I had the one day Hop-On Hop-Off pass through my Go City All-Inclusive pass that was extended for a…read more2nd day through September. I showed my Go City pass to the bus driver at one of the stops, and he provided a paper ticket that gave me the two days. When you board, there are ear plug sets. Get the ear plug set, since you will need them to hear the stops called out. There are two jacks for each set of seats and a running narration with fun information about the city and the stops. You can sit inside or upstairs in the open air area. I used the bus at the end of July in the mornings starting around 10:15 - 11:00 am at bus stop 2, Columbus/Ghirardelli Square which is in front of the Hotel Caza across from Marriott Fisherman's Wharf. It is a 6 minute walk to Ghirardelli Square. I always found a seat, and the bus was about 10 - 20 minutes after the time the app said it would be. I recommend you go to the website ahead of time and have the list of stops and the attractions near each and plan ahead. Bring your coat if you plan to get off at the Golden Gate stops 11 and 12. It is super windy and chilly. I took the bus to the stop 3 North Beach / Chinatown which lets you off at North Beach and stop 5 Ferry Building which lets you off across the street. I also did the entire loop getting off at stop 11 South Vista Point / Golden Gate Bridge - get off there for the Golden Gate Visitor Center, a view of the bridge, and information about the bridge up the ramp, and a cafe. Bathrooms are in the parking lot. Hold onto your hat as your cross the bridge or it will get blown off when you ride the bus. IMPORTANT NOTE: ** Stop 11 South Vista Point / Golden Gate Bridge lists Botanical Gardens. It is about 3.2 miles or over 1 hour, 15 minutes by walking. ** Stop 12 North Vista Point / Golden Gate Bridge gives you a panoramic view of San Francisco. The last stop is stop 17 Pier 39 with the sea lions, Aquarium of the Bay, Boudin sourdough bakery, and restaurants. A short walk away: - Alcatraz ferry at Pier 33 - Red and White Boat tours at Pier 43 - USS Pampanito submarine is docked at Pier 45

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.

Incredible tour with Caio. It was perfect for all ages groups, I had my senior parents as well as…read moremy teenage children. He was very informative, knowledgeable and had great tips!

Our tour guide, Jim, was just the best! So much knowledge of the entire SF area, and a classic late…read more60s playlist to boot! It was our second Painted Ladies tour, as we wanted to take our son on an overview tour of the city.

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

Umbrella was great! We booked a van and bus for wedding guest transports to and from the venue…read more Umbrella was flexible on various changes we made to the arrival and departure times (there may be a change to cost depending on timing, just ask). You can view the itinerary on line. The day of, we received texts from drivers. Umbrella drivers were very accommodating and friendly. Thank you 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.

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!

Our little Family of 4 booked a trip with Dylan's Tour. Not fully knowing what it would be like we…read morewere excited nonetheless. We met at Fisherman's Wharf and our tour guide was Jules. He thoroughly explained to us what we'd see, how long it'd take etc. Let me tell you... Jules knows San Francisco inside and out. We were really happy to see things that on our own would've missed. He took us to some very iconic spots and some of the views were just amazing. The scenery. The bridge. Muir Woods. All stunning. If you're skeptical about taking a tour, do it. You won't regret it. You'll be much happier you did vs doing it on your own. Thank you Jules for showing us around and for the "little drop off". We greatly appreciate it! We can't wait to go back and try all those food locations.

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.

What a great way to see the wine country! Ari was a very outgoing and knowledgeable tour guide. She…read morepicked us up at our hotel in Oakland and whisked us up to Napa Valley. We ended up riding to 4 different wineries ranging from large to small. Great lightweight Marin hybrid bikes. Ended up riding about 18 miles with only one hill. The suggestion o have is to pace yourself with tasting: 3-5 tastings per winery is ALOT of wine (and you still have to bike!). Ari served a gourmet picnic lunch at the 3rd winery. Cheese plate, salami, turkey, quinoa salad, bread and a arugula salad. And wine! Ari drove the van as the sag wagon so if we bought anything, we could throw it in the van. Or if you got tired, you could just ride. We were picked up at 10:15am and arrived back at our hotel at 6:15pm. Highly recommend!

My wife and I had a fun time with the girls from Gears & Grapes. I wasn't anticipating 3 miles…read morebetween wineries, but as long as you're in average shape then you should be good. If you want to go wine tasting in a different way with no wine buzz, do this!