Top San Francisco Day Trips - page 2

Although the Alcatraz portion of the tour was canceled due to an emergency, the tour was still wonderful and I was issued a partial refund. Brendon is the owner and tour guide of San Francisco Tours, and he did a wonderful job. He was very informative about the city, he interspersed the narrative with personal experiences, he made recommendations of places to visit, and CiCi (his dog) was a crowd pleaser! I usually tour with the Hop On Hop Off bus when I visit different cities, but I'm so glad that I switched it up this time. We saw most places that the other bus visits, and had the benefit of Brendan.

The trip was well worth the time and cost. The crew was friendly and helpful. The bathrooms were the roomiest and cleanest I’ve ever encountered in a ship of this size. We were not able to climb the stairs to sit on top that day. The downstairs seating was comfortable, and the views outside good. I would recommend being sure to request the listening devices to hear the narration. We did not see them when we boarded and only noticed them when the upstairs passengers came down and returned theirs. There was a loudspeaker on the lower deck and we could hear most of the time, but sometimes the engines were too loud to hear over them. We have a good experience and were very glad we went.

When choosing which tour to book, convenience can be a big factor. You look for a way to get to the location while sometimes being entertained by the tour guide. Glenda at Viator was vastly different than other tours I’ve experienced. I felt truly cared by her during the day. She was attentive to everyone’s needs while keeping a considerate schedule of activities. Glenda’s years of experience also showed when considering recent environmental changes. Case of point, we visited the park a day after a surprising April snow covered some spots of the park. She was very wise about her approach and provided everyone in the group with valuable advise, keeping our safety in mind above everything else. Adding to all this, her storytelling skills were remarkable as well. Glenda made it seem effortless navigating the roads on our way to the park, while peppering the twists and turns with stories that gave dimension and pathos to our visit. I gained new insights and appreciation about the Yosemite park while also marveling and the natural beauty that surrounded us. I could keep writing about this excellent experience, but in case you need it summed it up, the title says it all: For a good Yosemite Time, just let Glenda lead the way