Market Street Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Market Street. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• San Francisco Food Tour: Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

• San Francisco Combo: Ferry Building Food Tour and Alcatraz

• Combo Tour: Alcatraz Island and San Francisco Grand City Tour

• San Francisco Grand City Tour

• San Francisco Super Saver: Grand City Tour plus Muir Woods & Sausalito Day Trip

There’s no fee for visiting Market Street, which is free and open to the public. To visit as part of a guided tour, expect to pay around US$70 for a half-day tour covering top San Francisco sights, for example, or US$150 or more for an itinerary that includes Alcatraz or food tastings.

Cutting across the city—extending from the Embarcadero all the way to Twin Peaks—Market Street is one of the main stretches in San Francisco. It’s known for its bustling atmosphere, especially the downtown section. Lots of bars, restaurants, shops, street markets, and theaters fill the neighborhood.

San Francisco shines in the fall, when the days are sunny and often warm. (Summers, on the other hand, are infamously cold and foggy.) Many parades start on Market Street, from St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to Juneteenth processions and the Pride Parade at the start of summer.

Morning is best for a quieter experience, especially on a weekday; that’s if you prefer to browse the shops or grab groceries or street food without the buzz of crowds around. For a livelier trip down Market Street, aim for a weekend afternoon or early evening when shoppers are out in full force.

No, you won’t find any free parking on Market Street. If you’re driving there, your options are paid garages or metered parking along the sidewalk, but those spots are hard to come by. If you can, go by bus or subway, or join a tour that includes transportation.