Black San Francisco Tours
DESCRIPTION: Take a guided tour through 220 years of the Black Experience in San Francisco with John William Templeton, author of Our Roots Run Deep: the Black Experience in California; Templeton offers a Downtown guided tour, all-city excursions and Original Jazz Clubs of the Barbary Coast in San Francisco Tour; Templeton will give you the real deal on San Francisco's history with surprising backstory

PRICING: walking tours $15, motor tours $35

ADDRESS: contact Templeton for meeting and date details in San Francisco

PHONE: 415-240-3537

WEBSITE: http://www.californiablackhistory.com

 

John W. Templeton of Black San Francisco Tours

Roots & Vines Wine Tours
DESCRIPTION: Full-day private bus tours to Napa, Sonoma, or Livermore Valleys in a relaxed, informative, and interactive setting; discover the best of California wineries and wine; tour starts with  breakfast (included) at an Oakland restaurant, then departs at 10a and returns at 6p; dress in layers if you are unsure about the day's weather, but note that Summer in Wine Country tends to hot; these experienced tour provideers say the best seasons for tour are Spring and Fall

PRICING: $139 per person; 8 patron minimum, 22 patron maximum

ADDRESS: Oakland; contact tour organizer for place of meeting details, as it it often at a breakfast restaurant like Coffee With A Beat

PHONE: 510-881-8865

WEBSITE: httpp://www.rootsandvines.com

 

Victorian Home Walk Tour

DESCRIPTION: Jay & Shonna tour tour guides have shown visitors SF's world famous architecture for over 12 years; for 2.5 hours, they go where tour buses are not allowed, without hills; they hold a yellow sign that says "Victorian Home Walk"; arrange a private tour for 10 or more; includes transportation to Pacific Heights, a stroll through the best Victorian neighborhoods, and a visit inside a Queen Anne Victorian
PRICING:  $25 per person, no credit cards; fee collected at end of tour
ADDRESS: San Francisco; departs 11a daily from Union Square; no reservations required
PHONE: 415-252-9485

WEBSITE: http://www.victorianwalk.com

 

Urban Trek USA

DESCRIPTION: Features four different sightseeing/walking tours in San Francisco that are environmentally friendly and enable guests to understand why San Franciscans love their city so much; points of interest include: Union Square, Chinatown, Jackson Square, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, Levis Plaza and the Ferry Building

PRICING: $30 per person
ADDRESS: San Francisco; 900 Market Street in the lower level of Hallidie Plaza

PHONE: reservations required 415-265-8229

WEBSITE: http://www.urbantrekusa.com

 

Cable Cars
DESCRIPTION: One of the few moving National Historic Landmarks, these throwbacks to an earlier time are exhilarating to ride the San Francisco hills; all Cable Car lines provide awe-inspiring vistas and cable car bell-ringers:
Powell–Hyde: Powell & Market, Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz views
Powell–Mason: Powell & Market, Union Square, Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharf
California Street: Ferry Building, Financial District, Chinatown, Nob Hill views
For a closer look at how these lovable cable-driven, visit the Muni Cable Car Museum; always remember hang inside cars and when using the crosswalk at cable car intersections, the green X is the “go ahead” signal for cable cars—not pedestrians

PRICING: $5 per ride

ADDRESS: Cable Car Museum at 1201 Mason Street, San Francisco

PHONE: 415-474-1887 museum

WEBSITE: http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mfleet/cablecar.htm

Powell & Hyde Streets Cable Car

Muni Vintage Streetcar Rides
DESCRIPTION: Offically called the F-Line Market & Wharves Car by San Francisco Municipal Transit (nicknamed "Muni"), fully restored vintage streetcars from America and around the world run day and night; international streetcars come from Italy, England, Russia, Australia, Japan, Germany, Portugal and nearly a dozen domestic cities; in just a few years of operation, this Muni F-Line Streetcars have become as popular as the Cable Cars; no wonder the city has plans to extend F-Line to the Marina District   

PRICING: $2 per ride with free transfers that last 90 minute from purchase

ROUTE: begins in the Castro District, proceeds east on Market Street to the San Francisco Shopping District at Market & Powell Streets; continues east to the end of Market Street, then makes a right turn for a short button-hook left and then north up The Embarcadero with stops in front of the San Francisico Ferry Building, Cruise Port, Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf, where it circles for its return

WEBSITE: http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mfleet/histcars.php

CitySightseeing San Francisco

DESCRIPTION: The original open-top, English double-decker tour bus company in the San Francisco offering hop-on/hop-off tours; experienced tour guides in the upper deck provide useful insights and historical trivia about each attraction coupled with a driver down below; start with the 1.5 hour San Francisco Downtown Loop; if so inclined, add the Golden Gate Bridge + Sausalito Loop or Golden Gate Park Loop or Night Tour in the same day; if you really hate driving on steep hills and the many hassles of SF parking, sample area attractions with the 4-in-1 All Loops Tour for best value over 48 hours; you can also bundle trips to Alcatraz, Wine Country, Muir Woods, Yosemite, San Francisco Segway Tours and GPS Guided GO Cars

PRICING: buy online for discounts - San Francisco Downtown Loop $25 Adults, $16 Child; 4-in1 All Loops Tour $50 Adult, $28 Child

DEPARTS: daily 9a-5p, every 10-20 minutes at 18 locations

ADDRESS: begin at 2800 Leavenworth Street  MAP

TRANSIT: only one block from Muni Vintage Streetcar Fisherman's Wharf station or the Fisherman's Wharf turnaround for Powell & Hyde Cable Car

PHONE: 415-440-8687
WEBSITE: http://www.city-sightseeing.us

 

GoCar
DESCRIPTION: A clever storytelling GPS-guided mini-car that gives you an open air touring experience unlike any other in the city; select from 5 languages that guide you to the major attractions of San Francisco; the two-seated, three-wheel vehicles fit in the tightest places a bus tour can not touch and its eco-friendly

PRICING: 1st hour $49, 2nd hour $39, each additional hour $29, No further charge after 5 hours   

ADDRESS: San Francisco; pick-up/drop-off 2715 Hyde Street or 321 Mason Street

PHONE: 415-441-5695

WEBSITE: http://www.GoCarSF.com

 

49-Mile Scenic Drive in San Francisco
DESCRIPTION: San Francisco has an official visitors route indicated by numerous street signs readily visible to drivers from the Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf; you can drive the route from either direction and pick it up from any point in the city. It illustrates the wonderful diversity of sights, sounds, terrain and humanity of San Francisco, which also consists of 49 square miles

 

Bike and Roll San Francisco
DESCRIPTION: Take a beautiful bicycle ride on the Bay Trail over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito with a return trip to San Francisco by ferryboat!  The tour is an easy 9 mile adventure as most of the ride is flat and the last 3 miles are downhill. Sights of interest include Fisherman’s Wharf, Aquatic Park, Ghirardelli Square, Fort Mason, Palace of Fine Arts, the Presidio, Fort Point, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito shops, Alcatraz and Angel Island

PRICING: Begins at $10 per day

ADDRESS: 899 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco
PHONE: 415-229-2000

WEBSITE: http://www.bikeandroll.com

 

 

San Francisco, CA

 

San Francisco Cruise Port - Pier 27 and 35

DESCRIPTION: Prior to the 1991, major cruise lines rarely ported at this blighted port; then demolition of Embarcadero Freeway followed by The Embarcadero Roadway & Pier Facade beautification projects led to a modest clean-up of Pier 35; today it hosts 60-80 cruise ship calls annually by Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity, NCL, Holland America, Cunard and Silversea; they utilize San Francisco as a Port of Call for routes to Alaska, Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Mexico Riviera and even Hawaii; since the cruise industry is upgrading to larger (3000-4000) passenger ships on the Pacific Coast, the Port of San Francisco is spending $52 million upgrading Pier 27 to host their calls in an attractive new terminal with a public plaza that opens to The Embarcadero for ground-to-ship vistas; the rebuilt Pier 27 will first open in February 2013 to host America's Cup international sailing event; afterwards, the airy interior will be beautified with cruise passenger amenities and reopen early 2014; at that time, Pier 35 will reverse roles to become the supplemental docking port for cruise ships, while simulataneously, larger cruise ships dock at Pier 27

ADDRESS: Pier 35 and Pier 27 on The Embarcadero

TRANSIT:  Muni F-Line Streetcar stop at The Embarcadero & Greenwich Street

PARKING: City Park garage at 80 Francisco Street and Ace Parking at 55 Francisco Street & The Anchorage Center

PHONE: contact the cruises lines for their respective ship info
WEBSITE: Link

 
Red & White Fleet
DESCRIPTION: In business since 1892, San Francisco's oldest day-cruise line features audio tour headsets and three unforgettable Bay Cruises:

• Golden Gate Bay Cruise®, 1-hour under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz, it is San Francisco’s only bay cruise in 12 languages, departs 8–14 times daily; we recommend this cruise for views that you'll remember a lifetime

• SF Explorer Cruise™, 90-minute cruise offers spectacular views and narratives on Natural History, Architecture, and Native American Culture; departs May-Sept

• California Sunset Cruise™, a 2-hour twilight sail with hearty appetizers and guitar music, April-October

PRICING: begins at $22 for adults; Age 5-17 $16, age 5 and under enter Free; make reservations 1-2 days in advance

ADDRESS: Fisherman’s Wharf at Pier 43 on The Embarcadero

TRANSIT: Muni F-Line Streetcar and Powell-Mason Cable Car to Taylor Street

PARKING: Fisherman’s Wharf garages and paid lots nearby

PHONE: 415-673-2900

WEBSITE: http://www.redandwhite.com

 

Red & White's Harbor Queen traveling under Golden Gate Bridge

 

Blue & Gold Fleet
DESCRIPTION: Ferries to Alcatraz, Pacific Bell Park, Sausalito, Tiburon, Angel Island, Vallejo, Oakland, Alameda and Monterey and Bay cruises

PRICING: begins at $23 for adults, $18 for Age 5-11, $21 for Age 12-18 and 62+; make reservations 1-2 days in advance

ADDRESS: Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39 on The Embarcadero

TRANSIT:  Muni F-Line Streetcar and Powell-Mason Cable Car to Taylor Street

PARKING: Fisherman’s Wharf garages and paid lots nearby

PHONE: 415-705-8200

WEBSITE: http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com

 

Hornblower Cruises
DESCRIPTION: Enjoy a Lunch Cruise, Dinner Dance Cruise, Champagne Brunch Cruise, and other specialty cruises via 9 unique yachts; they also charter many cruise events on Piers 38 and 40

PRICING: begins at $62 for Alcatraz Discovery Lunch Cruise; reservations required at least 5 hours in advance

ADDRESS: Pier 3 on The Embarcadero

TRANSIT: Muni F-Line Streetcar stop at the Ferry Building

PARKING: $10 per car on Pier 3; Golden Gateway Garage on Clay Street across
from Embarcadero Center #2 Mon–Thu 4a-Midnight, Friday 4a-2a, Saturday 9a-2a and Sunday 9a-10p; metered parking is also nearby and free after 6p

PHONE: 415-788-8866

WEBSITE: http://www.hornblower.com

 

Golden Gate Ferry
DESCRIPTION: On a budget, but still want to cruse the bay? Catch one of these commuter ferries to Larkspur, Sausalito and Pacific Bell Park (baseball season only)

PRICING: Adult $7.50, Senior/Disabled/Age 6-18 $4

ADDRESS: San Francisco Ferry Building on The Embarcadero

TRANSIT: Muni F-Line vintage streetcar

PARKING: $10 per car on Pier 3; Golden Gateway Garage on Clay Street across
from Embarcadero Center #2 Mon–Thu 4a-Midnight, Friday 4a-2a, Saturday 9a-2a and Sunday 9a-10p; metered parking is also nearby and free after 6p

PHONE: 415-455-2000

WEBSITE: http://www.goldengate.org

Oakland, CA

Alameda-Oakland Ferry
DESCRIPTION: By far the nicest way to travel from Oakland and Alameda to San Francisco; if you pay for roundtrip, you'll cruise past Alcatraz and around Angel Island before returning to Jack London Square; these affordable and frequent ferries provide break-taking views of the San Francisco Bay and both shores

PRICING: Adult one-way $6.25, Military w/ID $5, age 5-12 $3.50, age 4 and under enter Free

ADDRESS: Oakland Jack London Square Ferry Terminal and Alameda Main Street Ferry Terminal and San Francisco Ferry Building on the Embarcadero

TRANSIT: Lake Merritt BART Station about 8 blocks away

PARKING: Jack London Square garages and paid lots nearby

PHONE: 510-749-5972

WEBSITE: http://www.eastbayferry.com

Gondola Servizio
DESCRIPTION: Lake Merritt features in romantic gondolas built by hand in Venice; private cruises come with a serenading gondolier

ADDRESS: 568 Bellevue Ave

TRANSIT: 19th Street BART Station about 5 blocks away

PARKING: on street

PHONE: 866-737-8494

WEBSITE: http://www.gondolaservizio.com