big bus tour sfo

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Earn onekeycash when you sign in and book an activity.

Check availability

• About this activity

San Francisco Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus Tour

• Free cancellation available
• Mobile voucher
• Instant confirmation
• Unlimited Hop-on Hop-off access for the duration of ticket
• Frequent, convenient service with buses every 20 minutes
• Recorded commentary available in 6 languages
• Freedom to explore Fisherman’s Wharf at your own pace
• Enjoy panoramic views on abord an open-top bus

Activity location

• 99 Jefferson Street
• 94133, San Francisco, California, United States of America

Meeting/Redemption Point

• 2101 Lombard Street
• 94123, San Francisco, California, United States of America

Multiple meeting/redemption points available, see location information for full list

• Fri, Jun 28 $57
• Sat, Jun 29 $57
• Sun, Jun 30 $57
• Mon, Jul 1 $57
• Tue, Jul 2 $57
• Wed, Jul 3 $57
• Thu, Jul 4 $57
• Fri, Jul 5 $57
• Sat, Jul 6 $57
• Sun, Jul 7 $57
• Mon, Jul 8 $57
• Tue, Jul 9 $57
• Wed, Jul 10 $57
• Thu, Jul 11 $57
• Fri, Jul 12 $57

1 Day Ticket with Walking Tour

• Activity duration is 1 day 1d 1d

1-day hop-on, hop-off bus pass.

Unlimited rides on the Red Route - China Town, Golden Gate Bridge & many more

Free Walking Tour

Buy 1 hour bike rental, get 1 hour free

2 Day Ticket

• Activity duration is 2 days 2d 2d

2-day hop-on, hop-off bus pass.

Unlimited rides covering the key points of the city

2 Day Ticket with Walking Tour

2-days hop-on, hop-off bus pass.

Free Guided Walking Tour

Choose from - Entry to the Flyer or 7D Experience at Pier 39

What's included, what's not

• What's included What's included Hop-on hop-off bus tour of San Francisco
• What's included What's included Unlimited rides for the duration of your pass
• What's included What's included Pre-recorded commentary available in 6 Languages
• What's included What's included Chinatown Walking Tour and Buy 1 hour bike hire, get 1 hour free (on selected tickets only)
• What's included What's included Choose from - Entry to the Flyer or 7D Experience at Pier 39 (on selected tickets)

Know before you book

• Children under 3 years old are complimentary
• This activity is wheelchair accessible.
• Hop-on hop-off bus hours of operation are 10 AM–6 PM, with buses every 20 minutes. The entire loop lasts approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes.
• Audio Guide in 6 Languages English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.
• Tour operates rain or shine, so please dress accordingly.

What you can expect

Explore the best of San Francisco on board a Big Bus Tour. We offer the most comprehensive tour with over 16 hop-on hop-off locations spanning from Fisherman’s Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge. No need to switch buses – our one full city loop will take you to famous neighborhoods and attractions including Pier 39, Chinatown, Little Italy, Painted Ladies Victorian Homes, Haight-Ashbury Neighborhood, Golden Gate Park, Lombard Crooked Street, Union Square Shopping District and an unforgettable journey across the Golden Gate Bridge. The full sightseeing tour of San Francisco is 2 hours long. Many customers choose to make one full loop to see the city and decide where they want to hop off and discover Haight Ashbury, made famous by the hippie movement in the 60s just as the revolutionary singers did before like the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin. Learn about San Francisco's largest and oldest Asian Chinatowns. You might go to our well-known fortune cookie factory, take one of our well-liked walking tours of the neighborhood, or enter a revered temple.

Enjoy a self-guided tour—ideal for solo travelers or small groups, depending on the tickets selected. Use a Deluxe or Hybrid bicycle for touring San Francisco and experiencing the city from a different angle. Take gorgeous bike paths, parks, and, if you're feeling very daring, the renowned Golden Gate Bridge, for a ride. Gain access to the USS Pampanito and deeply dive into the history of a historic World War WWII submarine, on selected ticket options.

• 1 Market Street
• 94105, San Francisco, California, United States of America
• 211 Richardson Avenue
• 200 Mason Street
• 94102, San Francisco, California, United States of America
• 1454 The Embarcadero
• 621 Columbus Avenue
• 333 O'Farrell Street
• 1599 Lombard Street
• 350 McAllister Street
• 944 Fell Street
• 94117, San Francisco, California, United States of America
• 1816 Haight Street
• 55 Music Concourse Drive
• 94118, San Francisco, California, United States of America
• The Embarcadero

Last-Minute Alcatraz Combo Tours Available! Check Availability and Book Now!

Signed in as:

[email protected]

• Hop-on Hop-off
• ALL Bus Tours
• San Francisco City Tour
• Muir Woods Tour
• Muir Woods + Sausalito
• Muir Woods + Napa Wine
• Napa Wine Tour
• Monterey + Carmel Tour
• All Cruises
• Bay Cruise (1-Hour)
• Escape From The Rock
• Sunset/Twilight Cruise
• Bike Rentals
• Tour Packages

Limited Offer! San Francisco Hop on Hop off - Save $5 Online

Live guides, hop on hop off, walking tours.

See the best of San Francisco with Hop on Hop off Bus Tours. Our open-top  sightseeing tours will introduce you to all the city's must-see sights,  with stops conveniently located at iconic landmarks and attractions.  Your flexible ticket allows you to hop on and hop off the bus as much as  you like, so you can enjoy the freedom to stay for a few snaps, or  immerse yourself for hours. 

Our carefully designed Red Route ensures that you capture all the  key sights of San Francisco, and you'll even get to enjoy an open-top  ride over the Golden Gate Bridge - an essential San Francisco  sightseeing experience. Upgrade to a 2-day Explore Ticket , which includes 2 Days unlimited hop on hop off. You'll also enjoy other great inclusions exclusive to Big Bus Tours, such as drink tokens and free bike hire.  

Hop on Hop off Ticket Options

• Essential Ticket: 1-Day Hop on Hop off + bonus 2nd day free
• Explore Ticket: 2 -Day Hop on Hop off + Chinatown walking tour + Bike rental or USS Pampanito
• Night Tour: 1.5 hour

Valid for any day/time to start!

The San Francisco Hop on Hop off Bus Tour Experience

Check out this great video about our San Francisco Hop on Hop off bus tour!

$5 OFF - OPEN TICKET VALID FOR ANY DAY/TIME TO START!

You will receive an email voucher once the booking is complete. Please show the voucher to any Big Bus driver for redemption whenever you wish to start the tour. Day pass time will activate only after the first use.

Ticket can be redeemed at any Big Bus stops with the driver, or at the Big Bus office at 99 Jefferson street, San Francisco (near Pier 39 in Fisherman's Wharf)

Discounted San Francisco Hop on Hop off Tickets

Buy hop-on hop-off tickets online, by phone, or in-person, get help in person or online.

We love our customers, so feel free to visit during normal business hours.

San Francisco Tours & Activities

1465 Lombard Street, San Francisco, California 94123, United States

(415) 814-3909 Call to book & receive hop on hop off e-tickets!

Drop us a line!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

City Tours - San Francisco Hop on Hop off

Big Bus San Francisco

View/Print Hop on Hop off Map & Bus Stops

San Francisco Map March 2018 (pdf)

Copyright © 2018 San Francisco Tours & Activities, LLC - All Rights Reserved.

• All SF Tours & Activities

Watch our videos

254,000 subscribers

Join the conversation

134,000 followers

Pin our posts

25,200 followers

Get our newsletter

88,500 subscribers

• Hearing-Aids
• Healthy Aging
• Losing Weight
• Medical Issues
• Reducing Stress
• Brain Health
• Solo Travel
• Travel Tips
• Small Business
• Part-time Jobs
• Encore Careers
• Managing Money
• End of Life Planning
• Retirement Tips
• Senior Living
• Journal Writing
• Entertainment
• Inspiration
• Empowerment
• Getting Older
• Reinvention
• Giving Back
• Dating Advice
• Online Dating
• Adult Children
• Grandchildren
• Estrangement
• Arts and Crafts
• Piano Lessons
• Photography

Fun 4-Day Vacation in San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. This is no wonder with all of its unique and iconic landmarks. San Francisco is only 49 square miles, but it is absolutely filled with cultural and culinary diversity.

This city is home to hipsters, techies, immigrants, hippies, and yuppies. There is so much to see and do in this city, from that beautiful red bridge to the cable cars “reaching halfway to the stars” to Alcatraz and Chinatown. 

I don’t live in San Francisco, but I am a northern California native who has had the pleasure of visiting San Francisco on numerous occasions as a local recurrent tourist. As such, I have put together a 4-day fun filled itinerary for anyone wanting a San Francisco vacation. You may try to follow this as precisely as possible or use it as a general skeleton outline to build your own modified itinerary around.

Regardless, if you make an itinerary of your own or try to follow this one, I would definitely check with hours of operation of each proprietorship as they vary widely according to days and seasons. Also, there are many places/events that require advanced reservations. So, it really pays to plan ahead and adjust your schedule accordingly.

Get the Big Bus Tours Hop On Hop Off Ticket

I want to start by saying I am receiving no compensation for any of these recommendations. That being said, I do recommend getting a Big Bus Tours Hop On Hop Off 2 day explore + Alcatraz ticket. The advantage of the Hop on Hop Off bus is you can stop at all of the tourist attractions and stay as long as you want at each location. When you are ready to move on, just go to the Big Bus Tours Hop On Hop Off bus stop and there should be a bus coming by every 15 minutes from 10 AM to 6 PM. This also allows you to avoid the nightmare that is finding and paying outrageous prices for parking in San Francisco. 

Day 1: Stops #5, #11, #12 and #14

Start your day at 9 AM at the Buena Vista at 2765 Hyde Str. for a signature Irish coffee and breakfast. Then, trek right across the street for a photo op at the Cable Car turntable and a Welcome to Fisherman’s Wharf sign. After that, walk down Hyde Str. to Jefferson Str. and make a right for a 4-minute walk to the main Fisherman’s Wharf sign for another photo.

At Jefferson and Mason Str. there is Hop on Hop off stop with Big Bus Tours. Take the red route to Stop #5, Union Square South. From Stop #5 bus stop, it is a 4-minute walk to SFMOMA, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. There are more than 32,000 artworks by numerous artists including Frida Kahlo. And, there is a whole floor dedicated to photography. 

After SFMOMA, head over to Super Duper Burger on Mission Str. for a great burger and fries. Go back to Stop #5 to hop back on the bus to disembark at Stop #11, North Vista Point. Here you may get some great photos of the Golden Gate Bridge or you may not. It is really hit or miss if Karl will roll in and ruin your view (yes, the San Francisco fog has a name and its name is Karl). When you have had your fill of this view, hop back on the bus and get down at Stop #12 to explore the Palace of Fine Arts with its beautiful Greco-Roman architecture.

Board the bus again and next is Stop #14. From this stop it is a 12 minute walk to the cross street of Lombard and Hyde. Here you get a great view of the famous Lombard Str., one of the windiest streets in the world. There is a straight walking path alongside the curvy street for cars if you feel the urge to take a hike down and get some photos from the other end and trek back up.

From the cross street of Lombard and Hyde, take a cable car to Beach Str. (and you can forever say that you rode a cable car in San Francisco). Then you will be right back where you started, across from the Buena Vista restaurant. From there it is a 7-minute walk to Scoma’s Seafood for dinner. Wander through Fisherman’s Wharf and you can call it a day.

Day 2: Alcatraz Tour and Pier 39

Start this day with a hotel breakfast or grab and eat some grub at a convenience or grocery store and then it is time to see Alcatraz. Even though you bought the 2-day explore plus Alcatraz ticket, you must get confirmation of your Alcatraz tour, through the Alcatraz Cruises company only, at least 5 days in advance. When I say at least, I very much mean at least. I advise you to purchase the Big Bus tour hop on hop off tickets and confirm the Alcatraz booking as soon as possible as Alcatraz trips in particular can fill up fast, especially in the summer.

Cruises start at 8:45 AM to 3:50 PM April through early October and 8:40 AM to 1:35 PM late October through March. The weather is unpredictable, so wear layers. Alcatraz is an abandoned federal prison, and the tour is very interesting in terms of its history and infamous inmates.

Once you are done with your Alcatraz trip, make the 6-minute walk to Pier 39 and have lunch at the Fog Harbor Fish House. Then, stroll through Pier 39 with all of its shops and performers. There is also a sea lion viewing area, Hearts in San Francisco photo op and viewing, musical stairs, a carousel, Aquarium of the Bay, and Magowan’s Infinite Mirror Maze.

Your 2-day explore plus Alcatraz ticket includes admission to The Flyer or 7 D Experience, both of which are at Pier 39. The Flyer is northern California’s only flying theater where you can enjoy a film of San Francisco’s landmarks. The 7 D Experience is a thrill ride, full motion seat and giant 3D screen with a laser blaster game. 

Hop on the bus at Pier 39 and head to Stop #2, North Beach/Chinatown. Peruse through historic Chinatown shops and make your way to the Golden Gate Cookie Factory. From there, it is a 9-minute walk to Dragon’s Gate for a photo op and then an 11-minute walk to the Great Eastern Restaurant for a Dim Sum dinner.

Day 3: Golden Gate Park

Although the Big Bus had a stop at Golden Gate Park, I advise you don’t waste your Big Bus ticket on this stop because Golden Gate Park really takes a whole day to explore. It is 3 miles long and 20% bigger than New York’s Central Park. So, however you manage to get to Golden Gate Park, be prepared to stay a long time.

I suggest starting at the Crepevine Restaurant at 624 Irving St. for breakfast. Then it is off to the Botanical Gardens. After this, make your way to the DeYoung Museum with its expansive collection of art. Then go to Park Gyros for lunch. Following that, make your way to the California Academy of Science which is a world renowned institution. It contains the Steinhart aquarium with over 40,000 live animals, the Kimball Natural History Museum, the Morrison Planetarium and the Osher Rainforest.

Afterward, make your way to the Blue Heron Boathouse to rent a paddle boat or row boat to traverse the lake. Plan accordingly because the boats cannot be rented after 4 PM. Then go to enjoy the Japanese Tea Garden. After spending a very full day in Golden Gate Park maybe use an app ride to go to Top of the Mark for a dinner of bites and cocktails. This sky lounge and bar is on the 19th floor and has sweeping views of the city.

Day 4: Museums and Ghiradelli’s Square

This morning head back to Fisherman’s Wharf for breakfast at Boudin Bakery at 100 Jefferson Str. Then take the 1-minute walk for some silly fun at Ripley’s Believe It or Not. They open at 11 AM. You can follow this up with a romp through Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. Then, make the 11-minute walk to Ghiradelli’s Square. Here you may get a light meal in the square followed by dessert or forgo the meal all together and completely indulge at the Ghiradelli Experience Ice Cream Shop.

Then, peruse the shops and take advantage of the photo ops throughout Ghiradelli’s square. There is the mermaid fountain, Ghirardelli sign, and the 19th century brick buildings that used to be factories that produced a variety of products. Next, use an app ride for an 11-minute drive to the Exploratorium. Not quite sure how to describe the Exploratorium. I would say it is a science as art and coolness, hands-on museum. You will observe and be immersed in interactive science fascination at a multitude of exhibits. After the Exploratorium, you can take a 5-minute app drive to Original Joe’s restaurant in Little Italy for a delicious and hearty Italian meal.

And that completes the fun 4-day vacation in San Francisco itinerary. It is a city with a wonderful and interesting history. There is so much to see, do and eat that even locals have trouble experiencing everything. So, use this whole itinerary, part of it or simply use it as inspiration. Just make sure you have lots of fun.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Is San Francisco a city where you would like to vacation? What things on this itinerary interest you? Have you gone to any of the places on the itinerary? If so, what did you think of these places?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

I was born and raised in my city of San Francisco. We San Franciscans don’t really wear labels…all of that is down town or in the Haight. True city dwellers are down to earth, helpful and aware of the gems of the city everywhere. I worked at a sports club in the Fairmont and loved taking the cable car halfway to work everyday! Come to the Fairmont during Christmas! It is a sight to behold! Just have a hot chocolate in the lobby or a hot toddy at the bar. Golden Gate Park on it’s own, has so many things going on in the summer between live music and walking trails to festivals within and throughout the city. So many things I love here as a native, I’m tickled to know all the places that are fun and tourist worthy that I get to enjoy as I live here… talk to someone who lives here….gl

thank you so much for this article. It has been one of the places that i always wanted to visit. I use to watch the show “Streets of San Francisco” when I was young and always said I want to visit and ride the trolly cars up and down the hills.

Please do your research before visiting this city. Never lock anything in a car, and if you rent a car, take out theft insurance. Look all around you as you walk out in public as crime is a big problem. And be aware there are many addicted and alcoholic homeless living on the streets using them as their living rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms.

i agree Valerie.. this city is dangerous and i would not recommend walking alone at any time of day. Certainly do not display any jewelry or valuable items of any kind in public…sorry to say

I printed off the itinery but not all printed. I’m visiting over Labor Day.

Tags Senior Tours

Alisa Sabin

Dr. Alisa Sabin is an urgent care physician at Sutter Gould Medical Foundation in Stockton, California. She is also an author of her debut novel, Still . It is a medical thriller about an organized crime ring of maternity nurses. Alisa loves working with patients and she loves to write. You can follow her on her website at https://alisasabin1.wixsite.com/mysite.

You Might Also Like

4 Senior Travel Programs for Women Who Love to Learn

What Are Senior Travel Clubs? And Should You Join One?

print this page Print this page