This tour was the perfect introduction to San Francisco! It gives you a great overview of the city…read moreby driving past many of the iconic landmarks in just a few hours, making it easy to decide where you want to come back and explore later. My tour guide was fantastic: friendly, knowledgeable, and full of fun facts, local tips, and recommendations that made the experience even better. I also loved that the group was small (about 8 people in the van), which made it easy to ask questions and actually see everything without feeling crowded. The three photo stops are short, but they're at excellent viewpoints and perfect for getting some Instagram-worthy pictures. As a solo traveler, I honestly can't recommend this tour enough. You get an incredible amount of value for the price, and it's a great way to get your bearings before exploring the city on your own. I'd recommend keeping notes of the places and recommendations your guide mentions so you can revisit them later. One thing that really stood out was the customer service. My original booking didn't meet the minimum group size, so I was moved to a different tour. Unfortunately, that caused me to arrive late, but the guide was incredibly gracious and made me feel welcome without any hassle. Whether you're traveling solo, with a partner, or as a family, I'd absolutely recommend this tour. It's one of the best ways to kick off a trip to San Francisco.

When we decided to visit San Francisco, I knew I wanted to do some kind of tour. I researched a…read morebunch of options and even considered one of the hop-on, hop-off buses, but then I came across the Painted Ladies Tour. I watched several videos, read reviews, and quickly realized this was a completely different kind of tour. The tour takes place in a vintage VW van that looks like something straight out of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine. Honestly, even the vehicle itself makes the experience fun! It's also a much more intimate experience than a large bus tour, which was exactly what I was looking for. It ended up being one of our absolute favorite things we did in San Francisco. Our guide, Clay, met us just a couple of blocks from our hotel, which was another huge bonus. We didn't have to take any additional public transportation to get to the tour. It was my daughter and me, another mother and daughter, and their aunt, so we had a really small group. Clay made sure we rotated seats throughout the tour so everyone got a different perspective and everyone had a chance to sit up front for the best views. One of the first things Clay did was explain what actually makes a "Painted Lady" a Painted Lady. We got to see so many examples throughout the city, and one of our favorites was the Four Seasons. It was really interesting learning the history behind the homes rather than just driving past them and taking pictures. We drove through the Haight-Ashbury area, where Clay explained how housing costs and the population have changed over the years. We even saw the iconic home with the legs sticking out of one of the windows, which is a pretty funny representation of just how packed some of the homes became. We also got to see the former homes of Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Being able to see those places in person and hear the history behind them was really cool. Our first stop where we actually got out of the van was Alamo Square Park, where the iconic Full House opening scene was filmed. This was probably the number one thing my daughter wanted to see, so she was thrilled! We got out, took pictures, and Clay was kind enough to take pictures of both of us together so neither of us had to be the person left out of the photos. Next, we drove by the house from Mrs. Doubtfire. Clay actually happened to see them filming part of the movie when he was younger, which made the stop even more interesting. Then came another major highlight for my daughter--we got to see the school from The Princess Diaries! From there, we headed to the Palace of Fine Arts, where we learned about its connection to the World's Fair. We stopped to take pictures, and I have to mention one of my favorite random moments of the entire tour: seeing a Golden Retriever riding in a convertible, absolutely living his best life. It was one of those completely unexpected San Francisco moments that made the day even better. Since we were already in the area, we also stopped to take pictures with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. But the absolute highlight of the tour came next. Clay took us to Lombard Street, turned the music way up, blasted "Born to Be Wild," and let us cruise down the famous winding street with the windows down. We were all singing along, laughing, and taking in the experience. It was honestly one of the most iconic and memorable moments of our entire San Francisco trip. The tour was also perfectly timed. We spent the morning seeing so much of the city, but we were finished early enough to walk back to our hotel, have some downtime, and regroup before lunch. We never felt rushed, but we also didn't lose an entire day to the tour. I would absolutely recommend the Painted Ladies Tour to anyone visiting San Francisco. It's such a fun and personal way to see the city and learn about its history. Instead of sitting on a huge bus with dozens of other people, you're in a small group, getting to interact with your guide and really experience the city. And Clay was fantastic. He was knowledgeable, personable, and made the history fun for both the adults and the kids in our group. He took pictures for us, made sure everyone got a chance to experience the best seats, and really made the entire morning feel special. If you're looking for something more personal than a traditional sightseeing bus, I can't recommend this tour enough. Between the Mystery Machine-style van, the history, the movie locations, the Golden Gate Bridge, and singing "Born to Be Wild" down Lombard Street, this was easily one of our favorite memories from San Francisco.

My son and I made a day trip to Alcatraz island and it was a very enjoyable experience. I do agree…read morethat it's a little pricey but if you spend a solid 2-3+ hours there, I think it's worth it. Pros: + The staff were incredibly kind and helpful. + Once you get on the island and go through the 5 minute orientation from the NPS ranger, you're free to roam about. + The audio-guided tour is actually REALLY good. It was my first time and I thought it would be cheesy but it was engrossing and informative. + Restrooms were very clean and not crowded (at least not the guy's restroom). + There are some truly AMAZING views of the bay. Bring a travel-safe camera. Neutral: ~ There's restrictions on food and drink (only bottled water is allowed in the majority of the park). So plan ahead. ~ San Francisco traffic is real and kinda sucks. Plan ahead for delays. ~ A good portion of the park is outdoors (which isn't a negative but means that it's impacted by the weather). It gets super windy so plan ahead and dress appropriately. Cons: - The price is indeed a little high. I don't think I'd go here all the time. Once every couple years is probably fine. - A friend told me that there's a LOT of bird poop around and they were right. It's not enough to impact walking but does detract from the experience slightly.

Poor Service Experience with Alcatraz City Cruises…read more I'm writing this review to share my experience with the company's customer service, specifically around their cancellation policy. We were excited to book a trip through Alcatraz City Cruises on 6/16/26. Unfortunately, a family emergency forced me to cancel our trip to San Francisco, including this tour. I cancelled through the confirmation link in my email on 6/19 -- well within the 72-hour window required for a full refund, since the event itself wasn't until 6/26. The website showed my reservation as cancelled, so I stepped away to deal with the family emergency. In my rush, I never went back to check for a separate cancellation confirmation email, since the site had already shown the cancellation as complete. That was my mistake -- but it led to a frustrating outcome: I was charged for the tickets on the day of the event anyway. I didn't catch the charge until I reviewed my bank statement at the start of the following month. I called four times and couldn't reach a live person. When I finally got through to a representative, my request for a refund was denied. I asked again for the decision to be reviewed, but the agent refused, saying they would not look into it further. I understand that not confirming the cancellation via email was an oversight on my part. But the website clearly showed the reservation as cancelled, and we never used the tickets. Given that the cancellation was initiated well within the refund window, I would have expected more flexibility from customer service -- not an automatic denial. Dissapointed in this company and would not book through them again. Unfortantely, they did come up as one of the recommended companies to book through due to other scams and fake sites, but beware

Came to San Francisco for our wedding anniversary and wanted to see all the hotspots without…read morerenting a car or ubering everywhere. We found Vantigo after asking ChatGPT the best way to see the city. It recommended Vantigo. After looking at the yelp reviews and some YouTube videos, I made the reservation. We can't be happier with our experience. Chad, owner of Vantigo and tour guide, was the friendliest and coolest dude to have guide you around the city. Very knowledgeable, extremely easy to talk to, and more than happy to play photographer. We saw Coit tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, the place that I swear was Naboo in Star Wars, some random local know spot with an amazing view of the city, and drove through pretty much all the neighborhoods while Chad pointed out what he recommended we check out. The tour was about 3 hours long and came with bathroom stops at photo locations. If you are looking for a way to see everything without having to plan it yourself or rent a car during your trip, this is what to do. You won't be disappointed.

Chad(the driver/tour guide) and Harvey(the blue VW Bus) were exceptional hosts. They both…read morecheerfully drove us around the beautiful city of San Francisco. It was a great experience for my family as we got to see and learn so much more than we would have with a big tour company(think double decker hop on/off). I truly felt like a local for the morning. Hands down the best tour in SF. Highly recommend for a family or anyone looking for a more intimate tour experience. Definitely worth a repeat on our next SF adventure!

Hello, We had an awesome time! Renting a Polaris Slingshot…read moreSL (3-wheeled vehicle) for a self-guided tour was the perfect option for us. It was an all-day adventure that gave us the opportunity to visit all the highlighted sights while still having the freedom to take breaks and explore at our own pace. We could easily step away from the self-guided tour and reconvene whenever we were ready without missing a beat. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to get the best bang for their buck. The staff was amazing--they went over every detail and made sure we had no questions before heading out. We have absolutely no regrets and would definitely do this again! Highly recommended!

Better have a reservation and if possible fill out any waivers and forms online. We did not and it…read moretook almost an hour. Staff was friendly but the process was a problem. The max something is great for someone who has mobility issues. Staff was great and let us store a mobility scooter there. Plan your route before you go. Options made us pick wrong route and friends car didn't have GPS audio tour working. Again, staff was great and helped out. Good tour, expect long process and plan ahead.

Had such a great time on the Mission District food tour! It was the perfect way to explore the…read moreneighborhood while trying a ton of delicious food and learning more about the history and culture of the area. Chris was awesome -- super friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely made the experience fun for everyone. He had great recommendations, kept the tour engaging, and did a great job sharing interesting stories about the Mission along the way. You can tell he really enjoys what he does! The food was fantastic, and I loved getting to try places and dishes I probably wouldn't have discovered on my own. The tour was well-paced, organized, and had a great mix of food, history, and local culture. If you're visiting San Francisco or even live here and want to experience the Mission in a different way, I'd definitely recommend this tour. Ask for Chris if you can -- he's the best! Definitely worth it!

I had the most amazing time with Chris as my foodie tour guide. I've lived in the Bay Area for most…read moreof my life and I've spent over half that time in San Francisco, and he still managed to make the city seem sparkling and new. He has such passion and enthusiasm for food and the cultures and people of the city, and it rubs off on you. It was also amazing seeing how well integrated he was into the community! Also, the food was to die for. I'm going to book again for North Beach. Thank you so much Chris!

I had a wonderful North Beach tour with Mr. Kelly. He is incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and funny,…read moreand he made the entire experience so enjoyable. He shared so much interesting history and took me to many beautiful hidden gems that I probably would never have discovered while traveling on my own. I was lucky to have such a personal, one-on-one tour with him, which made the experience even more special. It was truly one of the highlights of my trip to San Francisco. I will definitely come back and would love to take another tour with Mr. Kelly!

I went on the Civic Center/City Hall tour with Michael, and it far exceeded my expectations. There…read morewere 8 of us and most were locals with some knowledge of the area but we all walked away with tons more fun facts (e.g. Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio got married in City Hall) and history (the poor decisions of Admiral Funston). There were lots of weddings and pictures of huge quinceniera dresses all around us, and bumping into the SF mayor!

This was a good tour, and the woods were so incredibly peaceful and really helped me remember how…read moresmall I am in this great big world. Those trees are massive! The women's restroom at the entrance of the trail is disgusting. There was literal fuzzy mold on the wall under the sink, used toilet paper all over the floor...it didn't appear to have been cleaned in weeks, at least. For the first time, I felt like I needed a hazmat shower after leaving there, and I say that after traveling across country and using countless public restrooms! The toilet paper is like wiping with a snowflake so you have to use a ton just to dry off the undercarriage.

My husband used to live in Santa Venetia, during his 5th through 7th grade, and we were taking the…read moreroute when he used to ride his bike to MUIR WOODS. With that said, I'm just reviewing the VIEWS to Muir Woods, by car, since that's what we did! There were a lot of twist & turns, roads with beautiful new homes (that weren't there before) & gardens! Awesome views along the way. We drove for over 1 hour, and we were trying to follow the path, when he was a boy. That was some adventure for him, and for us in our car . . . and he was able to find his way back home. If he had done that today? He would sure gotten lost without a GPS!

Lisi was a fun and engaging tour guide. We are SF locals, but often go on ghost tours in other…read morecities. We decided we should do one in our own town for the hell of it. We enjoyed the history tales around the gold rush, earthquake, and Chinatown, mixed in with fun horror stories. Also a fun evening out for our two pups, who got to join along. Well done.

Really entertaining evening with great guides who kept it engaging and just the right balance of…read morespookiness. We learned a lot of SF history too.