San Francisco Urban Hike: Castro and Twin Peaks
Recommended by 100% of travelers
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San Francisco, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Conquer San Francisco's urban jungle on this 3-hour urban hike. Trek your way up Tank Hill and Kite Hill, spots favored by locals for great city views, and stroll through hidden forests. Visit the Seward Street Slides to play like a local kid and take spectacular photos from the top of Twin Peaks. Between the forests, lush greenery and hidden pocket parks, you'll find it hard to believe you're in the midst of one of the country's busiest cities. Learn urban legends, history and culture from your local hiking guide.
- Discover the city’s wild side as you hike along hidden trails to off-the-beaten path locales
- Hike up to the summit of Twin Peaks for sweeping city views
- Walk through a forest behind Sutro Tower and slide down the Seward Street Slides
- Learn interesting facts about San Francisco from your guide
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 429 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114, USA
18th Street and Castro Street in the Castro District, in front of the Castro Theatre.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.1:30 pm
Itinerary
Find your way to the historic Castro Theater in San Francisco's Castro district for your moderate 5-mile (8-km) urban hike. Be sure to wear proper hiking shoes to tackle the city's famous hills and bring some drinking water.
Start with a trek up to the top of Kite Hill, a green space that's easy to see but hard to find and is popular with the neighborhood residents. After pausing at the top of the hill for great views and some photo ops, continue to the Seward Street Slides, a hidden gem that has brought delight to kids and adults alike over the years. Make like a local: grab a piece of cardboard and let 'er rip down the curved, cement slides, clearly built in an era before playground safety was a concern.
Walk through a hidden eucalyptus forest behind Sutro Tower, one of the city's unmistakable landmarks. Follow your guide to an unmarked hiking trail, less of an official trail and more of a path worn by residents over the years, to the summit of Twin Peaks. Catch your breath and some truly magnificent views of the San Francisco waterfront and the East Bay Hills beyond.
Conquer Tank Hill next, another popular neighborhood park for views and dog walking. This 650-foot (198-km) high summit gives views of the northern side of the city, the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park.
Descend via the 211-step Pemberton Place Stairway, winding through the beautiful neighborhood houses and private gardens. Return to the Castro Theater to end your 3-hour tour, having seen a part of San Francisco that many travelers never witness.
Start with a trek up to the top of Kite Hill, a green space that's easy to see but hard to find and is popular with the neighborhood residents. After pausing at the top of the hill for great views and some photo ops, continue to the Seward Street Slides, a hidden gem that has brought delight to kids and adults alike over the years. Make like a local: grab a piece of cardboard and let 'er rip down the curved, cement slides, clearly built in an era before playground safety was a concern.
Walk through a hidden eucalyptus forest behind Sutro Tower, one of the city's unmistakable landmarks. Follow your guide to an unmarked hiking trail, less of an official trail and more of a path worn by residents over the years, to the summit of Twin Peaks. Catch your breath and some truly magnificent views of the San Francisco waterfront and the East Bay Hills beyond.
Conquer Tank Hill next, another popular neighborhood park for views and dog walking. This 650-foot (198-km) high summit gives views of the northern side of the city, the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park.
Descend via the 211-step Pemberton Place Stairway, winding through the beautiful neighborhood houses and private gardens. Return to the Castro Theater to end your 3-hour tour, having seen a part of San Francisco that many travelers never witness.
1
Castro Theatre
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Seward Street Slides
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Kite Hill Open Space
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Twin Peaks
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Sutro Tower
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Tank Hill
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Adult pricing applies for all travelers
- Due to the distance and intensity of the hike, this tour is not recommended for children 12 years and younger
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Tour runs rain or shine. If it is raining and you would prefer not to attend, you may reschedule or request a refund
- Service animals allowed
- Recommended attire: comfortable shoes or hiking boots, dressing in layers
- Bringing water is recommended
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 71 reviews
Sarah_H, Sept 2021
Truly unique way to experience San Francisco. Kevin was amazing and friendly. He is from San Francisco and made us feel very welcome.
Lori_J, Jun 2021
Breathtaking views and a very knowledgeable, friendly and experienced guide. It is a more challenging hike so some level of fitness would be helpful.
Kate_M, Jan 2019
Our guide Kevin is a SF native. He cheerfully and confidently led us up and down hills and stairways through many charming residential neighborhoods and parks. Beautiful views of the city, great 3-hour moderate workout, and lots of surprises, even for our son and daughter-in-law who are residents. Starting and ending in Castro was convenient, and great dining and coffee opportunities after the hike. Definitely recommend!
susan_y, Dec 2018
Had a fantastic tour with Val , he was very Knowledgeable and friendly guy. We would highly recommended this tour .
Anonymous, Oct 2017
It was a marvelous experience. Seeing San Francisco from a very different viewpoint or better points. Our guide was excellent, very accommodating. Only do the hike if you are in decent shape. It is a hike lots of step stairs and hilly areas, but well worth it.
Bob K, Sept 2017
Fabulous tour and guide. Alex designed a very interesting route and Val executed it with so much information and charm. We got to see hidden neighborhoods, climb multiple stair passages, wander in eucalyptus forests and have amazing vistas. Highly recommended.
Coffee Wizard, Aug 2017
My family and I were lucky to have Dani, such a lovely and friendly tour guide! I would recommend this hike to anyone visiting SF. It is the best way to see the city's culture, history, unique hills, neighborhoods, and changing weather temps. Wearing comfortable sneakers or hiking shoes is definitely rrecommended, since you'll be taking on steep sidewalks and wooded areas. Also, dress in layers. One minute it's warm and sunny, the next like on top of Twin Peaks, it is very windy, misty, and cool. Our way back from Sutro Tower was was muddy and slippery at times, so be prepared in case that happens. Dani is a delightful conversationalist, and knowledgeable in the history of the city. She even had snacks for us when we reached the top of Twin Peaks. This is a very energetic, interesting, and breathtaking tour. Hills and Hidden Gems, indeed!!
Diana I. J, Aug 2017
This tour was great! Alex, was amazing full of fun facts and an amazing passion for the city. She is very welcoming, informative and greatly prepared. I really enjoyed how she felt out the pace of the group and allowed us time to catch our breath when ascending each staircase or high hills. She was prepared with snacks for the midway of the hike. The hike itself was well planned with plenty of historical and scenic views and very worth every penny!
Robert_F, May 2017
Hiked to top of Twin Peaks. We felt like we were hiking in the forest- hard to believe we were in San Francisco.
Anne M, May 2017
This was the Highlight of my San Fran trip..... great wee afternoon :
Carol C, Dec 2016
This was a great tour taking you into places, up stairs, and onto the tops of hills with spectacular views over the city - places I wouldn't have seen as a visiting tourist. Val was full of information about the area and was an engaging and fun guide to have for three hours! Highly recommended
Jack_M, Nov 2016
Excellent tour. Thoroughly enjoyed the hike. Alex was great and even gave out excellent restaurant recommendations.
Donna D, Oct 2016
Alex was a great tour guide! AND she just wrote a book on these hikes, so she knows the ins and outs of San Fran from another view besides a tourist attraction. Amazing views and photos of the hidden areas around the city we never would have known about. Just great!
Kathy M, Oct 2016
Great, loved our guide and wonderful hidden gems of San Francisco
Paul F, Sept 2016
Dawn was great and well versed in the area and its history
Judith S, Aug 2016
Everything about this tour was fantastic. The information provided was interesting and the hiking part was great. Highly recommend it.
YouYuanAndrew_Y, Jun 2016
Excellent views from our hike up a few high points of SF including Twin Peaks and Sutro Tower ! Alex was very patient and took gd care of our group of 10 , explaining interesting facts and figures about SF and it's early migrants too! Good workout,easy to med level of difficulty, depending on one's fitness.
Susan M, May 2016
Great walking tour with interesting facts and history. The view of San Francisco from the tower is unforgettable.
Claudia C, Dec 2015
Really nice hike of the city. Our tour guide, Alex, was really nice, friendly and understanding. Excellent way to get in some exercise while seeing some really spectacular views of the city.
gregory j, May 2015
This trip was very good and very physical and I had been walking quite a bit. I'm sorry I forgot to tip my guide in my haste to get a cab at the end of my trip. I called Alex and told her I could tip on my credit card but got no response. Anyway she was great and I liked the tour a lot.
Lynne A V, Mar 2015
Excellent walking tour. Views were fantastic and got better the higher we climbed.
Susan N, Nov 2014
Great Hike, Alex is very knowledgeable and fun! My husband and I both really loved it and would recommend it..
Hannah S, Oct 2014
Was fun and a different way to see the city, from up above! You need to be a moderate level of fitness to enjoy the tour . Alex was great and very friendly.
Eleonora P, Oct 2014
Great way to explore quaint San Francisco neighborhoods and get great exercise while climbing steep hills up to Twin Peaks. I would say you need to be in a good physical shape to do this tour since the walk uphill can be a bit treacherous at times.
Benjamin C, Oct 2014
We enjoyed the tour very much and saw some parts if the city that most tourists don't get to see , our guide Alex was very knowledgeable and we hope to do more tours in he future.
Martin P, Oct 2014
This was a really good tour with an excellent guide (Alexandra). We had a good group where everyone mixed well, which made it really enjoyable. I would recommend this tour to anyone.
Kathleen A, Aug 2014
Max was a wonderful, knowledgeable and attentive tour guide. We enjoyed our time very much and it made for an enjoyable day exploring a part of SF unknown to us.
Karen S, Jul 2014
My husband and I really enjoyed this tour. I highly recommend it.
Wilko, Apr 2014
Great experience - Surprising walk. Can wholeheartedly recommend this hike, to hipsters, families, flower girls, muscle heads and Japanese tourists alike. It was feat fun. Many thanks for the experience.
Eduardo B, Dec 2013
I can't get over how much fun I had on this tour. I visit San Francisco about twice a year and love doing all the touristy stuff, but this tour was different, it made me feel like a total insider. The view from Twin Peaks was amazing, but my absolute favorite part was walking through the eucalyptus forest. I've already recommend this tour to friends and family and I extend the same recommendation to anyone considering to book this tour. A special thanks to our guide (sorry I forgot your name) for making this such a great experience!
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