San Francisco is one of the world’s top destinations for good reason. For one, its location is amazing. Surrounded by water, mountains, and an ever-changing landscape, it’s no wonder people love this place.
I was recently lucky enough to take a bus tour of San Francisco in an open-top English-style double-decker bus with the City Sightseeing service. Once I got on, I knew I was in for a ride. The tour guide Suzanne was excellent. I recommend taking her tours if possible. She made me laugh so hard that I cried.
I went on the downtown loop tour as well as the Golden Gate loop tour. Of these two San Francisco bus tours, I recommend taking the Golden Gate Loop tour. The tour bus takes you over the Golden Gate and stops at an overlook that allows you to take pictures of the bridge. It also passes the Presidio and houses that cost millions before returning to Fishermans’ Wharf.
On the other San Francisco bus tour I took, the downtown loop offered great flexibility because it made many stops and you could get on and off wherever you wanted. Buses run every thirty minutes, making it easy to get around the city. Park and drive in San Francisco is a mess so it was nice to have someone else to drive me. The driver made stops at Chinatown, Union Square, the Civic Center, the Ferry Building, Lombard St. Fishermans’ Wharf and the SOMA district.
Be sure to stop and check out Lombard St. This is the curviest street I have ever seen. and people drive just for fun. None of the San Francisco buses can drive by it, but it will stop on the side of the street so you can see it for yourself.
Another place worth stopping is Chinatown. According to our guide, it is the largest Chinatown in the world. The streets are lined with outdoor markets and Chinese restaurants.
Another district I went to was North Beach, the Italian district. I stopped at Pinocchio’s for a nice Italian meal with the family. If you like Italian food this area has a lot to choose from.
I recommend purchasing your tickets online rather than at the City Sightseeing office. I was able to save at least 3 dollars on each ticket by purchasing them in advance online.
I highly recommend taking a San Francisco bus tour to get a great overview of the city and learn about its history.