SF: Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour with Optional Sunset Tour
San Francisco, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Ride a double-decker sightseeing bus to San Francisco's most famous landmarks with a hop-on hop-off bus pass valid for 24 or 48 hours. Visit big-name attractions such as Pier 39, the Palace of Fine Arts, and Union Square. Explore at your own pace, hopping off at any of 17 stops. Add-on options include Aquarium by the Bay admission, a digital Chinatown walking tour, a panoramic sunset tour, and a half-day wine tour
- Flexible, fun, and family-friendly way of exploring San Francisco
- Learn more about the city via recorded commentary, earbuds included
- Enjoy the fresh air from the open top deck, if you like
- Use the downloadable app for live bus tracking and route info
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
See San Francisco your way with a flexible 24- or 48-hour hop-on hop-off ticket.
What's Included
- Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour, 24, 48 or 72-hour ticket
- 1-hour Panoramic Sunset Tour (if option selected)
- Blazing Saddles Bike Rental Perk - Buy 1 hour, Get 1 hour free with selected tickets
- 1-hour Digital Chinatown Walking Tour (if option selected)
- Digital audio commentary with souvenir earbuds provided
- Open-top double decker bus
- Big Bus Tours app (ticket storage, live tracking and ticket activation)
- No additional fees
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Departure Point
- You may start this tour at any of the stops listed.
Itinerary
Embark on a seamless San Francisco adventure with a hop-on hop-off bus tour, eliminating the need for car rental. Choose from a 24-hour or 48-hour pass and start from any of the 17 conveniently located bus stops on the route.
The double-decker sightseeing bus follows the Red Route, offering 17 stops at significant points of interest. Highlights include Pier 39, the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Chinatown, and Golden Gate Park, along with attractions such as Madame Tussauds and Aquarium of the Bay. Choose to hop off to explore these sites at your leisure and then hop back on, or simply enjoy the full route from the comfort of the bus.
Conclude your hop-on hop-off experience with the freedom to further explore San Francisco independently.
Upgrade to include a digital Chinatown and panoramic sunset tour or half-day wine tour with the 24-hour pass or admission to Aquarium of the Bay and a panoramic sunset tour with the 48-hour pass.
The double-decker sightseeing bus follows the Red Route, offering 17 stops at significant points of interest. Highlights include Pier 39, the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Chinatown, and Golden Gate Park, along with attractions such as Madame Tussauds and Aquarium of the Bay. Choose to hop off to explore these sites at your leisure and then hop back on, or simply enjoy the full route from the comfort of the bus.
Conclude your hop-on hop-off experience with the freedom to further explore San Francisco independently.
Upgrade to include a digital Chinatown and panoramic sunset tour or half-day wine tour with the 24-hour pass or admission to Aquarium of the Bay and a panoramic sunset tour with the 48-hour pass.
Day Tour - Red Route
18 Stops
28 Points of Interest
Duration: 2 hours
Operating Schedule: Operating Hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tour Duration: 2.5 hours to complete the full route without exiting Bus Frequency: Every 15 Minutes. Download the Big Bus Tours app to track buses in real time, and board easily using your mobile ticket.
1
Big Bus Tours San Francisco
2
Ghirardelli Square
3
329 Columbus Ave
4
Embarcadero
5
Ferry Building
6
Union Square
7
Hilton San Francisco Union Square
8
Civic Center
9
Alamo Square
10
Haight-Ashbury
11
Golden Gate Park
12
Golden Gate Park
13
Golden Gate Bridge
14
Palace of Fine Arts
15
Cow Hollow
16
Lombard Street
17
1454 The Embarcadero
18
PIER 39
Points of interest passed by on this route
Pier 39
The Embarcadero
Haight-Ashbury
Union Square
Civic Center
SS Jeremiah O'Brien
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
Golden Gate Bridge
Washington Square
Lombard Street
Chinatown
Alamo Square
Golden Gate Park
Big Bus Tours
California Academy of Sciences
Madame Tussauds
Aquarium of the Bay
Ferry Building Marketplace
San Francisco City Hall
USS Pampanito
Ripley s Believe It or Not! San Francisco
Cartoon Art Museum
SkyStar Wheel Fisherman’s Wharf
Coit Tower
San Francisco Railway Museum
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Asian Art Museum
Painted Ladies
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Blazing Saddles Offer: Big Bus Tours customers get 1 free hour with a 1-hour bike rental from Blazing Saddles, including gear and route tips for exploring San Francisco and cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito
- Half-Day Wine Tour visits 2 wineries and the town of Sausalito; transportation by comfortable, a/c motorcoach
- Hop-on Hop-off tour ticket is valid for use during operating hours for 24, 48 or 72 hours after first use.
- Wheelchair accessible, please call ahead for arrangements
- Download the Big Bus Tours app to access and activate your ticket, track buses in real time, and board easily using your mobile ticket.
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Frequently Asked Questions (8)
Q:Do I have to go to a central location to redeem my ticket for the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Open Top Tour?
A:For the day tour, you can simply show a printed or electronic version of your ticket at any of the stops to board the bus. For the night tour, you must redeem your ticket at 99 Jefferson Street, San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf.
Mar 2021
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4,1
based on 4 705 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Angela_S, Jul 2026
Start early, get off at stop 11 - walk the bridge then get stop 12 to come back. Lombard stop takes you two blocks away from the crooked street - be ready to walk up hills!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience and helpful tips!
We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring the city with us. Riding the full route first is a great way to get oriented and decide which attractions you'd like to visit in more detail afterward.
We also appreciate your recommendations for fellow travelers. The walk across the bridge is well worth it, and you're absolutely right—those visiting Lombard Street should be prepared for a bit of a hill climb, but the views are worth the effort!
Thank you again for your feedback, and we hope to welcome you on board again soon. 😊🚌✨Alex@BigBusTours
Jasmine_P, Jul 2026
This was a 2.5 to 3 star experience.
The recordings do not match with the location and you keep looking for the bldg or the street or the monument that the recording is mentioning.
The upcoming stop is not announced so you have no idea till the stop if you should get down there.
The recording shares good history of SF but barely anything else about the areas or the stops or what one can explore in that area.
Some other tours have more stops than Big Bus.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We appreciate your feedback as we are always looking for ways to improve. We will continue to work on the audio timing until it is 100 % accurate. We hope to see you again with Big Bus Tours and that you will experience an informative narration with plenty of stops!
Brian_J, Jul 2026
Very friendly staff. The driver was very informative with great information about the city I would highly recommend
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hello, Brian!
Thank you so much for the glowing review!
We are thrilled to hear that you had such a wonderful time on our San Francisco tour.
Our team takes great pride in delivering friendly service, and our drivers love sharing fascinating stories and insider tips about the city. It means the world to us that you had a great experience and would highly recommend us!
We hope to welcome you back on board the next time you're in San Francisco!
Maria@BigBusToursCustomerCare
Kreem_C, Jul 2026
It was the best. Lot of history in this city. I would love to come back and do it again. Thank you all and Viator
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed learning about the city's rich history and had such a great experience. We’d love to welcome you back for another tour in the future. Thank you for choosing us and Viator!
Raul@BigBusTours
Usha_A, Jul 2026
Dana was the bus driver and guide. He was very friendly, knowledgeable, and polite. The tour was amazing. Definitely recommend.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi,
Thank you for your wonderful review!
We're delighted to hear that you had an amazing tour and that Dana helped make your experience so memorable.
Thank you for your recommendation. We hope to welcome you on board again soon!
Alexandra@BigBusTours
Michael_C, Jul 2026
What experience? I’m on a hop on and off tour and I can’t find a list of stops anywhere. It says go to any of the listed stops…. There are NO listed stops!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi, Michael! Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear about the difficulty you experienced finding the tour stops. For future reference, all stop locations can be found on our website and in the Big Bus app, where you'll also find route maps and live bus tracking information.
If you'd like us to look into your specific experience in more detail, please contact our Customer Service team via Live Chat or email through our https://www.bigbustours.com/contact-us. We'd be happy to review the situation further.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Daniel@BigBusTours
KERRIE_D, Jul 2026
We found the hop on hop off bus around San Francisco to be very informative and good. Make sure you have a jacket if you sit up on the top deck as it can get quite cold.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi, Kerrie,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our tour and found it informative.
And thank you for sharing that great tip with future travelers—the San Francisco breeze on the top deck can definitely be chilly, so bringing a jacket is always wise!
We hope to welcome you aboard again on your next adventure!
Best regards, Mihaela@BigBusToursTeam
Magdalene_H, Jul 2026
Great experience and especially the palace of fine arts. Spending time in fisherman wraf and checking different stores.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Magdalene_H. We wish to thank you for your feedback. We are happy to learn that your experience with us in San Francisco was great. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again soon. Best regards, Vlad @BigBusTours
Sabrina_A, Jul 2026
July is not the time of year to go. September would be better weather for sitting on top of the bus dress well
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Sabrina,
Thank you for your review! We're glad you enjoyed the tour and appreciate your helpful tip for future visitors. Weather can certainly make a big difference to the sightseeing experience, and we're happy to hear you made the most of it.
We hope to welcome you onboard again soon!
Alexandra I. @ Big Bus Tours Team
Sharon_W, Jul 2026
Be prepared to hear about multiple types of alternative life choices. This is totally not necessary on this tour to go into. Also, some things we were told we would see and didn’t see, they just said oh here is where this is, but you couldn’t see it and it wasn’t close to a stop.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Sharon!
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear that parts of the commentary did not match your expectations and that some of the landmarks mentioned were difficult to see from the route.
We appreciate you sharing your experience, as guest feedback helps us improve both our commentary and tour experience. Your comments will be passed on to the local team for review.
Alexandra I. @ Big Bus Tours Team
Janesse_V, Jul 2026
It worked perfect!!!! Hop off at the places we wanted to see. Stay on for the places we had no interest. Always a bus to catch within minutes. Worked perfect!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Janesse_V,
Thank you for the fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear the hop-on, hop-off service worked perfectly for your plans and gave you the flexibility to explore at your own pace.
It's great to know the frequent buses made getting around easy. We hope to welcome you onboard again soon!
Alexandra I. @ Big Bus Tours Team
Nancy_M, Jul 2026
It was very enjoyable and interesting we liked everything about it. Really liked the hop off hop on part
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Nancy_M,
Thank you for your lovely review! We're delighted to hear you found the tour enjoyable and interesting, and that you especially liked the flexibility of our hop-on, hop-off service.
We hope to welcome you onboard again for another adventure soon!
Alexandra I. @ Big Bus Tours Team
Gerardo_R, Jul 2026
That there are several stops where they could get offf and explorer. That there will be another hopper to go to another place to explore.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hello, Gerard! Thank you for your feedback. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the flexibility of the hop-on hop-off service and the opportunity to explore different stops at your own pace. We appreciate you choosing to travel with us.
Daniel@BigBusTours
Gregory_C, Jul 2026
This is well worth the time and price. The recorded tour guide was nicely informational and the bus personnel were great.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your kind feedback. We're glad to hear you found the tour informative and enjoyed the service provided by our team. We appreciate you choosing to travel with us. Daniel@BigBusTours
Natasha_J, Jul 2026
Well good weather is always a plus for this escursion to enjoy the top of bus . It was cold and windy on 7/8. I have been on this type of bus in Miami much better because you have a live person guiding you and not audio. The audio does not align with where you are in the city sometimes and its informal and pre recorded. I did not like that at all.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the feedback about our audio narration. We will address the timing so that it is accurate, and we apologize for the inconvenience. We appreciate you joining us, and hope to see you again!
Linda_H, Jul 2026
This is a great way to see the entire hot spots in San Francisco. The drive over the Golden Gate bridge is spectacular. Wherher you spend a day or several days, it is well worth it.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi, Linda! Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed discovering San Francisco’s top sights and the spectacular views from the Golden Gate Bridge. We are thrilled that our tour helped you make the most of your visit. We hope to welcome you on board again soon! Alexandra@BigBusTours
Marsha_J, Jul 2026
Great way to see San Francisco. Easy to get on and off to see areas you want to explore. One big disappointment- on my paperwork it showed that we would see haight- ashbury and the painted ladies - two icons of SF but we did not see either. My husband was very disappointed. And Lombard St was pointed out but we did not actually see the curvy street.
Divina_F, Jul 2026
One area for improvement is the Lombard Street stop. The drop-off location was quite far from the actual attraction, and the walk was longer and steeper than expected. It would be helpful to let passengers know this in advance, as the walk may be challenging for some visitors, especially elderly travelers, families with young children, or anyone with mobility concerns.
Despite that, we had a great experience with the hop-on hop-off bus tour. It was a convenient and enjoyable way to see the city’s top attractions at our own pace. The flexibility to get off at different stops, explore, and then continue the tour made it easy to plan our day.
The buses were comfortable, the route covered many popular sights, and the commentary provided helpful information about the city’s history and landmarks. Overall, it was a fun and worthwhile experience, and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the city.
Steven_S, Jul 2026
Review the route and be sure of stops and surroundings you want to see or you may miss them. Going over the GGate bridge was very cold on top. All staff was helpful and the tour is worth it.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We are glad to hear that you found the Tour worthwhile and that our staff was helpful along the way.
You made an excellent point about reviewing the route beforehand—planning out the stops definitely helps in getting the most out of the trip. We also appreciate the tip about the chilly breeze on top of the bus while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge; it is always a good reminder for future guests to bring a light jacket. We hope to welcome you on another Route soon! Valeriu @BigBusTours
Marie_S, Jul 2026
Big Bus staff at pick up spots were always friendly and very helpful. Bus Driver was excellent driver.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hello! Thank you for the wonderful feedback, and we are glad our team and driver could help make your experience so pleasant and stress-free! Melisa@BigBusTours
Megan_F, Jul 2026
DO NOT BOOK!! I saw the other 1-star reviews and thought it wouldn’t happen to me. They cancelled the tour! We got sunset tour tickets and all day pass and they only ran from 10am-noon that day and cancelled the sunset tour entirely and REFUSE to refund. Our kid was so disappointed and were so upset to pay over $200 for nothing! Just a take an uber around town. These people are scammers.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear about your experience and understand how disappointing it must have been, especially for your family. We apologize for the frustration caused by the cancelled tour and would like the opportunity to look into this further. Please contact us via live chat or email with your booking details, and our team will be happy to assist you. You can access our contact page here: https://www.bigbustours.com/contact-us Daniel@BigBusTours
George_C, Jul 2026
See below. I was not informed they stop running buses at 1 on the 4th. Not happy. I wish I had a known.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi there! Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear that your experience did not go as expected and that the early end of service on July 4th impacted your plans. We understand how disappointing this must have been, particularly if you were unaware of the adjusted operating schedule.
Your comments have been noted and will be shared with the relevant team to help improve communication regarding service updates and schedule changes. Alexandra@BigBusTours
Manuel_R, Jul 2026
This tour was not great. I think that traffic got in the way and we spent more time in traffic than anything else.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hello! Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear that your tour experience was impacted by traffic and did not meet your expectations. Traffic conditions can sometimes affect tour duration and travel times, particularly during busy periods.
We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, as feedback like yours helps us identify areas for improvement. Alexandra@BigBusTours
Valerie_W, Jun 2026
Enjoyed sitting on top of the Big Bus touring San Francisco. Preferred sitting on the inside bottom of Big Bus going across the windy Golden Gate Bridge.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Valerie,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed touring San Francisco with us. The views from the top deck are certainly hard to beat, and we completely understand choosing a seat inside on the lower deck while crossing the windy Golden Gate Bridge!
We hope to welcome you back for another Big Bus adventure the next time you're in the city.
Madalina@BigBusTours
BETTY_H, Jun 2026
We got to the bus pick-up location 5 minutes early and had to wait 20 minutes for a bus to come.
They don’t do all the stops the brochure shows and they don’t announce the stops. We wanted to get off at a certain spot, the bus stopped at a red light, not next to the curb, and counted that as the stop. Then told us it would be about 2 hours before it got there again. We got off and had to walk. We are senior citizens, we were not happy at all.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hello, Betty!
We are sincerely sorry for this experience, especially as senior citizens. This is definitely not the standard of service we provide.
We apologize for the delay, the lack of announcements, and the unacceptable way the driver handled your stop. For safety, our buses must always pull up to the designated curb. We have passed your comments to our local management team to address this immediately.
Thank you for your honesty, and we hope to give you a much better experience in the future.
Best regards,
Mihaela@BigBusToursTeam
David_L, Jun 2026
Great sized group and ideal vehicle. Blankets were a nice touch.
10am departure with a 12:30pm Alcatraz ferry doesn't really allow time for food. Plan ahead; maybe a large breakfast or take a snack.
Trevor was a great guide!! Very knowledgeable, polite and a good driver! Great stop for an iconic Golden Gate Bridge picture.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Great sized group and ideal vehicle. Blankets were a nice touch. 10am departure with a 12:30pm Alcatraz ferry doesn't really allow time for food. Plan ahead; maybe a large breakfast or take a snack. Trevor was a great guide!! Very knowledgeable, polite and a good driver! Great stop for an iconic Golden Gate Bridge picture.
Cara_C, Jun 2026
This tour gives you historical and cultural information. It also allows you to get off and on at places of interest to you.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hello!
Thank you for the great review! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the historical and cultural insights, as well as the flexibility of our hop-on, hop-off service.
Best regards,
Melisa@BigBusToursTeam
Kathy_N, Jun 2026
Awesome trip..no parking near. Must wear warm hats that stay on.Bring camera drink plenty before going.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hi Kathy_N. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us! We are thrilled to learn that you had a wonderful experience on our bus tour, and we hope to see you on board again soon. Best regards, Razvan @BigBusTours
Tinley_D, Jun 2026
Great experience! I'd recommend taking a ride around on the bus first to check out all the sights the bus stops at. We did that then rode it back around to one location we wanted to hang out in.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hello Tinley_D. Thank you for taking the time to provide your insights! We are pleased to know that you enjoyed our bus tour, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future. Best regards, Razvan @BigBusTours
Wilfredo_A, Jun 2026
Great views and stops, golden gate was the best spot. The driver was a bit rude barking orders at the guests.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Hello Wilfredo_A. We appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback! It brings us great joy to know that you enjoyed our bus tour, and we look forward to welcoming you aboard again in the future. Best regards, Razvan @BigBusTours
From US$56,10
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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