Tours and Tickets
Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour provided by Painted Ladies Tour Company
Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour
Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour
5
Book in advance
from
$85.00
per adultReserve now & pay later: Save your spot free of charge with flexible booking.
99% of travelers recommend this experience
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Full view
Tour snapshot
Travel through classic San Francisco neighborhoods on a small-group vintage VW bus adventure
Duration:
2h
Taking Covid-19 safety measures
Group size:
8
Stroller accessible
Ticket type:
Mobile
Free cancellation
- Duration:2h
- Taking Covid-19 safety measures
- Group size:8
- Stroller accessible
- Ticket type:Mobile
- Free cancellation
About
Immerse yourself in the past on a vintage Volkswagen Bus tour of the retro side of San Francisco. The bus visits parts of the city that aren’t accessible on larger buses and carries no more than seven passengers, creating a friendly vibe onboard. Plus, the tour is complete with theme music from the ‘60s and ‘70s and a guide to share stories about the alternative side of the city.
Know before you go
- Duration: 2h
- Mobile tickets accepted
- Instant confirmation
Cancellation policy
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Available languages
English
Highlights
- The retro bus makes a great backdrop for photos in front of the Golden Gate Bridge and Painted Ladies
- Choose between multiple start times and pickup at Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square
- Complete the experience with craft beer and local wine (included on afternoon tours)
- Choose between a shared tour or a private tour for up to 6 people
What to expect
Know before you go
- Duration: 2h
- Mobile tickets accepted
- Instant confirmation
Available languages
English
Cancellation policy
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Highlights
- The retro bus makes a great backdrop for photos in front of the Golden Gate Bridge and Painted Ladies
- Choose between multiple start times and pickup at Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square
- Complete the experience with craft beer and local wine (included on afternoon tours)
- Choose between a shared tour or a private tour for up to 6 people
What to expect
Need help booking?
Call the number below and use the product code: 75013P1
Important information
Inclusions
- Small group tour
- Professional Tour Guide
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- Local Bottled Craft beer and Wine on the afternoon tours
- Access to local vintage points where large buses are banned from
- Alcoholic Beverages
Exclusions
- Gratuities
Duration
2h
Departure details
- 427 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA Union Square Pickup location: 427 Post Street, right across from Morton's Steakhouse . Please arrive 10 min prior so we can leave the tour in time. Thank you!
- 1300 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA 1300 Columbus Ave, directly in front of Hotel Caza on the sidewalk in the white loading zone. If you are standing with the hotel to your back, to the right is a small park and to the left you will see the pyramid building in the distance.
Additional information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Minimum number of 3 people applies. There is a possibility of cancellation or rebooking to another time after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Portable wheelchair ok
- Booster seats are available on request if advised at time of booking
- Recommended tip amount :$15-$20 per passenger. (Did you know that tips make up a large amount of our tour guide income in the US?)
- Note that each vehicle seats up to 7 people total. We can still accommodate larger groups seated in separate vehicles.
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Everyone in your group needs to complete our digital waiver.
- Anyone showing symptoms of COVID 19, including fever, cough or shortness of breath won’t be able to participate.
- Everyone will be required to wear a mask while inside the bus. We will have extra masks for purchase in case you have forgotten yours. Hand sanitizer will be provided.
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
Inclusions
- Small group tour
- Professional Tour Guide
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- Local Bottled Craft beer and Wine on the afternoon tours
- Access to local vintage points where large buses are banned from
- Alcoholic Beverages
Exclusions
- Gratuities
Departure details
- 427 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA Union Square Pickup location: 427 Post Street, right across from Morton's Steakhouse . Please arrive 10 min prior so we can leave the tour in time. Thank you!
- 1300 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA 1300 Columbus Ave, directly in front of Hotel Caza on the sidewalk in the white loading zone. If you are standing with the hotel to your back, to the right is a small park and to the left you will see the pyramid building in the distance.
Duration
2h
Return details
- Returns to original departure point
Additional information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Minimum number of 3 people applies. There is a possibility of cancellation or rebooking to another time after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Portable wheelchair ok
- Booster seats are available on request if advised at time of booking
- Recommended tip amount :$15-$20 per passenger. (Did you know that tips make up a large amount of our tour guide income in the US?)
- Note that each vehicle seats up to 7 people total. We can still accommodate larger groups seated in separate vehicles.
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Everyone in your group needs to complete our digital waiver.
- Anyone showing symptoms of COVID 19, including fever, cough or shortness of breath won’t be able to participate.
- Everyone will be required to wear a mask while inside the bus. We will have extra masks for purchase in case you have forgotten yours. Hand sanitizer will be provided.
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
Travel safe during COVID-19
Last updated: Aug 7, 2021
A note from Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour
https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/w/60ec9f44bb43a/web
Above is the link to our digital waiver please copy and paste the link to your web browser. Please have everyone in your group sign the waiver separately and complete them as soon as you book.
Thank you!
What you can expect during your visit
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
What you can expect during your visit
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Contactless payment for gratuities and add-ons
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
Itinerary
- You’ll have 2 starting optionsSee Important Information for details
- Pass byHaight-AshburyUnion SquareCivic Center
- 1Palace of Fine Arts TheatreStop: 5 minutesSee details
- 2Painted LadiesStop: 5 minutesSee details
- 3Golden Gate BridgeStop: 10 minutesSee detailsPass byLombard StreetChinatownGolden Gate ParkPresidio of San FranciscoNorth BeachHayes ValleyWestern AdditionMarina District
- You'll return to the starting point
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
547 reviews
Excellent
518
Very good
24
Average
4
Poor
1
Terrible
0
S&S Travel
Oakland, CA9 contributions
Jul 2021
Our tour of San Francisco with Painted Ladies in July was fabulous. Rave reviews from both teenagers and adults! A month later, our niece is still showing off photos of her visit to San Francisco, and the bus with Eyelashes!
Our 13 year old niece and 17 year old nephew visited us from the midwest for a week in Oakland, just across the Bay from SF. Being familiar with SF, I normally drive and act as tour guide for visitors. This time, I decided to have others do the driving as well as conduct the tour so I could relax and learn more about this wonderful city. What a smart decision!
Over the phone, I scheduled the private tour in one of the Painted Ladies vintage VW buses. There was a mix of things that we wanted to see, including murals in The Mission, other street art, Lombard Street, some of the fancy mansions, a view of the Golden Gate Bridge from below, and the list went on… When Josh, the owner, called to confirm the itinerary, we brainstormed about the possibilities and he had some great suggestions. One of them was to drive through the Haight Ashbury neighborhood, which I assumed would be of no interest to the kids. Josh was spot on: The teens loved it.
On tour day, it was cold and windy: in other words a typical summer day in San Francisco and the type of day that would have made riding the top level of a Hop-On/Off bus bone-chilling. On the other hand, riding in the VW bus, Pearl, was perfect, AND having a driver waiting patiently while we walked around and saw the sites was ideal. In addition to our agreed-upon destinations, Josh showed us hidden gems that were great for teens and I had no idea existed. Through the whole process, Josh and his team were excellent, making the tour truly memorable! We all thought it was the best tour ever!
Our 13 year old niece and 17 year old nephew visited us from the midwest for a week in Oakland, just across the Bay from SF. Being familiar with SF, I normally drive and act as tour guide for visitors. This time, I decided to have others do the driving as well as conduct the tour so I could relax and learn more about this wonderful city. What a smart decision!
Over the phone, I scheduled the private tour in one of the Painted Ladies vintage VW buses. There was a mix of things that we wanted to see, including murals in The Mission, other street art, Lombard Street, some of the fancy mansions, a view of the Golden Gate Bridge from below, and the list went on… When Josh, the owner, called to confirm the itinerary, we brainstormed about the possibilities and he had some great suggestions. One of them was to drive through the Haight Ashbury neighborhood, which I assumed would be of no interest to the kids. Josh was spot on: The teens loved it.
On tour day, it was cold and windy: in other words a typical summer day in San Francisco and the type of day that would have made riding the top level of a Hop-On/Off bus bone-chilling. On the other hand, riding in the VW bus, Pearl, was perfect, AND having a driver waiting patiently while we walked around and saw the sites was ideal. In addition to our agreed-upon destinations, Josh showed us hidden gems that were great for teens and I had no idea existed. Through the whole process, Josh and his team were excellent, making the tour truly memorable! We all thought it was the best tour ever!
Written September 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
JaM W
Sterling, VA10 contributions
Jun 2022
The Painted Ladies Tour Company was recommended to us by friends who had taken the tour and they loved it. So we booked them for a San Francisco tour and it was great. Our Driver and Tour Guide “Gurkan” was knowledgeable, well-spoken and entertaining. He was already at the pickup point when we arrive about 20 minutes early. There were seven of us on the tour and we all loved their signature classic VW tour bus which had plenty of room for our group. The tour incorporated both the history of San Francisco along with seeing the sights. We gave the Painted Ladies Tour Company 5 Stars, because there was no downside. We have already highly recommend the Painted Ladies Tour to several of our friends who are planning a trip to San Francisco.
Written June 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Gina C
Charlotte, NC2 contributions
May 2022 • Solo
This was a lot of fun and I highly recommend doing this if you want to get a tour of the city and be with a tour guide that gives you history during the drive. Our guide, Caio was awesome. He was social, funny, and engaged with the whole group. He offered to take pictures of us and let us walk around for a bit with each stop we took. We also were able to enjoy the Golden Gate Bridge view with a beer. This will not disappoint!
Written May 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
mchassard
Charlotte, NC5 contributions
Jun 2022
Our driver Caio did a great job, was energetic, informative and funny. The tour covered a lot of the city, recommend doing it your first day there to know what areas you want to re-visit. The route gets you around the landmarks while avoiding traffic/down time, and there are 3 stops where you can get pics and stretch. Fun music to go with landmarks as well.
Written June 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Bridget D
Orlando, FL7 contributions
Apr 2022
My girlfriends and I only had 1 day in San Francisco, so we wanted to make the most of it. Booking this tour was the best decision we could've made. In just a few hours, we saw some of the most iconic areas in the city, all while cruising around in the cutest vintage VW van. Our guide, Armando, was fabulous. He was engaging, knowledgeable, funny, and most importantly - took some incredible photos that we'll have as memories forever! Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting San Francisco, especially if you're trying to explore the city in a short timeframe.
Written May 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
acaraway
Fort Worth, TX2 contributions
Nov 2021 • Friends
The painted ladies tour in San Fran is one of the cutest and most economical ways to explore San Fran and surrounding wine country. We toured with Cousin Al and he literally made our trip. He was knowledgeable, personable and funny — he felt like one of the gang. We started off by sightseeing some hot spots in San Francisco proper to include the Golden Gate Bridge. The company arranged and took care of each of our winery tastings and we were just along for the ride with our new BFF Cousin Al. Ample opportunities for group photos were given both in the city and wineries, the 1970s VW does come equipped with Bluetooth and usb chargers so you can rock out to your favorite music along the way. This tour and Al went above and beyond to make sure all of us were having the best time. If I could take this tour every single day of my life I would. COUSIN AL FOR PRESIDENT 2024.
Written November 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
George T
Knoxville, TN50 contributions
Aug 2021 • Solo
Just Went with Painted Ladies Tours on 2 Tours over this last weekend. Took the San Francisco Tour with Sam and the Sonoma Wine Tour with Gürkan. I Highly Recommend Painted Ladies tours for their Informative Insight and History into the Local Neighborhoods and the Folks that make up San Francisco.The fact that you get to travel San Francisco and Beyond in A Vintage Vw Bus is a Must for those looking to see the City than a big bus tour, How Many Folks can say they’ve rode in Vintage Vw down Lombard Street.For those Looking for a Different Way to Visit San Francisco or The Sonoma Wine Country tasting good Wines with Good Friends,Then look no Further to Painted Ladies Tour Company on your next visit to San Francisco
Written August 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Carolina P
Elmont, NY1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Solo
Cousin Al for the win!! I loved this tour! Cousin Al was very informative and knowledgeable, he knew so many cool things about every part of the city. I would recommend this tour bus to anyone visiting SF because they take you through parts of the city that a big bus can’t really enter because it wouldn’t fit. The playlist on the bus was also very good and it paired up so well with every part of the tour. Thank you painted ladies tour, I had a blast.
Written July 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lucas M
1 contribution
Mar 2020
My fiance and I went on the Painted Ladies Tour and it was an absolutely great time! We had a lot of places we wanted to see (Lombard Street, Twin Peaks, etc.) that we were able to see on this tour instead of making an additional trip to each one which saved us a ton of time. It's a great thing to do at the beginning of your trip as well as gives you some additional ideas on places to see throughout the city. Our driver, Dave, was fantastic. He knew a lot about the city and the history as he has lived in SF for almost 40 years. He brought a lot of personality and personal stories to make the tour even more interesting. 110% percent worth the cost and time and I would recommend this tour to anyone who visits San Francisco.
Written March 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rosie B
1 contribution
Nov 2021 • Family
We loved Traveling all over San Francisco in that darling pink bus named Rosie. Sami was our tour guide. She was funny, informative, and never stopped giving us information throughout the whole tour. So many tours I’ve been on the tour guide seems to just quit participating the last hour or so. But not Sami, she just kept us going and laughing and enjoying the city. She brought a new light and a new understanding to this city by the bay.
Even though this was not a private tour, the bus only holds about seven people. So it felt semi private. Plus it gave us an opportunity to meet nice people from other states that were enjoying the tour as much as us.
The bus is definitely old. It’s an original from the 70’s. So if you’re looking for comfort this is not for you. But if you’re just looking for a lot of fun, this is it.
Even though this was not a private tour, the bus only holds about seven people. So it felt semi private. Plus it gave us an opportunity to meet nice people from other states that were enjoying the tour as much as us.
The bus is definitely old. It’s an original from the 70’s. So if you’re looking for comfort this is not for you. But if you’re just looking for a lot of fun, this is it.
Written January 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
cocot1919
Bayside, NY10 contributions
Are there any rest stops for bathroom breaks?
Catherine T
2 contributions
Yes- we stopped a couple of times, about midway through the tour and once more closer to the end.
Hi we are very interested in this tour because of the VW VAN! OMG!!!! So fun! We will have our Fuller House obsessed 11 year old daughter with us....any chance we could take a short detour to the house? Or to the Mrs. Doubtfire House?? :) We are flying up from San Diego for the Chinese New Year Parade and won't have a car.
Christina K
Waterbury, CT31 contributions
I don't think we did but if you ask they'll be more than happy to accommodate :)
kewpie7
Tallahassee, Florida
Is the age limit 64? That appears to be the case when I click on check availability
Recommended tip amount :$15-$20 per passenger. (Did you know that tips make up a large amount of our tour guide income in the US?)
Why do you expect a $20 tip? What is that 23%! Do you not pay your employees enough? I am shocked that your employees wages come from force donations from your customers. Is this a great way to avoid paying taxes?
What the hell do you mean tips are your tour guides income? Disguising greed
Bruce M
5 contributions
Understand you kindly offer a military discount on your SF City Tour? May I ask what that discount is, please? Thank you.
TJ H
Perrysburg, OH418 contributions
Looking to do a tour when we are there later this year. In the description it mentions a stop in Haight. Is this stop anywhere near The Dead's old house? I'm a huge Dead Head and would love a photo op.
Jeanie W
Ballwin, MO
I've had to cancel reservation due to the corona virus outbreak. No refund? Is there any way to receive a credit for future use? I am hoping to reschedule trip this summer.
Josh A
San Francisco, CA3 contributions
Hi there!
We are so sorry of what has been going on. We are working with Viator and Trip advisor for a smoother process to get your refund back. When u have booked with us directly it is easier to get your refund as with Viator we don’t have your money untill The end of the month you are set to do the tour so please hang in there and we are doing everything in our power to get your refund back. AND PLEASE don’t forget that we are the small mom and pop business and that we are hurtin pretty bad. We would appreciate if you were to accept a credit for future use instead of refunds, but we also understand it that it is impacting you too. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have brought to you and if you did not get your refund please send us an email
We will do our very best to get to you. Our staff is working non stop and so do we.
We know this too shall pass as this is not our first disaster we have experienced in CA. Please be safe and be well and treasure your friends and family and grandparents.
We will do everything in our power to stay afloat. Even if it means we get a loan to pay you all back. We are committed to you our customers and we appreciate your patience and generosity.
See you on the other side very soon!!
Painted ladies team
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator.
By: Painted Ladies Tour Company
R3412XUrick
00Great tour.
Had a great time. Glad to hear that the brakes had been updated on the VW van! Guide was very knowledgeable and e…
kevinyS9584SM
00Great Experience
Tour was a great experience. Guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Being a smaller tour bus it was a more in…
rebeccagA3509EX
00Awesome
Knowledgeable and kind…highly recommend to take your first set in the city as we received lots of tips for the rest…
CTF56003
00Great tour
We really enjoyed our tour and learned so much. Lots of laughs along the way too. Great experience for all!
bschulzz90
00Painted Ladies Wine Tour - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
If you are planning a trip to San Francisco, you MUST book a tour with Painted Ladies. This is a unique tour experi…
Kruisersmobilebar
00Gürken was the BEST!
Our driver Gürken was the best! We had an amazing time. The wineries were amazing. Gürken even treated us to an app…
MadcitySRJ
00Happy in Frisco
Great tour of San Francisco! We lived in Bay Area decades ago and have visited several times since leaving. But …
awsmbomb
00Tour SF in Style
My wife and I are not fans of tours but this was such a unique experience we had to do it. It did not disappoint! G…
jascas07
00Fantastic Tour and energy
I booked Painted Ladies for a team offsite and they were super accommodating to our schedule and needs. Their energ…
Natalie R
00Fun, and fun educational and worthy.
Wasn’t sure what to expect, but this was an awesome day filled with fun, laughs, and great wine and food. This woul…
TVDad
00Fun, Frivolous way to see San Francisco
A spectacular way to see San Francisco, in style, if you can afford it. We had a vintage VW bus to ourselves to tou…
Chris P
00A must do tour
We really enjoyed the entire experience from pick up to drop off. The VW was a nice touch and allowed us to avoid l…
Kaye H
00Great way to see the city!
Just having one day in San Francisco, this was a fun informative way to see the main sights of the city. We enjoye…
X2251UJsarahg
00The perfect day!
The wine tour was the highlight of my trip to San Francisco. It was a small group of six people, plus our fantasti…
Earpo
00Great tour!
Cousin Al tailored our tour exactly as we had hoped! Very friendly and personable. Highly recommend.
Frequently Asked Questions about Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour
- During this experience, places you will visit include:Discover and book Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour on Tripadvisor
- Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour price starts from $85.00. Discover and book Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour on Tripadvisor
- Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour on Tripadvisor
- Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour is hosted by Painted Ladies Tour Company. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Painted Ladies Tour Company on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour on Tripadvisor