This was a last-minute decision to take a ride on the Emerald Lady - and I am so glad we did!…read more Chris, working the desk, was so great! Really personable and nice. Captain Michael was amazing! He had a great sense of humor and was very knowledgeable! He even let my 8yo niece steer the boat, which she loved! I highly recommend this tour. At $15 for 30 minutes in the bay waters - it is totally worth it!

The is the best deal @ Pier 39. The kiosk is located across Trish's mini donuts. I've taken…read morevisiting family and friends on this tour. $20 per person. They take you to see the Goldengate Bridge, Alcatraz, sea lions and more. Last night we did the night tour for the first time and was amazed. Captain Ryan was fun, knowledgeable and made the experience very special for us.

We went on the combo tour of Alcatraz and the city. It is not very organized nor eas the time…read moresufficient generally. I selected thia tour only because Alcatraz was sold out for weeks. We barely had enough time at Alcatraz to listen to the 45 minute audio tour before having to get back on the ferry. We were told by friends to skip the intro and head straight for the audio pick up or we would not have enough time for even that basis tour. There was confusion about where to meet for the bus portion because one email said pier 33 and another pier 39. I tried calling in the morning but received no answer. I texted and finally received an answer to meet in front of the Aquarium by the Bay and to look for Marcus. We actually got on the wrong bus after asking the guide who simply said yes , it is correct and to get on. We got off the next stop and had to run back. Found Marcus a non touristy bus. Apparently, this wasn't the tour but simply a connection to "the tour" in Sausalito. We drove an had 45 minutes to have lunch and to explore. Not enough time for lunch in crazy busy area. We were then told to go by the elephant square where Kathy would be in a red shirt. Got on an incredibly hot bus driven by Gordon. Yes , there was a heat wave but Gordon did not have the air on until he started driving. Also, this bus only had air blowing in the front and back so if you were near the middle you lose.. The stop at Marin was nice to cool off and take photos of Golden Gate Bridge. One other thing was that we were not given a current itinerary. The one that I found said we would go to Golden Gate Park for 45 minutes. We never stopped there. All stops were 10 minutes or less except for walking Lombardy Street. My party had already done that so we stayed on the bus. The driver however would not turn on the air. We should have gotten off to have a beer but did not know how long the stop was so we stayed. Kathy, our guide was surprised that the doors by the bathrooms at Grace Cathedral were locked. Last part was the bus does not drop you off where you start. We started at pier 33 but ended up a mile away at the Ferry Building. If we had an agenda, we could have planned for this. This is supposed to be one of the more expensive tours. It was NOT worth it. Our tour guide was pleasant and did her best. Avoid this company. Try Hop On Hop Off instead. Buy Alcatraz far in advance and not rush with this group.

San Francisco Shuttle Tours - (AKA - the Yelp Party Bus) were amazing to work with…read more Mary Beth - their dispatcher/coordinator was professional, quick to get back with me about any questions I had, and assured me throughout the booking process that there would be no hiccups. She dispatched Mike our driver early, and made sure to call me the day of, to brief me on all necessary information. Mike the Yelp Party Bus driver was prepared, patient, laid-back and alot of fun to work with. I was a little nervous at first that we had to pay up front, but Mary Beth and Mike made our experience with San Francisco Shuttle tours a "sigh of relief," sit back and enjoy, Keith Sweat's "Twisted" (best ballad ever...on a customized Richard T CD) kind of experience. P.S. I heard Twisted was fast forwarded at some point. BOoooooo. A classic I tell you. A classic.

1 of 3 reviews…read more Quality/Quantity - I take the local harbor bay business ferry, one of the 3 ferries in Alameda! Only available on weekdays. Well sometimes they offer special ferries for the Giants or Warriors games in SF. Atmosphere - On the Alameda side - I hike/bike here at times as well. Plenty of parking, 250 spaces and no overnight parking allowed. 20 bike racks available, the ferry is bike friendly as well. 24 bike lockers available. AC Transit = 21 line. Public restrooms, don't expect much. On the SF side - We have the ferry building here. Plenty of public transportation and ride share. But I mostly either walk to meet my friends or have someone pick me up. Service - 5 stars. My favorite form of travel. Prices have gone back up slightly, but still very affordable. Thank you. Approximately 20 minutes to get to SF. Also, since I have lived in Alameda, the ferry service has always been on time. This ferry, similar to Sea Plane, operates only Monday to Friday. So if you go on a weekend, you need to take the main ferry. Price - $5.10 one way with a clipper card. Still almost 50% off versus pre-pandemic prices, thank you. Also, I just discovered the main ferry only cost $2.85 to go to Jack London Square; so why am I still driving to the Rosenblum winery??? Wait, I also just discovered a free water taxi and I can't wait to try that! The Main Island Ferry special event tickets - $11.25 to Chase Center. Oracle Park - $19.25 from Vallejo. Must buy tickets online and the clipper card is invalid. Owner Comment - Thanks for having a ferry on the south side of the island! So much better than having to drive to SF.

The ferry ride itself in both directions was great…read more Information desk at the ferry building in SF is useless, you ask questions and they answer all defensive, simply wanted to know which gate to use and dude caught an attitude like I accused him of sending me somewhere incorrect when I simply asked which gate to get back to Harbor Bay. Someone needs a new job, clearly unhappy with his, I witnessed him speak to everyone with a question in the same a**hole condescending tone

This is a great and unique highlight sf has but I'd definitely call ahead. It can get busy. It was…read moreamazing and it's not very expensive. They take you to all the breathtaking views of sf. It was very enjoyable. Angel Island, Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods, Stinson Beachm etc...you get to see it all.

I don't even know how to start this review The idea of a…read moresea plane adventure is a romantic notion, not something that every gets to experience. So, I guess more if a "bucket list" item. Today we did it. There are no words to describe how incredible this experience was. The tour was great from start to finish; the bridge,the ocean, the bay, the city....everything. Anna in the office - sweet and completely knowledgeable about the company. Our pilot Jerome made the entire trip exquisite! The entire day was top-notch. If you are on the fence, lean into the plane! Well worth your time and money.

The Bay City Guide works great for me for a few reasons. First of all the maps, especially the…read moredetailed Union Square and Golden Gate park maps, are great for explaining things to tourists and locals alike as they are very up to date and easy to read. The information inside the guide is simple but useful, it highlights neighborhoods in SF that tourists wouldn't normally even think about and this is important for tourists who want to get the full SF experience. Lastly, and this might sound odd, but I like the ads. IT highlights locals businesses that I wouldnt have normally thought about, and I like when money in San Francisco is recycled within the city, it creates long term relationships between vendors and local businesses. Great guides, thanks being a great part of our local hospitality culture!

My review also relates to the Alcatraz, Open Sky city tour and Chinatown Walking Tour, all booked…read moreas a package for $87. In the city for the weekend, we booked the tour on Saturday and were told to check in at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday. At that time, the gentleman at the desk told us that we would take the ferry to Alcatraz at 11:00 a.m., the city tour at 3:00 p.m. and the walking tour at 5:00 p.m. The Alcatraz portion went fine. We had a couple hours to kill after that, and then went and took the city tour. As another reviewer mentioned, the bus is a school bus (stickers for school bus rules still attached at the front of the bus) with its top cut off. The seats/benches are not precisely built for comfort! I have re-named this portion the Psychedelic Bus Tour because it was so bizarre. We, too, had Timber as our guide, an aging hippy who was apparently a professional photographer (and insists you let him take your photos if you want them to turn out well), a bit actor and now a tour guide. The tour was unintentionally hilarious -- and would have remained so throughout the three long hours had one been drunk or perhaps on 'shrooms; however, after two hours everyone on the bus was looking for an escape route. First of all, the only stops we made were at the Palace of Fine Arts and the Golden Gate bridge, both of which occurred within the first 30 mins of the tour. We were then regaled with the driver's stream of consciousness ramblings about anything from a new bike trail ("Oh, wow, I hadn't noticed that before!") to comments about pretty young women on the street (all spoken over the loudspeaker so that the women in question could undoubtedly hear as well) to police activity near the Disney museum ("Look at that -- three police cars! I wonder what's going on there. We definitely don't want to stop here!") We were also subjected to his politically incorrect sociological views, such as the "fact" that there are "10-12 reasons" that people become homeless (this as we were stopped at a light in front of Golden Gate park where said homeless were happily smoking pot) and, while driving through Chinatown, the observation that one thing the Chinese know well is capitalism! Ah, and we were also introduced to a transgender club (with a warning to the gentlemen that pretty ladies might not be ladies at all) and a topless club. And there were children on the bus!!! Lest I forget, in the middle of the Golden Gate bridge, on went the radio to a local 70's/80's station and we were 'treated' to such best-forgotten hits as Janet Jackson's "Nasty Boys" and Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight". I'm telling you, a drunk would have had a blast on this tour; me, being all too sober, not so much! As for the walking tour, well, how were we supposed to be there at 5:00 p.m. when the bus tour lasted over three hours??? We were dropped off at 6:15 p.m. and had obviously missed it. Since we left San Francisco that same night, there was no way to do it on another day. In fact, we weren't even told that we could do it another day, which strikes me as rather unethical, seeing as how the man we originally checked in with had to have known that the bus tour was 3 hours long and would overlap with the walking tour. All in all, I'd recommend that others book the tours separately. The bus tour definitely isn't for families, but a group of college age kids or single (drunk) adults might get a kick out of the guide's bizarre ramblings.

Ahhh... the good life…read more Nothing relaxes you more after a two-hour train ride, plus another 45 min bus ride, than a wide-open space with fresh air and a nice view. I found myself in heaven just sitting here waiting to get picked up for my trip around San Francisco. Donning my white pants, white shoes, and a black T, I looked like I was having my own party while I listened to some great tunes with my feet up on my suitcase. "Nice shoes!", I heard a few times as I sat there. "Nice ass!", I thought, as a few tight-bodied joggers passed me by. LOL!

Forget about the cheesy Fisherman's Wharf bay ferry tours. This one leaves from the mighty Ferry…read moreBuilding. It is more expensive than the other guy's 1 hour tours. The tour lasts 1 and a half hours and goes past the Giants SBC Park, out to the east span of the Bay Bridge, around Treasure Island, out to Alcatraz and then back along the waterfront to the Ferry Building. The portable audio units are included for free, and you have control of 3 different audio tours. I listened to the architecture one, and loved it. A big bonus is the food, wine and beer selection on board. So, next time your friends are visiting you from out of town, impress them with a really great bay tour.

An amazing experience from beginning to end. I wanted to arrange an all-inclusive private…read moretransportation to John Muir Redwoods for four of us. Pickup and return to our home in the East Bay, and taking care of the logistical issues with parking, were our priorities. Kirill was easy to work with and made certain that all of our questions were answered. He was also our driver for the day and kept us safe and entertained with his familiarity with the route and related history of the area. We could not have asked for a better result. We all had a wonderful time and will definitely book this business again for future private tours. A five-star rating is well deserved.

Wonderful Experience with A Taste of SF Tours - Highly Recommend!…read more We recently went on a Muir Woods tour with A Taste of SF Tours, and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Our guide, Peter, was excellent--professional, friendly, and very knowledgeable. He even texted us the night before to confirm the pickup time and location, which we really appreciated. Peter arrived right on time and emphasized his goal to start early in order to avoid traffic, secure good parking at Muir Woods, and get ahead of the crowds. Sure enough, his planning paid off--we bypassed a traffic slowdown near Mt. Tam, parked conveniently close to the entrance, and entered the park well ahead of the busier groups. This gave us a more peaceful experience and allowed us to take stunning photos without too many people in the background. By the time we were finishing the loop, crowds were just starting to arrive--perfect timing! We had plenty of time to soak in the natural beauty, enjoy the crisp morning air, and take in the quiet serenity of Muir Woods before it got busy. After our walk, Peter took us to Sausalito, where we had the option to either return with him to San Francisco or take the ferry back to Pier 39 or the Ferry Building. We chose the ferry so we could explore Sausalito more leisurely, enjoy a delicious lunch by the bay, and do a bit of shopping. It was a perfect way to end the day. Even though Peter has only been leading tours in SF for six months, he impressed us with how much he knew about San Francisco, Marin, Sausalito, and Muir Woods--he never ran out of interesting facts and stories. He's also a great driver, which helped ease my nerves on the winding road up to Muir Woods. (He mentioned he used to be a Grand Canyon tour guide, so he's clearly experienced with mountain roads!) As a side note, I've lived in San Francisco for 20 years, and this was my first time visiting Muir Woods on a tour. I had avoided driving there myself because of the twisty roads, but taking this tour was the best decision. It was stress-free, enjoyable, and gave me a whole new appreciation for this beautiful spot just outside the city. Highly recommend this tour to both visitors and locals looking for a relaxed, informative, and well-organized way to experience Muir Woods!

Such a unique experience just seeing these beautiful houseboats with beautiful views of the blue…read morewaters of the bay and the skyline of the city of San Francisco, and in the other direction - the lovely hillsides of Marin County. I can only imagine how much more unique it must be to live in one! A community of writers and artists who became commercially successful, live here. Shel Silverstein used to live in a houseboat here. Rumor has it that Michael Lewis, the guy who wrote Money Ball, The Blind Side, and The Big Short, all of which were made into movies, also owns a houseboat in Sausalito. His house on terra firma is just across the bridge in Berkeley. Just a million dollars for a tiny home on the water in Marin paradise. Location, location, location!

*** This is a review of the grounds and houseboats, not the tour. ***…read more Whenever I have a guest from out of town and I want to give them a real slice of North Bay life (something you don't usually find on a guided tour), I take them to the Sausalito houseboats. It's so full of funky architecture, spectacular Bay views, a few hidden beaches, and plenty of colorful residents. This place is a total trip! Where else in the world can you find such a unique, seaside community with so many photo opps. Although this makes for a fun tourist destination, you have to remember that people actually live here. Translation: be respectful of the communal decks and property. Otherwise, you may endure the wrath of some salty, seaside locals. Like I said, there are quite a few characters (old hippies, young yippies, artists, etc.) who live around here. Consider yourself warned. Even when I'm not playing tour guide to guests, I like strolling here with my dog (yes, it's dog-friendly... as long as they're on leash). It's just a really relaxing spot, and it reminds me of how lucky we are to live in such an amazing area. When visiting, I'd recommend parking near the Mike's Bikes shop and Davey Jone's Deli. But be sure to lock your doors. The area can sometimes attract car burglars.