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Saturday October 10
- 9:30 am
Discover the magic of San Francisco, a city celebrated for its stunning beauty, breathtaking vistas, and rich culture and history. This one-of-a-kind tour provides a sweeping introduction to SF, making it ideal for those who are new to the city or those seeking a broad-ranging look at what makes it unique. On this unforgettable walk, you'll explore diverse urban landscapes and visit some of San Francisco's most iconic landmarks. You’ll hear stories that bring the city alive. Topics include: Gold Rush, cable cars, food culture,1906 earthquake and fires, counterculture movements and tech innovations. The tour ends at North Beach where you’ll find an assortment of old-world cafes, vibrant neighborhood energy and “Only in San Francisco” shopping opportunities. Come experience the allure of this incredible city and see for yourself why San Francisco captures hearts!
- 10:00 am
Secrets of Downtown: A San Francisco City Guides Walking Tour, in partnership with Omni Hotels
The tour begins in the elegant lobby of the Omni Hotel and winds through some of San Francisco’s most historic and culturally rich streets — from Gold Rush landmarks and classic cable car hills to stunning architectural corridors and the vibrant alleys of Chinatown. Each walk offers a fresh mix of the city’s hidden corners and iconic highlights. With every weekly tour, your experienced guide brings a unique perspective and deep knowledge of San Francisco’s history, culture, and communities, ensuring that no two walks are ever the same.
- 10:00 am
Murals first appeared in the Mission in the 1970s and soon became central to the area's identity. Over the decades artists have used the walls of the Mission, its buildings and even entire alleyways to give voice to matters of social and political importance to the neighborhood. You'll start in beautiful Precita Park and be moved by the stories that inspired the murals and finish in Balmy Alley where you will see a display of powerful works expressing feelings about immigration, war, gentrification, as well as healing and the celebration of women. This is an unforgettable walk, both visually dazzling and emotionally impactful.
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- 10:00 am
Tucked away in an unpainted tower on a hill, one of the greatest works of Social Realist art in America lies hidden away. A set of murals created by 26 of California’s best artists, it documented California life in the 1930s from a socialist perspective: romanticizing workers, illustrating inequality, and sometimes even winking at the Soviet Union. It was controversial, sure. But as a work of art? Nobody could deny that it was stunningly gorgeous.
View Tour Details >IndoorsStairs - 10:00 am
With so many hills to explore in San Francisco, Golden Gate Heights often gets overlooked. Nestled in between Twin Peaks and the Sunset District on the westernmost side of the peninsula, it’s a hidden treasure enjoyed by the few in the know. Note: This is a mildly strenuous walk. Sturdy shoes are recommended. Tour will be canceled in case of rain
- 10:00 am
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 the people and events that shaped the hill.
View Tour Details >HillStairsWear Sturdy Shoes - 10:30 am
For much of the early 20th century, nobody traversed the Bay without going through the Ferry Building. At its peak in the 1930s, it was the second-busiest travel hub in the world, shuttling more than 50,000 people both to and from San Francisco each day. When the city built its famous bridges, ferry travel dropped dramatically, and the building suffered for decades. In the ‘90s the Ferry Building transformed into a world-class food market focusing on local artisan creations. Today, it remains an iconic landmark of the waterfront (and a popular establishing shot for movies set in San Francisco). Join us on a wondrous trip through the centerpiece of the shoreline.
View Tour Details >Indoors - 11:00 am
1840s San Francisco and the Astonishing Legacy of America’s “First Black Millionaire”
How did he do it? A biracial sea captain named William Leidesdorff played a central role in the American conquest of San Francisco, created multiple essential institutions, and amassed one of the most enormous fortunes in California… all while passing as white. Revered by his neighbors, many of whom openly despised the race he kept secret, Leidesdorff became America’s “First Black Millionaire” while still in his thirties. Come discover San Francisco in its earliest days and learn about this fascinating individual.
View Tour Details >HillStairsRain May Cancel - 11:00 am
When Harvey Milk won his historic 1977 race for the Board of Supervisors, he ran the campaign out of his humble Castro District camera shop. A vibrant gay community took root in the Castro — one that would come to transform San Francisco politics out of sheer collective willpower. You’ll learn about the evolution of the Castro’s architecture, historic businesses and the people and places that played a role in making the Castro one of the epicenters of the gay rights movement —a tradition that continues today. And it is a neighborhood that continues to evolve.
View Tour Details >HillStairs - 11:00 am
Experience the hotel of presidents, dignitaries, king & queens , rock-stars and the rich and famous. Visit a beautiful hidden garden, listen for the Fairmont bees, and you will leave your heart in San Francisco at the breathtaking Fairmont Hotel. Stroll through this Italian Renaissance palazzo masterpiece. On our tour you gain exclusive access to several beautiful and surprising venues and rooms that are not always open to the public. This tour is by reservation only
View Tour Details >Indoors - 11:00 am
What more is there to say? It’s an international symbol of San Francisco, a mind-blowing feat of engineering, and one of the most-photographed places in the entire world. The iconic Golden Gate Bridge has captivated locals and tourists alike since it opened in 1937. It was the world’s longest and tallest suspension bridge at its opening, and almost a century later, remains one of the most impressive structures ever built by humans.
View Tour Details >StairsBring Layers - 11:00 am
Old money heirs share fences with newly minted tech billionaires in Pacific Heights, arguably one of San Francisco’s toniest and most exclusive neighborhoods. Atop a hill with majestic views, the area’s towering mansions were a manifestation of of Victorian excess and a key part of the Gold Coast’s development. After the 1906 earthquake, homeless quake refugees provided the moneyed residents a different sort of neighbor. You’re as likely to run into a celebrity resident as a diplomat visiting one of the manses-turned-consultates.
View Tour Details >HillStairs - 1:00 pm
Cow Hollow & Golden Gate Valley Library
Take a tour with the San Francisco City Guides around the Cow Hollow neighborhood. Spared destruction from the 1906 disaster, Cow Hollow contains structures from nearly every decade since the 1860s. This tour illustrates the transformation of the district from a rural suburb to a full-fledged city neighborhood.
View Tour Details >Hill - 1:00 pm
After the successful 1894 Midwinter Exposition San Francisco decided to keep the Japanese Village exhibit. Makoto Hagiwara was hired to be the new manager of the Garden and immediately set about expanding the Garden three-fold to its size today. An impressive variety of flora greets you as you enter a Japanese inspired wonderland of small scenes created throughout the Garden. The peace and quiet of the Garden encourages one to slow down and be mindful of the surroundings - A perfect walk for those seeking a peaceful afternoon...
View Tour Details >StairsFee Involved - 1:00 pm
Making Waves on the Waterfront
San Francisco’s northern waterfront has long been a site of legendary innovation. Before the tech boom revolutionized the world, local inventors were dreaming up modern staples like denim jeans and TVs. Labor and human rights organizers catalyzed movements. It’s a city defined by forward progress — if you slow down, you get left in the dust. We’ll explore level ground (no hills to climb), visiting a grand collection of historic sites and hidden parks, all along the sensational northern shoreline.
View Tour Details >Bring LayersWear Sturdy Shoes - 1:00 pm
Presidio: From Military Base to National Park with Tunnel Tops
See where San Francisco began exactly 250 years ago! Explore the Presidio, a place shaped by Indigenous roots, military history, and bold reinvention. This guided walk reveals how a former Army post became one of the nation’s most remarkable national parks, blending history, community, and spectacular natural beauty.
View Tour Details >StairsBring LayersWear Sturdy Shoes - 1:00 pm
Scandalous Murals of Rincon Center
In the midst of anti-Communist hysteria after World War II, it was pretty bold to paint 27 murals that challenged the traditional, patriotic view of America. It was even bolder to do so while being Russian. Hysterical legislators across the country in DC tried desperately to have the work removed. Luckily for us, they failed.
View Tour Details >Indoors - 2:00 pm
Once known as the “Gateway to the Pacific,” Fort Mason has been the protector of a growing metropolis, a site where America’s massive military embarked for the fight against the Axis powers, a community for earthquake refugees, a home for artists and the playground of tech bros. Since it was constructed, Fort Mason has transformed along with San Francisco, each time remaking itself into a dynamic headquarters for a changing city. Today, visitors are more likely to visit for its use as a vibrant arts hub with performance spaces and galleries, or the regular food truck gatherings and farmers’ markets.
View Tour Details >Hill - 2:00 pm
Riches and ruin! Bold ventures and ill-fated schemes! Greed! Deceit! Learn the hidden stories of San Francisco's Financial District. From its origins as a remote trading outpost to its dominance of today's tech sector this has been a place where you could make a fortune but also lose it all.
- 2:00 pm
Across the West Coast, there’s few ocean vistas more arresting than Land’s End — a fact millionaire Adolph Sutro was well aware of when he built the first passenger steam train to the park in 1880. He wasn’t done there: Sutro transformed the land, adding an elaborate public garden, renovating the quaint Cliff House and constructing the Sutro Baths, a massive swimming facility on the oceanfront. Come experience Adolph Sutro’s gift to San Franciscans
View Tour Details >HillStairsRain May Cancel - 3:00 pm
1840s San Francisco and the Astonishing Legacy of America’s “First Black Millionaire” (No Tour Today)
How did he do it? A biracial sea captain named William Leidesdorff played a central role in the American conquest of San Francisco, created multiple essential institutions, and amassed one of the most enormous fortunes in California… all while passing as white. Revered by his neighbors, many of whom openly despised the race he kept secret, Leidesdorff became America’s “First Black Millionaire” while still in his thirties. Come discover San Francisco in its earliest days and learn about this fascinating individual.
View Tour Details >HillStairsRain May Cancel
