The Nearly-Private Golden Gate Bridge Tour
- Live Guide
- Group Tour
- Pickup Service
- E-Ticket
- 2 hr
"How do we get to the Golden Gate Bridge?" This is the most commonly asked question visitors to SF have, and the 2 Hour Golden Gate Bridge tour is the answer! This popular tour is designed to provide the complete Golden Gate Bridge experience - you can even walk the length of the Bridge, if desired. You'll avoid the crowds that can tie up the vista points, and have a peaceful transit, as we only take a maximum of 5-6 passengers on this tour -it may not be a Private tour, but it might as well be! After nearly a decade of giving other people's tours, Paul, the owner/ guide, started SF Expeditions in order to give *his* tours of the City he grew up in. Complimentary bottled water included Complimentary hotel pick-up/drop-offs can be pre-arranged.* *Same-day requests may not be possible due to prior tours, so please text/email for fastest response.
Itinerary Details
Operated by: SF Expeditions
Pass By: Fisherman's Wharf
The tour begins and ends at Fisherman's Wharf, an iconic and vastly entertaining neighborhood, with a rich history, and a great spot to grab lunch after the tour!
Stop At: Pier 39
Almost immediately, we take a turn around Pier 39, the second most popular attraction in California, and home to the City's loudest residents - the sea lions! If guests are interested, they can be dropped off here, with no additional fees, at the end of the tour, to continue their explorations.
Duration: 2 minutes
Pass By:
As we roll up to the top of the famous Crooked street, we pass both the Buena Vista Cafe (famous for being the place Irish Coffee was introduced to the US) and the Hyde Street Cable Car turnaround. Pro tip: Even in the busy season it's usually quiet here until around 11 , so this is a great spot to check the cable cars off your bucket list right after our tour concludes!
Stop At: Lombard Street
This point of interest is one of the City's most popular: the famous "Crookedest Street in the World". In addition to being generally very crowded, Lombard is closed to most tour vehicles, but we will take a quick spin down the 8 hairpin turns (though maybe not at "Bullitt" speed).
Duration: 5 minutes
Pass By: Ghirardelli Square
Next Up: a quick pass around Ghirardelli Square, once a famous chocolate factory, it's legacy remains in the form of a world-class Ice cream and chocolate shop - that recently (5/20/22) started making their own chocolate again, for the first time in over 50 years!
Stop At: Yoda fountain
Upon entering the Presidio, we are treated to a brief photo stop at the statue of legendary Jedi Master Yoda, which is located at the Letterman Digital Arts Center (Lucasfilm): our guide has a lot to say about this - he worked there for years!
Duration: 5 minutes
Pass By: Walt Disney Family Museum
As we continue on our way to the Bridge, we pass the Walt Disney Family Museum, a must-see for fans of the Man Behind the Mouse!
Pass By: San Francisco National Cemetery
The final point of interest before the Bridge is the San Francisco National Cemetery, final resting place to thousands of veterans, including, notably, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, and several Navajo Code Talkers.
Stop At:
Upon arriving at the North end of the most-photographed bridge in the world, guests will have the opportunity to walk the entire 1.75 mile (2.7 km) span, or, after a short break, cross in the minibus to the South side, to explore the visitor center & Café.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Fort Baker
Before we head back across the Bridge, we take a quick stop at Fort Baker, home to Bay Area Discovery Museum, one of the Bay's Best Museums for children. Fans of "Star Trek" might find the breathtaking view strangely familiar: This site is the "future location" of Gene Roddenberry's Starfleet Headquarters & Academy!
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center
Whether you choose to walk the length of the Bridge or not, we ultimately meet up together at the Welcome center, which houses the Gift shop, the Café, and some of the best views of the Bridge available.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At:
The final visual treat on this tour is a drive-by viewing of the iconic relic of the 1915 World's Fair, the Palace of Fine Arts.
Duration: 5 minutes
