The 13 Best San Francisco Bus Tours

1.Muir Woods and Sausalito (Return by Bus or Ferry)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,098 reviews · 5 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $91Our pick

Spend half a day among ancient coastal redwoods and in waterfront Sausalito, with a professional driver-guide, Golden Gate photo stop, and 90 minutes at Muir Woods. Choose a bus return or ferry from Sausalito. A bike option crosses the bridge before visiting Sausalito and Muir Woods.

“Our tour guide Judith from Germany was fabulous! We loved the hike in Muir Woods, it was beautiful. Sausalito is a fun little village with lots of shops and dining. The bus ride over and back the Golden Gate Bridge had fantastic views and we stopped for photos too. We were going to ride bikes that portion got canceled. However, when we saw how strong the winds were on the bridge and the bikers having a difficult time we were glad we were on the bus! I would recommend electric bikes if you’re going to do that.”

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2.Big Bus SF: Hop-on Hop-off Tour with 17 Stops and Sunset Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4,539 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $56

See San Francisco from an open-top double-decker bus on a 24 or 48-hour pass covering 17 stops, from Pier 39 and Chinatown to Golden Gate Park and the Golden Gate Bridge. Use the app to track buses, hear recorded English commentary, and add a sunset tour, Aquarium of the Bay, Chinatown walk, or wine tour.

“Great way to see the city areas. Bonus was driving across the Golen Gate bridge. Since busses were uncrowned, easily able to get on at various stops.”

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3.Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour with 17 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,600 reviews · 1 - 2 days · from $56

Use a 24 or 48-hour Big Bus pass to tour San Francisco by open-top double-decker, with stops near Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Alamo Square, Haight-Ashbury, Golden Gate Park, the bridge, and Lombard Street. Digital commentary comes in several languages, and selected tickets add a sunset ride, Aquarium of the Bay, Chinatown walk, or Napa Valley tour.

“I was a little confused at first but booked and was satisfied in the end. Coming from NY for a 5 day dream vacation of SF and Alcatraz this was a great first day introduction to the city.. especially being right outside of our hotel.. Zephyr. We were there first in line and got great seats and photos from the open top front and was even more surprised that we went over the Golden Gate.. I was not expecting that.. we got off on the other side, took a break, pictures and rode back to our starting place outside the hotel.. a little pricey at $120+ for two of us…”

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4.Alcatraz Island & 48-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,245 reviews · 2 days · from $120

Use one $120 package for Alcatraz entry, ferry passage, the excellent Cell House audio guide, 48 hours on Big Bus, a Chinatown walk, sunset tour, and Aquarium by the Bay. You collect your tickets at 99 Jefferson Street, then explore at your own pace. Audio commentary is offered in several languages.

“Get a good feeling of the city by hopping on and off the bus”

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5.Skip The Bus: San Francisco By Luxury Van Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 800 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $116Top rated

Join Brian of San Francisco Tour Co. for a four-hour small-group ride in a clean luxury van. See the Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies, Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury, Lands End, Sutro Baths, and more, with local stories, bottled water, and snacks from San Francisco businesses.

“My family and I had the most fantastic, fun and informative tour today with our tour guide, Brian. He took us to places that are way beyond what other tours are seeing. Her is from San Francisco and knew this town so well. We saw everything there was to see from the many neighborhoods, to the parks, to the special viewing areas, all with Brian’s knowledge leading the way. He even provided us with a snack featuring local goodies. He left us feeling fulfilled and with recommendations of places to visit and restaurants to try. This tour could not have been any better. Thanks Brian!”

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6.Vantigo – The Original San Francisco VW Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 743 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $129

See San Francisco from a vintage Volkswagen bus on a three-hour small-group tour led by local guides such as Chad or Josh. You’ll reach Coit Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, Twin Peaks, the Painted Ladies, Haight Street, and districts large buses cannot access. Choose a morning or afternoon departure, with room for up to seven people.

“The tour with Chad was great fun - we squeezed a lot of sightseeing into a little over 2 hours! If you’re short on time and want to see as much of San Francisco as possible, in a VW bus, I highly recommend this tour!”

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7.Hop-On Hop-Off Deluxe Bus Tour with 20 Stops

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 659 reviews · 8 hours - 2 days · from $55

Use one ticket to reach 20 San Francisco stops, from Union Square and Chinatown to Golden Gate Park and the bridge. You can stay aboard for a city overview or hop off for walks at Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, Haight-Ashbury, and more. Live guides such as Jamal, Kirk, Chino, and Willie may add humor and local detail.

“The trip was a great way to see San Francisco landmarks and experience the real San Francisco. The tour bus commentary provided great insight, and Kirk, our drive/guide added his own humour. Matthew who explained the tour and directed us to our bus was very friendly and professional.”

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8.Alcatraz Island & Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 647 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $120

Pair Alcatraz’s cell-house audio tour and ferry ride with two days on Big Bus San Francisco. See North Beach, Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury, the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Pier 39, and more. Extras include Aquarium by the Bay, a Chinatown audio walk, and a sunset bus tour. Alcatraz time is assigned in advance.

“Alcatraz trip was excellent! Bus tours was great too and convenient to see all the sights and get off and on throughout two days!”

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9.Small-Group City Tour by Vintage VW Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 549 reviews · 2 hours · from $85

Ride through San Francisco in a restored vintage Volkswagen bus with a guide such as Jim, Jack, Lily, or Caio. In two hours, you’ll see the Painted Ladies, Lombard Street, Haight-Ashbury, the Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge views, and movie houses, with water, snacks, music, and photo stops along the way.

“A+ - fun trip, knowledgeable driver who shared lots of interesting tidbits”

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10.Big Bus San Francisco: Sightseeing Sunset Tour by Open-Top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 339 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $45Best value

Start at 6:30 pm near Fisherman’s Wharf and ride through Chinatown, the Financial District, the Embarcadero, Presidio, and Treasure Island. The open-top bus offers broad night views, while digital commentary explains the city. Seats are first come, first served, and the tour returns to its starting point after about 90 minutes.

“Very informative commentary, and lots of great sites we wouldve missed if we tried to explore alone. The driver was also very friendly and funny.”

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11.San Francisco Hop-On Hop-Off Open Top Bus Tour (Essential) 24Hour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 191 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $78

See San Francisco from an open-top double-decker bus on a 24-hour hop-on hop-off pass. Ride through Fisherman’s Wharf, North Beach, Union Square, Haight-Ashbury, Golden Gate Park, and across the Golden Gate Bridge to Vista Point. Audio commentary plays onboard, buses run about every 15 to 30 minutes, and a mobile ticket keeps things simple, though stop locations and ticket acceptance can require extra care.

“So MUCH FUN!!!! My husband and I always do the BIG BUS tour everywhere we travel and this one didn’t disappoint! We love the history and the fun! Great for everyone!!!”

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12.Sightseeing Sunset Tour by Open-Top Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 105 reviews · 1 hour · from $45

Spend one hour on an open-top Big Bus touring San Francisco from Fisherman’s Wharf through Polk Street and Nob Hill, across the Bay Bridge to Treasure Island, and back along the Embarcadero. English digital commentary, earbuds, and striking skyline views are included. Bring warm layers.

“It was awesome, the weather was not so good but the guides had ponchos for the rain but other than that it was an amazing way to see the city.”

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13.San Francisco Double Decker Bus Night Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 95 reviews · 1 hour · from $52

From Fisherman’s Wharf, ride an open-top double-decker through Chinatown, Nob Hill, the Financial District, and Embarcadero. Cross the Bay Bridge for skyline views and a Treasure Island photo stop when weather allows. The live narration is in English, with audio options in Spanish, German, French, Italian, and Portuguese. Bring warm layers.

“Our guide was very upbeat and took many pictures for us when we stopped. Everyone was friendly and helpful. It was everything I expected”

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