Skip The Bus: San Francisco By Luxury Van Tour
5
Skip The Bus: San Francisco By Luxury Van Tour
By San Francisco Tour Co.
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About
Opt for a more comfortable ride around San Francisco—and enjoy a less crowded way to explore—on this small-group, half-day tour by luxury minivan. Enjoy illuminating live commentary from your onboard guide, and get ready to discover some of the city's best-known attractions, from Coit Tower and Twin Peaks to the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Haight-Ashbury, and much more.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 5-99, max of 5 per group
Duration: 4h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- This San Francisco minivan tour is perfect for first-time visitors
- Guide shares live commentary on the city’s popular landmarks
- Explore some of the city's most iconic sights, all in just half a day
- Numbers are limited for an intimate atmosphere
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- Driver/guide
- Live commentary on board
- Local guide
- Private transportation
- WiFi on board
- Phone Chargers
What's not included- Gratuities
- You must provide your own child seat and reserve a spot for the child
- Start:
- Hotel Riu Plaza Fishermans Wharf, 2500 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USAPlease arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour time. The tour departs promptly at the scheduled time. If you arrive early, you’ll find restrooms and a coffee shop on-site. Just outside the entrance, there are fire pits where you can relax while you wait.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 72999P3- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 5 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 72999P3
From
$99.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 2500 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USAPlease arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour time. The tour departs promptly at the scheduled time. If you arrive early, you’ll find restrooms and a coffee shop on-site. Just outside the entrance, there are fire pits where you can relax while you wait.
- 1Pass byTelegraph HillLittle ItalyNorth BeachWashington SquareCity Lights Booksellers
- 2Pass byHaight-Ashbury
- 3
- 4Pass byMarina DistrictFisherman's WharfChinatown
- 5
- 6Pass byPresidio of San FranciscoGrateful Dead HouseTwin Peaks
- 7Pass byTransamerica PyramidCrissy Field
- 8Pass byLegion of HonorThe CastroColumbus AvenueHaight StreetHayes ValleyCastro Theatre
- 9Pass byGolden Gate ParkCliff House
- 10Pass bySentinel BuildingGolden Gate Park Windmills & TulipsTransamerica Redwood ParkDragon's GateThe Jimi Hendrix House
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- mollybI966ZK0 contributionsBest tour guide ever!Our tour guide was one of the best! So much nknowledge about San Francisco. I was even running a little late and he waited on me! He had handmade snacks for us to add a special touch. I would definitely book again! I was a solo traveler and I didn’t feel like an oddball.Written April 1, 2023
- taimurs20170 contributionsGraduateNatural and man-made beauty combined . San Francisco mist. Proximity to UC Berkeley campus. weather.Written September 7, 2022
- nickwidd0 contributionsBrian, the wealth of all knowledge and master guide.What a tour! What a tour guide! Brian is such a legend. Well informed, chilled, relaxing. Made a week feel like a month! His relaxing attitude and well planned trips made us feel like value for money was just amazing!! Thank you Broan, see you soon.Written March 17, 2020
- MarkR30280 contributionsCity tourHighly recommend you do this tour, Brian our guide was very knowledgeable and his humour was second to noneWritten September 21, 2019
- KS86110 contributionsDriving Tour of SanFranWhat a grand way to begin a tour of San Francisco! We enjoyed the full tour with Brian; his knowledge and ability to share it was much appreciated. Comfortable overview to select options for the remainder of the visit. Highly recommended!Written August 31, 2019
- Carolyn C0 contributionsGreat way to Tour SFBrian did a great job of showing the City of San Francisco and telling us tidbits of the history we'd not get anywhere else! Highly recommend!Written August 28, 2019
- Missie44Wildcat0 contributionsSan Francisco private tour by mini canBrian, our personal guide to the city was nothing short of fabulous. We went to most neighborhoods, toured the highlights and learned fun facts that only a native to the city would know. We HIGHLY recommend the 1/2 day mini van tour. Easy on & off and much more affordable than the hop on hop off buses.Written August 8, 2019
- Daydream071767067290 contributionsBest San Francisco TourThe driver was friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to tour with. Learned and saw so much of the city. Enjoyed the snacks and water, too.Written July 29, 2019
- 674reinhardb0 contributionsGreat Tour with great guideThe tour with Brian was really great and very infomative. We drove to places where other tours can not go. We had plenty of time at the stops and also got great snacks. Brian was very, very friendly and competent and also gave us recommendations what to visit on our further journey. We highly recommend this tour! It was really great. It is a MUST when visiting San Francisco!Written July 15, 2019
- Darrell P0 contributionsWonderful guided tour of San Francisco!This was our first trip to San Francisco. We decided to take this private tour to learn about the city and view the highlights. Brian, our guide, was excellent and the knowledge that he brings to this tour was interesting. He is very prepared including a snack box with all local snacks. This was an excellent tour and Brian makes this guided tour of San Francisco interesting and informative. He also agreed to pick up and drop off at our hotel, which helped us from having to move around the city since the trolly system was down for repairs for the short time we were in San Francisco. One of the advantages of using a private tour is the style of transportation. Brian uses a mini van which enables him to visit areas that would normally be inaccessible to larger vehicles such as a bus. We would recommend his tour, it is truly a city highlight with interesting history,Written May 27, 2019
- sharonbC3048DB0 contributionsFantastic TourThis 4 hour tour is not to be missed. Only five passengers in a very comfortable minivan make for an almost personal tour plus everyone has a window seat. Doors open on both sides for an easy in and out at the 6 different photo stops. Due to its smaller size the van can take you to places that buses and larger vehicles are not allowed. Brian has many years experience as a tour guide and has incorporated his familiarity of S.F. and his expertise as a guide into a unique and very enjoyable tour. There was so much historical, quirky and fun information in his narrative I felt I was riding with a friend, not someone I had just met. The provided local sourced snacks and water was an added bonus. Do yourself a favor and take this tour. Thank you Brian for an interesting and entertaining day!Written May 16, 2019
- Andrea T0 contributionsSkip The BusIt was a great decision to skip the big bus tour companies, and be able to see unique sights where only smaller vehicles are permitted. Being able to personally discuss the landmark sights, history, and find out about the living situations of the people in this vibrant city was the best! The local snacks were much appreciated, and the eating out tips. The weather was beautiful too.Written May 3, 2019
- Happiness365389815270 contributionsThe Best SF tour,Amazing tour of San Francisco sharing an in depth knowledge of the town and each suburb. Small van allowing access to restricted districts to show culture, architecture and scenery of hidden SF gems and the major landmarks. The whole family ( adults, teens and Children) loved every aspect of this tour including the snacks and thoroughly recommend this tour.Written April 22, 2019
- Runnergirlx20 contributionsBest And Most Comprehensive Tour Around!!!We loved this tour! All of us had been to SF before except our daughter and we saw so many things we didn’t know about or hadn’t been to before. Brian is amazing and as a local is so knowledgeable about the area. He was personable and so nice. We all learned so much about San Francisco and thoroughly enjoyed our tour. The local snacks and water provided were wonderful and yummy! The van was comfortable and clean and great for traveling in tight spaces. This tour is well worth it. Brian was easy to contact via email and responded quickly. We booked directly with him. Parking at Pier 39 was easy using Parking Whiz app to get less expensive parking.Written April 14, 2019
- Climber462947959290 contributionsGreat informative tourI went on this tour with my 12 year old nephew. Both of us thought it was great. The guide was really informative, funny and easy going. We got to see a ton of sites that we couldn’t have seen with tour buses. Definitely recommend.Written April 3, 2019
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
344 reviews
Excellent
336
Very good
4
Average
0
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0
Terrible
4
Deborah S
Sevierville, TN230 contributions
Jul 2021
I have traveled all over the world and will say that this may be the best city tour that I have ever taken on a trip. We wanted to avoid waiting for a hop on and off bus so this tour looked good. We met Brian at Pier 39 and had the best 4 hours ever as we saw the best spots in San Francisco. Brian told us stories, both of the history and current times, of San Francisco. We got good information from him that guided us for the rest of the trip in regard to where to get dropped off by cab in China Town and more. Brian even gave us local snacks in the last hour of the tour that were delightful and boosted our energy. The van was comfortable and allowed us to get into more places than a large bus would allow. There was no waiting for a bus for 30 minutes on this tour because we were constantly on the move with our own private driver and vehicle. Our guide's humor and insight to this great American city was one of the best 4 hours that I have experienced on any trip. This tour comes with my highest recommendation and I hope to do it again some day.
Written August 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SVH
5 contributions
Jun 2021
One of the best tour experiences we have ever had. Brian, our guide, is knowledgeable and personable. At most stops, in addition to giving us the usual information, he shared stories that brought the city to life. The van was comfortable and provided great views and the time passed too quickly. Worth every penny and more.
Written June 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LivinglifeinPA
Allentown, PA899 contributions
Aug 2022
We scheduled this tour for one of our first days in San Francisco and were SO glad that we did!
Brian took us to all of the various parts of the city.......gave us much-needed information that helped us throughout our time in the city. We saw so much more than we could have ever imagined!
Because of his small group size (5 or less), the tour was very personalized. Brian offered many suggestions as to where to dine/visit during our stay.
We HIGHLY recommend this tour in lieu of the Big Bus one......we were able to go into parts of the city that are not accessible by the bigger bus.
Brian took us to all of the various parts of the city.......gave us much-needed information that helped us throughout our time in the city. We saw so much more than we could have ever imagined!
Because of his small group size (5 or less), the tour was very personalized. Brian offered many suggestions as to where to dine/visit during our stay.
We HIGHLY recommend this tour in lieu of the Big Bus one......we were able to go into parts of the city that are not accessible by the bigger bus.
Written August 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lucy P
Dublin, Ireland30 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
I can highly recommend this tour.It was fantastic.We took it at the beginning of our holiday to give us a good insight of where we would like to go back to later.Brian is a wonderful guide and very easy to get along with,He was punctual,friendly,full of interesting conversation and facts.It was a very relaxing and interesting tour,The van was spotless and very comfortable.Our tour had five passangers (each with a window seat).It was a wonderful experience,Saw so many Sf truly wonderful attractions and beautiful panorama views.We had plenty of time to take pictures and plenty of time at each stop to enjoy the attractions and views,Some of my nicest photos are from this tour.It was great value and Brians snacks were delicious.It is a great tour I highly recommend it.There is no way that you would get to see all these amazing sights my yourself in half a day.So glad we took it.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheryl M
Phoenix, AZ156 contributions
Jul 2021
By far the best city tour I have done in the entire world. Brian our tour guide was fantastic - he was very knowledgeable of the entire city but also of the surrounding area. Both with history and current events. It was a 4 hour tour, which is unheard of for this price. He is able to go to parts of town that the big buses cannot. Comfortable seating and stopped several times for viewing and pictures. He was able to answer any questions. I would do this tour again the next time in San Francisco, because he filled us with so much information I cannot do it justice to repeat to others.
Written August 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel P
2 contributions
Aug 2021
Brain was very knowledgeable of the city and gave great insight on places to go and history of the areas we went to. I would definitely recommend this tour if it's your first time in the city and you are wondering where you should spend your time for the rest of your stay! The snacks provided were amazing, and everyone that was on our tour was also extremely kind and easy to get along with. It was a great time and we really enjoyed our time on this tour!
Written August 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurel L
Hooksett, NH112 contributions
Jul 2021
This was the best tour ever!! Including my husband and myself, there were only 4 on the tour and Brian gave us his undivided attention.
First of all, the van was very comfortable and easy to get in and out of.
Brian is very experienced, having worked with National Geographic for many years, and being a resident of the city, he knows the places to go and things to see.
The tour took us to all the places listed on the description, with Brian narrating interesting facts about each place. As an added benefit, Brian had pictures on his iPad to accompany the places we visited(inside of one of the "painted ladies", a drone film of the Transamerica Pyramid). Also, being a van tour allowed us to travel down Lombard Boulevard, which larger tours are unable to do.
Brian also provided us with bottle of water, as well as a "Snack Pack" of food from the area-Boudin's bread, almonds and freshly-made tortilla chips.
Lasting 4 hours, the tour was well-worth the money. This tour should be first on your list if you are traveling to San Francisco for the first time!
First of all, the van was very comfortable and easy to get in and out of.
Brian is very experienced, having worked with National Geographic for many years, and being a resident of the city, he knows the places to go and things to see.
The tour took us to all the places listed on the description, with Brian narrating interesting facts about each place. As an added benefit, Brian had pictures on his iPad to accompany the places we visited(inside of one of the "painted ladies", a drone film of the Transamerica Pyramid). Also, being a van tour allowed us to travel down Lombard Boulevard, which larger tours are unable to do.
Brian also provided us with bottle of water, as well as a "Snack Pack" of food from the area-Boudin's bread, almonds and freshly-made tortilla chips.
Lasting 4 hours, the tour was well-worth the money. This tour should be first on your list if you are traveling to San Francisco for the first time!
Written July 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fedtravelerfun
Washington101 contributions
Brian is a top-notch tour guide! We have been on many tours over the years and Brian is among the very best. He is very personable and has a wonderful clear speaking voice. He takes you to all the sites advertised. We were particularly lucky because it was crystal clear the whole day so fog did not impair our view once. I kidded him that he should go on Jeopardy because he seems to know everything. The van is extremely comfortable and seats 5. He provided water and snacks. He goes out of his way to provide great healthy snacks. Book him; I guarantee you will agree with me.
Written March 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert C
Danbury, WI1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Couples
The “Skip the Bus” tour was the best part of our San Francisco trip… (other than the Brewers beating the Giants). Brian was great and we got to see the city highlights of San Francisco and listen to his informed commentary.. I highly recommend this tour..
Written September 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica P
Holmdel, NJ21 contributions
Jul 2021 • Family
This was an incredible tour! Our guide Brian was so friendly and knowledgeable- we highly recommend this small group tour for a more personalized experience. It was reasonably priced too for a van tour . We visited all neighborhoods in San Francisco and took pictures at important spots such as the Golden Gate bridge, Painted Ladies , etc.
Written July 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi
We are planning to book the tour for 2/21.
What stops/ highlights exactly will we visit?
Thank you
Written February 11, 2020
Hello, the website outlines every site included in the tour. There are a few places you’ll be stopping at and will also be provided with a snack. This is a great tour you won’t regret taking it. Enjoy!
Written February 12, 2020
Has anyone made a booking with this company in the last week? We're wanting to book for June and the booking form isn't coming up on the website and there has been no replies to emails. Thanks!
Written January 21, 2020
The website's working. This tour was a favorite. We took our 10 year old Granddaughter and just last week her Mom told us she still is talking about things she liked and learned about the tour. That was August 2019 and it's January 2020!
Written January 23, 2020
Hello, my wife and I are planning to book this tour for December 11. But I wanted to ask how to arrange for a hotel pick up. We are staying at the Marriott Pulse, 2620 Jones St, San Francisco. Please advise. Thanks,
Sudip Jhaveri
Written November 18, 2019
Hi
Brian who takes the tours called us prior to our tour and arranged a spot to pick us up from which was just around the corner from our hotel . He will also drop you anywhere you want on your return at the end of your trip. We found Brian is a really good tour guide and will do anything to make sure you have a memorable day with him.Thanks
Paul Crosthwaite
Written November 19, 2019
We are two adults and two kids (2 and 4 years). Will they sure have an own seat?
Written November 15, 2019
If they booked they will!
Written November 15, 2019
We are first time visitors to San Francisco next April (2020) and would love to do this tour as the perfect way to check out the amazing sights of this city. Noticed that all dates from April onwards are blacked out. Is this because your tour is fully booked up or will April dates become available soon ? Thank you
Written October 26, 2019
Can’t answer the question. Need to talk to tour operator.
Written October 26, 2019
We would like to take this tour after a cruise. Do you have accomadations for luggage?
Written October 6, 2019
Possibly! For how many people/bags?
Written October 7, 2019
Hi. We are a family of 4. Interested in availability afternoon August 22nd. Thanks!
Written August 18, 2019
There’s a check availability calendar on the bus tour home page. I’m not sure Brian gets notifications for questions from Trip Advisor.
Written August 18, 2019
Hi. We are 4. Want to book a tour for the 9th of August. Did write before. Please reply ASAP. Thanks.
Written August 6, 2019
Hi! Thanks for reaching out. This tour fills up fast. The morning tour is full but if you like I can open up the afternoon tour.
Written August 6, 2019
Hi! I want to book for July 22. It would be for 2 adults and a 5 year old. I want to know if we can still reserve that date since Im seeing there's already 3 people that made a reservation. Please let me know asap. Thank you
Written June 18, 2019
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.