Experience San Francisco's colorful past as you travel through history:
- from the first settlements of Native
Americans to a cosmopolitan city of beautiful architecture,
- from the Wild West and the frenzied days of the "Gold Rush"
to the vibrant culture that flourishes today.
Be awe-inspired by the magnificence of the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy the lush gardens of Golden Gate Park. Travel past
spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.
On your tour you will see Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, Victorian homes, Presidio National Park, Palace of Fine Arts,
and North Beach. With stops at the Golden Gate Bridge, Twin Peaks (weather permitting), City Hall, Golden Gate Park, and more.
Enjoy wireless, hands-free audio entertainment where your imagination flourishes and the adventure lies ahead.
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| Tour include: |
| • Chinatown, |
| • Fisherman's Wharf, |
| • Victorian Homes, |
| • Golden Gate Park, |
| • Palace of Fine Arts, |
| • North Beach, |
| • Presidio National Park, |
| • Awe-inspiring views of Alcatraz, and the Pacific Ocean. |
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>>> click here for more details about Ultimate City tour
A typical day in San Francisco finds the fog pouring into the Golden Gate, cable cars climbing the steep
hills, and automobiles twisting their way down Lombard Street, the "crookedest street in the world".
Your tour of this magnificent city begins at Fisherman's Wharf, home to crab boats and the fishing
fleet and some of the best seafood restaurants in the world. From the Wharf, you will travel past the
Hyde Street Pier and National Maritime Museum, Ghirardelli Square, and Lombard Street. From the
Wharf, residential neighborhoods spread out in every direction, covering the seven hills that make up the
city. Traveling through the Marina District, you will pass the Palace of Fine Arts and the Presidio of San
Francisco, a former Army garrison now turned into a National Park. The Golden Gate Bridge, San
Francisco's famous icon, comes into view. This is the first stop on your tour, and you will have ample time
to take photos. Following the rugged coastline west of the bridge, your tour will take you through forested
parklands and upscale residential neighborhoods. You will pass the famous Cliff house and Ocean Beach
before entering San Francisco's playground, Golden Gate Park. The park encompasses 1,017 acres, it is
three miles long, one-half mile wide, and stretches from the Pacific Ocean into the center of the city.
Home to many museums, gardens,and outdoor recreation activities, the park boasts 6,000 varieties
of plants. As you travel through the park, you will see the recently restored Conservatory of Flowers
and Japanese Tea Garden.
Leaving Golden Gate Park, you will travel through the Sunset District's orderly row houses. Built on sand
dunes as the city expanded westward, these neighborhoods have a diverse ethnic population, ranging
from Russian and Eastern European to Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. The district's most prominent
landmark is the red Sutro Tower, which provides television and radio service to the city. Turning onto a
winding boulevard, you will climb to one of the highest points in the city, Twin Peaks. From this vantage
point you will have a 360º panoramic view of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay communities
(weather permitting).
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Add a ferry ride to Alcatraz Island and audio walking tour of the "Cell Block".
This former federal penitentiary also known as "The Rock" housed gangsters such as Al Capone (Scarface)
and "Machine Gun" Kelly. Learn about the famous "Escape from Alcatraz", its famous inmates and much more!
| The Alcatraz island tour includes: |
| • Ferry ride from Pier 33 to The Rock |
| • An award-winning Alcatraz island audio tour |
| • A guided tour of the cell blocks and grounds of Alcatraz prison |
| • Visits to the Alcatraz prison museum and gift shop. |
Retail Alcatraz Island ticket price $26/adult and $16/child is included in tour package price.
>>> click here for more details about Alcatraz Tour
Alcatraz Island Tour includes:
• award-winning Cell House audio tour,
• ferry ride to Alcatraz from Pier 33 at Fisherman's Wharf,
• tour of cellblock and grounds,
• orientation video, museum, and gift shop.
Out in the middle of San Francisco Bay, the island of Alcatraz is a world unto itself. Isolation, one of the
constants of island life for any inhabitant - soldier, guard, prisoner, Indian, bird, or plant - is a
recurrent theme in the unfolding history of Alcatraz.
Alcatraz Island is one of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area's most popular destinations, offering
a close-up look at a historic and infamous federal prison long off-limits to the public. Visitors to the
island can not only explore the remnants of the prison, but can also learn about the Indian occupation
of 1969-1971, early military fortifications (the first U.S. fort on the West Coast), and the West
Coast's first (and oldest operating) lighthouse. These structures and the island's many natural features -
gardens, tide pools, bird colonies, and bay views beyond compare - are being preserved by the National Park
Service, which is working to make it accessible to visitors, preserve its buildings, protect wildlife,
and interpret its history.
Alcatraz Island was named by Spanish explorers and means "pelican". The Island was first a military
fortress built to protect the gold bullion that flowed through San Francisco after the gold discovery of
1849. Later it became a military prison and then a maximum-security federal penitentiary. Born of
necessity, Alcatraz represents the federal government's response to post-prohibition, post-depression
America. In 1934 the Bureau of Prisons opened Alcatraz, creating a special prison for kidnappers,
racketeers, bank robbers, murderers, and individuals guilty of predatory crimes. Isolated and remote,
Alcatraz made it impossible for those confined within its walls to communicate with the outside world.
Alcatraz housed 1,545 inmates in 378 cells. Ninety officers were required to cover the three 8-hour
shifts guarding the prisoners.
Famous prisoners that called Alcatraz home included: Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Robert
"The Birdman" Stroud, and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, the driver for notorious bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde.
After serving as a prison for 59 years, Alcatraz was closed in 1963 and prisoners were moved to a new
prison in Marion, Illinois.
Today Alcatraz is San Francisco's most popular attraction. Over 1.5 million visitors tour "The Rock"
each year. On your tour, you will take a short ferry ride from Pier 33 at Fisherman's Wharf to the island.
The tour starts with an orientation video; you will then have the opportunity to tour the island and
cellblock at your own pace. National Park Service Rangers offer interpretive talks on the history, flora,
and fauna of the island. The self-guided tour of the cellblock features an award-winning audio narration.
At the conclusion of the tour, you will have time to visit the museum and bookstore. On most days there is
a former guard or inmate present signing books they have authored, and they are always happy to tell you
about their time on "The Rock".
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Credit card authorization required for pre-payment and confirmation of this tour.
Your tour will be confirmed within 3 to 5 business days.
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