San Francisco Trip Overview
Take away the uncertainty of booking a tour to Alcatraz with this package that includes Alcatraz tickets and a guided walking tour of Chinatown and North Beach. As two of the most essential neighborhoods in the “City by the Bay” follow your guide through the heart of Chinatown, visit a famed fortune cookie factory, and then wander the streets of San Francisco’s Little Italy. Set out for some time on your own to enjoy lunch in this total “foodie” neighborhood. Then, make your way to Alcatraz Landing for your ferry to the infamous island. This is the perfect way to spend the day in San Francisco – with a local at your side and your time on Alcatraz sorted!
Additional Info
Duration: 7 hours
Starts: San Francisco, United States
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore San Francisco Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting San Francisco, California, United States
Take away the uncertainty of booking a tour to Alcatraz with this package that includes Alcatraz tickets and a guided walking tour of Chinatown and North Beach. As two of the most essential neighborhoods in the “City by the Bay” follow your guide through the heart of Chinatown, visit a famed fortune cookie factory, and then wander the streets of San Francisco’s Little Italy. Set out for some time on your own to enjoy lunch in this total “foodie” neighborhood. Then, make your way to Alcatraz Landing for your ferry to the infamous island. This is the perfect way to spend the day in San Francisco – with a local at your side and your time on Alcatraz sorted!
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Chinatown, Grant Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94108
Begin your day with your local expert near Chinatown for an incredible stroll through this eclectic, historic neighborhood. Instead of sensationalizing the past (true history is sensational enough) your expert guide will lead you through the rise of the Gold Rush with its brothels and opium dens but also bring you to sites like a local pharmacy to see how Chinese medicine is still prominent. Along the way, they will point out the strictly local spots and dive deep into the past.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Stop At: Grant Avenue, San Francisco, CA
As you begin your journey into the heart of the neighborhood, learn of the flood of immigration in the mid-19th century (and why!), the thriving businesses that post up on these streets, and all the vice that followed.
Duration: 20 minutes
Pass By: Dragon’s Gate, Bush St What3words: ///also.secret.ever, San Francisco, CA 94108
Visit this traditional “Paifang” style entrance flocked by two Imperial guardian lions (shishi) protects the southern entrance into a land where wonder greets history. It is here your guide will set the stage – quickly dissecting the symbolism within its concrete.
Stop At: Old Cathedral of St. Mary, 660 California St Chinatown, San Francisco, CA 94108-2501
As you visit sites of significance such as Old St. Mary’s Cathedral and Square, your local guide will divulge the sometimes “too incredible to believe” stories and factual history paving the way for Chinatown’s significance not only in San Francisco but the story of the United States.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Chinatown Alleys, Chinatown, San Francisco, CA
Weave your way through small thoroughfares covered in old brick with ornate Chinese elements including the daily goings of the local people.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Golden Gate Fortune Cookies Co, 56 Ross Aly, San Francisco, CA 94108-1204
Cap your time with a visit to the famed Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory where warm treats await you! See these handmade cookies come off the oven and take home a custom treat just for you!
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: North Beach, North Beach, San Francisco, California
Wander into North Beach, San Francisco’s Little Italy. Hear tales of Beat Poets and the Italian immigrants who settled along the shores of San Francisco Bay.
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: City Lights Booksellers, 261 Columbus Ave North Beach, San Francisco, CA 94133-4586
Hear the story of City Lights Booksellers – who published Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” and forever influenced the 1st Amendment in the US.
Pass By: 1070 Lombard Street between Jones St and Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109
View the crooked section of the twisting Lombard Street from a vantage point over the rolling hills.
Stop At: Alcatraz Island, Pier 33, San Francisco, CA 94123
After lunch on your own in your choice of “foodie” neighborhoods, reconvene with your guide at an easy-to-locate meeting point directly across the street from Alcatraz Landing. Your guide will begin by sharing the best ways to experience the island – what to expect, secret spaces to check out, and how to plan your day. Then, after your fill of wandering the small island and taking the (excellent!) audio guide tour of the Cellhouse, return at your leisure to find a great spot to eat lunch based on the recommendations of your guide.
Duration: 2 hours
