San Francisco
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San Francisco Small Group City Sightseeing and Alcatraz Tour

San Francisco, United States
Likely to Sell Out

From $180.00

Select Date and Travelers

Non-refundable
You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
San Francisco Tours
All San Francisco Tours
Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Unique Experiences
  • 7 hours (approx.)
  • Hotel pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Tour San Francisco in an open-air safari jeep, then visit Alcatraz during this half-day urban adventure. With your small group, cruise through the city, passing landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks, then winding through the city's diverse neighborhoods. Disembark at Pier 33 to board your Alcatraz cruise, then take the self-guided audio tour to learn about the prison's rich history. Pickup at your hotel in San Francisco is included.
  • San Francisco sightseeing tour with Alcatraz admission
  • Discover the city's hidden gems and diverse neighborhoods
  • Hear entertaining and informative commentary from a professional guide
  • Snap photos of San Francisco landmarks like Twin Peaks
  • Take a ferry ride to Alcatraz Island and view the Golden Gate Bridge
  • Enjoy an audio walking tour of Alcatraz and learn about the former prison
  • Small-group tour provides a personalized experience

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

This city portion of this tour travels in an open-air Jeep in search of hidden artwork and “secret” locations.

What's Included

  • Sightseeing tour
  • Professional guide
  • Round-trip ferry from San Francisco to Alcatraz Island (US$39.90 value)
  • Audio walking tour of Alcatraz
  • Hotel pickup
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.

Meeting points

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Pickup points

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Start time

09:30 AM

End point

  • Alcatraz Landing
    Pier 33 Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA

    At the end of your four-hour city tour, you will be dropped at the Alcatraz Ferry landing to board the ferry to Alcatraz. After enjoying two to three hours on the island and in the prison, you can return on any ferry that you wish and make your own way back to your accommodation.

Pickup details

We are happy to pickup at hotels around downtown San Francisco. If you are staying at a homeshare or outside the pickup area, we can find a mutually convenient place to meet. We can not pickup at hotels outside San Francisco (around SFO, for example).

What To Expect

Find your custom-made, open-air vehicle waiting for you at your hotel or lodging in San Francisco. Climb aboard the safari-style truck, made for urban adventuring, and take off through the city. 

Travel the city streets, listening to your guide's commentary, full of insightful and quirky city facts. See Sutro Tower atop Twin Peak and admire the orange art deco towers of the Golden Gate Bridge. Cross through the huge green space of Golden Gate Park and get a taste of the various personalities of the city's diverse neighborhoods. Recognize scenes from some well-known movies, find hidden artwork and discover some secrets unknown to even locals. 

Upon completion of your city tour, get dropped off at Pier 33 to catch your ferry to Alcatraz. Get photo ops of the city skyline and Fisherman's Wharf during the short trip, then listen to a brief history of The Rock before embarking on a self-guided audio tour in the cell blocks. Follow along with the audio tour and listen to documentary-style interviews with former guards and inmates that paint an accurate picture of how the prison ran between 1934 and 1963.

When you've finished exploring the prison and grounds, catch the ferry back to Pier 33.

Alcatraz Island

Your city tour will end at the Alcatraz Ferry landing where your tickets to the ferry will be waiting. Go in the prison to experience the included audio tour and then explore the rest of the island at your leisure. Most guests take two to three hours before catching one of the ferries that return to shore every 30 minutes.

3 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Golden Gate Bridge

We will find the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge for the day of the tour. That may mean crossing in to the Marin Headlands, heading to Baker Beach or getting underneath the bridge at the landmark Fort Point.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • MUST provide all passenger names at time of booking
  • For security purposes, a government-issued photo ID is required for all guests to board the Alcatraz ferry
  • Alcatraz audio tour is available in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Mandarin, Portuguese and Korean
  • You may leave Alcatraz Island at any time; ferries depart every 30 to 40 minutes; the last departing ferry is usually 6:30pm
  • All passengers over 18 will need to show a government issued ID to pick up tickets
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

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 a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

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    Traveler Tips

    The weather might be a bit cold, but Eric provide carpets and jackets for those, who need it, so it was not an issue.
    It was a little cool so he had blankets and extra jackets for everyone.
    Wrap up warm , gets chilly in open topped safari vehicle but he also supplied us with blankets and coats.
    Reviews
    5.0
    176 reviews
    Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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    Reviews by Viator travelers.
    Showing 1-10 of 176 reviews
    The best SF tour there is
    Jana_R, Mar 2023
    Eric was the best tour guide I’ve ever had and I have been on a bunch of city tours. He made it so personalized and fun it was just perfect in every way. Can’t recommend any higher!!
    Response from Host, Mar 2023
    I'm so glad you and your daughters had a great time. It was a pleasure to show you all around and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! Cheers -Eric
    Great experience
    Harry_M, Mar 2023
    Eric was a very professional and fun guide who showed us all the best spots in the city. Highly recommend!
    Response from Host, Mar 2023
    Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Harry! I'm so glad you enjoyed your time on tour. Cheers -Eric
    Cool unique tour
    Andr_B, Aug 2022
    Eric and his open-air jeep are amazing. You get to see so many parts and neighbourhoods of the city. He does not stick 100% to the itinerary so if this is important to you, contact him beforehand. He is the only guide in all of my viator-booked tours who was already super helpful before the actual tour. Very much recommended!
    Response from Host, Aug 2022
    Thanks so much for taking the time to write a review, Andre! I do try to do something a bit different each day, depending on the group and what is happening in the city. My assistant, Emily, and I always reach out to customers when they book to find out what might be special for them. I'm so glad you enjoyed your experience with Fogcutter Tours! Cheers -Eric
    Memorable
    Daphne_K, Aug 2022
    Eric from Fog Cutters Tours arrive in a unique van with no windows but drop downsides if it was wet or too windy. He was friendly helpful and knowledgeable. Listened to clients so he could give you extra information which would be of interest to you. We stopped at a great place to get some lunch arriving to get ferry for Alcatraz. I would recommend to anyone that likes a more personnel trip. He made my Birthday unforgettable.Thank you
    Response from Host, Aug 2022
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Daphne. I'm glad you enjoyed the sights, the unique vehicle, and our lunch place. Thanks for sharing your birthday trip with the crew :) Cheers -Eric
    Fog cutter tours San Francisco
    Jane_G, Aug 2022
    A fantastic small group tour of San Francisco that I would heartily recommend. Eric is a vivacious and knowledgeable tour guide, makes every one feel at ease and knows the best places to go (especially for lunch. Even though he does this on a regular basis, he made it feel like you were the first people on his tour and made it personal. Book this you won’t regret it 😊.
    Response from Host, Aug 2022
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Jane! I work really hard to make each tour a unique experience for my guests and for myself :) I am glad you enjoyed yourself!
    Great tour
    RodrigodeCarvalho_P, Jul 2022
    Erik was a awesome. Great tour of San Francisco. Alcatraz was interesting and you could take your time.
    Response from Host, Jul 2022
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Rodrigo! Glad you enjoyed the city tour and the open-ended time on Alcatraz. Cheers -Eric
    San Francisco and Alcatraz tour
    Julie_G, May 2022
    Eric was a fantastic, knowledgable tour guide . Adapted the tour to our interests and what we wanted to see and what experiences we wanted out of the day. Everything was first class Would highly recommend
    Response from Host, Jun 2022
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Julie! I'm glad you appreciate the adaptable nature of my touring style. I have a lot of fun doing something abit different with each tour too :) Cheers -Eric
    Excellent!!!!
    Kirk_W, Sep 2021
    Eric, Was Great!! Very knowledgeable and very nice! Definitely recommend him. He is the preferred quote from this company so book early!
    Response from Host, Sep 2021
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Kirk, and to recommend me personally :) Cheers -Eric
    Great tour
    Mary_B, Aug 2021
    Eric did am amazing tour of San Francisco. Very personable and informative. We enjoyed it very much.
    Response from Host, Aug 2021
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Mary! I'm glad you all had a great time. Cheers -Eric
    San Francisco in one day!
    Pamela_V, Aug 2021
    Eric shared San Francisco with our family in a fun and personal way! Highly recommend him and his tour!
    Response from Host, Aug 2021
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Pam! It was my pleasure to share the City with your family and to make it a special experience for you. Cheers Eric
    Excellent would recommend!!
    peggy_c, Aug 2021
    It was all good and Eric was informative and entertaining! Enjoyed the fortune cookie tour and Fort Point under the Golden Gate Bridge.
    Response from Host, Aug 2021
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Peggy! I do a bit of a different tour every day, bu those are two of my favorite places. Cheers -Eric
    Well worth the price
    PJHenderson, Aug 2021
    Eric, our tour guide was so informative and very enjoyable. We loved his open air vehicle which gave us great views. It was a little cold but he gave us blankets which made us quite comfortable. Lunch stop was at a great market.
    Response from Host, Aug 2021
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review! I'm glad you enjoyed the great views out of the vehicle. Open sides mean a bit of wind, but I try to keep my guests comfortable with blankets and jackets to borrow. I try to make our stop for lunch a destination in its own right too. It's not always the same place, but Gus's market in the Mission is a favorite of mine. Thanks -Eric
    Fabulous!
    Robert_R, Jul 2021
    Eric is quite simply……fabulous. He grew up in the Bay Area and has wonderful history and insights of the area that make buildings and neighborhoods come alive. I’ve travelled to San Francisco many times with work and occasionally for fun. Joined by my husband and college aged son, we thought this might be interesting (in combination with Alcatraz tour after)….and it totally exceeded expectations. Besides his insight, Eric is has a great low-key sense of humor and worked to ensure everyone felt comfortable. One bit of heads up - as with the SF area, it can be quite chilly and Eric’s van is open air. So bring an extra wrap or jacket. And enjoy!!!!!
    Response from Host, Jul 2021
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, Kim, I am so glad you had a good time. I enjoyed sharing the sights of San Francisco and a few jokes with your group as well :) Good note about the chill. San Francisco can be colder than you expect in the summer. I have blankets for the use of my guests, but it's always good to come prepared! Cheers -Eric
    Wonderful experience, highly recommended
    Kendall_T, Jul 2021
    Fantastic guide, Eric. He was very knowledgeable about the city. The experience was very informative, comfortable and fun. We enjoyed it!
    Response from Host, Jul 2021
    Thanks for taking the time to wrtite a review, Kendall! I'm glad you appreciated the comfort of the custom-built van and had a fun time. Cheers -Eric
    Great tour!!
    David_K, Jul 2021
    I cannot say enough good things about this tour. Eric is the company owner and also was our tour guide. Because our family and the other family were only a mile or two from each other, he picked us both up right outside of our hotel and VRBO. His vehicle appeared to be some type of converted van which had the top and windows removed.. The top now is canvas and there was plastic that could go over the sides if the weather was not cooperative. It was a little cool so he had blankets and extra jackets for everyone. Because the vehicle was not a huge tour bus, we were able to go to parts of the city that your typical tour bus could not. It was a thorough, interesting and wonderfully conducted tour. We did the combined city and Alcatraz tour. He delivered us to the area where he picked up our Alcatraz tickets and made sure that went smoothly as well. I have had the good fortune to travel around the world and have been on more tours than I can recall. This was one of the very best.
    Response from Host, Jul 2021
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, David! I'm glad you appreciated the custom-built vehicle (and the blankets) and that you all had a great time. Cheers -Eric
    Terrific tour for family with teens/tweens!
    Christine_C, Jul 2021
    My family and I had a *wonderful* time on our tour of San Francisco with Eric from Fogcutter Tours. Touring through each neighborhood in half a day was a great way to orient ourselves to this beautiful and diverse city. Eric knew all of the best lookouts for optimal views of the city and its landmarks, but I enjoyed his commentary on the unique aspects of each neighborhood even more. Fast-paced enough to keep the teen and tween entertained, while older backs and knees appreciated the comfortable open-air jeep. Excellent COVID precautions, too. Highly recommend!
    Response from Host, Jul 2021
    I'm so glad you enjoyed your tour, Christine, I enjoyed meeting you and your family too. Thanks for taking the time to write a review and I hope you have a great rest of your time in San Francisco :) Cheers Eric
    Disappointed with Tour
    loubie99, Aug 2019
    After reading other reviews and much consideration we decided to book this for the fun factor we were sadly let down the normal tour guide was off on maternity leave unfortunately. We had a stand in tour guide who was nice but wow we really do not need to know that you can speak Japanese repeatedly and he can sing and what date he got married! We want to know fun facts instead we got were him and his wife run? People on the bus fell asleep! After paying nearly £300 which is a huge amount of money he clearly asked for money in tip! Here's my tip Mark stick with Japanese as we were bored to sleep I'd actually like some money back felt cheated!
    Response from Host, Aug 2019
    Thank you very much for taking the time to write. Reviews of all kinds help me improve my business. Since 2015 I have led every one of my tours personally. For the last few weeks, I have leaned on Mark, a friend and experienced colleague in the local tour business, to run some tours for me while I spend time at home with a new baby. I have had some good feedback about his work so far, and I appreciate yours as well. I hope that tour pickup, timeliness, lunch, and the basics of the tour went well and I hope you enjoyed Alcatraz I want a great experience for every guest, and I know that as a professional guide Mark does too. I will pass your feedback about his narration on to him and together we will work to make our future work even better. Thanks -Eric
    Excellent!
    Rebecca_S, Jun 2019
    Excellent tour of SAN Francisco! Eric is a brilliant tour guide and took us round to everywhere we wanted to go! Definitely recommended if you don’t have much time in SF
    Response from Host, Jun 2019
    Thanks for taking the time to write a review, I am glad you had a good time! Cheers, Eric
    San Francisco Urban Adventure with Eric was great
    Marek J, Jun 2019
    San Francisco Urban Adventure with Eric was great. He was humorous, knowledgable and witty. A perfect tour host. thank you.
    San Francisco Urban Adventure with Eric was great
    Marek J, Jun 2019
    I went on a San Francisco Urban Adventure with Eric as the host. He was knowledgable, humorous, witty and caring host. I loved the trip.
    Response from Host, Jun 2019
    Thanks for booking and for taking the time to write a review! It was a pleasure to meet you guest and show her around SF. Cheers -Eric
    ...

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