Things to Do in San Francisco

Welcome to San Francisco!

Sign up with us to take a trip through San Francisco to get a great introduction to this wonderful city!

We’ll visit all the main highlights, from the earliest history of the 1700s to the Wild West of the 1800s, the growth (and destruction) of the city in the 1900s, to the skyscrapers of today. Walking through Chinatown, North Beach/Little Italy, and the Financial District, we will show you the best of the city!

We start at the bustling Union Square, near the corner of Geary Street & Powell Street in the heart of the city. We'll wander through the streets and hidden alleyways of downtown history, and you'll hear all the fascinating tales along the way until we finish at the modern Transamerica Pyramid, at the intersection of Washington Street & Sansome Street.

Don't miss this tour for a memorable experience!

Welcome to San Francisco!

This breathtaking 1.5 mile (2.5k) walking tour of San Francisco's beautiful hidden stairways is top rated in the Bay Area and loved by both locals and tourists alike.

See gorgeous mosaic tiled steps and hear the stories behind them, then take in stunning 360° views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park and downtown San Francisco. You'll also discover beautiful neighborhoods and gardens that many locals are not aware of and that tourists rarely see.

Oh, and you might even go home with a succulent!
I'll provide commentary, context and some history along the way.

San Francisco features the USA's most architecturally unified Civic Center. The devastating 1906 earthquake and fire meant the city had to rebuild, and it did, choosing a Beaux Arts theme.

Come along on a thematic tour exploring the significance of culture and public policy in feeding a population. On this hour and a half walk we'll start at United Nations Plaza (bet you didn't know the UN came into existence in San Francisco!), then recount the story of cities and food as we amble through a farmers market, identify the statues and named buildings ringing Civic Center Plaza, and conclude by picnicking with our farmers market purchases near City Hall.

The statues and named buildings carry such stories as of liberation (Simon Bolivar), of colonization (the Pioneer Monument), while the Earl Warren Federal Office Building speaks of the USA's racially-sculpted history. There's plenty more, and all of it lends itself to  addressing the food and dignity question, "Whose land is this?"

Your guide, David, a high school history teacher, invites you to feed body and mind, giving names and stories to the granite forms of Civic Center.

If you're up for a thought-provoking two and three-quarters hours that's about ideas as much as fascinating historical figures, you'll be thrilled by the intellectual panorama presented!

In 1879 a San Francisco newspaperman and social philosopher proposed a revolutionary piece of public policy to fix the glaring wealth divide in the United States. Treat land values as community property. Within 10 years he had sold 3 million copies of his book, upset the British Empire, run for mayor of New York City as organized labor's champion, and engaged the Pope in public discourse on the rights of humanity. I refer to Henry George, today buried in the index of economic texts, but nevertheless deserving a hearing.

Come along on a walking tour surveying San Francisco social movement history on the way to introducing you to America's most important social thinker, Henry George . . . with the twist that he disputed Karl Marx's binary thinking, maintaining that the Earth constituted a distinct third leg in diagnosing the problem of the wealth divide.

On this fast-paced walk, you'll meet the Black Panthers, the American Indian Movement, the LGBTQ quest for full citizenship, the money reform dilemma, Sun Yat-sen and China's democracy movement, and many more stories of those seeking liberation in the distinctive San Francisco spirit that outrages complacency.

Along the way we'll discover a way to honor labor, humanity, and the quest for civic life.

Up through 1882 it was relatively easy to enter California without a passport. Come along on a tour exploring ten 1804-1898 stories depicting the land-grubbing mystique of California. From the czar-crossed romance of Rezanov and Concepcion to the wild gold-lust rush of 1849 to the Chinese railroad labor coolies to Frederick Jackson Turner's 1893 "The Significance of the Frontier in American History" thesis, this walk demands an explanation for the need for passports to inhabit planet Earth. From the delusional but generous Emperor Norton to the clear-eyed Henry George, San Francisco has provided a rebuke to the scandalous notion of limited world citizenship. We begin with Martin Luther King, jr's challenge, "Who's world is this, anyways?" then spend two hours to join Thomas Paine in declaring, "My attachment is to all the world, and not to any particular part." Along the way we'll track buried ships, Mark Twain's San Francisco neighborhood, the Pony Express (the early forbear of the internet!), and heaps of other true and truly relevant stories demonstrating you didn't need a passport!

For thousands of years humans have got a living by the waters of Mission Creek in San Francisco. The First People, the Ohlone, dug shellfish in the bayland muck. Along came the Spanish, and Russians, and English, and then US citizens. Each successive wave of people used the land along the creek as the center of their livelihood-getting.

Come on a tour taking a close look at land contour, street and building names, and the diversity of ethnic shops and restaurants of the western Mission District as these tell the story of how land turned into real estate reveals the transit of humanity.

This walk abounds with philosophical observations on the evolution of humanity's use of land. You'll visit San Francisco's Mission Dolores, trace the course of Mission Creek, play-act fishing for wealth, learn to "read" a city, and stop by a community garden for a bite of greens! All in the heart of a vibrant urban neighborhood!

NOTE: As part of the tour I guide you through the Ohlone Indian museum at the Mission. There is a $7/person admission charge to enter. This charge is not mine, it's the museum's, but well worth this introduction to Ohlone/Spanish era San Francisco.

Become an art critic for a day! The Mission is one of San Francisco’s less visited neighborhoods, but also one of the most vibrant, colorful and festive! Every wall comes alive with local art murals, in fact, over 2000 of them in just this district alone! From the end to end traditional murals in Clarion and Balmy Alley, to the ceiling to sidewalk, full building murals on The Women’s Center – these giant works of art make for a great day of frolicking through the busy streets of San Francisco’s Hispanic district. 
The Mission is also known to locals to have the very best Latin American and Mexican cuisine in The City by The Bay. No visit would be complete without sampling some regional specialties and the tour will make a couple stops at family owned local eateries (food not included on the tour).
History, art, culture, cuisine, and a walk that won’t cover any hills (a rare find in San Francisco!), this two hour walking tour covers a lot of territory from the South of Mission area to the historic Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores), the first building erected and the spot where San Francisco began its way to becoming a world class city!

 -------------------------------------------- 
Water and bathroom stops will be signaled along the route.
 Note: This is a walking tour. It is not recommended for very young children, those who may have a medical or heart condition, difficulty walking for long periods of time or related physical issues. Wheelchairs can be accommodated but cannot be operated by the guide. 
Dress: comfortable, easy to walk in. Sneakers, light jackets (unless it’s a very cold day), shorts and t-shirts are fine on warm days. It is recommended you always check the weather before you depart as the area has many micro climates. 

What to bring: Extra water if desired, gloves or umbrella (weather permitting), sunglasses and sunscreen is recommended. *** We will make a stop for a Latin American bite and bathroom stop. Food is not included in the tour but can be purchased separately. ***

 NOTE: This tour will not be canceled due to rain, but the route may be modified to accommodate. Please bring an umbrella if rain is expected. The tour does not supply them.

 ** RUNNING LATE? Please contact the guide if you expect to run late. Only a 15-20 minute grace period is given f no contact is made. Please be respectful of other guests waiting to take the tour.

THIS TOUR HAS A MINIMUM 2 PERSON Requirement. If you are a solo traveler, there will need to be other guests booked for the tour to commence. You will be contacted prior to the event if the minimum is not met.