This combo package allows you to see all of San Francisco's top sights and attraction. Ride the open top double decker bus for one full day, hopping on and off at over 15 stops around the city. Cruise across the bay to the infamous prison known today as the Rock and explore the infamous Island.

Big Bus San Francisco hop-on hop-off tour and Alcatraz Island combo
Tour the city by open-top, double-decker bus with your 1-day sightseeing pass
Visit top San Francisco attractions including the Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, Pier 39 and Lombard Street
Customize your own itinerary and hop on and off as you please
Visit the infamous prison island of Alcatraz with your included admission ticket

Why Travellers Choose This Tour

Get all the added bonuses—tours of Chinatown and on the Sausalito trolley—plus a ferry ride to Alcatraz.

What's Included

Round-trip ferry from San Francisco to Alcatraz Island
Buy 1 hour bike rental get 1 hour free from any Blazing Saddles shop
Two Day Hop-on Hop-off Ticket
Please note that the date you have selected is the date for your Alcatraz Tour

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Gratuities

Meeting And Pickup

Start time

Opening hours

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.

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Ticket redemption point

Big Bus Tours San Francisco, 99 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

What To Expect

Your Big Bus San Francisco Sightseeing and Alcatraz Combo can begin at any stop along the bus route. After climbing aboard your pass will allow you to hop on and off as much as you’d like.

You’ll pass the city’s top attractions on the exensive loop, including Haight-Ashbury, the Palace of Fine Arts, Union Square, Pier 39, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the crooked path of Lombard Street. Stick on board with the audio commentary to admire the sights, or hop off at any time to explore a neighborhood or attraction on your own. This ticket also includes a round-trip ferry to the infamous prison island of Alcatraz, once home to Al Capone and other famous inmates and a bonus deal on a bike rental.

Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus Ticket

15 Stops

12 Points of Interest

Duration: 3 hours

Operating Schedule: 2 Day Hop on Hop off Tour: Operates daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm, with buses departing every 60 minutes. Customers are advised to download our app to find out more about our new health and safety measures and for real-time bus tracking information. Alternatively please visit our website.

99 Jefferson St

621 Columbus Ave

Clay St (500-598)

Ferry Building

280 Geary St

201 Mason St

90 Fulton St

944 Fell St

1816 Haight St

Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point

211 Richardson Ave

2101 Lombard St

1599 Lombard St

Embarcadero

Points of interest passed by on this route

Alcatraz Island

Big Bus Tours

The Embarcadero

Haight-Ashbury

Union Square

Civic Center

Fisherman’s Wharf

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Bridge

Chinatown

Madame Tussauds

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Recorded commentary available in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, Mandarin, Korean, Cantonese and Italian
To receive your Alcatraz Island Ticket you must check into the Big Bus office (on voucher) one day prior to the Alcatraz Tour date or before 9am on the date of your Alcatraz Tour.
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Infants must sit on laps
Please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required
Photo ID is required.
Most travellers can participate
Please note that the date you have selected is the date for your Alcatraz Tour.
Your tour time will be assigned 10 days in advance of the tour date. Once a time is assigned we are not able to make any changes, please note your timed entry will be allocated by Alcatraz this will not be able to be personally selected

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

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Q:How do I arrange my Alcatraz visit during the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?

A:After booking, our team will get in touch with you to confirm your preferred Alcatraz tour date and time. This must be confirmed at least 10 days in advance of your visit.

Mar. 2021

Q:Where does the Alcatraz portion of the tour depart from?

A:The Alcatraz ferry departs from Pier 33. Note: you MUST redeem your ticket at the Big Bus Welcome Center (99 Jefferson Street) at 9 am on the date of your Alcatraz visit.

Mar. 2021

Q:Can I select my preferred time to visit Alcatraz?

A:Due to limited availability, we cannot guarantee any scheduling requests for Alcatraz departure times. You may add your preference in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout, but again we cannot guarantee any specific time.

Mar. 2021

Q:Do I need ID for the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?

A:Yes - ID is required for all guests over the age of 18 who are visiting Alcatraz.

Mar. 2021

Q:Can I change my Alcatraz tour date/time once it has been confirmed?

A:Unfortunately, no. Alcatraz bookings cannot be changed once a time has been allocated and confirmed.

Mar. 2021

Q:How often does a bus arrive at each stop during the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?

A:A bus arrives approximately every 30 minutes.

Mar. 2021

Q:Do I have to go to a central location to redeem my ticket for the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off and Alcatraz Combo?

A:For the Hop-On-Hop-Off day tour, you can simply show a printed or electronic version of your ticket at any of the stops to board the bus.

Mar. 2021

Q:What time is the last bus on the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?

A:The last bus departs Stop #1 - San Francisco Visitor Center at 5:00 pm.

Mar. 2021

Q:How will I know which stop(s) to use during the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?

A:Our live guides and pre-recorded commentary will communicate upcoming stops. You can also download our free App for more information on routes and times, and what to see and do at each stop location.

Mar. 2021

Q:Is the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo wheelchair accessible?

A:Yes, we operate wheelchair-accessible vehicles with lifts that can accommodate up to 650 pounds however, not all vehicles are equipped. If you require an accessible vehicle, please let us know in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.

Mar. 2021

Traveller Photos

Traveller Tips

Great trip round SF on open top bus (though cold, bring jacket even if sunny) especially as we were only there 2 days so got to see all the sights, go over Golden Gate Bridge etc.

The lines are very long so be prepar d to wait.

Combo is okay but not to do on the same day.

Reviews

4.0

457 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 457 reviews

Highlights of San Francisco

Dixie_S, June 2023

Alcatraz tour. Seeing the highlights of SanFrancisco, and being able to get off the bus at different stops. Staff members were very helpful and friendly. Oscar Lopez was outstanding!

Best Way to see SFO

Beth_N, May 2023

This was a great way to see all the must see spots in the city! Buses came by every 15-20 minutes so it was a really easy way to move around the city without all the walking.

Well worth visiting Alcatraz

Carol_C, May 2023

Hop on hop off bus tour as good as usual having been on Big Bus tours in other cities. Easy to use. The trip to Alcatraz was well organised, easy to find departure points. The audio tour was well worth doing. Big bus tours said we needed masks so we bought some but no-one used masks! so save your money. Well worth a visit, very interesting.

Good tours

Ian_P, May 2023

Very efficient & well organised. Arrived early for the boat to Alcatraz but luckily not a problem. The audio tour around the prison was good & it was always easy to know where you were meant to be in relation to the commentary. Prison itself was a little underwhelming but it’s the sort of place that you feel you need to go to so pleased that I went. Bus tour also good, commentary very good & provided lots of info. Got off a few times around the route & never had to wait long to pick up the next bus

Came in from San Antonio,...

Ernest_A, May 2023

Came in from San Antonio, easy access very professional presentation and everybody was nice would do again

Great bus tour for orientation.

DAVID_B, May 2023

This is a great way to see the major attractions and get your bearings when visiting San Francisco for the first time. The trip over the Golden Gate bridge and the picture opportunities are great providing the weather is fine and you can sit on the open top of the bus. We also did the Alcatraz tour, which was very interesting.

Big Bus San Francisco

Richard_M, Apr 2023

We had a great time. This is a great way to be introduced to San Francisco. Whenever we revisie, our first stop in Big Bus to introduce new friends to San Francisco!!

Lovely experience

48qrpky4w7, Apr 2023

The guys were brilliant and very friendly. Handed out free ponchos to everyone when it was raining. The bus was a fab way off finding your way round (hop on & off when required) and seeing new sights we didn’t know about. Would highly recommend.

A fun time.

Chuck_B, Jan 2023

Went on the night tour which was a great time. The views and lights were fantastic. The driver was great. Just a fun time.

It’s worth it!

Erron_W, Oct 2022

Great tour of the city of San Francisco. I recommend it for tourist. It has multiple stops for you to get off and get on another.

Best way to see San Francisco

Steven_B, Oct 2022

The big bus and Alcatraz were both great. I loved getting right to the top of the bus for the best view and the audio tour was awesome.

Loved the Alcatraz/Hop on hop off tour

Paula_H, Aug 2022

The hop on hop off bus was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. We were able to see so many of the highlights of the city with uninstructed views from the top of the bus. It was a very interesting tour and so much fun!! Will definitely recommend this tour to any friends heading to San Francisco!

Terrible experience

William_N, July 2022

I will never use Viator again - the entire experience was terrible. I highly recommend that you do not purchase tickets from VIATOR. It was a nightmare for me

No Covid policy. Just take the damn tour!

Dona_W, July 2022

We tested positive for Covid the day before the tour and did the responsible thing by isolating rather than risking the health of others. When I made notification and asked to reschedule I was told that was not an option. I responded by asking if there was a Covid policy and received no reply.

Big Bus

Cynthia_W, July 2022

The history was great. Enjoyed Alcatraz and the bus ride.The weather was freezing and windy. But it was a enjoyable day

Bus and Alcatraz tour

joel_h, May 2022

Had a great day on the bus going round San Francisco, weather was lovely and the tour gives you lots of info on the areas your driving through (could not have walked and seen half the things we did) over the Golden gates bridge was amazing and windy lol, got the bus at 10am at Union Square, then on to Alcatraz later after we did lunch our boat was at 3:20, walked around listening to a recording on a phone about the place listening to inmates and guards that stayed there, it’s an eeary place with lots of history around it definitely somewhere you need to visit in San Fran.

Great bus, average Alcatraz tour

Suzanne_D, May 2022

Touring San Francisco via the Hop On Hop Off bus was great - went for 3.5hrs so be prepared if you need to be somewhere afterwards! The Alcatraz tour was underwhelming - you and approx 200+ of your new best friends catch the ferry over to the island then battle it out to see the exhibits as one large group. There is an app to download to your phone to tune into the audio exhibits and they remind you constantly to do this - however you need your own headphones! As it turns out the app doesn't work as the staff informed us once we got into the jail, and they hand out individual audiopods - you listen to it out loud so there are 200 odd audio players going at once... and to us it was painful to listen to the narration. There are rare visual boards to read (our preference over audio) so we feel we missed out on a lot of information but that's our choice I guess. Overall, it had great potential, but the crowds and rush to get back before last ferry, and the fact you can't choose what time to do your tour really works against it.

Fun, safe, scenic day

Julie_L, Apr 2022

Alcatraz was the highlight of the day! The bus ride was great also, friendly safe drivers. But since we couldnt pick our Alcatraz tour time (at 1100), by the time we returned to the wharf & had lunch, we only had about 3.5 hours to do the entire bus route which was not very much time.

Meh

Eric_B, Aug 2021

The bus was very very dirty. The audio jacks didn’t work well. You had to continually play with the input probably from overuse. Also the ear buds were too large for my children. Beautiful day. Sites were nice. Experience was meh

5 stars 🌟

Sherlyn_J, July 2021

Beautiful experience touring San Francisco on the Big Bus. China Town, Cricket street and many more enjoyable 😀. Strongly suggest.

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