San Francisco in Full: A Small-Group Tour of City Highlights plus Afternoon Trip to Alcatraz
Quick Tour Details
Meeting Point: Pickup at downtown SF Hotels/Homeshares.
Start Time: Approximately 10am, depending on location.
Duration: Approximately 7 hours.
End Point: Pier 33 (Alcatraz Ferry Landing)
Group Size: 12 passengers maximum.
Alcatraz Inclusions: Same-day ferry tickets to Alcatraz Island, Day Tour access to the cellhouse Building and island grounds, award-winning Alcatraz prison audio tour '“Doing Time”, return ferry passage to the City.
City Tour Inclusions: Professional Guide; Custom built, open-sided tour van; Warm blankets for foggy days.
Itinerary Covers major landmarks like The Golden Gate Bridge, Alamo Square Painted Ladies, Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury, and much more. Tour finishes with passage to Alcatraz!
Experience San Francisco’s highlights and Alcatraz at a comfortable pace, even if you only have one day.
Ferry tickets to Alcatraz sell out far in advance — book now to guarantee yours.
One Tour Per Day: It’s fun, friendly, and never quite the same - but sells out fast.
Free cancellation up to 24-hours in advance
Book direct for the guaranteed lowest price and no hidden fees.
Book 60 Days in advance for 10% off
Adults (age 18+) $195.95pp
Young Adults (age 12-17) $182.95pp
Children (age 5-11) $182.95
Tots (age <5) $70
These prices include the ticket prices for Alcatraz: $47.95 for 12+, $29.15 ages 5-12, kids under 5 no additional cost. City tour guide does not accompany guest to Alcatraz Island.
Additional Tour Features
Open-sided Woody van
Enjoy unobstructed views and feel the breeze on your face as the city comes alive. It’s a fun, immersive way to see San Francisco you won’t get on a regular bus.
From the Golden Gate Bridge to hidden murals and pastel-painted Victorians, your camera will love the views. You’ll capture authentic San Francisco moments that go beyond typical tourist snapshots.
You’ll hear stories that make the city come alive and laugh along the way. The guide’s local tips help you see San Francisco like a native.
Small, friendly groups
You’ll feel like you’re exploring the city with friends, not strangers. The tour pace allows time to linger, ask questions, and share laughs together.
The day unfolds around what your group finds most exciting. You can explore streets, neighborhoods, or quirky corners that interest you most.
Sing along to cable car jingles, taste fresh fortune cookies, or pause at surprising movie locations. You’ll leave with stories and moments you’ll remember for years.
Explore Alcatraz the Same Afternoon
Step off the ferry and explore Alcatraz Island on your own terms. You decide how long to linger in the cellhouse, walk the grounds, or enjoy the views back to the city.
Skip the hassle of separate bookings—your ticket is included, so you can enjoy a seamless transition from city tour to island exploration right after your city tour.
The famous “Doing Time” audio tour guides you through the prison cellhouse with stories from former inmates and guards—bringing history to life in a way no guide can replicate.
You won’t believe how much more there is to “The Rock” until you step onto Alcatraz yourself
Spend a full day discovering San Francisco’s sights, sounds, and flavors, all at a relaxed pace. Feel the wind in your hair as we drive through the hills and catch breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge and downtown skyline. Turn down alleys in Chinatown and savor fresh fortune cookies straight from the oven, or breathe in the rich aroma of baked bread in North Beach. Laugh with your fellow travelers as we sing along to the Rice-A-Roni jingle, marvel at the colorful Painted Ladies, and explore the eclectic streets of Haight-Ashbury. When afternoon arrives, step onto the ferry to Alcatraz, feel the salt air on your face, and immerse yourself in the island’s compelling history with the award-winning self-guided audio tour. Every stop is full of small, memorable moments—surprises, stories, and vistas that leave you smiling, inspired, and connected to the city. By the end of the day, you’ll have experienced San Francisco in full, from iconic sights to hidden gems, all in one seamless adventure.
What My Previous Guests Are Saying
“We took Eric’s tour to make the most of our very brief stay in San Francisco. Everything was well organised and communicated in advance and the tour itself was delightful. Eric was able to tell us the history of the city, answering all our niggling questions about when and why things had happened. We were taken to beautiful vantage points and very interesting city areas. All delivered with great humour & wit … the tour made our day so valuable. Thank you Eric !”
“Eric is an amazing guy and great tour guide. From the moment he greeted us in the hotel lobby to the time he dropped us at Alcatraz, he was smiley, happy and friendly. His tour was informative, interesting and humorous. I would highly recommend this tour.”
““This was the perfect activity to do in a new city for my husband and I. Eric was a wonderful guide and showed us some very special areas around the city including the Golden Gate Bridge, Seven Sisters and Haight-Ashbury. His knowledge of the city and its history is amazing. He dropped us off to our Alcatraz tour in good time. Would definitely recommend when visiting San Francisco.” ”
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I will drop you off at Pier 33 near Fisherman’s Wharf to take the boat out to Alcatraz where you can visit at your leisure, returning on any of the boats running every 30-minutes. When you return to Pier 33, Fisherman’s Wharf area hotels are a short walk away as is Pier 39. There are many transportation options to make your way back to other hotel districts. Fogcutter Tours will not be waiting at the pier for transportation. Please let me know if you would like a dinner recommendation or directions back to where you are staying!
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I will drop you off after your city tour in time for the 2:45pm ferry out to Alcatraz. Most guests take three hours total to visit the island and are back on shore by 5:45. Return ferries depart the island every 30 minutes, and you can take which ever you like to return later or a little earlier.
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Yes! The included tickets to Alcatraz include ferry passage to the island, full access to to the exterior parts of the island, full access to the interior of the prison cell house, and the award-winning audio tour of the cell house called “doing time”.
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We will always stop and get out of the van at the Golden Gate Bridge and at a city skyline view point like Tank Hill or Alamo Square.
Beyond that, I like to drive through some historic neighborhoods like Chinatown, North Beach (Little Italy), the Haight-Ashbury, Pacific Heights and the Mission. We will stop and hop out of the van for short walks in these neighborhoods if there is time and interest.
If there is time and guest interest, I also like to stop at some special "secret" spots. These include the Fortune Cookie Factory in Chinatown, the the Moraga Street mosaic-tiled stairs in the Sunset, the Seward Slides in Eureka Valley, the Balmy Alley murals in the Mission, inside Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge or abandoned fortifications around the Marin Headlands above the Golden Gate Bridge.
If there is time and guest interest, I like to drive down Vermont Street, the "real crookedest street" in the City, or down a section of 22nd street that is the steepest in the City.
There is no food on Alcatraz, so I also make a stop where folks on the tour can buy some lunch. Most frequently, this is in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, which has a full service market/deli, excellent pizza slice shop, a burger place, excellent coffee, San Francisco’s only Muffaletta shop, and more!
Meet your San Francisco tour guide, Eric, and learn about how to get Alcatraz Island tickets.
