Private Guide SF
Private Guide SF
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About
Private Guide SF is the leader in private tours here in San Francisco. I offer private tours geared toward your travel needs at a reasonable cost. I always strive to, “Exceed the expectations of my guests.” Your customized tour includes a free consultation by phone or e-mail so that I can design your itinerary with you. This is free of charge and something you will not get from other local guides. I am a professional photographer and marine mammal care specialist. In addition to my tours, I work at the Marine Mammal Center taking care of rescued seals and sea lions. In addition, I have extensive hands on knowledge of whales, dolphins, sharks, sea otters etc. I will be happy to take you to spots where you can see and even interact with some of the marine life in the area. Compare the level of service I offer versus other companies. Pending on your individual requests, each tour comes with: - Customized tour via a consultation over the phone or by e-mail. (Whichever is best for you) - Full booking assistance and advice for planning your trip to the San Francisco area. - Fresh brewed illy Coffee kept piping hot in Yeti spill proof tumblers. - Delicious Ghiradelli Hot Chocolate kept piping hot in Yeti spill proof tumblers. - Cold/Room temperature high end drinking water or Sparkling water - Coke and Diet Coke - High end snacks and treats. - High powered binoculars for viewing sights and wildlife - Assistance with photographing the area if needed. - iphone charger, tissues, sun screen, bug spray, hand sanitizer, stain sticks, umbrellas etc. - Free enhancements for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations etc. I purposely charge less then other guides because I believe connecting with people from all backgrounds is more important then the money. You will truly get 5 Star service at an affordable price. I'm extremely proud of my reviews and if you think what I offer is too good to be true, please contact ANY of my past clients to see what they have to say. :) I love being an ambassador to our great city and the surrounding coastal communities. I like to say that we will meet as clients but leave as friends. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for considering me to be your guide. Be well, Brian
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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.
5.0
43 reviews
Excellent
43
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NPT
9 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
Our family was passing through San Francisco and wanted to see all the best sights, but we had limited time and wanted to be covid-safe (no group tours). I knew immediately, based on all of the wonderful reviews, that Private Guide SF was the way to go. Brian was super responsive and incredibly helpful even before we officially booked our tour, even going as far as providing travel tips and recommendations for other legs of our CA coast trip. Then, the tour itself was so far above and beyond anything we could've hoped for. He picked us up at our hotel in his beautiful, comfortable, and impeccably clean van. He presented us with welcome gifts (!!) on top of a delicious array of snacks and beverages (very much to our 14-year old's delight). We then spent the next 4+ hours thoroughly enjoying the most thoughtfully and professionally organized personal tour, thanks to Brian's warmth, humor, and vast knowledge of SF and its surrounding areas. He took us to all of the places on our list and more (including an impromptu stop at Boudin for fresh bread). We could not be more pleased. Our time with Brian was truly the highlight of our trip.
Written August 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.
dannyp2206
London, UK68 contributions
May 2017 • Family
If you are looking for a attentive, friendly, efficient guide- then Brian is your man. We were visiting San Francisco for the day as part of our cruise. As expected Brian exceeded our expectations. The tour itself was fantastic and informative. And extra gems enhanced the experience, the addition of snacks and drinks was a lovely touch! We learnt so much on the tour and was taken to some amazing places to get some great photos. We all thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would not hesitate in recommending Brian to others. Thank you Brian for making our very limited time in San Francisco so enjoyable and memorable.
Written May 15, 2017
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 Danielle. Thank you for writing an awesome review. You have travelled the world extensively so your review means so much to me. I appreciate you and hope to see you when I'm in London next year. I'm hoping you will share some of your secret spots :) Haaaaaaaa Please say hello to the family and give them my best.
Your friend, Brian
Written May 15, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
spike5882
San Jose, CA211 contributions
Oct 2015 • Couples
I had some relatives in town for my wedding, and they had never been to the area. I hired Brian to give us a tour of SF, and they all raved about him! He went out of his way to make sure we were all comfortable, set up an itinerary that met our needs, and guided us to some places we would not have seen other wise! Definitely highly recommend!! Thanks Brian!
Written February 29, 2016
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.
Susan F
1 contribution
Feb 2016 • Solo
I recently had the opportunity to spend the day in San Francisco and wanted to get in as much as possible. I phoned Brian, the owner of Private Guide SF to make arrangements. He was very professional and it was easy to work out details without any miscommunication. He was warm and friendly and had great ideas to maximize my time. I felt very comfortable spending the day with him, which as a single woman traveling alone is very, very Important!
Brian knew all the best spots as well as little known facts about the city, which is my favorite. The most important thing was he knew how to get around the city so I wasn't spending the entire time in traffic! I can't wait to come back and spend more time!!
Brian knew all the best spots as well as little known facts about the city, which is my favorite. The most important thing was he knew how to get around the city so I wasn't spending the entire time in traffic! I can't wait to come back and spend more time!!
Written February 18, 2016
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.
glocaskom
Canton, OH5 contributions
May 2019
We booked a wine country and coastal drive tour with Brian. Both tours were excellent. Brian is a great guy and very knowledgeable. He goes above and beyond. We would recommend Brian if you are looking for a private tour guide in the San Francisco area.
Written June 4, 2019
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 Gloria,
Thank you for taking the time to write this review. I had so much fun showing you and the family around our beautiful area. I am so thankful to meet guests like you that turn into friends. I will definitely hit you guys up for a re-union visit if I make to Amish country this next year. Thanks again, Brian :)
Written June 10, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Karl P
London, UK47 contributions
May 2017 • Family
A very good Tour guide. Very polite and wasn't a clock watcher. Gave us snacks and Took us to very good spots of San Franciso. If you go San Francisco I would recommend tour guide Bryan.
Written May 17, 2017
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.
Heyyyy Karl,
Thanks for taking the time to write me such a nice review. I apologize for the delay in responding but I wanted to make sure to thank you personally. Can't wait to visit you guys when I eventually get back to London. I'm sure you guys know the best places to go :) Thanks again my friend. Have a wonderful summer.
Written June 1, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jill B
Rocklin, CA5 contributions
Jan 2017 • Friends
This was my second tour with Brian of Private Guide SF and it was better than the first! This time Brian took us to unusual locations that are not ordinarily covered by tours. He has a 7 person vehicle which is small enough to go to places that larger vehicles and buses cannot. Since ABSOLUTELY recommend Brian if you are interested in a unique tour that is "outside the box."
Written January 19, 2017
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.
Thepacekeeper
Quebec City, Canada5 contributions
Dec 2016 • Solo
I had the chance to get a private evening photography tour with Brian.
From the beginning, Brian was really passionnate about his city and have a great knowledge of it. He was really flexible to adjust the tour to my kind of photography.
As he is a professional photographer, he also gave me great idea and spots that i wouldn't find on my own. His suv is clean and really convenient to visit places that bus cannot go.
I recommend this tour to everyone whatever you just want a great tour or photography tour from beginner to professionnal level.
I will book for sure next time I go to San francisco
Matt
From the beginning, Brian was really passionnate about his city and have a great knowledge of it. He was really flexible to adjust the tour to my kind of photography.
As he is a professional photographer, he also gave me great idea and spots that i wouldn't find on my own. His suv is clean and really convenient to visit places that bus cannot go.
I recommend this tour to everyone whatever you just want a great tour or photography tour from beginner to professionnal level.
I will book for sure next time I go to San francisco
Matt
Written December 27, 2016
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.
Ann P
Ashburn, VA4 contributions
Mar 2016 • Couples
Wonderful tour! We had limited time in San Francisco before boarding a cruise to Hawaii. To maximize our time in SF we hired Brian Simuro of Private Guide SF to give us a tour of the city. Our experience from the beginning was excellent. Brian worked closely with us to personalize our tour and meet our expectations. He is extremely knowledgeable about SF and the surrounding areas. His vehicle was very comfortable and because of its size, was able to visit spots where larger vans and tour buses are not allowed to go. My husband has some mobility issues and the fact that Brian had access to handicap parking made our experience even better. Brian was consistently responsive to our questions, promptly responding to our emails and readily available by phone. He also anticipates all your needs with well-supplied snacks, beverages and umbrellas or ponchos in case of rain. Brian’s superior service has given us wonderful memories of SF (including pictures he took for us and emailed to us,) but more importantly, we feel we have made a friend.
Written March 22, 2016
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 Ann,
Thank you very much for leaving this fantastic review. You and Marshall truly have a special place in my heart. I loved spending time with you guys and by the end of the day, I felt like I was hugging two close family members. I'm glad we still stay in contact and I can't wait to say hello in person when I am in your neck of the woods. Be well, Brian
Written August 21, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jason3723
1 contribution
Mar 2016 • Friends
I've lived in the Bay Area all my life and sadly haven't spent much time in San Francisco. I had a friend visiting from out of town and she had never been to SF before. I wanted her to see as much of the city as possible with a limited amount of time. The worst thing about SF is parking. So, I thought it would be a great idea to have somebody shuttle us around who knew their way around the City. Brian came highly recommended from a friend and he definitely did not disappoint. He was very easy to book and quickly responded.
Brian was prompt, his SUV was very clean and well stocked with water and snacks. He quickly navigated us around the city and we saw all of the major attractions (Coit Tower, Lombard Street, the wharf, Crissy Field, Golden Gate Bridge, etc). We had a great lunch in Sausalito at a restaurant that Brian recommended. Brian's knowledge of the city and it's rich history was very impressive. The best thing about using Private Guide SF was Brian's sense of humor and his laid back personality. He was very accommodating to our requests and exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend Brian / Private Guide SF!!
Brian was prompt, his SUV was very clean and well stocked with water and snacks. He quickly navigated us around the city and we saw all of the major attractions (Coit Tower, Lombard Street, the wharf, Crissy Field, Golden Gate Bridge, etc). We had a great lunch in Sausalito at a restaurant that Brian recommended. Brian's knowledge of the city and it's rich history was very impressive. The best thing about using Private Guide SF was Brian's sense of humor and his laid back personality. He was very accommodating to our requests and exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend Brian / Private Guide SF!!
Written March 20, 2016
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 Jason,
Thanks for taking the time to write this kind review. I really enjoyed spending the day with you guys. It felt like we had been friends for years....Haaaaa Hope to see you on your next trip to SF. I have even more hidden gems to impress you with. Be well, Brian
Written August 21, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi,
What date are you looking for?
Thanks,
Brian
Written December 24, 2019
How do I go about starting the booking process with you??
Written May 14, 2018
Good morning,
Thank you for contacting me regarding a tour. TripAdvisor has removed websites from all the businesses to push their relationship with Viator. In fact they won’t even allow me to include my email address or website in this reply. Please search my company name on Google and it will pop right up or you can text or call me at 415-810-7676.
Thanks,
Brian
Written May 15, 2018
i will be in San francisco on July 2nd and would like a private tour aimed for myself and my 17 year old daughter and 13 year old son.
what could you do?
Written February 28, 2016
Dear Brian
thank you for the idea of Santa Cruz I will definitely make sure we stop there on our way up.
Sorry i've taken so long I'm still trying to organise my trip.
I'll come back to you.
rosie
Written May 13, 2016
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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.