required except on the Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30 morning tour.	Meet just inside the entrance to the garden.
Japanese Tea Garden - 11AM	All Year	Monday, September 23 at 11:00 am	Join us for a stroll through this five-acre world-famous garden. Learn about the icons of the Garden and the family that lived there. Admission to garden required except on the Monday and Wednesday 9:30 morning tour.	Meet just inside the entrance to the garden.
Japanese Tea Garden/Stow Lake/Strawberry Hill	All Year	Friday, October 4 at 9:30 am	We'll start with a tour of the Japanese Tea Garden, then climb up to Stow Lake. We'll explore San Francisco's second highest sand dune, a place known as "the island," even before it was surrounded by water. See a waterfall funded by a railroad tycoon and a nesting tree for California's largest water bird. We'll cross the Roman Bridge and hike up the Carriage Path to the top of Strawberry Hill, the site of the Sweeny Observatory and then descend down Huntington Falls to the Taipei Pavilion. This tour may be abbreviated, at the discretion of the guide, due to weather.	Meet inside the Tea Garden Gate in Golden Gate Park. Tea Garden admission is free.
Japantown	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 2:00 pm	San Francisco's Japantown dates from the earthquake and fire of 1906. During World War II, Japanese American residents were imprisoned and replaced largely by African Americans, whose thriving businesses included many jazz clubs. Beginning in the 1950s, a decades-long urban renewal project reshaped both the neighborhood's population and its physical landscape. Today we see Japanese-style architecture next to classic Victorians and the birth of the Fillmore Jazz Preservation District.	Meet at the intersection of Buchanan and Sutter Streets, near 1747 Buchanan Street, next to the large Japanese gate (rectangular arch) at the entrance to the pedestrian mall. Public transportation: MUNI lines, 2, 22, 38.
L'hôtel de ville et le Civic Center en français - In French Only	Not currently offered	Schedule to be announced	Visitez le joyau du Civic Center, l'hôtel de ville, avec son dôme brillant (le plus grand aux Etats-Unis) et des éléments architecturaux de la Renaissance française. Appréciez la rotonde richement décorée ; c'est l'endroit où sont célébrés de nombreux mariages. Admirez des bâtiments majestueux comportant des colonnes, des arches et des détails riches et néo-classiques qui composent l'architecture du style Beaux-Arts. Apprenez comment les tremblements de terre de 1906 et de 1989 ont transformé l'hôtel de ville, le Musée d'Art Asiatique, la bibliothèque, et la Cour suprême de Californie. Découvrez l'origine du grand Pioneer Monument et la polémique causée par le monument ces dernières années.	Retrouvez votre guide sur les marches de la bibliothèque (San Francisco Main Library) rue Fulton.
Land's End: Sutro Heights	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 2:00 pm	In sunshine or fog, experience the dramatic wind swept vistas where San Francisco meets the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy Sutro Heights Park, Mayor Sutro's gift to the public, and see the ruins of his gigantic baths. Somewhat strenuous.	Meeting at the entrance gate to Sutro Heights Park on Point Lobos Avenue close-by the 48th Avenue traffic light.
Landmark Victorians Of Alamo Square	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am	See some of the city's most opulent and carefully restored 'Painted Ladies' including the world famous Postcard Row. You will also be treated to breathtaking panoramic views from the Alamo Square Historic District.	Meet in front of 824 Grove Street. Public transportation: MUNI lines 21, 22, 5.
Main Library	All Year	Tuesday, October 1 at 12:00 pm	The SF Public Library was named "2018 Library of the Year" by Library Journal magazine. Discover the role of the Main Library in that prestigious award! A dramatic skylight crowns the soaring atrium, flooded with natural light. Bridges span spacious lightwells. Stunning architecture, a vast collection, wide-ranging services - explore it all! (Indoors; 1 hour.)	Meet at the Information Desk, 1st floor Atrium, through Grove St. entrance. Lots of stairs; elevators available.
Making Waves on the Waterfront	All Year	Saturday, October 12 at 2:00 pm	San Francisco is well-known for changing the world through innovative, even revolutionary, ideas and actions in politics, business, technology and society. Many of these changes occurred along the northern waterfront, where Gold Rush pioneers, labor organizers, entrepreneurs, genius inventors, and architects helped created our modern city. Join us as we travel over level ground (no hills!) to visit historic sites and hidden parks.	Meet in front of the Ferry Building under the clock tower, at the foot of Market St. Public transportation: MUNI lines 12, 14, F Historic Streetcar; MUNI/BART Embarcadero Station
Mission Bay: Hidden Waters	All Year	Wednesday, September 25 at 2:00 pm	From placid waters fished by ancient peoples to the biggest construction project in San Francisco since 1906, the transformation of Mission Bay has been incredible. Gain a unique perspective on the area, and discover a hidden park and a forgotten creek. (If it's a bay, where's the water?)	Meet in plaza on south side of Caltrain Station, 4th & King Streets. Muni: N Judah, T Third, 30 Stockton, 45 Union, 47 Van Ness.
Mission Dolores Neighborhood	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am	Venture through a history-rich area of the famous Mission district. Learn about the neighborhood's Spanish mission, its miraculous survival from the 1906 earthquake and fire, and how immigrants ranging from Native Americans and the first Europeans to present-day techies have shaped its unique identity. See a spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline, plus an eclectic mix of treasures, including the city's oldest intact building, its most heroic fire hydrant, fine examples of Victorians, and the hip Valencia Street corridor.	Meet at the gold-painted fire hydrant (which saved the neighborhood in 1906),SE corner of Church and 20th Sts. Public transportation: MUNI line J Church streetcar.
Mission Murals	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am	See the colorful people's art of the Mission District, one of San Francisco's largest ethnic communities.	Meet in front of Charlie's Deli Cafe, 3202 Folsom St. at Precita. Public transportation: MUNI lines 12, 27.
Mt. Davidson Hike	May & October only	Saturday, October 26 at 1:00 pm	Explore the inspired history of San Francisco’s highest hill on this stroll through a 38-acre nature preserve to the amazing view and gigantic monument at its 938 ft. high summit. Steep trails which can be windy and muddy. Wear a jacket and sturdy shoes. No restrooms available.	Meet at Sherwood Ave and Myra Way (bus 36).
Murals And The Multi-Ethnic Mission	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 1:00 pm	See how the culture, lore, and history of this neighborhood have literally left their mark on its walls! We start with a four-story mural at the Women's Building and end with an eight-story example at Bethany Center. We'll invoke ghosts from the past, including Catholic missionaries, orthodox Jews, German Lutherans, and Palestinian refugees. But we won't wallow in the past. The neighborhood is now a hipster magnet, full of modern construction and re-purposed buildings on the Mission Street "Miracle Mile." Specific destinations may vary in this dynamic district where change is the only constant!	Meet at the Women's Building, 3543 18th Street, between Guerrero and Valencia. Public transportation: MUNI lines 14, 33, 49; BART 16th Street station.
Nob Hill	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 2:00 pm	Here once rose the rococo palaces of the old railroad and silver kings. Expect architectural tidbits and anecdotes about a great cathedral, four prestigious hotels, and a most exclusive men's club. Elegance, urbanity, and fabulous views.	Meet at the front entrance to the Stanford Court Hotel on California Street between Powell and Mason. Public transportation: MUNI Powell or California Street cable car; Powell Street MUNI/BART station.
Noe Valley: A Village Within the City	All Year	Sunday, October 6 at 1:30 pm	Who was Noe? What is Horner's Addition? Where was Temple? What is a John Anderson? Did Andrew Carnegie live in Noe Valley? Find out about the valley's working class roots. Walk along and learn tricks to uncover this now-upscale neighborhood's historic secrets.	Meet at the Public Library, 451 Jersey Street (between Castro and Diamond Streets.)
North Beach	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am	It's where food, culture, colorful history, and unexpected views all intersect-an Italian "urban village" that was once the center of bohemian society.	Meet at 666 Filbert Street on the steps of Saints Peter and Paul Church, across from Washington Square. Public transportation: MUNI lines 30, 45. Parking: city garage - 735 Vallejo, between Stockton and Powell.
North Beach By Night	Periodically	Sunday, September 22 at 7:00 pm	The other side of North Beach history - that of its bars, bordellos and beatniks - comes alive on this evening tour. Weather can be chilly, dress accordingly.	Meet in front of Specs Cafe, 12 Saroyan Place, just off Columbus, south of Broadway and next to Tosca Cafe.
North Beach by Twilight	Periodically	Schedule to be announced	The other side of North Beach history - that of its bars, bordellos and beatniks - comes alive on this evening tour. Weather can be chilly, dress accordingly.	Meet in front of Specs Cafe, 12 Saroyan Place, just off Columbus, south of Broadway and next to Tosca Cafe.
North of the Panhandle	All Year	Tuesday, October 8 at 1:00 pm	This central part of the City started out with sand dunes and marsh to become a fashionable neighborhood. The Depression era gave way to a working class area. After the summer of love, came a population exodus until today where it is becoming a desirable neighborhood to live again. Hear and see the details of the physical, cultural, and ethnic changes that occurred in the pass one hundred fifty years. One steep hill.	Meet on Baker St. between Oak and Fell St, across the street from the DMV by the McKinley Statue.
Old South Park	May & October only	Sunday, October 13 at 4:00 pm	A short tour of San Francisco's first planned community -- its ups and downs, fortune, romance, and the infamous '2nd Street Cut.'	Meet at the Shell station on 3rd St. between Bryant and Brannan Sts. Public transportation: MUNI lines 12, 15, 30, 45.
Omni Hotel Walk	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am	Starting from the lobby of the Omni Hotel enjoy one of City Guides popular downtown tours. Each week take a surprise tour that could include Chinatown, Embarcadero Skyway or Gold Rush City.	500 California Street (at Montgomery)
Pacific Heights Mansions	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am	Walk past palatial homes and consulates in Pacific Heights--mansions used as the Japanese and German consulates in 1941. Learn of Victorian lifestyles and earthquake refugees.	Meet in Alta Plaza Park, atop the stairs above Pierce & Clay Sts. Public transportation: MUNI lines 3, 1, 24, 22.
Palace Hotel - Lecture	All Year	Schedule to be announced	JOIN CITY GUIDES AT THE SF MAIN LIBRARY FOR AN "ARMCHAIR WALK" OF THE PALACE HOTEL. Majestic. Spectacular. Words fail to convey the extraordinary beauty of the elegantly restored Palace. See this 1909 Beaux Arts gem for yourself, and discover why it's consistently ranked as one of the top luxury hotels in the world. NOTE: NOT A WALKING TOUR, AND NOT AT THE HOTEL. See the "Notes" section for details.	Meet in the KORET AUDITORIUM at the MAIN LIBRARY (100 Larkin Street), in Civic Center. The auditorium is on the Lower Level. The library's Grove Street entrance is across the street from the BART/Muni Civic Center Station, and just steps from Market Street buses and streetcars. Plus, the northbound and southbound #19/Polk buses stop at the Main Library.
Palace Of Fine Arts/Marina	All Year	Saturday, October 5 at 10:00 am	Discover one of the most romantic spots in San Francisco, and the site of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. Learn of this fabulous fair and beloved building while you enjoy today's historic Marina district.	Meet at the corner of Bay and Lyon Sts. Public transportation: MUNI lines 28, 30.
Potrero Hill	All Year	Tuesday, October 8 at 11:00 am Saturday, October 12 at 11:00 am	Potrero Hill is a diverse neighborhood on one of our many hills that has an interesting history, fascinating characters, vistas to the four winds and great weather. This hill even has a unique brewery and a one-of-a kind church across the street from each other.	Meet in front of the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House (NABE) at the corner of Southern Heights and DeHaro Sts.
Presidio: From Military Post to Earthquake Refuge to National Park	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 1:00 pm	The Presidio served as a military post under three flags, Spain, Mexico and the United States, played a critical role after the 1906 earthquake and has become a crown jewel in the National Park System, Allow extra time before or after your walk to visit the historic Officers' Club.	Meet near the entrance to the Officer's Club, 50 Moraga Avenue, on the Main Post. $PAY TO PARK. Click here to get the details on the free shuttle from downtown SF to the Presidio http://www.presidio.gov/transportation/presidigo/presidigo-downtown-shuttle
Russian Hill Stairways	Periodically	Sunday, October 6 at 10:30 am	Climb hills and hidden stairways 345' above San Francisco Bay to visit bucolic lanes, national historic districts, and ghosts of fascinating bohemian characters. See where Willis Polk lived and worked as well as an octagon house. Transportation: Muni 45 and 41 and Hyde Street Cable Car.	Meet at Hyde & Filbert Streets.
Russian Hill, Architecture and Culture of an Island in the City	All Year	Saturday, September 28 at 10:00 am	On one of the iconic hills of San Francisco, see panoramic views and intimate lanes. Learn about artists and eccentrics, Beats and Bohemians, mansions and cottages. Discover a place that stands out in San Francisco's distinctive historic and architectural mix.	Meet at Hyde & Filbert Streets
Sacred Places In San Francisco	May & October only	Thursday, October 24 at 1:00 pm	San Francisco's diversity is reflected in its places of worship. Visit churches, temples, a cathedral, and a synagogue. View the symbols and architecture and hear the history of the city's religious institutions.	Meet at the main plaza entrance of St. Mary's Cathedral, Gough & Geary. Public transportation: MUNI line 38.
Scandalous Murals of Rincon Center	All Year	Saturday, September 28 at 1:00 pm	Shocking! Revolting! Subversive! Partisan hysteria echoed from San Francisco to Washington D.C. when these murals were unveiled. Powerful voices called for their destruction, yet 30 years later they saved the building from demolition. The murals tell many stories, from the growth of San Francisco to Cold War politics. Discover the artistic and political drama behind these New Deal treasures - and get a great overview of The City's history.	Meet in Rincon Center historic lobby, east end, near Mission & Steuart Sts. Public transit: MUNI lines F, 2, 14, 21. BART/MUNI Metro: Embarcadero station.
Sigmund Stern Grove	Periodically	Saturday, October 26 at 11:00 am	Discover this 63-acre city park, the jewel of the Sunset District. Walk through beautiful meadows and learn about the area's colorful history, including how it escaped being turned into a residential community. Meet at 19th Ave. & Sloat Blvd. Rain cancels the tour.	Meet at 19th Ave and Sloat Blvd.
Silent Film San Francisco	All Year	Saturday, September 28 at 2:00 pm	San Francisco's connection with the movies goes back more than 125 years to the dawn of the moving picture. From iconic locations to obscure alleys, San Francisco was the setting for hundreds of silent films from the 1890s on, with stars like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford, Lon Chaney and Rudolph Valentino. Many of its native sons and daughters became famous in front of and behind the camera as the silent era peaked in the 1920s - and an infamous downtown speakeasy was the setting for an historic studio scene that sounded (literally) the end of silent film. Join us on a walk through the Barbary Coast, Chinatown, the Financial District and Union Square and learn about an eccentric photographer, a golden molar, the first Hispanic movie star, the influence of anti-Chinese laws, and the greatest scandal of the silent era.	Tour starts at the southeast corner of Pacific Ave and Kearny St., across from "The Station" Cafe.
SOMA & Yerba Buena Gardens	All Year	Wednesday, September 25 at 11:00 am	Understand the history and development of the South of Market area (SoMa), from the earliest rough neighborhoods called "South of the Slot" to the family-friendly environment that is today's Yerba Buena Gardens complex. View an exciting variety of buildings and architectural styles, including an historic church, posh hotels, and the highest concentration of museums in the city. Learn to look at this neighborhood with a new eye. Even people familiar with the area will discover beautiful gardens and unique sculptures that are "hidden in plain sight."	Meets in front of St. Patrick's Church, Mission St. between 3rd and 4th Sts. Public transportation: MUNI line 14; MUNI/BART Powell St. Station.
South Beach and the South End Historic Warehouse District	All Year	Thursday, October 17 at 10:00 am	Learn the rich history of one of San Francisco's most underappreciated neighborhoods. See scores of historic brick warehouses and industrial buildings including a half-dozen pre-earthquake structures in this recently revitalized neighborhood. Search for evidence underfoot of the area's rich rail-roading history. Learn about a Chinese fishing village from the 1850s; the Pacific Mail Steamship Company; dockworkers' waterfront restaurants and the artist who paints them. Experience good and not so good examples of adaptive reuse of historic buildings.	Meet on the corner of Brannan Street and Embarcadero (by the Delancey Street Restaurant awning).
South of Market Architecture Stroll	All Year	Friday, September 27 at 10:00 am	Compare Classical Revival, modern, postmodern and green trends. Architecture includes building facades, public places, and public art. Zigzag and saunter along main streets and back alleys toward the emerging Transbay Terminal complex.	Meet on Yerba Buena Lane between Market St. and Mission St. at the Jewish Contemporary Museum's "Big Blue Cube".
Telegraph Hill Stairway Hike	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 1:00 pm	Enjoy views of the bay and semi-tropical gardens along the Filbert Steps while learning about Coit Tower, quarrying, castles, parrots, 19th century cottages, and modern condos.	Meet at the Marconi Monument, opposite 290 Lombard, at the intersections of Lombard, Kearny and Telegraph Hill Blvd. Best approach is on Lombard from the west (North Beach). NOTE: Because of intervening cliffs, it is NOT possible to reach the Marconi Monument on Lombard from the east (Embarcadero) or on Kearny from the north (Fisherman's Wharf). Tour ends at Union and Montgomery.
Tenderloin Neighborhood Part I	May & October only	Sunday, October 6 at 9:00 am	Explore the Tenderloin’s isolated rural village beginnings and its years as a quiet residential and small business neighborhood. Find out how it morphed into San Francisco’s hotel and silk stocking entertainment and vice district, how it became part of the mean streets in the last half of the 20th century, and how it is trying to reinvent itself as the entertainment and restaurant district it used to be. Learn about the days of the Uptown Tenderloin, San Francisco’s bootlegger wars, the start of the San Francisco movie industry, famous madams, neighborhood gambling and jazz clubs, and Little Saigon.	Meet at Powell & Market Streets
Tenderloin Neighborhood Part II	May & October only	Sunday, October 13 at 9:00 am	Explore the Tenderloin’s isolated rural village beginnings and its years as a quiet residential and small business neighborhood. Find out how it morphed into San Francisco’s hotel and silk stocking entertainment and vice district, how it became part of the mean streets in the last half of the 20th century, and how it is trying to reinvent itself as the entertainment and restaurant district it used to be. Learn about the days of the Uptown Tenderloin, San Francisco’s bootlegger wars, the start of the San Francisco movie industry, famous madams, neighborhood gambling and jazz clubs, and Little Saigon.	Meet at McAllister & Leavenworth Streets
Theatre In San Francisco	All Year	Thursday, October 17 at 4:00 pm	Caruso, O'Neill, Booth, Lotta, Belasco, Ball, Tetrazzini, and more . . . stars of the stage in San Francisco. Join our guide to learn the fascinating history of theatre in the City by the Bay	Meet at the entrance to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission Street between 3rd & 4th Streets across from the Contemporary Jewish Museum
Undercover Folsom Street	All Year	Saturday, September 21 at 4:00 pm	Peek under the covers of Folsom's "Miracle Mile," where gay and leather establishments reigned supreme from the 1960s to the 1980s. Learn why the LGBT and leather communities were attracted to the South of Market neighborhood; what caused most of the queer bars and bathhouses to close; and bear witness to some of the longest-running LGBT establishments in San Francisco. Content may not be appropriate for children under 14 years of age	Meet at Folsom and Russ, NW corner, next to Fondue Cowboy. Public Transportation: Muni/Bart: Powell or Civic Center Station; Muni 12 or 27. Tour ends at 11th and Folsom.
Victorian San Francisco	All Year	Sunday, September 22 at 2:00 pm	See and learn about Victorian era architecture of the city's first suburb. As we walk in the neighborhood of Lafayette Square, you'll also learn about Victorian lifestyles and San Francisco's illustrious history. Some steep streets. Many fabulous views!	Meet outside the Octavia St. entrance to the 1801 Bush St. garden, just off the SW corner of Bush and Octavia. Public transportation: MUNI lines 1, 3.
Visitacion Valley Part I	May only	Schedule to be announced	Explore Visitacion Valley, named by 18th-century Spaniards lost in the fog and part of the only local land grant deeded to an Anglo. The focus is on the valley's commerce, transportation, and development, including a foray through Little Hollywood and ending at Silvestri's log cabin.	Meet at 45 Leland Ave. near Bayshore. Public transportation: MUNI lines 9, 8 and T light rail line
Visitacion Valley Part II	October only	Saturday, October 12 at 11:00 am	Explore Visitacion Valley, named by 18th-century Spaniards lost in the fog and part of the only local land grant deeded to an Anglo. The tour concentrates on community life – including Eichler housing, a Julia Morgan church, landscaped greenways, and more – in the "Valley of the Windmills." Somewhat strenuous.	Meet at 45 Leland Ave. near Bayshore. Public transportation: MUNI lines 9, 8 and T light rail line.
West Portal	Periodically	Schedule to be announced	From a sleepy ranch owned by Adolph Sutro in 1880, West Portal rapidly grew into a shopping and transit hub after the Twin Peaks tunnel in 1918. See buildings designed by architects who later gained fame for the Golden Gate Bridge and Art Deco apartments around the city.	Meet across from the West Portal Muni Station at Ulloa and Lennox Avenues. Public transportation: MUNI lines K, L, M streetcars.
West Side Whimsy Walk	May & October only	Sunday, October 27 at 1:00 pm	Discover the unique atmosphere and whimsical architecture of the City Beautiful movement-inspired neighborhoods built west of Twin Peaks. See Art Deco landmarks, storybook cottages, and Spanish castles as we explore the Balboa Terrace, St. Francis Wood, and Lakeside neighborhoods.	Meet at the staircase next to 141 Junipero Serra Blvd.

Tour Name

Months Offered

Next Tour

Tour Description

Directions

1850's San Francisco: Paris Of The Pacific

All Year

Saturday, September 28 at 1:30 pm

Gold Rush San Francisco had a large population of French Parisians. Their influence, abilities, and taste for the finer things of life helped San Francisco to blossom almost overnight from the mud of Yerba Buena Cove into a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city.

Meet at the corner of Clay and Montgomery at Transamerica Pyramid

1906: Earthquake And Fire

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am

Imagine awakening before dawn on April 18, 1906 to the unthinkable--a massive earthquake has toppled chimneys and buildings, and ripped apart city water pipes. With the fire on your heels, escape from the alleyways south of Market to what should be the safety of Union Square.

Meet between the 525 building and 555 building on the south side of Market Street.

A Touch of Glass: Glass in San Francisco's Commercial Architecture

All Year

Sunday, September 29 at 10:00 am

The tour examines the great varieties of glass in 20th Century San Francisco, from the Financial District to Union Square. It will be found underfoot, overhead, and in the wall; in buildings by famous masters and by lesser-known local practitioners.

242 California Street (Tadich Grill) between Battery and Front.

A Turbulent Port

All Year

Saturday, September 28 at 11:00 am

Look behind the seawall to find evidence of what once was, and what might be expected in the future. The built environment tells the story of San Francisco's transformation from West Coast premier port, to one of the world's premier hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship. We'll examine resistance to change, and some of the global economic, social and geological forces that have made it inevitable.

Meet at Mission & Steuart Streets, by Rincon Center. Public transportation: Muni lines 12, 14-Mission, all Market Street lines (to Ferries), and Embarcadero BART/Muni Station.

Alfred Hitchcock's San Francisco

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am

The Master of Suspense loved San Francisco and used its beauty, elegance and mystery to great effect in several films. From Nob Hill to Union Square, you'll see some of the hotels, clubs, retail stores and other locations featured in Vertigo and other Hitchcock classics. You'll hear why Hitchcock chose them and how he filmed them. And you'll learn about their history, architecture, and the stories they tell about the San Francisco of fifty years ago and today.

Meet at the fountain in Huntington Park, off Sacramento Street between Taylor and Mason. Tour ends in Union Square and includes a steep downhill walk.

American History in Golden Gate Park

All Year

Sunday, October 6 at 1:00 pm

Monday, October 14 at 1:00 pm

Here are statues, plaques, monuments and trees in Golden Gate Park that commemorate events in American history. This two hour walk takes you to sites familiar and unfamiliar to most visitors. Come for a nice walk in the Park as we review American history.

Meet in Front of the Conservatory of Flowers at the top of the stairs.

Architecture Downtown

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 10:00 am

Delight in the multifaceted blueprint created as the result of 1906 Earthquake. More than 15 architectural styles will be represented from the 20th century.

Meet at the corner of Stockton and Maiden Lane, just east of Union Square. Public transportation: MUNI line 38; also near Powell Muni/BART station.

Armchair Presentation: Ghosts, Sinners and Secret Places

Periodically

Schedule to be announced

Wander streets in the comfort of your own chair. Explore hidden tunnels used during prohibition to enter secret speakeasies, learn about hotels with apparitions and hidden rooms, a murder scandal with a legendary Hollywood actor, a notorious stagecoach robber, and ghosts that haunt a theater, a cabaret, the brothels of Maiden Lane and Chinatown.

Meet in the Koret Auditorium, lower level of the SF Main Library, 100 Larkin Street.

Art Deco Marina

All Year

Schedule to be announced

Admire the stylish and elegant buildings in the Marina District while learning to recognize the Art Deco style made popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Chevrons, zigzags, speed lines and stylized floral forms decorate the facades of the commercial buildings along Chestnut Street and apartment buildings in the residential Marina neighborhood. The 1925 Worlds Fair in Paris featured art and artifacts inspired by King Tut's Egypt, the Mayans and Cubism. The other layers of history in the Marina include the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Meet in front of the Marina Library, 1890 Chestnut Street, near Webster. Public transportation: MUNI lines 22, 30, 43.

Bawdy & Naughty

All Year

Schedule to be announced

This two-block stroll explores how, starting with the Gold Rush, professional women arrived to become a part of San Francisco's legend and lore. Learn about Belle Cora, Ah Toy, French parlor houses, and Barbary Coast dives.

Meet at Kearny & Maiden Lane. Public transportation: MUNI lines 9x, 9ax, 9bx, 15, 30, 45, 81x; also one block west of Montgomery MUNI/BART station.

Billionaires' Row: Outer Broadway Architecture

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am

Explore the most exclusive corner of Pacific Heights; where, since the late 19th century, San Francisco's wealthiest families have built mansions with spectacular views of the bay. Find out which rehab program had its headquarters in this unlikely setting and visit a humble church that ignited a new architectural movement.

Meet at the top of the Lyon Street steps at the intersection of Lyon and Broadway. Public transportation: MUNI lines 3, 43.

Bungalows of Westwood Park

May & October only

Schedule to be announced

Craftsman, English Tudor, Spanish Revival, Colonial Revival-you'll see all these styles and more strolling through this west side neighborhood of 650 cozy bungalows built for middle class San Franciscans in the early 20th century.

Meet at Ocean & Faxon Avenues

Castro: Tales Of The Village

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am

Explore a neighborhood you thought you knew. What was once dairy farms and dirt roads is now one of the city's most vibrant and cohesive communities. Stairs and steep hills.

Meet near the giant rainbow flag - southwest corner of Market and Castro Streets, upper level of Harvey Milk Plaza. Muni K, L, M, Castro Station

Chinatown

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am

Explore local alleys and walk among sites of temples and tongs, and shops of joss, dim sum, herbs; learn some colorful history and stories from the oldest Chinatown in the US.

Meet inside Portsmouth Square Park, PARK LEVEL, in front of Parking Garage Elevators adjacent corner of Walter U. Lum Pl. & Washington St. Public transportation: MUNI lines 1, 30, and 45.

Chinatown Family Associations, Tongs and Gangs: A Historic Look

Periodically

Thursday, September 26 at 10:30 am

We'll walk down colorful alleys, go over immigrant history, and learn how family associations and tongs started in Chinatown after the 1850's Gold Rush.Content may not be appropriate for children under 14 years of age.

Meet across from the elevators in Portsmouth Square, Washington between Kearney and Grant.

City Hall and the Civic Center

All Year

Tuesday, September 24 at 11:00 am

Explore a National Historic District and tour San Francisco's most beautiful building: its City Hall. PARTICIPANTS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO NOT BRING BACKPACKS OR LARGE TOTES.

Meet at steps of Main Library facing the Pioneer Monument on Fulton St. between Hyde & Larkin. Public transportation: MUNI line 19; MUNI/BART Civic Center Station

City Scapes And Public Places

All Year

Friday, September 27 at 10:00 am

Friday, September 27 at 1:30 pm

Discover hidden parks, rooftop gardens, while learning colorful history and distinctive architecture of San Francisco's Financial District.

Meet at the Native Sons Monument, Montgomery at Market. Public transportation: MUNI/BART Montgomery Station; all Market Street buses & streetcars.

Club Land - Architecture and Culture of San Francisco's Grand Old Clubs

All Year

Friday, October 18 at 10:00 am

Some older tourist guide books from the mid 20th century refer to the area between Nob Hill, Union Square, and the Financial District as Club Land or Club Row. The heyday of these social clubs was from the late 19th century up to the Great Depression. There were clubs for men, women, and a huge range of social, ethnic, and interest groups. They all took pride in a handsome club house. After the Second World War, society and its clubs changed into a more mixed and uneven phenomenon. Some clubs disappeared, others adapted, and a small number remained just as powerful and exclusive as ever. This tour includes 11 buildings, starting on Nob Hill and ending at Union Square. On Saturdays, whenever possible, we will go inside one of the clubs, so please observe an informal but appropriate dress code.

Meet at the northwest corner of California and Mason (near Pacific-Union Club).

Coit Tower Murals

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am

Murals--some controversial--created by 25 of California's leading artists of the 1930s reflect scenes of the Great Depression, landscapes, farm workers, industries, a stylish soiree, and vibrant city life.

Meet at the main entry of Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill. No parking. Public transportation: MUNI line 39.

Corona Heights Stairways (Castro)

All Year

Sunday, October 13 at 2:00 pm

Explore the Corona Heights neighborhood, directly adjacent to the Castro.The tour visits the Corona Heights Hill, Buena Vista Park, Mount Olympus, and takes in some of the most spectacular views of San Francisco. You will learn about the history, architecture and the underlying geology of the neighborhood, and some of the people and events that shaped the hill. PLEASE NOTE: this tour includes several stairways, some steep hills and uneven ground. You should be reasonably fit to get the maximum enjoyment from this tour and sturdy walking shoes are highly recommended.

Meet near the giant rainbow flag - southwest corner of Market and Castro Streets, upper level of Harvey Milk Plaza. Muni K, L, M, Castro Station

Cow Hollow

All Year

Sunday, October 6 at 10:00 am

The tolling of historic bells cast halfway around the world, a rare building type from 1861, a grand Italiante manor house, and San Francisco's most exotic building. These and other unique experiences await you on the Cow Hollow tour.

Meet at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Van Ness and Green. Public transportation: MUNI lines 45, 47, 49.

Diego Rivera Mural at City College

May & October only

Schedule to be announced

See the last and largest of the murals done by Diego Rivera in the U.S.: Pan American Unity, painted for the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1940.

Meet in the lobby of Diego Rivera Theatre (approach from Judson), San Francisco City College, Judson and Phelan. Public transportation: MUNI lines K streetcar, 36.

Diego Rivera Mural at the Stock Exchange Tower (RESERVATIONS ONLY!)

All Year

Monday, October 7 at 3:00 pm

***This tour is limited to the first 25 people with reservations.*** The mural "Allegory of California" graces the stairwell of the City Club (Formerly the Pacific Stock Exchange Club). Normally closed the public, this is an opportunity to see the first mural painted in the US by the great Mexican artist Diego Rivera. The Pacific Stock Exchange Lunch Club, now the City Club, is considered the best interior in the Art Deco style in San Francisco, and among the best in California.

Meeting location is provided by email upon making a reservation only to those with with a reservation. Please note: Reservations open up 10 days before a tour date. Tours typically are the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. To see available reservations and make a reservation please click this link and look under Schedule and Reservations!

Dogpatch and Potrero Point

All Year

Sunday, October 6 at 11:00 am

Designated as a San Francisco Historic District, this colorful neighborhood has important ties to many of the city's past commercial industries. Explore the past and present of this eclectic neighborhood in transition, from its historic working-class cottages and industrial-age relics to modern lofts.

Meet at 3rd and 20th Streets. Muni 22 or T-3rd.

Downtown Deco

All Year

Wednesday, October 2 at 2:00 pm

Discover downtown's legacy of the Jazz Age through skyscrapers and office buildings from the Roaring Twenties and early 1930s. Visit some stunning lobbies and learn about some of San Francisco's architects and artists who embraced the Art Deco style.

Meet in front of the Telephone Building at 140 New Montgomery, in between Mission and Howard. Public transportation: MUNI/BART Montgomery Station; all Market Street buses & streetcars

Embarcadero Skyway

Periodically

Schedule to be announced

Take flight (sort of)! Most of the tour is above the ground. View "Rockefeller Center West" from a different angle. Discover a hidden urban oasis. Tread on buried ships that once housed saloons, jails, stores and brothels.

Meet in front of 400 Sansome Street (at Sacramento). Lots of stairs; wheelchairs/walkers not advised.

Excelsior Stroll

Not currently offered

Schedule to be announced

This 'urban village' was once a Mexican land grant. Then came land speculators followed by Ligurian and Tuscan truck farmers. And next? Hear the the history and the more recent story.

Meet at the Excelsior Library, 4400 Mission Street at Cotter. Public transportation: MUNI lines 14, 49.

Fairmont Hotel (RESERVATIONS ONLY)

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am

In 1906 the "Grand Dame" rose from the ashes of the earthquake and fire making the history of the Fairmont Hotel an important part of the history of San Francisco. Learn how this famous hotel rose from the ashes of the 1906 earthquake, why Presidents and diplomats from around the world choose to stay in this magnificently designed Italian Renaissance palazzo masterpiece. The Fairmont Hotel tour winds it's way through several beautiful and surprising venues and rooms that are not always open to the public. Join your City Guide and enjoy discovering the history and secrets of the magnificent Fairmont Hotel, the Grand Dame of San Francisco.

Starting point for this tour will be provided upon confirmation of your reservation.

Ferry Building

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am

Enjoy an hour-long walk on the rise, tragic fall, and modern rebirth of one of San Francisco's most renowned historic landmarks. Visit a contemporary swirl of shops and learn the history of ferries, freeways and quakes. Meet at the foot of the stairs at the front entrance, Market and Embarcadero.

Meet at the main entrance, near the stairs to the 2nd Floor. Public transportation: MUNI F/Market, 14/Mission; MUNI Metro/BART Embarcadero Station. Lots of stairs; elevator available.

Fisherman's Wharf: A Hidden History

All Year

Monday, September 23 at 11:00 am

Experience hidden treasures most visitors miss. Go behind the scenes to learn about the bay, ships, swimmers, and fishing history of this vital part of San Francisco.

Meet by the Mermaid Fountain, main courtyard of Ghirardelli Square, off Larkin St. between North Point & Beach Sts.

Fort Mason Historic District

All Year

Saturday, September 28 at 2:00 pm

A unique San Francisco landmark, Fort Mason's Port of Embarkation, once known as the "Gateway to the Pacific," has evolved from a dynamic military post to a contemporary cultural center. Enjoy spectacular Bay views, Gas House Cove, unique and special architecture. Discover the important role of nearby Lobos Square in San Francisco history.

Meet next to the Gate House, just inside the Main Gate, Laguna and Marina Blvd.

Fort Mason To Aquatic Park

All Year

Thursday, October 3 at 1:00 pm

Amazing views, a hidden garden, wild parrots, historic buildings, colorful characters, scandals, secrets, a famous duel and more await you.

Meet at NW corner of Van Ness & Bay.

Ghost Walk at City Hall

October only

Schedule to be announced

Disinterred remains, assassinations and other ghostly lore form the focus of this tour, plus little-known facts such as the cemetery that once covered Civic Center. Instead of history and architecture, hear snippets from interviews with city employees detailing chilling paranormal activity. You will be amazed--or terrified! Who - or what - might be walking behind you?

Meet in North Light Court, through Goodlett Pl. (Polk St.) entrance. (Allow time for security checks. Travel light - full security, including metal detectors and bag searches, will be in effect.) Tour duration approx. 30-45 mins. Wheelchair friendly.

Gold Rush City

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 2:00 pm

Relive the early history of an instant city. Learn about the Vigilance Committee and a fleet of abandoned ships. Who was Emperor Norton? Walk the streets of Yerba Buena Cove, the haunts of the original 49ers.

Meet on the northeast corner of Clay & Montgomery at the Transamerica Pyramid. Public Transportation: MUNI lines 1.

Golden Gate Bridge

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am

This tour has everything. Soaring design, stunning engineering, terrifying geology, ripping currents and tides, famous fog, sailboats, ships and marine mammals, fearless ironworkers, cowardly bankers ... and then there's the view!

Meet at the Strauss statue in the visitors plaza, the SF side of the Bridge. Weather can be unpredictable. Bring a jacket! Public transportation: MUNI lines 28.

Golden Gate Heights Stairways

May & October only

Sunday, October 13 at 11:00 am

On this hearty walk, a multitude of stairways connects comfortable Inner Sunset residential streets with dramatic chert outcroppings offering magnificent views of San Francisco, the Pacific Ocean, and the Marin Hills.

Meet at Kirkham and the base of the 15th Avenue stairway. Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes Muni N Judah.

Golden Gate Park Stroller Walk

Periodically

Schedule to be announced

Explore the twelve scenic areas of Golden Gate Park in this series of peaceful walks. Each walk departs from a new location, enabling walkers to discover fascinating history and natural features unique to each area. This walk is ideal for adults with children in strollers, seniors, and those with mobility impairment. Terrain is generally flat and tour lasts one hour. Please see our website for specific tour descriptions and meeting locations.

Golden Gate Park: East End

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 1:00 pm

The East End of Golden Gate Park holds many features and stories of its past one hundred and forty year existence. The Conservatory of Flowers, underground tunnels, a rock quarry, and a long gone aviary are part of its past. View the AIDS Memorial Grove, and the new buildings in the Music Concourse, site of the 1894 World's Fair. We will be walking up small hills and climbing some stairs in this two-hour walk.

meet at the top steps of the Conservatory of Flowers

Golden Gate Park: West End

All Year

Saturday, September 28 at 11:00 am

A magical garden and the windmills that helped create Golden Gate Park. Discover Lucien Labaudt's magnificent murals of 1930s city life in Willis Polk's landmark Beach Chalet,

Meet at the Dutch windmill, northwest end of Golden gate Park, J.F.K. Drive at Great Highway near Fulton St.

Haight-Ashbury

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am

Come explore San Francisco's first "suburb," evolving from a Victorian playground to a post 1906 earthquake and fire refugee camp, to ultimately the epicenter of the San Francisco Sound during the Summer of Love, hosting Hippies, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Hell's Angels and Charles Manson. Somewhat strenuous.

Meet at the Park Branch Library, 1833 Page St. Public transportation: MUNI lines 33, 43.

Hike in Glen Canyon Park

All Year

Schedule to be announced

A hidden gem in plain site. Uncovering what happened and didn't happen in the colorful history of Glen Canyon Park. The opening of the Mission Zoo in the 1800's was labeled "The sensation of the century". Designated a significant natural area. The last above ground creek open to the public.Limit 15 hikers, rain cancels. Transportation BART OR BUS #44,52,23,36

Meet at the park entrance on Elk Street near the end of Chenery Street.

Historic Market Street: Path Of Gold

All Year

Tuesday, September 24 at 1:30 pm

From the Ferry Building to Lotta's Fountain, Market Street provides a cross section of San Francisco history as it slices diagonally across the city. Lining the city's first boulevard, dubbed the "Path of Gold" as it was rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake, are historic buildings, monuments and modern skyscrapers. Hear the street's relevance to everything from the Gold Rush to Bay Area Rapid Transit and vintage street cars.

Meet in front of the Landmark Building at One Market Street, south side of Market St. between Steuart & Spear Sts.No hills. Wheelchairs welcome. Public transportation: BART and MUNI lines F, 2, 6, 9, 9L, 14, 14L, 21, 31.

Inner Richmond: Part I

May & October only

Sunday, October 20 at 10:00 am

The district's rich history goes back to the 19th century and includes robbers' roosts and racetracks, squatters and roadhouses, a saloon district and a red light district, as well as charming Victorian row houses and beautiful Craftsmans, the 1902 and 1903 Big Games, an earthquake shack camp, Wyatt Earp's house, and what may be the city's oldest Chinese laundry business.

Meet at the corner of Geary and 3rd Ave.

Inner Richmond: Part II

May & October only

Sunday, October 27 at 10:00 am

Meet on the corner of 6th Ave & Geary.

Inner Sunset: The Birth Of A Neighborhood

All Year

Schedule to be announced

Discover how this charming neighborhood emerged from the windswept dunes originally deemed hopeless and uninhabitable. Explore the area, see the bustling local color, and hear fascinating history (and an occasional bit of lore).

Meet at Arguello and Hugo. Tour ends at 9th & Lincoln. Public transportation: MUNI lines 71, N Judah streetcar.

Japanese Tea Garden

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 1:00 pm

Join us for a stroll through this five-acre world-famous garden. Learn about the icons of the Garden and the family that lived there. Admission to garden required except on the Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30 morning tour.

Meet just inside the entrance to the garden.

Japanese Tea Garden - 11AM

All Year

Monday, September 23 at 11:00 am

Meet just inside the entrance to the garden.

Japanese Tea Garden/Stow Lake/Strawberry Hill

All Year

Friday, October 4 at 9:30 am

We'll start with a tour of the Japanese Tea Garden, then climb up to Stow Lake. We'll explore San Francisco's second highest sand dune, a place known as "the island," even before it was surrounded by water. See a waterfall funded by a railroad tycoon and a nesting tree for California's largest water bird. We'll cross the Roman Bridge and hike up the Carriage Path to the top of Strawberry Hill, the site of the Sweeny Observatory and then descend down Huntington Falls to the Taipei Pavilion. This tour may be abbreviated, at the discretion of the guide, due to weather.

Meet inside the Tea Garden Gate in Golden Gate Park. Tea Garden admission is free.

Japantown

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 2:00 pm

San Francisco's Japantown dates from the earthquake and fire of 1906. During World War II, Japanese American residents were imprisoned and replaced largely by African Americans, whose thriving businesses included many jazz clubs. Beginning in the 1950s, a decades-long urban renewal project reshaped both the neighborhood's population and its physical landscape. Today we see Japanese-style architecture next to classic Victorians and the birth of the Fillmore Jazz Preservation District.

Meet at the intersection of Buchanan and Sutter Streets, near 1747 Buchanan Street, next to the large Japanese gate (rectangular arch) at the entrance to the pedestrian mall. Public transportation: MUNI lines, 2, 22, 38.

L'hôtel de ville et le Civic Center en français - In French Only

Not currently offered

Schedule to be announced

Visitez le joyau du Civic Center, l'hôtel de ville, avec son dôme brillant (le plus grand aux Etats-Unis) et des éléments architecturaux de la Renaissance française. Appréciez la rotonde richement décorée ; c'est l'endroit où sont célébrés de nombreux mariages. Admirez des bâtiments majestueux comportant des colonnes, des arches et des détails riches et néo-classiques qui composent l'architecture du style Beaux-Arts. Apprenez comment les tremblements de terre de 1906 et de 1989 ont transformé l'hôtel de ville, le Musée d'Art Asiatique, la bibliothèque, et la Cour suprême de Californie. Découvrez l'origine du grand Pioneer Monument et la polémique causée par le monument ces dernières années.

Retrouvez votre guide sur les marches de la bibliothèque (San Francisco Main Library) rue Fulton.

Land's End: Sutro Heights

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 2:00 pm

In sunshine or fog, experience the dramatic wind swept vistas where San Francisco meets the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy Sutro Heights Park, Mayor Sutro's gift to the public, and see the ruins of his gigantic baths. Somewhat strenuous.

Meeting at the entrance gate to Sutro Heights Park on Point Lobos Avenue close-by the 48th Avenue traffic light.

Landmark Victorians Of Alamo Square

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am

See some of the city's most opulent and carefully restored 'Painted Ladies' including the world famous Postcard Row. You will also be treated to breathtaking panoramic views from the Alamo Square Historic District.

Meet in front of 824 Grove Street. Public transportation: MUNI lines 21, 22, 5.

Main Library

All Year

Tuesday, October 1 at 12:00 pm

The SF Public Library was named "2018 Library of the Year" by Library Journal magazine. Discover the role of the Main Library in that prestigious award! A dramatic skylight crowns the soaring atrium, flooded with natural light. Bridges span spacious lightwells. Stunning architecture, a vast collection, wide-ranging services - explore it all! (Indoors; 1 hour.)

Meet at the Information Desk, 1st floor Atrium, through Grove St. entrance. Lots of stairs; elevators available.

Making Waves on the Waterfront

All Year

Saturday, October 12 at 2:00 pm

San Francisco is well-known for changing the world through innovative, even revolutionary, ideas and actions in politics, business, technology and society. Many of these changes occurred along the northern waterfront, where Gold Rush pioneers, labor organizers, entrepreneurs, genius inventors, and architects helped created our modern city. Join us as we travel over level ground (no hills!) to visit historic sites and hidden parks.

Meet in front of the Ferry Building under the clock tower, at the foot of Market St. Public transportation: MUNI lines 12, 14, F Historic Streetcar; MUNI/BART Embarcadero Station

Mission Bay: Hidden Waters

All Year

Wednesday, September 25 at 2:00 pm

From placid waters fished by ancient peoples to the biggest construction project in San Francisco since 1906, the transformation of Mission Bay has been incredible. Gain a unique perspective on the area, and discover a hidden park and a forgotten creek. (If it's a bay, where's the water?)

Meet in plaza on south side of Caltrain Station, 4th & King Streets. Muni: N Judah, T Third, 30 Stockton, 45 Union, 47 Van Ness.

Mission Dolores Neighborhood

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 11:00 am

Venture through a history-rich area of the famous Mission district. Learn about the neighborhood's Spanish mission, its miraculous survival from the 1906 earthquake and fire, and how immigrants ranging from Native Americans and the first Europeans to present-day techies have shaped its unique identity. See a spectacular view of the San Francisco skyline, plus an eclectic mix of treasures, including the city's oldest intact building, its most heroic fire hydrant, fine examples of Victorians, and the hip Valencia Street corridor.

Meet at the gold-painted fire hydrant (which saved the neighborhood in 1906),SE corner of Church and 20th Sts. Public transportation: MUNI line J Church streetcar.

Mission Murals

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am

See the colorful people's art of the Mission District, one of San Francisco's largest ethnic communities.

Meet in front of Charlie's Deli Cafe, 3202 Folsom St. at Precita. Public transportation: MUNI lines 12, 27.

Mt. Davidson Hike

May & October only

Saturday, October 26 at 1:00 pm

Explore the inspired history of San Francisco’s highest hill on this stroll through a 38-acre nature preserve to the amazing view and gigantic monument at its 938 ft. high summit. Steep trails which can be windy and muddy. Wear a jacket and sturdy shoes. No restrooms available.

Meet at Sherwood Ave and Myra Way (bus 36).

Murals And The Multi-Ethnic Mission

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 1:00 pm

See how the culture, lore, and history of this neighborhood have literally left their mark on its walls! We start with a four-story mural at the Women's Building and end with an eight-story example at Bethany Center. We'll invoke ghosts from the past, including Catholic missionaries, orthodox Jews, German Lutherans, and Palestinian refugees. But we won't wallow in the past. The neighborhood is now a hipster magnet, full of modern construction and re-purposed buildings on the Mission Street "Miracle Mile." Specific destinations may vary in this dynamic district where change is the only constant!

Meet at the Women's Building, 3543 18th Street, between Guerrero and Valencia. Public transportation: MUNI lines 14, 33, 49; BART 16th Street station.

Nob Hill

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 2:00 pm

Here once rose the rococo palaces of the old railroad and silver kings. Expect architectural tidbits and anecdotes about a great cathedral, four prestigious hotels, and a most exclusive men's club. Elegance, urbanity, and fabulous views.

Meet at the front entrance to the Stanford Court Hotel on California Street between Powell and Mason. Public transportation: MUNI Powell or California Street cable car; Powell Street MUNI/BART station.

Noe Valley: A Village Within the City

All Year

Sunday, October 6 at 1:30 pm

Who was Noe? What is Horner's Addition? Where was Temple? What is a John Anderson? Did Andrew Carnegie live in Noe Valley? Find out about the valley's working class roots. Walk along and learn tricks to uncover this now-upscale neighborhood's historic secrets.

Meet at the Public Library, 451 Jersey Street (between Castro and Diamond Streets.)

North Beach

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am

It's where food, culture, colorful history, and unexpected views all intersect-an Italian "urban village" that was once the center of bohemian society.

Meet at 666 Filbert Street on the steps of Saints Peter and Paul Church, across from Washington Square. Public transportation: MUNI lines 30, 45. Parking: city garage - 735 Vallejo, between Stockton and Powell.

North Beach By Night

Periodically

Sunday, September 22 at 7:00 pm

The other side of North Beach history - that of its bars, bordellos and beatniks - comes alive on this evening tour. Weather can be chilly, dress accordingly.

Meet in front of Specs Cafe, 12 Saroyan Place, just off Columbus, south of Broadway and next to Tosca Cafe.

North Beach by Twilight

Periodically

Schedule to be announced

The other side of North Beach history - that of its bars, bordellos and beatniks - comes alive on this evening tour. Weather can be chilly, dress accordingly.

Meet in front of Specs Cafe, 12 Saroyan Place, just off Columbus, south of Broadway and next to Tosca Cafe.

North of the Panhandle

All Year

Tuesday, October 8 at 1:00 pm

This central part of the City started out with sand dunes and marsh to become a fashionable neighborhood. The Depression era gave way to a working class area. After the summer of love, came a population exodus until today where it is becoming a desirable neighborhood to live again. Hear and see the details of the physical, cultural, and ethnic changes that occurred in the pass one hundred fifty years. One steep hill.

Meet on Baker St. between Oak and Fell St, across the street from the DMV by the McKinley Statue.

Old South Park

May & October only

Sunday, October 13 at 4:00 pm

A short tour of San Francisco's first planned community -- its ups and downs, fortune, romance, and the infamous '2nd Street Cut.'

Meet at the Shell station on 3rd St. between Bryant and Brannan Sts. Public transportation: MUNI lines 12, 15, 30, 45.

Omni Hotel Walk

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 10:00 am

Starting from the lobby of the Omni Hotel enjoy one of City Guides popular downtown tours. Each week take a surprise tour that could include Chinatown, Embarcadero Skyway or Gold Rush City.

500 California Street (at Montgomery)

Pacific Heights Mansions

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am

Walk past palatial homes and consulates in Pacific Heights--mansions used as the Japanese and German consulates in 1941. Learn of Victorian lifestyles and earthquake refugees.

Meet in Alta Plaza Park, atop the stairs above Pierce & Clay Sts. Public transportation: MUNI lines 3, 1, 24, 22.

Palace Hotel - Lecture

All Year

Schedule to be announced

JOIN CITY GUIDES AT THE SF MAIN LIBRARY FOR AN "ARMCHAIR WALK" OF THE PALACE HOTEL. Majestic. Spectacular. Words fail to convey the extraordinary beauty of the elegantly restored Palace. See this 1909 Beaux Arts gem for yourself, and discover why it's consistently ranked as one of the top luxury hotels in the world. NOTE: NOT A WALKING TOUR, AND NOT AT THE HOTEL. See the "Notes" section for details.

Meet in the KORET AUDITORIUM at the MAIN LIBRARY (100 Larkin Street), in Civic Center. The auditorium is on the Lower Level. The library's Grove Street entrance is across the street from the BART/Muni Civic Center Station, and just steps from Market Street buses and streetcars. Plus, the northbound and southbound #19/Polk buses stop at the Main Library.

Palace Of Fine Arts/Marina

All Year

Saturday, October 5 at 10:00 am

Discover one of the most romantic spots in San Francisco, and the site of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. Learn of this fabulous fair and beloved building while you enjoy today's historic Marina district.

Meet at the corner of Bay and Lyon Sts. Public transportation: MUNI lines 28, 30.

Potrero Hill

All Year

Tuesday, October 8 at 11:00 am

Saturday, October 12 at 11:00 am

Potrero Hill is a diverse neighborhood on one of our many hills that has an interesting history, fascinating characters, vistas to the four winds and great weather. This hill even has a unique brewery and a one-of-a kind church across the street from each other.

Meet in front of the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House (NABE) at the corner of Southern Heights and DeHaro Sts.

Presidio: From Military Post to Earthquake Refuge to National Park

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 1:00 pm

The Presidio served as a military post under three flags, Spain, Mexico and the United States, played a critical role after the 1906 earthquake and has become a crown jewel in the National Park System, Allow extra time before or after your walk to visit the historic Officers' Club.

Meet near the entrance to the Officer's Club, 50 Moraga Avenue, on the Main Post. $PAY TO PARK. Click here to get the details on the free shuttle from downtown SF to the Presidio http://www.presidio.gov/transportation/presidigo/presidigo-downtown-shuttle

Russian Hill Stairways

Periodically

Sunday, October 6 at 10:30 am

Climb hills and hidden stairways 345' above San Francisco Bay to visit bucolic lanes, national historic districts, and ghosts of fascinating bohemian characters. See where Willis Polk lived and worked as well as an octagon house. Transportation: Muni 45 and 41 and Hyde Street Cable Car.

Meet at Hyde & Filbert Streets.

Russian Hill, Architecture and Culture of an Island in the City

All Year

Saturday, September 28 at 10:00 am

On one of the iconic hills of San Francisco, see panoramic views and intimate lanes. Learn about artists and eccentrics, Beats and Bohemians, mansions and cottages. Discover a place that stands out in San Francisco's distinctive historic and architectural mix.

Meet at Hyde & Filbert Streets

Sacred Places In San Francisco

May & October only

Thursday, October 24 at 1:00 pm

San Francisco's diversity is reflected in its places of worship. Visit churches, temples, a cathedral, and a synagogue. View the symbols and architecture and hear the history of the city's religious institutions.

Meet at the main plaza entrance of St. Mary's Cathedral, Gough & Geary. Public transportation: MUNI line 38.

Scandalous Murals of Rincon Center

All Year

Saturday, September 28 at 1:00 pm

Shocking! Revolting! Subversive! Partisan hysteria echoed from San Francisco to Washington D.C. when these murals were unveiled. Powerful voices called for their destruction, yet 30 years later they saved the building from demolition. The murals tell many stories, from the growth of San Francisco to Cold War politics. Discover the artistic and political drama behind these New Deal treasures - and get a great overview of The City's history.

Meet in Rincon Center historic lobby, east end, near Mission & Steuart Sts. Public transit: MUNI lines F, 2, 14, 21. BART/MUNI Metro: Embarcadero station.

Sigmund Stern Grove

Periodically

Saturday, October 26 at 11:00 am

Discover this 63-acre city park, the jewel of the Sunset District. Walk through beautiful meadows and learn about the area's colorful history, including how it escaped being turned into a residential community. Meet at 19th Ave. & Sloat Blvd. Rain cancels the tour.

Meet at 19th Ave and Sloat Blvd.

Silent Film San Francisco

All Year

Saturday, September 28 at 2:00 pm

San Francisco's connection with the movies goes back more than 125 years to the dawn of the moving picture. From iconic locations to obscure alleys, San Francisco was the setting for hundreds of silent films from the 1890s on, with stars like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford, Lon Chaney and Rudolph Valentino. Many of its native sons and daughters became famous in front of and behind the camera as the silent era peaked in the 1920s - and an infamous downtown speakeasy was the setting for an historic studio scene that sounded (literally) the end of silent film. Join us on a walk through the Barbary Coast, Chinatown, the Financial District and Union Square and learn about an eccentric photographer, a golden molar, the first Hispanic movie star, the influence of anti-Chinese laws, and the greatest scandal of the silent era.

Tour starts at the southeast corner of Pacific Ave and Kearny St., across from "The Station" Cafe.

SOMA & Yerba Buena Gardens

All Year

Wednesday, September 25 at 11:00 am

Understand the history and development of the South of Market area (SoMa), from the earliest rough neighborhoods called "South of the Slot" to the family-friendly environment that is today's Yerba Buena Gardens complex. View an exciting variety of buildings and architectural styles, including an historic church, posh hotels, and the highest concentration of museums in the city. Learn to look at this neighborhood with a new eye. Even people familiar with the area will discover beautiful gardens and unique sculptures that are "hidden in plain sight."

Meets in front of St. Patrick's Church, Mission St. between 3rd and 4th Sts. Public transportation: MUNI line 14; MUNI/BART Powell St. Station.

South Beach and the South End Historic Warehouse District

All Year

Thursday, October 17 at 10:00 am

Learn the rich history of one of San Francisco's most underappreciated neighborhoods. See scores of historic brick warehouses and industrial buildings including a half-dozen pre-earthquake structures in this recently revitalized neighborhood. Search for evidence underfoot of the area's rich rail-roading history. Learn about a Chinese fishing village from the 1850s; the Pacific Mail Steamship Company; dockworkers' waterfront restaurants and the artist who paints them. Experience good and not so good examples of adaptive reuse of historic buildings.

Meet on the corner of Brannan Street and Embarcadero (by the Delancey Street Restaurant awning).

South of Market Architecture Stroll

All Year

Friday, September 27 at 10:00 am

Compare Classical Revival, modern, postmodern and green trends. Architecture includes building facades, public places, and public art. Zigzag and saunter along main streets and back alleys toward the emerging Transbay Terminal complex.

Meet on Yerba Buena Lane between Market St. and Mission St. at the Jewish Contemporary Museum's "Big Blue Cube".

Telegraph Hill Stairway Hike

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 1:00 pm

Enjoy views of the bay and semi-tropical gardens along the Filbert Steps while learning about Coit Tower, quarrying, castles, parrots, 19th century cottages, and modern condos.

Meet at the Marconi Monument, opposite 290 Lombard, at the intersections of Lombard, Kearny and Telegraph Hill Blvd. Best approach is on Lombard from the west (North Beach). NOTE: Because of intervening cliffs, it is NOT possible to reach the Marconi Monument on Lombard from the east (Embarcadero) or on Kearny from the north (Fisherman's Wharf). Tour ends at Union and Montgomery.

Tenderloin Neighborhood Part I

May & October only

Sunday, October 6 at 9:00 am

Explore the Tenderloin’s isolated rural village beginnings and its years as a quiet residential and small business neighborhood. Find out how it morphed into San Francisco’s hotel and silk stocking entertainment and vice district, how it became part of the mean streets in the last half of the 20th century, and how it is trying to reinvent itself as the entertainment and restaurant district it used to be. Learn about the days of the Uptown Tenderloin, San Francisco’s bootlegger wars, the start of the San Francisco movie industry, famous madams, neighborhood gambling and jazz clubs, and Little Saigon.

Meet at Powell & Market Streets

Tenderloin Neighborhood Part II

May & October only

Sunday, October 13 at 9:00 am

Meet at McAllister & Leavenworth Streets

Theatre In San Francisco

All Year

Thursday, October 17 at 4:00 pm

Caruso, O'Neill, Booth, Lotta, Belasco, Ball, Tetrazzini, and more . . . stars of the stage in San Francisco. Join our guide to learn the fascinating history of theatre in the City by the Bay

Meet at the entrance to the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission Street between 3rd & 4th Streets across from the Contemporary Jewish Museum

Undercover Folsom Street

All Year

Saturday, September 21 at 4:00 pm

Peek under the covers of Folsom's "Miracle Mile," where gay and leather establishments reigned supreme from the 1960s to the 1980s. Learn why the LGBT and leather communities were attracted to the South of Market neighborhood; what caused most of the queer bars and bathhouses to close; and bear witness to some of the longest-running LGBT establishments in San Francisco. Content may not be appropriate for children under 14 years of age

Meet at Folsom and Russ, NW corner, next to Fondue Cowboy. Public Transportation: Muni/Bart: Powell or Civic Center Station; Muni 12 or 27. Tour ends at 11th and Folsom.

Victorian San Francisco

All Year

Sunday, September 22 at 2:00 pm

See and learn about Victorian era architecture of the city's first suburb. As we walk in the neighborhood of Lafayette Square, you'll also learn about Victorian lifestyles and San Francisco's illustrious history. Some steep streets. Many fabulous views!

Meet outside the Octavia St. entrance to the 1801 Bush St. garden, just off the SW corner of Bush and Octavia. Public transportation: MUNI lines 1, 3.

Visitacion Valley Part I

May only

Schedule to be announced

Explore Visitacion Valley, named by 18th-century Spaniards lost in the fog and part of the only local land grant deeded to an Anglo. The focus is on the valley's commerce, transportation, and development, including a foray through Little Hollywood and ending at Silvestri's log cabin.

Meet at 45 Leland Ave. near Bayshore. Public transportation: MUNI lines 9, 8 and T light rail line

Visitacion Valley Part II

October only

Saturday, October 12 at 11:00 am

Explore Visitacion Valley, named by 18th-century Spaniards lost in the fog and part of the only local land grant deeded to an Anglo. The tour concentrates on community life – including Eichler housing, a Julia Morgan church, landscaped greenways, and more – in the "Valley of the Windmills." Somewhat strenuous.

Meet at 45 Leland Ave. near Bayshore. Public transportation: MUNI lines 9, 8 and T light rail line.

West Portal

Periodically

Schedule to be announced

From a sleepy ranch owned by Adolph Sutro in 1880, West Portal rapidly grew into a shopping and transit hub after the Twin Peaks tunnel in 1918. See buildings designed by architects who later gained fame for the Golden Gate Bridge and Art Deco apartments around the city.

Meet across from the West Portal Muni Station at Ulloa and Lennox Avenues. Public transportation: MUNI lines K, L, M streetcars.

West Side Whimsy Walk

May & October only

Sunday, October 27 at 1:00 pm

Discover the unique atmosphere and whimsical architecture of the City Beautiful movement-inspired neighborhoods built west of Twin Peaks. See Art Deco landmarks, storybook cottages, and Spanish castles as we explore the Balboa Terrace, St. Francis Wood, and Lakeside neighborhoods.

Meet at the staircase next to 141 Junipero Serra Blvd.