This was a Birthday gift from my 2 amazing friends. Jay was such a great guide. He knew so much about the architecture of the Victorian houses. He told us all about the neighborhoods as we strolled along. He showed us a few homes that some famous actors previously owned. We had a great time and would definitely do it again with him. read more

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This was a wonderful tour given by Jay. He is thoughtful and thorough of his knowledge of Victorian Architecture and I was writing down notes because I knew I couldn't remember it all! I really enjoyed learning about different architecture styles and how the uber rich lived back in the day. Highly recommend this tour if you are a local or a visitor. It is 1-2 hours long and goes at a very doable pace. No hills! read more

Amazing tour! My husband and I live in San Francisco and were looking for fun staycation activities. We learned SO much and had a great time walking and chatting with Jay. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the area or anyone in SF who wants to learn more about our lovely city. read more

Great tour! Jay was very knowledgeable! Wonderful cross section of homes! Would definitely recommend this tour!

Jay was AMAZING and so insightful with not only Victorian architecture, but also the history of SF. We were going to do a bus tour of the city and play tourist, but instead decided on a private tour with Jay and I'm so glad we did. His knowledge of the city - from era to era, the great fire in SF, economics of the city - it's all so vast and incredible. He is also very personable and kind. This is well worth the tour!!! read more

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Jay was super knowledgeable and fun. He knows his way around the area and had great recommendations.

This tour was a great way to learn some of San Francisco's history. Jay was very friendly and a great storyteller. I was a little hesitant about this tour only being available for small private groups, but that is absolutely the best way for this tour to be done. It allowed for great conversation and personalization based on our own questions. read more

My fiancé and I were referred to Jay for a unique experience while in San Francisco and we both unanimously agreed this was the BEST part of our trip! Jay was so knowledgeable about the history and architecture of SF and the walking tour was a perfect route to highlight the old and new architecture in the neighborhoods. The route was very walkable and ended at a spot with some great restaurants nearby! I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a short history of SF, beautiful architecture and a nice short walk and Jay will make sure you have a great time! read more

Victorian Home Walk - Queen Anne Hotel and launch off point for the Victorian Walking Tour - Historical Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

My parents and I had such a nice time touring the neighborhood with Jay! He was so knowledgeable and we learned so much.

We had an AWESOME Victorian home tour today with Jay. From the beginning, he was super friendly and easy to schedule with. We met at 10am at the Queen Anne Hotel and got to tour the inside first. He gave us the rundown on the history of the hotel and the different Victorian home traits. We continued on through Lower Pacific heights, Pacific Heights, and eventually down to Cow Hollow. Every few houses he would stop and tell us what made it a specific style, and why they weren't another style. Jay was super knowledgable about all things Victorian, and the history of the city in general. Being already pretty knowledgable about architecture and some of SF history, I wasn't sure how much we would learn, but the entire time we were absorbing new information that you would never know otherwise. And any questions we asked, he knew the answers to. For anyone considering doing this home walk, sign up now. It's 100% worth it. Even if you aren't into architecture or San Francisco read more

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I made a reservation for this tour for my husband's bd. We live in San Jose and hardly ever get to SF. What a terrific experience we had! Jay is so knowledgeable about all of the Victorians in SF and we learned so much in just two hours. He is very kind and helpful as to where to park, where to eat and how to get around. Would highly recommend this tour. read more

The walk with Jay was an eye opening experience. We're from the Bay Area and have seen many SF structures and houses and Jay gave us lessons on the different building's architecture and we learned a lot! The walk was relaxing, interesting and Jay was kind enough to answer all our questions. A great experience overall and would highly recommend it. read more

We were thrilled with our tour and recommend Jay highly!! He is truly a master guide with a command of SF history, architecture and culture, and is able to answer any question about movies filmed here (and those that weren't), new billionaires, legacy wealth and the reasons behind each development. He is also gracious, humble and entertaining. I promise you will enjoy your experience! read more

Our guide was FABULOUS. Very knowledgeable about architecture and willing to answer any and all questions. Walking route was well chosen to be easy and attainable to everyone while covering a wide variety of buildings. 10/10 would recommend to anyone. read more

Jay was easy to work with and knowledgeable about the neighborhoods and their Victorian history as well as architecture other than Victorian. We didn't get to go inside a Victorian besides the Queen Anne Hotel but that was still beautiful. Great departure location so you can grab a bite to eat after the walking. read more

My team & I had an AMAZING offsite with Jay. I didn't have any expectations going into it and I was BLOWN away by how interesting it was. I learned so much about architecture, the history of the city, and seeing the amazing views. Would highly recommend for anyone who loves cities! And it's a great reminder of how SF is awesome =) read more

Jay was AMAZING! He was super easy to book a tour with. He was friendly, professional, and super knowledgeable! His tour is filled with history and architecture details! My husband (who doesn't even like these kinds of tours) and I had an absolute blast! The route was easy and interesting and the stories were awesome. Jay makes sure you really get an understanding of San Francisco and these beautiful neighborhoods. Don't hesitate! Book the tour!! read more

Today my friend and I had the pleasure of doing the San Francisco Victorian walking tour with our guide Jay Gifford. First off, Jay is a delight! And ,as all the other reviews state, thoroughly knowledgeable of all the styles of houses on our walk. And background history of what was going on in those eras of SF history construction.As well as pointing out well known San Franciscans' homes. This was in the Pacific Heights area ending up on Union street. He even got us on the bus to take us back to where we were parked. A splendid time! read more

My mom and I took this tour yesterday. So cool! Jay is really a nice, engaging and knowledgeable guy. I learned alot about victorians and other style homes in SF. Jay gave us a history on the tour. He didn't overload us with info but gave us just the right amount to make it fun, interesting and entertaining. Jay really knows his stuff and can answer all your questions. The walk is easy and paced just right. I highly recommend this tour. Already told my friends about it!! You won't be sorry!! read more

We took the walking tour with Jay last weekend and had a fantastic time. The walk was leisurely and easy; he planned the route well. It was a one-way tour though - at the end our group had coffee and then got an Uber back to our car (the walk back is ~30mins uphill). Jay is very knowledgeable, pleasant, excited about the houses and city, and upbeat. His tour was perfect for us - we wanted a tour that wasn't very "touristy", was interesting and fun, and gave enough information to be interesting without going into too much detail (we aren't deep into architecture or SF history). Highly recommend this to anyone and we will happily do this again when we have other visitors in town. read more

I used to live in San Francisco when I was a university student, and I had always wanted to know more about the gorgeous Victorians in the city. When I came back to visit, I searched on google for a Victorian house tour, and this is what came up. I emailed Jay asking if there was room on the tour for two people the following day, and he emailed back promptly, saying that there was. I really appreciated the last-minute accommodation! We met up in Union Square. There were about 7 of us total on the tour if I remember correctly. We took a short bus ride out of the downtown area, to a building that used to be a girls' school, now converted into a hotel. We got to go inside, which was really cool. It is beautifully decorated with antique furniture. After that, the rest of the tour was all outside, walking through neighborhoods. It was all either flat or downhill. Jay gave us some background history of home architecture in the city, and on the various styles of houses that are considered Victorian, including how to distinguish them from each other. I found it really interesting. If you have an interest in architecture, history, or both, I highly recommend taking this tour. read more

Jay, You & your tour are awesome! We couldn't stop talking about you the rest of our trip. So informative and friendly. We loved every bit of it! Everyone who visits the Bay Area and who lives there should take your tour! Cheers and tahnk you for helping make our 20th anniversaary trip awesome! Paul & Ingrid read more

Jay is extremely knowledgeable and fun, and makes this stroll around lower pacific heights and pacific heights almost like a step back in time. A must for fans of history and architecture! My favorite parts were learning to distinguish the different Victorian building styles, and getting to go inside a Queen Anne at the start of the tour. It's an easy walk at a comfortable pace, perfect for all ages! read more

Victorian Home Walk - Painted ladies - Historical Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very informative and highly recommended tour. My wife and I did this (we live in San Francisco) and came back with not only the ability to recognize different styles of Victorian House but also a the history of San Francisco especially Nob Hill, SoMA and some of Pac Hts. Would be great if there were similar tours for other neighborhoods pertaining to architecture. read more

I came here with my family visiting from Cleveland, so it was nice to do a tour without paying an absurd amount of money. Definitely worth checking out, whether you're a visitor or have been living in San Francisco for a while. We learned a lot about the types of architecture and it was fun to go walk around neighborhoods. A little disappointed at the size of Mrs. Doubtfire's house, but overall we enjoyed ourselves. I feel like it ended a little abruptly, but Jay was willing to give recommendations on places to eat to end the tour - we went to Rose's Cafe which was great too! read more

Jay is a great guide - easy going, knowledgeable, and very friendly. The tour begins in Union Square. Jay was on time and easy to find. We saw a lot of Victorian homes, starting with the interior of a restored Victorian mansion. I enjoyed seeing the Victorians and also buildings in other styles of architecture. I learned about the history of San Francisco. The walking was at an easy pace and we ended up at fabulous Union Street. Jay helped inform us as to what else there is to do in San Francisco and how to get to wherever we wanted to go after the tour. Highly recommend. read more

My friends and I wanted to hang out in the city. After perusing Yelp, I decided hey, why not do the Victorian Home Walk tour. Sounds like fun and something a bit different. My friends willingly agreed to it. Though I had to admit I was a little nervous about dragging my friends for a 25 dollar tour that just meets at Union square without reservations and trots off in a city bus. Our guide was friendly and trying to do the best he could to keep up with more than 10 ppl in our tour group as well as trying hard to answer all our questions. Unfortunately, most questions could not be answered and his standard answer was "that's a really good question, I'll have to check on that for you" Overall, because we paid full price for the tour, I really felt like it was not worth it. We only got to step into one of the Victorian homes that's converted into a hotel and the rest was just a nice walk around the city with some beautiful Victorian homes. I wished the tour was a little more substantial. Honestly, I could just take the city bus myself, research up on Victorian homes in SF and walk around myself. Money not too well spent.... read more

I'm an SF local, but I took this tour with my mom last Friday, which was led by the guide Jay Gifford. Our tour group had only 7 people in it, so it was a great size. The 2-hour tour feels like the perfect length. We were fortunate that we had great weather, so the whole experience was very relaxing and pleasant. Jay is a very engaging guide who can provide a lot of interesting information not only about architecture, but also about local horticulture, and San Francisco cultural trends and history. You do get to go inside the historic Queen Anne B&B, which is quite interesting, but that's the only structure you can go inside. It would be great if the tour company could make arrangements to peek inside a few other homes, if possible. Regardless, I would definitely recommend it! read more

OK, I have to be honest, I'm not normally a huge fan of tours or even victorian architecture for that matter. So the natural question is, what the heck was I doing on this tour? No, I wasn't kidnapped by aliens who took control of my body and made me take the tour. A friend of mine had taken the tour, knew what a geek I was about San Francisco, and recommended it to me. After taking the tour, here are my thoughts: - Great tour with extremely talented guides and so much insight that even a local would enjoy the tour - About 2.5 hours of mostly flat walking with 1 complimentary ride on a SF Muni bus (my least favorite part of the tour) - You start in Union Sq and end in Pac Heights - Eat at Umami Burger after, especially if you've never been or are visiting from out of town If after all this you're still not sold, watch the video on the website. The guides are friendly and have a great sense of humor. This isn't the type of tour that I used to take as a child with my parents where I was dragged around barely able to keep my eyes open. This is the type of tour with great views, architecture, history, and most of all, great people. read more

Great Tour! I completely recommend this tour to visitors and to locals (the tour provides a lot of history locals probably don't know!) Highlights: Extremely Well Planned. * Your guide will picks you up in a location that is easy to get to (Union Square) * You will be dropped off in a location that is perfect to grab lunch, go shopping and get back to Union Square * No Hills! It was amazing--I was prepared to walk up some strenuous hills but the tour was plan so well that we bypassed all of them Interesting and Informative! * This tour provided just the right amount of fun facts and information * Moreover, you will be allowed to enjoy a part of the city that you might not venture into otherwise * One will certainly come away with a real appreciation for the architecture and history of San Francisco read more

We got a groupon for this a year ago and didnt know this even existed. We finally redeemed and i can't beieve how great the tour and Jay are. Super informed, clear, and fascinating. He even figured out Howe to walk through the city with barely any inclines! We are locals and we would give this gift to others and take out of town guests on this tour. We loved learning more about SF! read more

I live in the City, but did this tour today as my mom was in town visiting and is very interested in architecture. The tour started promptly at 11am in Union Square, and we jumped on the bus (45 I believe) to Japantown. We then took a very scenic route through Pacific Heights, and Jay passionately and patiently explained the different types of Victorians we were seeing along the way. We somehow avoided the major hills but saw some great views. The walk was a few miles and ended on Union street in the Marina, where he made recommendations for lunch and pointed everyone in the right direction to get back to Union Square via Muni. In summary: Walk was healthy but not strenuous, Jay was funny and knowledgeable, price was right. Would recommend! read more

What fun! Being Bay Area locals, my boyfriend and I went with expectations that we'd get an enjoyable touristy stroll and our expectations were totally exceeded. Jay Gifford's tour style is light and very humorous while being very informative. He's been doing this tour for many years and so has lots of nice background stories about the neighborhoods and how houses have changed due to renovations over the years. The route was easy - no real hills and showcased the complete range of architectural styles. This tour makes a great gift for locals to have a novel experience in their city! read more

Our private tour was a great way to spend an afternoon in San Francisco. The tour guide, Jay, was very friendly and knowledgeable and taught us so much about Victorian homes and its history. Highly recommend! read more

Jay is a great guide and has historical knowledge IT IS NOT AN EASY WALK-long and has hills WELL WORTH IT THO! I'd love to get inside more of the houses read more

Even if Full House hadn't made this famous, it is still so picturesque that it would be worth visiting. Get your exercise in as parts of it are on pretty steep hills. read more

This tour is MUST-DO when visiting San Francisco for the 1st, 2nd, or millionth time! Jay is extremely knowledgeable and really provided some interesting information about San Francisco and the beautiful Victorian homes it has to offer! I am no history buff but he kept me very interested and I am still thinking about the tour days later. It is a walking tour, and was great because there only about 12 of us so it kept the group intimate. I never knew a thing about Victorian homes before, and architecture or history has not been an interest of mine, but NOW it is! Go on this tour! He is at Union Square every day at 10:55, and the tour is about 2 and a half hours. Much more worth it than a big tour bus :) read more

Victorian Home Walk - Queen Anne Victorian B&B at Christmastime :) - Historical Tours Near Me - San Francisco, California

A great tour led by Jay Gifford. As stated in the information section of the website, the tour begins promptly at 11:00AM, so I would recommend getting to the meeting point 5-10 minutes early. Jay mentioned that the size of the tour can be as small as one, to as large as 30. A person going on this tour will immediately recognize Jay's passion and knowledge not just of Victorian homes, but San Francisco in general. Jay provided some great insight into the history of SF Victorian architecture, teaching our party how to distinguish some of the prominent features of different Victorian homes. I also really enjoyed the wealth of knowledge he shared regarding the history behind some of the neighborhoods as well as specific houses; brief stylistic preferences that came and went with each era, neighborhoods that were once not the most desirable that later became some of the most expensive to live in, and current/former famous residents of San Francisco. He was able to provide an answer to every single question I had and I never got the sense that any of it was b.s. I would consider this tour fun whether you've lived in San Francisco your entire life or you're a tourist; you'll learn a lot! read more

I've lived here for two plus years and this was a great education. I recommend Jay's tour for any local OR visitor. For visitors this tour gives a unique perspective of the cities history. For locals this should be required to ensure voters know the importance of historical preservation. I will be bringing out of town guests for sure. Jay was accommodating, kind, generous with his time, and VERY knowledgeable. Lastly, the walk was pleasant and easy...which was surprising considering we were walking through THIS city and we covered an impressive amount of ground. Thanks Jay...had a blast! read more

Jay leads a great tour, whether you're a local or a visitor you'll learn something and come away with a better understanding of San Francisco's past, present and future. From a practical standpoint, he is easy to hear and understand, does a good job keeping the group together, and clearly cares about both the tour subject (the Victorians) and the education of the tour patrons. Also, for a bonus, go during the Christmas season and see the Victorians decked out in Victorian Christmas style. read more