This is to provide a "heads-up" for what to expect from the Telegraph Berkeley Historical Walking…read moreTour. This is also to supplement the Walking Tour, in case some of the more interesting points were missed. I doubt if this Walking Tour includes any of the really important things about Berkeley, such as Melvin Calvin's discovery of the Calvin Cycle, or the discoveries relating to vitamin B12 by Horace Barker, or the discovery by Gilbert Lewis of the covalent bond and his concept of electron pairs. Instead, the Walking Tour is more likely to disclose: (1) Anti-war demonstrations and riots; (2) Free Speech Movement; and (3) Curiosities, such as People's Park, Holy Hubert (evangelist), Pink Cloud (Berkeley Barb salesman), Pravda, the Hate Man, Stoney Burke (performs political comedy), and the successful and famous poet, Julia "Bubble Lady" Vinograd. And so, to prepare yourself for the Walking Tour, I suggest buying a copy of BLESS YOUR DIRTY HEART by Hubert Lindsey, a.k.a., Holy Hubert, and by buying two or three poetry books by Julia Vinograd. I suggest, CANNIBAL CASSEROLE to start out with. MY PHOTOGRAPHS. I took these photographs in the years 1969 to 1971. During the time I was taking freshman chemistry in Latimer Hall, us students were faced with a tough decision. Should we open the windows and let the stinky smell of our chemicals go out the window, or should we keep the windows shut to keep out the stinky smell of the tear gas that the Berkeley police were shooting at the rioters. The day after the riots, I would go out and collect spent tear gas bombs. I have a tear gas bomb that was a rubber ball with a valve on top, and another tear gas bomb that was a blue-painted can made of thick metal, with holes in the can to let the gas come out. I washed the residual tear gas out of the bombs by flushing water over the spent tear gas bombs in the bathroom sink in PRIESTLY HALL dormitory. My photographs show: (1) Bluegrass trio in Sproul Plaza with a mandolin case where you donate money, and where the mandolin case has a sign reading, "KITTY." The term "Kitty" is sometimes used to refer to a place for putting spare change. (2) Also on Sproul Plaza, people playing trombone and clarinet. (3) Holy Hubert on Sproul Plaza. One of the signs reads, "Jesus Christ is coming again to judge this world, follow Christ here on earth. Be persecuted and go to heaven not hell. Another sign reads, "REPENT-REPENT-REPENT Communist Party USSR Communist Party Red China Communist Party U.S.A. Marx-Lenin-Maotsetung ALL 3 ATHEISTS. Bible says Atheist=Fools. I won't follow fools. (4) Riot police on Telegraph Ave. escorting boy to paddy wagon. (5) Sandwich board on Telegraph Avenue. Sign reads, LEOPOLD'S RECORDS New Stones Album $5.99. (6) Boy gets put into paddy wagon, on Telegraph Avenue. (7) Four rioters on Telegraph. One of them flips bird at me. (8) Protest against Nixon and bombs. I took this photo at entrance to U.C. Berkeley campus. (9) Hippie is glad that LBJ died. See headlines from Berkeley Daily Gazette that reads, "Washington Funeral For LBJ." The sign attached to the wooden post reads, "ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL . . . ALICE STEWART & SNAKE . . . June 23." Please note that Alice Stewart & Snake also performed with Big Brother and the Holding Company, at Bimbo's in 1972. (10) Happy gathering on Telegraph. (11) People's Park with Pravda in the nude, as usual. (12) People's Park with row of four friends. (13) Happy gathering on Telegraph, near La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant. You can see GARDEN SPOT MARKET next to La Fiesta. But me and my roommates called this place the GARBAGE SPOT.

I checked out this tour on a recent rainy Sunday and as a Berkeley native learned so much I never…read moreknew about our local history, specific to Telegraph Avenue, Cal as well as Berkeley in general! It's a great tour and I'd recommend it to residents and visitors alike. It's a free app to download and my friend and I each but an earbud in our ear and walked the tour together. Totally recommend!

Lisi was a fun and engaging tour guide. We are SF locals, but often go on ghost tours in other…read morecities. We decided we should do one in our own town for the hell of it. We enjoyed the history tales around the gold rush, earthquake, and Chinatown, mixed in with fun horror stories. Also a fun evening out for our two pups, who got to join along. Well done.

Really entertaining evening with great guides who kept it engaging and just the right balance of…read morespookiness. We learned a lot of SF history too.

A+ to my Bestie for finding out about these port of Oakland Harbour tour tickets…read more We arrived at 5:45-ish and they were already about 100 people in front of us so we were a bit iffy on if we would be able to make it onto the ship or not... but to my surprise, we were able to. Of course, with stand-up space only (some seats were still available on the inside) This cruise was very informative on what's going on in the harbor... really enjoyable and I can tell that The tour speakers love their job. Great views! Does get a bit chilly, but you're in the bay so of course. Got much closer to the Baybridge than I was expecting. Great experience and I would love to go again

Every season, the Port of Oakland offers free 90-minute tours if the port in the Red and White…read moreFerry. I just happened to go on the dirt one this year. The weather was perfect and it was a fun, engaging experience. They narrate most of the ride out, pointing out significant ships and places along the channel. You pass Alameda, sail over BART, glide under the Bay Bridge, and cruise by Angel Island. If you listen, you will definitely learn something new. The best place to sit or stand is on the right (facing Oakland). I was inside, because I needed to sit, but there was easy access to the back of the boat. I got some great pics. There is also easy access to the snack bar. They have candy, chips, soda, and other snackables. The surprise offering was cup of noodles, which seemed really popular. They did a brisk business the whole trip. The best parts for me were the cranes, seeing the bridge up close, and check your the lighthouse on Angel Island, particularly the cranes. Shout to George Lucas. He claims the cranes weren't the inspiration for the imperial walkers on Hoth. We all know better. Anyway, be prepared to stand in line a bit before boarding (like at least 1/2 an hour), lots of people, and lots of kids. It seemed popular with families. Time seemed approximate. The tour started "late" and ended a bit late. Nothing too obscene, just don't plan anything immediately following. The tours are popular, so sign up early. Again, it's free, and it's pretty delightful. Definitely recommended.

The goats have moved on to greener pastures and I'm ecstatic with the results! There is not a…read moresingle square inch of green less than 6 feet off the ground anywhere. We thought this would take a week but it took 3 days - those goats take their work seriously. The good: -Billie and the goats and dogs (and emu) are all delightful. Billie was extremely accommodating and hard working. The goats and dogs are absolute sweethearts and all come running when they see you for pets. -Poison oak is now extinct on my property. -The ground is fertilized and there is nothing to clean up other than sticks. The bad: -Noise. The "baaa"-ing was one thing, but the guard dogs were pretty brutal through the night. We had some coyotes hanging around so there was lots of barking. So that's it, thanks for following. I'm really happy to finally be able to present this and I'm actively brainstorming on how we can get a goat co-op going in our neighborhood.

Lost Emu Farms run by Billie was one of the best decisions we had made. She came out to the…read moreproperty promptly on time to meet with us for an estimate. Her assessment was spot on and we decided to go with her services. She was kind, compassionate, extremely thorough and just plain fun to be around. The result of her services left our property so much safer and useable. We are so grateful for Billie and will have to have her back sooner than later! Thank you again!!! To anyone in the market for her services, we have recommended her to all of our close friends, if appropriate for your needs, you will be beyond satisfied! Best value ever!!!

What a lovely way to learn more about San Jose history. We…read moreenjoyed the "Little Italy" guided walk & talk. Dave our guide was personable, knowledgeable, patient and never tired of our seemingly endless questions.

I enjoyed a walking tour in San Jose with my two co-workers. I had lived in San Jose for 4 years,…read moreand my co-workers were new to the area-- we all learned SO much and loved exploring the city. Greg was a great host, very engaging & answered all of our questions. Definitely recommend for friends, family, fun, or work event!

My husband and I enjoyed today's Original San Francisco Walking Tour with Britt as our guide. We…read morehave been to San Francisco many times over the years but still learned much about its interesting history thanks to Britt's enthusiastic and knowledgable presentation during our tour. Tidbits, such as the existence of a watering hole in the 19th century called the Fierce Grizzly (so named because it had a grizzly chained next to the door) and how today's Chinatown architecture came about after the 1906 earthquake, made our walk memorable and our time with Britt go by fast. The only (slight) disappointment came when we stopped by Caffe Trieste but didn't have time to enjoy their delicious espresso even though a coffee stop was mentioned in the tour description. We highly recommend this walking tour.

I had a free afternoon one Tuesday so I booked the Secrets, Scandals & Scoundrels Tour…read more Britt was fantastic! He was engaging and related the stories to us vividly so we could see and almost hear and smell the times. This tour started in front of the Ghirardelli chocolate store, so that was easy to find and very tantalizing. We got a sample of chocolate too. We walked about a mile and a half or so in and out of buildings and around courtyards. You get a great view of the Transamerica building and even learn about POPOS (privately owned public open spaces) which was the best insider tip for the tour IMO. (Note, you don't end up where you started. You're just a few blocks from where you started but ask Britt for directions and he'll set you in the right direction... or call Lyft/Uber.) San Francisco is filled with so much history that this tour is just the tip of the iceberg. But it gives you an interesting perspective of the Gold Rush times and how San Francisco and its people evolved through that time.

Had such a great time on the Mission District food tour! It was the perfect way to explore the…read moreneighborhood while trying a ton of delicious food and learning more about the history and culture of the area. Chris was awesome -- super friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely made the experience fun for everyone. He had great recommendations, kept the tour engaging, and did a great job sharing interesting stories about the Mission along the way. You can tell he really enjoys what he does! The food was fantastic, and I loved getting to try places and dishes I probably wouldn't have discovered on my own. The tour was well-paced, organized, and had a great mix of food, history, and local culture. If you're visiting San Francisco or even live here and want to experience the Mission in a different way, I'd definitely recommend this tour. Ask for Chris if you can -- he's the best! Definitely worth it!

The mission tour was fantastic! Chris was knowledgeable and so fun to be around, not to mention the…read morefood was amazing! Will definitely be returning

We went on a really cool tour with Kevin! We started in Castro and made our way to Twin Peaks. We…read moregot to see a side of SF we had never visited before. Heard the history and also what certain buildings and areas of SF are used for now. It was a fun way to tour a section of the city.

5 star no doubt! Where else would you go and see absolutely stunning views of the City? Okay, let…read moreme just add emphasis to "stunning"! Because seriously, this IS what you will see when you take an Urban Hike tour! I never imagined feeling like this, like I'm enamored with San Francisco, seriously doing this hike took my love for San Francisco to another level! For all you beginner hikers, get ready! You're in for a joyful ride (or should I say walk) LOL! If I had to rate this hike, it would be easy to moderate. In the beginning, you are going to sweat...after you pass Twin Peaks, the rest is totally easy! Trust me; you will learn A LOT about San Francisco that you didn't know. Even for all of you old timers that have been living in SF for "years"...Yes, you will learn a lot as well! Urban hike gets you really acquainted with the City, taking it to a whole new level. This tour guarantees beautiful views of the City. Get ready, because you'll be treated to the lovely views looking from Twins Peak, roam through the hidden landmarks and staircases such as Pembleton Street, Tank Hill, Sutro, through a hidden forest trail; OMG, the views everywhere you go are so dreamlike. Did I mention we even spotted goats?! PRICELESS! I was able to do this hike on one of San Francisco's most beautiful days. The views were clear and the weather was perfect! My tour guide was awesome and the people I was with made the hike 10x better! So, go ahead....Open up that Groupon app (dammit, download it if you have to!) But you seriously need to hurry up and book this tour! You will be blown away by how much of a great time you will have! (Just make sure you thank me later (smiles).

The Emperor's tour is informative, fun, funny, and memorable…read more He is a delightful, knowledgeable gentleman.

All hail Emperor Norton and his Fantastic Time Machine! One of the best things I've ever done in…read moreSan Francisco -- and the way I came across this tour was by total chance! I happened to be walking through Union Square one weekend morning and saw a gentleman dressed as Emperor Norton. I thought he was a street performer, but boy was I surprised to find out he was about to lead a walking tour! Being a history nerd and someone who was already familiar with the Emperor, I bought a ticket for the downtown tour on the spot, and had such a good experience the next day I bought a ticket for the waterfront tour. It's an enjoyable, leisurely stroll through San Francisco -- full of fun facts and trivia about the city, and Joseph is a delightful host and guide. I feel he lives up to the ideals and sentiments of both Emperor Norton and the city of San Francisco itself, and this is my #1 recommendation whenever a friend tells me they're going to visit SF (although, of course, I'm always sure to NEVER refer to it as "Frisco").

*** 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.

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!