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History Tours

The ground beneath your feet is steeped in pioneering history. From buried ships left as modern day ghosts of the 1849 Gold Rush to architectural diversity found nowhere else in the region, San Francisco's historical treasures await you.

Self Guided Tours

Unfolding the Financial District: Design adventures in San Francisco's hub

Photo of the Transamerica Pyramid among other towering buildings
Image courtesy of VoiceMap

If you love architecture, San Francisco’s most surprising landscape may be the historic Financial District. You'll discover a neighborhood inhabited by gargoyles and walruses where redwood trees hug an 850-foot pyramid, past collides with present, and busy streets pass by an alleyway lined with outdoor cafes. Allow John King, the San Francisco Chronicle’s design critic, to guide you through the truly unique architecture of Downtown SF.

Architecture Tour


Barbary Coast Trail

Map of SF's Barbary Coast Trail
Photo courtesy of Barbary Coast Trail

The Barbary Coast Trail® is a San Francisco walking tour that connects the City’s most important historic sites.

Bronze medallions and arrows set in the sidewalk guide you along the trail, drawing you into a world of gold rushers and railroad barons, writers and visionaries, shanghiers and silver kings.

Barbary Coast Trail


             


Guided Tours

City Guides Financial District Tour

A view of SF's Financial District from North Beach
Image courtesy of San Francisco City Guides

Learn about the kingmakers and titans of the Financial District, and how they’ve dictated the trajectory of San Francisco history. We’ll follow the money — and learn some curious facts about the city’s skyscraper hotbed.

City Guides Tour


Emperor Norton's Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine

The host of Emperor Norton's Tours posing for a photo
Image courtesy of Emperor Norton's Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine

Emperor Norton's Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine is a lively, informative, and entertaining walking tour of historic San Francisco led by Emperor Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.

Emperor Norton Tour


Drag Me Along Tours

Image courtesy of Drag Me Along Tours

Enjoy a special one-of-a-kind walking tour with a historic and fun perspective through the eyes of the infamous Countess Lola Montez.

Drag Me Along Tours


The Haunt Ghost Tour

People standing around a host on a ghost tour
Image courtesy of The Haunt

Haunted SF is San Francisco’s only real ghost hunting excursion. Get ready to travel through Gold Rush-era neighborhoods after dark, seeking out paranormal activity while learning of the city’s haunted past.

The Haunt Ghost Tour


Secrets, Scandals, and Scoundrels Tour

Black and white photo of San Francisco looking out towards the Bay
Photo courtesy of Free Tours by Foot

On the Secrets, Scandals and Scoundrels tour, you'll learn about a war that was fought over breakfast food, you'll meet the most powerful homeless man in the world, you'll hear about one of the largest robberies ever committed in California, and more!

Secrets, Scandals, and Scoundrels Tour