I work for Cal Poly SLO, and we were hosting a group of students from Japan. Prior to their arrival in San Luis Obispo, they stopped in SF for two days, during which they had a Silicon Valley tour. Our guide Randall was very knowledgeable and fun to be in a car with. This was a Silicon Valley Tour but we got much more than that. Randall started telling our visitors about different parts of SF on the way to Palo Alto, and he did the same on the way back. I highly recommend Randall as a tour guide. read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend and I went on a San Francisco Muir Woods tour. Our tour guide Sharon was wonderful, friendly, and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the trip. The weather was great, but the Labor Day weekend traffic was bad. Muir Woods is a wonderful place to see coastal redwoods, if you do not want to travel to the Santa Cruz mountains or the Oregon border. It is very close to San Francisco. It is very convenient to get to, and the trails are well marked and maintained. Our pickup point (the east entrance to the Hilton hotel) was convenient. I will definitely use the tour company again. read more

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Way overpriced! I've been bidding out wine tours for a company event and this company came in ~$1500 higher than any other bid I've received from other vendors (just for transportation, not including tasting fees or lunch). Don't even bother with this company, they're on a different planet. read more

We did the Yosemite tour with Ginno and it was spectacular. He knew so many facts about absolutely everything along the way. The bus was very comfortable and everything was super well planned. I wish it had lasted longer, but I understand that if it did, we would get back to San Francisco too late. An excellent tour overall. And of course, the place itself was absolutely stunning. read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

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If you're lucky enough to get David as your guide for your Extranomical tour of Yosemite, your experience can be even more memorable than it otherwise would be. It can go beyond enjoyable and educational, to truly enlightening--though you'll have to pay attention and listen carefully in order for that to happen. There's so much that goes into such a tour, on so many levels, that you'll only be able to appreciate it once you have the experience. For what's involved, the ticket price is entirely reasonable, so it's worth giving up some less meaningful indulgences if necessary. Three tips to prospective participants: 1. Take the company's advice about dressing in layers seriously. 2. Respect the necessity of returning to the bus with the time requested. 3. Err on the side of generosity when tipping your guide (you'll feel better about yourself the next day). Suggestion to the company: See what you might be able to do by way of tweaking the speaker system in the new bus, so that the guide's voice can be heard more clearly beyond the middle of the vehicle. read more

During a recent trip to San Francisco, I had scheduled a day bus trip to Muir Woods/Sonoma/Napa. I decided to book through Extranomical. We ended up getting picked up a few blocks away at a larger hotel (no big deal). There ended up being 27 people on our tour, including a bachelorette party. Dustin, our tour guide was fantastic. He even shared a spreadsheet of recommendations. Our first stop was Muir Woods, which we had approximately an hour to spend there. Our next stop was Jacuzzi Winery, lunch, then RU Vango, Mayo Winery, and then ending with a brief stop at the Golden Gate Bridge. Everything was timed pretty well. Due to a mishap or two, we didn't get back until after 7:00. Anyone wanting to do a tour through Extranomical, I would recommend it. Hopefully Dustin is your tour guide. read more

Took the Yosemite tour with Andy as our guide. Had a great time! Andy was very informative and told our group things from historical significance to general facts. He was also great with stopping at the best places for pictures in the park! Highly recommend taking this tour group and definitely ask for Andy Howse!! read more

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Booked a tour to Muir Woods and winery. Our host was Roman, a funny German guy. He is Quite a talker. The entire time he talked about history geography the wineries. He's a very nice guy. Very accommodating. The trip to the Muir Woods was amazing. The trees are gorgeous. The park is clean and beautiful there is an area to sit and relax it's good for families are adults of all ages very nice experience. We went to three wineries the last winery was probably the best service we have received family and very hospitable, Mayo Family Winery. Romain took us on the way back home to the Golden Gate Bridge area will you see the view of the entire bay and the golden bridge. That was very unexpected and beautiful. Five stars for this trip. Almost forgot, stopped for lunch at a cute Sonoma village, had the best Salmon sandwich @ Plaza Bistro. read more

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Our trip to Yosemite was awesome thanks to our guide, Andy. He was full of facts and stories throughout the trip. He also went out of his way to accommodate everyone at each stop. read more

My husband and I toured Yosemite with Extranomical Tours on Labor Day weekend. We really enjoyed the tour. We were able to get a small hike in when the bus stopped at Tuolumne Meadows so we could see the Sequoias. Gino, the driver on the tour bus, was really friendly and he was good about warning us when great photo ops were coming up, and telling us what we were looking at at each stop. He gave the people on the bus good information about when to be back at the bus and we were allowed to give input about whether or not we wanted to stop at some locations. Gino also provided a lot of historical information on the ride up to Yosemite and about Yosemite itself. It was a long day, but Gino maintained the same high energy (lots of silly jokes; consider yourself warned). I highly recommend this tour! We chose it because we didn't want to do the challenging drive up ourselves and the bus was fairly comfortable. Compared to other tour companies, Extranomical was extremely clear about where their pick up spots are and what the tour would entail. I felt like by taking a tour bus there was enough walking to get good exercise but not so much walking that you can't enjoy everything you're seeing and experiencing. Another thing I would say is that if you are planning to see the waterfalls, which I had been looking forward to, you'll want to time your trip a little better than we did. Go in the spring, not on Labor Day weekend. California hadn't had very much rain and there hadn't been a lot of snow in the winter, so the waterfalls were barely a trickle. read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I grew up in the Bay Area, and my friend invited me to join her on the Muir Woods tour. I had only visited Muir Woods once and drove there with my two small boys, so I was excited to experience the sights and beauty of San Francisco, Muir Woods and Sausalito in a care-free, relaxing way. Dustin, our tour guide, was excellent!!He was amazing! He was kind, warm, fun, engaging, and knowledgeable!! Our tour bus included people from Australia, England, Colorado, Monterey, and more. We made stops at the Presidio and Golden Gate Bridge on the way to Muir Woods. The entire trip was really an opportunity to relax, in a comfortable and clean tour bus, and not worry about traffic, directions and parking. It was an opportunity to really enjoy being with other people, really take in all the sights, and absorb surprising information about our world-renowned city, Muir Woods National Park, and the quaint little town of Sausalito in Marin county. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I would encourage not only visitors, but anyone from the Bay Area or other parts of California to come and enjoy our beautiful, desirable, and historically and culturally rich area, in a new, care-free, exciting way! I whole-heartedly recommend trying Extranomical Tours and certainly Dustin on your next visit to Muir Woods, Yosemite or Wine Country!! Lisa Y read more

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We booked an Extranomical Tour over Memorial Day Weekend that included Muir Woods, wine tasting at three wineries, and a stop by the Golden Gate Bridge for a photo op. We were a bit nervous because of COVID, but it turned out pretty amazing for our first foray into pandemic travel. First, our tour guide Ben was amazing. He was kind, funny, and had just the right amount of "tour guide-ness" (pointing out landmarks, telling us about the area, but also not talking throughout the whole drive). Ben noticed Golden Gate had a beautiful morning with no fog, so we actually stopped there first to grab some photos (this ended up being a genius idea because the bridge was humid and foggy on our way home). After our photos, we went to Muir Woods for a little over an hour to walk around and see the Redwoods, stop at the coffee shop, or browse the gift shop. Ben also expertly navigated the windy roads in a tour bus, which we were impressed with! After Muir Woods, we went to a Napa winery (Kieu Hoang), then Sonoma town square for some lunch, and then two more Sonoma wineries (Muscardini Cellars and Mayo Family Winery). While these were wonderful, the AC on the bus wasn't working and it was 90 degrees in Napa, so we were all sweating pretty profusely after the first Napa winery. Ben went out of his way to give us more time at the last winery that had air conditioning (#blessed) and then also allowed us to stop at a convenience store to stock up on ice cream, water, and hard seltzer (no regrets) for the trip home. Overall, we had a blast and without a doubt would do this again. Everyone kept their masks on during the bus ride for the most part, and it was pretty easy to stay away from everybody during all tastings/wandering around Muir Woods. read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - In front of the Golden Gate Bridge, on the way to Muir Woods! - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great and efficient tour! Dustin is awesome~ Starred out early around 7:45am to go to Muir Woods, after a quick hike, we headed to Napa/Sonoma Valley for 3 wine tours. We went to jacuzzi, mayo, and ru vango wineries. The places they visit change every day. We also stopped by to get lunch at Sonoma where there were super cute little boutiques and great restaurants. Ended at the Golden Gate Bridge for a 15 min photo stop and we're back in the city around 5:40pm. Overall if you don't want to drive and want to relax it's a really great opportunity to visit places. Our group was small, 20 people and everyone was pleasant! I would def come back and try the Yosemite tour: read more

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Ben is the bomb! We came out for a wine tour from Las Vegas, and had the best time! Thank you for the great recommendation, the fun music, and great photo opportunities! Ben is filled with an amazing knowledge base and always had something good to share as he drove us through the cities. read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - Mayo Winery - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

We booked an Extranomical all-day tour of Muir Woods and wine country. Our tour guide seemed knowledgeable about the area and kept up running patter as he drove us from place to place. The first part of the day was in Muir Woods, full of beautiful redwoods. As a servicemember I could have saved entry fees for the whole family but didn't know that in advance, and there is no network availability at the park (by design) to download a copy of one's discharge papers or other proof of military service. I did not deduct any stars for this, but it'd be nice to add a footnote for military and ex-military folks. The latter part of the day was spent stopping at three small wineries. At each we were given a few short minutes of explanation about the wine-making process, and several sips of wine. I'd estimate that the total full glasses of wine consumed by each tourgoer for the whole tour was about two glasses, maybe a little less. On the way back we stopped at a viewing point for the Golden Gate Bridge for a little over ten minutes. The tour bus itself was in poor repair. Its shocks seemed to be practically non-existent, leading some tourgoers to cry out in surprise and/or pain when going over bumps on the highway at high speed. Window sealing was sagging, the fabric roof was stained, and lights were partially broken on our bus too. The price for the tour in retrospect was extremely high for essentially taxi service plus two glasses of wine. The "tour" of each winery was so minimal that I'd call it practically non-existent, with each winery spending a few minutes to hawk their wines, let us walk around briefly and get us back out the door. These also didn't seem to be high-end wineries, though I'm no expert. At the end of the tour, our guide mounted extreme pressure to give a tip; after previously bragging how much money he was making, he said that the bulk of his earnings came from tips. My wife was in the middle of giving him a tip electronically at dropoff when he approached us, loudly pressuring her to switch to a different method and/or pay him in person (he might have thought she wasn't going to tip, which she was despite my suggestion that we not tip). At that point I told him "I think we're good", prompting him to yell loudly (paraphrased) "So you're not going to tip then? You're really saying that?" so that everyone in the bus could still hear. Yes, he pursued us out the door of the bus at dropoff to do that. In retrospect I wish we'd simply gotten our car rental a day early, gone to Muir Woods for free, and had half a day free to do something else. read more

This review is for the Muir Woods and winery tour booked through TripAdvisor. Our tour guide Dustin was great and had tons of good recommendations. Muir Woods was beautiful and all 3 wineries were very different vibes but great in their own ways. read more

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This review is LONG overdue. We took this bus tour from downtown San Francisco to Yosemite Natl. Park just before the tragic fires of late in the area. We were lucky that (like the description on the website says) conditions WERE right, and we were able to tour the area of the Giant Sequoias, Swinging Bridge on the Meadow Loop Trail, and get so close to Yosemite Falls that we could almost touch it. The website is pretty easy to navigate. Determine where you want to be picked up, purchase your ticket(s) and you're done. You ride for an hour and half or so before your stop, at which time you'll be able to stock on snacks, and other necessities. This is a LARGE grocery chain (can't remember the name) and if you can't find it here ... including an umbrella, you must not be looking hard enough. Same trip in reverse on the way home. As far as the park goes, well, let the pictures speak for themselves. My wife and I travel LOTS. We have been all over the United States, and this was some of the top 5 scenery we've EVER witnessed. Enjoy! Good job Extranomical Tours! read more

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I booked the 3-day Yosemite Overnight Tour with No Accommodation. On our way to Yosemite Valley, our tour guide was Rob and he was very passionate about Yosemite, sharing many historical details and experiences of Yosemite. Rob was very helpful with our luggage and gave us pointers on what to do for our stay in Yosemite. On our way back, our tour guide was Brad and he was very friendly. For anyone considering Extranomical's Yosemite Overnight tours - I would highly recommend it. You really want to stay in Yosemite for a few days to really appreciate all the sights and history of Yosemite. I did a 1-day trip years back and it was very rushed and tiring, and I did not really appreciate Yosemite because of that. I higly recommend taking the tour so you get to spend more time in the valley, and so that you don't have to make the tiring drive to Yosemite. For those that do go on the overnight tours, my biggest tips are: 1) make sure you travel light because the tour bus does not have much luggage storage room, 2) make sure you confirm the pickup time on your way to and back from Yosemite, especially the return trip because phone reception is really bad in the valley. Now why is this a 4-star instead of 5-star review? Originally I booked the overnight tour that included accommodation at Yosemite Valley Lodge but Extranomical couldn't get a room at the lodge, and they did not refund me until I threatened them. I was lucky to book a room on my own at Yosemite Valley Lodge, and booked Extranomical's no accommodation overnight tour as our transportation there. I was a bit nervous before our trip due to the initial poor experience, but after our trip I can say Extranomical is legit and their tour guides are well trained. I would likely book a tour again with them, keeping the above issues in mind when booking with them. read more

We went on extranomical tours to Yosemite on the 27th with Andy Howse as our tour guide. Andy was a great guide and gave us knowledge about the city and its history throughout the trip. I would highly recommend this tour and will take it again if we come back to San Francisco. read more

Had a terrific day in Yosemite with Extranomical tours. The company is extremely professional starting with Joshua on the telephone reservations. The driver- guide was funny and a wealth of knowledge about all things Yosemite, SF, and other areas of California. The SF to Yosemite day trip is a long day, but so worth it to see the stunning beauty. I was so glad I wasn't driving, as the roads are curvy. We got to visit all the photo stops, spend two hours at base camp, and hike to the sequoias. The tour gives a great overview of Yosemite, and makes me want to take an overnight tour of Yosemite with Extranomical tours. read more

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Eleven family members signed up for a 4-hour private tour of San Francisco for Oct 23, 2024. The itinerary and pacing was fine. The driver was safe. The tour leader was informative about the history and locations we visited. But there were several problems: 1. The tour driver and bus arrived 10 minutes after the contracted start time, and the tour guide seemed annoyed when we tried to tell her over the phone where the 11 of us were standing, waiting. 2. The contract we signed by email said the gratuity was included in the fee. I emailed the tour company beforehand to confirm that the tip was included and received an email back stating that it was, and no additional expenses would appear on the day of the tour. However, on the tour bus, there was a prominent sign saying the tips are expected. At the end of the tour, I wanted to confirm with the tour guide that tips were pre-paid, as the contract stated. She seemed very surprised and said tips were separate and not included in the tour payment. We did not have much cash, but gave her and the bus driver an embarrassingly small amount of tip, but that is all the cash we had. Extranomical needs to change their contract and let their customer service people know as well that tips are not included in the private tour fee. 3. For a 4-hour private tour, it would have been nice to have bottled water available, but there was none. At one of the stops half way through, the guide said we could buy water at the store (at Lands End), but that store had no water to sell. It would be nice for the tour company to include a notice that no water will be provided on private tours so customers should bring their own. read more

I canceled their bus tour, and they said I will receive full refund in 7 to 14 days. After over month, I didn't receive it. I checked on their customer service, and they said they will contact me when they find out the issue. I asked how long I expect to wait. They told me please wait patiently. Ok, I felt uncomfortable just waiting I don't know how long, so I told them I will report to a court. Within a hour, they refunded finally. I strongly DO NOT recommend this company. They are not honest nor kind. I am glad I canceled their bus tour. read more

We booked a day trip to Yosemite from San Jose. We did the reservation with an associate with them. Even though the associate was helpful in doing the reservation she didn't mention that we have to take a shuttle to Livermore first from the hotel. I was asking about the bus and steps multiple times because I was booking this trip for my mom who has real difficulties walking and climbing steps due to acute arthritis. It was really hard for her to move from one bus to the other because she the steps were too deep. I don't think it was ok to not mention this. They even confirmed many times that the front seats will be saved for her and us. There was nothing like that and the driver didn't even know. He was not comfortable moving anyone. I should still mention that the driver Rob was really nice to us and everyone. He dropped us near the lodge so she doesn't have to walk too much. He stopped everywhere as per the tour and was taking pictures for everyone. Even though the first shuttle ride was bumpy due to bad suspension the next one was better. read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

We have had an extraordinary day in wine country with out driver and host Kimmy. The pick up was on time and we headed off to Muir Woods for an hour or so stroll thru the ancient redwoods. Kmmy kept us informed about our trip and we had many laughs with her while keeping us on time. Off to the first wi dry she told us about the owner and how he came to the area. All the wineries we visited were ready for us and we had our private tasting and tour at each. We had a lunch break after the first tasting and she toured the town square pointing out different venues and what to expect at each, allowing us to decide without spending time going from one to another or spending too much time on Yelp, with out limited time. After lunch we visited two more wineries and she was there when we were ready to go with the air conditioning running, as it was close to 90° today. Taking a tour to wine country makes sense. No worries about drinking and then trying to navigate the traffic back to the city. We had a great day and highly recommend anyone looking to consider the class act of a business to get you there and back safely Update! We ended up taking a short detour that was not mentioned to us when we booked the tour. Just before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, we headed to Fort Baker. The views of the bridge in late afternoon are spectacular. We all got a chance for a wonderful photo op. Thanks again to Kimberly, a great host for our day read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - View from Fort Baker - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

My husband and I booked the wineries and Muir Woods tour w/ lunch. Unfortunately, a day before the tour we received call from the company to let us know that one of their drivers would be unavailable. They gave us the option to reschedule or take another tour which included three wineries, one of which was the Castello de Amorosa. We took the tour but they said lunch would no longer be included. They assured us that the new tour was of superior value to what we had initially paid for. We were picked up by Randall, our tour guide who was very friendly and knowledgeable. He told us to pace ourselves at the wineries because we would probably get drunk. That was not the case, in total we were only served 12 ounces of wine throughout the tour, which lasted about 10 hours. Overall, the experience was great! We met some great people in the bus, and the scenery was second to none. read more

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We took the Muir Woods/wine country tour. Our guide's name was Kimmy and she did an excellent job. My family loved Muir Woods and the wineries we visited. The only negative was when I booked online I was advised we would be picked up at our hotel. I subsequently got an email saying we had to meet the tour bus several blocks away. Not a huge deal, but it did cause some last minute scrambling to ensure we arrived at the meeting point by 7:30 a.m., which then got pushed to 7:55 a.m. There was a Starbucks at the corner of the meeting point, so we just got a coffee while we were waiting. I do think they should make the meeting point and time clear upon booking to avoid confusion. read more

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First of all I want to thank whomever in the management office who allowed us to change LITERALLY last minute to a different day due to unforeseen circumstances so many thanks to you! Also, many thanks to Dustin our tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable, patient and made the whole 8 hour'ish tour fun and engaging. Highly recommend Extranomical Tours not just because of the tour itself but because of the little things such as being understanding and allowing us to have to move schedules around last minute which means a lot! Thank you all! read more

**Review is for the Afternoon City Insider Tour** This is a good way to see a lot of the city in a relatively short amount of time. I knew I only had one full day I'd be able to explore/ do the tourist sight seeing, and only last minute decided that a guided bus tour might be my best bet. One of the biggest "pros" for me was that I was able to book this tour the day of. This was a huge relief for me!!! Without the tour, I would have been wandering around alone, not sure what even to look at, and spending tons of time and money on transportation. Also, the tour went on even when there were other passengers who were no-shows. Thank goodness it wasn't cancelled... I'd heard horror stories about some tour companies doing that! I'm actually glad that there were less people than expected (it ended up just being 4, myself included, plus the driver for 5 total). I got a whole row of the bus (more like a van) to myself this way, which was really nice. Speaking of the bus, it was plenty comfortable, especially with just a few people sharing the space. It really did end up being the perfect amount of people, I thought. Honestly, the beginning of the tour was a little slow. It seemed like we were just driving around as the driver mentioned a few random restaurants we passed. I think I was still nervous about the quality of the tour at this point too, and maybe just wasn't as engaged with it yet. I was really nervous we'd spend the whole time in the van, not getting to get out or take any pics, so I was probably hyper-focused on that in the beginning. The tour definitely seemed to pick up more and more as we went along. The first few things I was actually interested in seeing were some cool Victorian homes and driving through China town. We didn't get out of the bus until about half way through, when we walked around the outside of the Palace of Fine Arts in the Presidio. For me, my two highlights were the very last big stops. The first of these was the Golden Gate Bridge. We got to get out, admire, and snap some pics here. We also ended up driving across it (twice, actually- back and forth), which I didn't think I'd get to do! The spot we stopped at was great, and we even got hit by some big waves (which I thought was fun)! My other favorite stop was at twin peaks, where we also got to get out, admire, and have a photo-opp. The best part was that we hit these last two stops at the most PERFECT times!!! At Golden Gate Bridge, the sun was just beginning to set, so the sky had tinges of pink and orange starting to come through, but it was still plenty light enough outside to see everything and to get good lighting for pictures (lol). At twin peaks, we arrived mid to late sunset, which was beautiful because the city lights were shining brightly down below (but again, was still good enough for a well-lit view and picture). The tour guide was VERY willing to retake pics to make sure you got one you liked. As someone who values pictures a lot, this was highly appreciated. Our tour guide, Don, was extremely kind, warm/ welcoming, and knowledgeable not only about San Francisco but about plenty of other tidbits too. Though we had to make it to the pickup spot on our own (a hotel in the Fisherman's Wharf area) we were dropped back off pretty much at our hotels. This made me really happy since by the time the tour was completely over it was dark and I was traveling alone! The tour lasted I think 4 hours in total? It felt like a really good amount of time to me. Plenty of time to see what you need without being rushed at all... Overall this was a good experience, and I'm glad I did it. As I said, I wouldn't have been able to see (and definitely wouldn't have learned) so much without this tour! read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - Extranomical Tours bus (afternoon city insider tour) - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

We had a fantastic tour of three wineries. The tour guide Randall has a passion for what he does and was amazing. We went to a Castlle Amorosa , Tamber Bay , and Kieu Hoang. All three were awesome but wish we had more time at the Castle. We bought some superb wines, and had a great trip. Thx read more

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Went to the one day San Francisco Yosemite national park tour, the reservation process and the customer service on the phone was impeccable. Appreciate the support given to us by the team, the tour was good itself, it was snowing but we made the best of it and went to El Capitan. The driver was less than ideal, but every tour has its ups and downs. Would really recommend hiking shoes and an extra pair of socks if you're going there in the winter during the snow season. read more

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My friend and I took the day tour to Yosemite National Park. Not only did everything go smooth, I got to see the giant sequoias. Yeah! I love that they picked us up at our humble hotel near Chinatown. Our guide was courteous and very knowleadgeable. Maybe a little too much information. He talked of the CA history for an entire 2 hours non-stop. We were amazed by how he remembered all the details. My only complain was that we felt rushed hiking in an hour and then having to enjoy the waterfalls and eat lunch in an hour. If you have the time, stay overnite at Yosemite. The driver even detoured us when we were ahead of schedule to a wonderful night view of San Francisco for photo opportunity as the sun was setting. That was awesome. read more

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Booked the Sonoma/Napa wine tasting tour with Don as our guide. Don was an awesome guide and took great passion in his job. Very well versed in the history of the area! Long day but we'll worth the money. Thank you Don! read more

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We used the Extranomical Tours for a day trip to Yosemite from San Francisco. Understand that our entire trip was planned last minute and it is a holiday weekend. We attempted to obtain a private tour with another vendor but it was not available. As a last resort I hooked up with this group. I was expecting a one or two star experience when I booked but overcame the negative outlook because I really wanted to see Yosemite. Well here goes with the review now that the background has been established. Our tour guide was aces high and full of heart. There was only one problem. We could not understand him due to his strong accent. I'm not sure that I understood much of what he said from the outset of the tour for the rest of the day after he mispronounced my name 3 times after me providing direction. However, I honestly believe he was trying his best. It might have been helpful if he used (assuming it worked) the display screen provided in the bus and loaded a DVD with information pertaining to the trip. Next keep in mind that this is a 14-hour day to make this journey. You get to see a lot of things if everyone in your group honors the time limitations provided by the driver at each stop. To be expected, there are always a few that think of themselves first and not the other 30 people on the bus. Our "few" ended up costing us time at two stops which resulted in us not being able to stop for pictures / looks a few stops. The driver is provided a time to be in the park and out of the park and he must adhere to those time limits. He was very clear with our bus on times and used an helpful white board that had the return time on it for folks to view each time they exited the bus. The bus makes a stop midway through the 4 hour journey to and from Yosemite. It is at a grocery store deli in a strip center. The sandwiches are good / reasonable and there are bathrooms. Keep in mind that this is a stoping point for a number of buses and you can imagine the rest on the bathrooms (long lines, impossible to keep clean, etc.). The bus is well not quite a bus in my opinion. It is more like a shuttle bus for a rental car agency at a small airport. You feel every bump (a lot of them on the rough roads leaving San Francisco) and you feel every turn (some very sharp ones going up to Yosemite). It would be nice if they would at least spring for a drink holder in these vehicles. However, I will give the company credit for the vehicle being clean. All and all it was worth the money to get a quick look at Yosemite. Just keep in mind that this is a LONG day and this is not a luxury vehicle. However, it beats driving yourself and they get you there / back. Not sure I would do this tour again or with this group. However, it reminded me of why I historically start planning family vacations well in advance. read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - The shuttle bus. - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Dustin was an excellent tour guide and made the tour so fun! We had a wonderful time seeing Muir Woods and even more fun enjoying the wineries! The food and wine that was offered on the tour for the extra fee was excellent and the service was impeccable...highly recommended! The weather was perfect, and we were so pleased with tour! read more

Roman fue un excelente tour guide/chófer. Chistoso, inteligente, preciso y agradable. No hubiese podido conocer jamás los sequoias si no es por su tour a Yosemite, que ofrece una parada en un sendero donde se pueden ver algunos, Gracias por la oportunidad, las fotos, las respuestas y los tacos read more

Last minute decision to take this tour to Muirwood. No regrets. Guide, Dustin, just went above and beyond to assure we had the best day possible. Highly recommended. Small groups, attentive guide and staff, comfortable van, and made accommodations for hubby's wheelchair. Kudos on a job well done, Dustin. read more

Extranomical Tours San Francisco - Fun at the bridge! - Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

Planned a last minute tour for Muir Woods and Napa/Sonoma Wine tours and we were extremely satisfied! Each winery offered something wonderful. Our guide Roman was punctual, organized, informative and comical!! All of his suggestions were right on point and he even added some bonus views of the Golden Gate Bridge for us to photograph at the end read more

The "vacation destroyer". I booked a tour with them 2-3 months in advance & get a bus which has a problem which no one knows how to fix. So, they cancel my tour. Rude, unprofessional, awful. They really don't care. Just leave people standing around for 2 hours because they can't figure out what to do. This was the very worst tour experience in my entire life. I am sure that other people in my tour group feel the same way. Any good reviews of this company must be fake. I wouldn't trust them at all. read more

My wife and I travel a lot--both domestically and internationally, and Rob was the best tour guide we have had in a long time! He was a professional tour guide and driver extraordinaire, but the best part is that he was very comical. He made the long trip to Yosemite National Park very entertaining! Thank you, Rob and Extranomical Tours!!! read more

I'm not reviewing the park here, just this tour company. Yosemite is awesome and you should try to see it. This was our first visit, so we booked this tour in advance to be sure we got into the park. You need to do some advance planning to visit Yosemite, which includes getting a pass to drive in or making a reservation at one of the "in-park" hotels. Our tour was in June 2021, so masks were required whenever we were on the bus or inside any park buildings. We were picked up a bit late at the meeting place next to the Groveland Fire Department. The large bus was packed with people who had started their trip in San Francisco. It looked like my husband and I were the only ones joining the group in Groveland. There was one set of seats with a "reserved" sign on it, but we were told we couldn't sit there together, as those seats were saved for two people who would be joining the tour for the ride back to the city. "Could we sit here until then?" I asked Gino our driver but was told to find other seats. We split up and found single seats. A few minutes later another family arrived with a baby, they also needed to split up and find single seats. The baby was crying as we boarded, and continued to cry every time we stopped and reboarded the coach during the day. The website says babies need to be in their own car seats, but neither of the two infants on this trip were in car seats. I found a pleasant seatmate, but my husband spent the day next to a scowling teenager. At our first stop, our driver/guide Gino explained that the path was steep and cautioned everyone to pay attention to their watches to allow enough time to get back to the bus on time. He further advised everyone to take water along. Due to the crappy PA system, the baby crying, and just a lack of attention, there were many who did not get the memo. One elderly man got sick to the point of vomiting on the return trail. We had to wait for him to get back to the bus. I felt medical personnel should have been called, but he rallied and boarded the bus. The rest of the day was better. I really enjoyed the time in the valley where we had time to eat and walk around. I felt the driver made enough stops for photos. I was very happy to have someone else doing the driving while in the park. Gino attempted to give us some information on what we were seeing and the history of the park itself. It was obvious he knew his stuff, but English was a second language for him and he was hard to understand, I was seated closer to the front of the bus so I got most of it, my husband says he couldn't hear at all. I think using the park's transportation buses might have been a good option. They picked up at the same sites as this tour, for a lot less. The best option, however, is to drive yourself! My seatmate was on the bus to and from San Francisco. If that's the only way you got a chance to see Yosemite, then I'd do the tour. This tour gives you a chance to see the most beautiful sites in the park. There was no running water at any of the restrooms we stopped at, so make sure to bring your own wipes. My advice would be to bring your own guidebook, some earplugs, some food, and load a movie onto your phone for the ride there and back. This is not a luxury bus, but there was a bathroom on it. If you're overweight or very tall, you're going to be uncomfortable. I'm 65, average height and weight, so I was okay, but there were others who were not! I was very happy we were able to get off in Groveland and didn't have to stay on the bus back to San Francisco. read more

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