This is going to sound so silly but here it goes. Have you…read moreseen Voicemails to Isabelle? If you have then you'll understand why it's so important to do this hop on hop off route. I was able to see so many spots from the movie and it felt nice to feel a part of that. There were plenty of stop to make this a 1-2 day adventure. Seeing the Golden state bridge was amazing. IF YOU ARE RIDING ON TOP make sure you bring a sweater, the drip does get windy once you get on the freeway to head to the bridge. Please put on sunscreen, yes SanFran can be cloudy some days and fresh and sunny others HOWEVER please were sunscreen, bring sunglasses and a hat that won't fly away. Not sure what everyone was complaining about in these reviews but my and my fam had a blast. Would definitely do this again we find ourselves in town.

Hop on hop off is my favorite way to get the lay of a new city when we visit so when our friends…read morecame into town and had a punch list of places to see, naturally this was my recommendation. Who wants to drive to these locations and pay for parking? The good is that the bus gets you to tourist got spots and picks you up. Best to download the app to follow when the bus will arrive mostly correct. We were in the 5pm bus and it was chaotic because we had to switch buses and it was crammed. It's misleading to say the pass is valid 24 hours because if you start at 10am, you are done at 5pm and can't use it again. I miss the live narration and at least a welcome from the driver. Our first driver at least was friendly and even came upstairs to tell us what was going on with the 10 minute break at the GG bridge and the rest stop at Fisherman's Wharf. Buy the tickets in Groupon to save a few bucks. Overall, our friends were happy and that is all that matters.

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.

Where do you begin to describe the greatest trip of your life? As novice travelers coming from the…read moreDeep South, specifically McKenzie, TN, we had many questions about vacationing in a historical part of the country that most people observe only through television or literature. Of all our preparations for this California trip, the best decision we could have ever made was scheduling the private tour of Yosemite/Lake Tahoe with Yosemite Private Tours. Dare we have the audacity to book a 4-day private tour with someone we don't know? Those anxieties were quickly put to rest moments after meeting our phenomenal guide, Brandon Brown. Immediately impressed by his kind and gregarious personality, we felt a connection that ultimately grew into a lasting friendship. During the Tour of Yosemite/Lake Tahoe's granite cliffs, meadows, falls, valleys and mountain lakes, such as Bridal Veil Falls, Cathedral Peak, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, Mariposa Grove, Giant Sequoias, and the Donner Pass, Brandon's knowledge and explanation of the history and wonders of God's Creation was astounding. His expertise in photography, as noted in the attached photos, was assuredly an added bonus. We were further amazed at his attention to detail and his lickety-split service in checking us in at each park, hotel, restaurant, and even his conscientious concern that we had clean restrooms! After the first day, we felt secure and relaxed knowing our safety and comfort were never in doubt. Little did we anticipate that at the tour's completion, we would have shared such a life changing experience, which would not have been possible without Brandon. We are excited about the future and the possibility of an even more stellar adventure touring with Brandon and Yosemite Private Tours.

Jon was amazing! It's expensive to do this but worth every dollar. Originally from New Zealand,…read moreJon knows more about American history & current affairs than I do! He's been doing this tour for 17 years & knows just about all the facts about Yosemite & the surrounding areas! Outstanding!!! Jill

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!

Raphael goes above and beyond for customers and their events. I have recently used them a few weeks…read moreago for a shuttle to top golf and back, and everyone had a great time. Motor coaches, mini busses, vans, limousines, they got it all and they do a great job at showing up on time and in professional vehicles. I guess only thing I can recommend is to not lose your stuff, as they aren't baby sitters who pickup after you ;) Grown adults shouldn't have any issues working with Umbrella!

What you look for in a bus company is to safely and efficiently get passengers from Point A to…read morePoint B. Umbrella Bus barely got our passengers from Point A to Point B, did not do so efficiently, and arguably didn't do it terribly safely. We booked Umbrella for a 54-passenger shuttle to transport wedding guests from our wedding hotel to our ceremony venue, and then from the ceremony venue to the reception venue ($1050 total). I confirmed this itinerary with their staff by email and phone several times (at least three), because they kept sending me invoices that only showed a partial itinerary, but they assured me that they had the correct itinerary written down and would read off the correct itinerary on the phone when I called. On the first trip, the bus driver got the bottom of the bus stuck on a steep hill, rendering it unable to move. Guests had to walk nearly a quarter mile from where the bus got stuck to the ceremony site. The bus was also blocking the entrance to the park where the ceremony was held, meaning that park visitors and several wedding guests who were behind it were severely delayed in getting into the park. We had a couple of guests who missed some of the wedding ceremony because the bus blocked the entrance for so long. It would've been 3.5 stars if only for this, since it wasn't 100% the driver's fault, though he should really have known what the buses he drives are able to handle. On the second trip, though, despite me confirming the destinations in the itinerary with Umbrella MULTIPLE TIMES, the driver had somehow been given the wrong destination by their dispatch, and took guests back to the hotel instead of to the wedding reception venue. My family members had to argue with the driver, who insisted that he'd been told to take everyone back to the hotel, and "I'm only doing two trips, how will people get back to the hotel?" but he eventually relented and took everyone to the reception instead, but meant that most of the guests were delayed by quite a bit in getting to the reception. This definitely wasn't the driver's fault though, and was clearly the fault of the company/dispatch. He did eventually take the guests where they needed to go, which we appreciate.

I was in San Fran for just about 8 hours, never been! Took the BART to union square and took this…read moreWONDERFUL BUS! I had the time of my life!!!! Great information about the city and its streets and building! Super wonderful driver! David! My husband and I didn't want to hop off! We stayed on the same bus all the way and then went to explore areas David showed us after our time with him was done! I will never forget the guy or my wonderful adventure! Buffalo soldier and the golden gate forever!!!!! Hana Hou! I'm going back someday again! It was such a great way to see EVERYTHING in a short period of time! Mahalo for the great time!!!!

I took my daughter, sister, niece and nephew to San Fransisco for vacation. We decided to do a two…read moreday hop on hop off bus tour. I had already purchased the GO city card for other entertainment in the area (I purchased the unlimited) and the hop on hop off was included in this purchase. BTW get the GO city card it will save you a ton of money. This tour was phenomenal. We did a full two hour ride the first time around and then did our hop on hop off. These buses come around about every 15-30 minutes so you are never waiting too long for one and stops at all the places you would want to see in San Fransisco. The tour guide was so funny and knowledgeable about the history of the city so we had fun and learned a lot. I recommend this to anyone wanting to see the city as a whole before exploring it on foot. This service makes that easy and fun.

We did the full-day tour with Muir Woods. This was an excellent tour. Our guide, Kevin, was a…read morelifelong San Francisco resident with a real love for the city. He provided interesting and informative commentary throughout the tour. It was a great way to see many local neighborhoods and attractions.

Despite living in California for about 40 years, my siblings and I had never visited Alcatraz, Muir…read moreWoods, or many of San Francisco's iconic landmarks. So, instead of our usual family trip to another country or state this summer, we decided to become tourists in our own backyard and booked an eight-hour San Francisco Alcatraz + City Tour, including Muir Woods and Sausalito. The tour cost $179 per adult (nine of us) and $169 for one child, and we even booked a hotel nearby the night before to make sure we'd be on time for our 9am start. We all met beneath the iconic Fisherman's Wharf sign, where Patrick was our guy! Patrick was knowledgeable, witty, and engaging--he kept us entertained with fascinating facts about San Francisco, fun trivia questions, and even handed out Ghirardelli chocolate as prizes. My man and I answered so many questions that we ended up with almost half the bag! Even though we were a bit hungover from pub crawling the night before, Patrick's energy kept us awake and involved. He thoughtfully included the three kids in our group, telling them to count Priuses on the street and quizzing them with their own set of trivia. Along the way, he pointed out some quirky facts, like there being more dogs than babies in San Francisco, and made sure everyone felt part of the experience. Patrick pointed out several billionaires' homes, as well as highlights like Chinatown and Japantown. We made a memorable stop at the Presidio and Fort Point for stunning views and photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. Patrick even volunteered to take group pictures for us and made sure we had time for restroom breaks. After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, we made our way to Muir Woods. Though we only had an hour and a half--just enough time for my older siblings--my man and I left wanting more, wishing we could explore beyond the designated paths. The towering redwoods, some between 400 and 800 years old, were awe-inspiring. I'm sure there were even more breathtaking sights we didn't have a chance to see. Next, Patrick took us on a drive through Sausalito, pointing out popular restaurants and an old recording studio once frequented by celebrities. After dropping off a few tourists, he guided us to the starting point for our Alcatraz Tour and left us at Fisherman's Wharf for lunch. We felt a little sad knowing it was the last time we'd see him--at that point, we were on our own for the rest of the adventure. Although I've visited San Francisco many times--unlike my siblings--I still learned so much from the tour. We all had a great time, even my man who lived in the city for several years. While I initially thought the price was steep, by the end of the day, it felt completely worth it!

I love City Tours. This is a very reliable company for sightseeing. I have used them in many…read moreother cities, including London, Stratford upon Avon, York, Edinburgh, and New York. My favorite product of theirs is the Hop On Hop Off Double Decker bus tour. They are a great way to get acquainted with a new city, and learn a lot about the city while doing so. It is a great way to get to the place you probably are already planning on visiting, since they stop at the most popular sights. The SF tour includes: Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach, Chinatown, Union Square, the Ferry Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Palace of Fine Arts, and many of the popular parks. This SF branch also offers an Alcatraz tour you can purchase as a package with your Hop On Hop Off ticket. I recommend this company to anyone who is visiting SF or even for residence who just want to play tourist for the day.

The tour bus picked us up from our hotel about five minutes late, but the driver was great and…read morewasted no time getting us downtown and connect with our selected tours. There was a long line to acquire your receipts and payments, but the bus was on time. The tour driver was very fun, very loud, and very informative of the areas we visited. The hop on, hop off worked great and allowed us to see and spend more time in the areas we really wanted to see. This tour would have been 5 stars but except for the operator who drove us back to our hotels. This guy got lost and couldn't find half of the hotels. He asked us to take out our phones to use as GPS's, and got very snippy with some of the passengers. Bad ending to a great day.

Awesome service! Affordable, stress-free, faster way to Tahoe for anyone taking a trip from the…read more Bay Area. So glad we found Tahoe Convoy. Took a weekend trip with some friends. Bus was comfortable and spacious. It's so nice to be able to recline the seats, stand up, and use the bathroom. Outlets in each row are a plus. Greg is very friendly and professional. He kept us updated with departure times and let us know about any delays. Busses are allowed to go when there are road closures and cars are stopped - so it can be faster, too. We'll definitely use the service for future Tahoe trips.

Tahoe Convoy is a great alternative to driving or flying to Tahoe for the weekend! You can track…read morethe bus to see when it is arriving at your stop and the bus itself is super comfortable with outlets at each seat. Greg, the host, and the bus driver were really nice too! It is also a good way to keep cars off the road and help the environment.

Like the proverbial tourist I was (wait, does that mean I was actually a tourist?) I wandered…read morearound Fisherman's Wharf this past Sunday. I saw one of the Sky View tour buses, $20 seemed like a good deal to get a Cliff Notes version of the city in a shortened amount of time. That I did! Usain our tour guide gave an entertaining 2-hour ride in the trolley-looking double decker bus. The open space provided for ample picture taking, and it was funny to hear joking with the people on the sidewalks as well. They get points for allowing us a 20-minute stop over at Golden Gate Park! (Note to Susie O: Yes, he told us the story about "Full House" being filmed in the Yellow Painted Lady.) Certainly a good introduction to the city, and a must-do for every tourist. I felt that I got a decent idea of where to go and explore with more time.

My parents, sister and grandmother are in town for a visit from the Midwest. We are all fans of…read more"hop-on, hop-off" buses as it allows you to view the city and get transportation to all the tourists places in town for one low price. I have the entertainment guide for San Francisco so the $19.00 per person ticket was 1/2 price and the six of us boarded the motorized cable car. This tour was great for us because it was only 1 hour and only stopped at a few places along the way. The drivers were entertaining and the route took us through beautiful neighborhoods and many of the tourists attractions, Fisherman's Wharf, Nob Hill, Union Square, Financial district, Chinatown, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, Ferry Building, Embarcadaro Center, cable car turn-around, Grace Cathedral, Barbary Coast, Lombard Street, and along the waterfront. This tour did not stop at many places but is reflected in the price. (The more stops, the more expensive the trip.) The places it stopped was Pier 41 1/2, Union Square (Chinatown), The Embarcadero Center and North Beach. There is also a longer loop (about 3 hours) which takes you to the Golden Gate Bridge and around the Presidio. You really can't beat the tour for the price. If you are showing older people around the city or those who are not use to walking. It was also great to hear about the history of the city as we went along. The cable car was a cute touch.