Painted Ladies San Francisco City Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
San Francisco, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Take a journey around San Francisco's top sights in a retro way with this small-group tour by vintage Volkswagen bus, decorated with long eyelashes so you can't miss your tour vehicle. You'll pass by neighborhoods like Chinatown, Union Square, Pacific Heights, North Beach, Haight-Ashbury, the Marina, and Hayes Valley, plus see the Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Civic Center, and more.
- Enjoy access to San Francisco highlights larger buses can't reach
- Stop for photo ops at the Golden Gate Bridge Painted Ladies and Palace of Fine Arts
- Hear about the city while listening to songs from the 1960s and '70s
- BYOB (Bring your own Beer)
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Vintage VW buses seat just eight people, making this a fun and intimate experience.
What's Included
- Small group tour
- Professional Tour Guide
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- Access to local vintage points where large buses are banned from
- Transportation in vintage Volkswagen bus
- Photo stops at major landmarks and Commentary about San Francisco history and neighborhoods
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
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End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Haight-Ashbury (Pass By)
Union Square (Pass By)
Civic Center (Pass By)
1
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Painted Ladies
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Golden Gate Bridge
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Lombard Street (Pass By)
Chinatown (Pass By)
Golden Gate Park (Pass By)
Presidio of San Francisco (Pass By)
North Beach (Pass By)
Lower Haight (Pass By)
Hayes Valley (Pass By)
Western Addition (Pass By)
Marina District (Pass By)
Mrs. Doubtfire House (Pass By)
Princess Diaries High School (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Minimum number of 3 people applies. There is a possibility of cancellation or rebooking to another time after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Stroller accessible
- Portable wheelchair ok
- Service animals allowed
- Booster seats are available on request if advised at time of booking
- Near public transportation
- Recommended tip amount :$15-$20 per passenger. (Did you know that tips make up a large amount of our tour guide income in the US?)
- Note that each vehicle seats up to 7 people total. We can still accommodate larger groups seated in separate vehicles.
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Everyone in your group needs to complete our digital waiver.
- Anyone showing symptoms of COVID 19, including fever, cough or shortness of breath won’t be able to participate.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
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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 2,375 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
bluecruise1, Aug 2026
Fun tour seeing lots of San Francisco neighborhoods. Loved our photo stops and our drive down Lombard Street.
Julie_H, Aug 2026
We had the best time on our tour, with Jack as our amazing and knowledgeable guide. We did not have a ton of time in SF so it was great to cover so much of the city in around 2 hours. I highly recommend this tour to anyone, 10/10 and well done Jack!
Selina_R, Aug 2026
We had a BLAST on this tour. Learned so much about San Fran. Josh was our tour guide and he was the best. We are a family of five - wi he three kids aged 11, 13 and 15. Our 11 year old said this was “the best tour he’s ever done” thanks to Josh. He made it fun for the kids which was a huge plus. The van was adorable and was clean and felt safe. Highly recommend.
Alyssa_G, Aug 2026
When we decided to visit San Francisco, I knew I wanted to do some kind of tour. I researched a bunch of options and even considered one of the hop-on, hop-off buses, but then I came across the Painted Ladies Tour. I watched several videos, read reviews, and quickly realized this was a completely different kind of tour.
The tour takes place in a vintage VW van that looks like something straight out of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine. Honestly, even the vehicle itself makes the experience fun! It’s also a much more intimate experience than a large bus tour, which was exactly what I was looking for. It ended up being one of our absolute favorite things we did in San Francisco.
Our guide, Clay, met us just a couple of blocks from our hotel, which was another huge bonus. We didn’t have to take any additional public transportation to get to the tour. It was my daughter and me, another mother and daughter, and their aunt, so we had a really small group. Clay made sure we rotated seats throughout the tour so everyone got a different perspective and everyone had a chance to sit up front for the best views.
One of the first things Clay did was explain what actually makes a “Painted Lady” a Painted Lady. We got to see so many examples throughout the city, and one of our favorites was the Four Seasons. It was really interesting learning the history behind the homes rather than just driving past them and taking pictures.
We drove through the Haight-Ashbury area, where Clay explained how housing costs and the population have changed over the years. We even saw the iconic home with the legs sticking out of one of the windows, which is a pretty funny representation of just how packed some of the homes became.
We also got to see the former homes of Jerry Garcia, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Being able to see those places in person and hear the history behind them was really cool.
Our first stop where we actually got out of the van was Alamo Square Park, where the iconic Full House opening scene was filmed. This was probably the number one thing my daughter wanted to see, so she was thrilled! We got out, took pictures, and Clay was kind enough to take pictures of both of us together so neither of us had to be the person left out of the photos.
Next, we drove by the house from Mrs. Doubtfire. Clay actually happened to see them filming part of the movie when he was younger, which made the stop even more interesting. Then came another major highlight for my daughter—we got to see the school from The Princess Diaries!
From there, we headed to the Palace of Fine Arts, where we learned about its connection to the World’s Fair. We stopped to take pictures, and I have to mention one of my favorite random moments of the entire tour: seeing a Golden Retriever riding in a convertible, absolutely living his best life. 😂 It was one of those completely unexpected San Francisco moments that made the day even better.
Since we were already in the area, we also stopped to take pictures with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.
But the absolute highlight of the tour came next.
Clay took us to Lombard Street, turned the music way up, blasted “Born to Be Wild,” and let us cruise down the famous winding street with the windows down. We were all singing along, laughing, and taking in the experience. It was honestly one of the most iconic and memorable moments of our entire San Francisco trip.
The tour was also perfectly timed. We spent the morning seeing so much of the city, but we were finished early enough to walk back to our hotel, have some downtime, and regroup before lunch. We never felt rushed, but we also didn’t lose an entire day to the tour.
I would absolutely recommend the Painted Ladies Tour to anyone visiting San Francisco. It’s such a fun and personal way to see the city and learn about its history. Instead of sitting on a huge bus with dozens of other people, you’re in a small group, getting to interact with your guide and really experience the city.
And Clay was fantastic. He was knowledgeable, personable, and made the history fun for both the adults and the kids in our group. He took pictures for us, made sure everyone got a chance to experience the best seats, and really made the entire morning feel special.
If you’re looking for something more personal than a traditional sightseeing bus, I can’t recommend this tour enough. Between the Mystery Machine-style van, the history, the movie locations, the Golden Gate Bridge, and singing “Born to Be Wild” down Lombard Street, this was easily one of our favorite memories from San Francisco.
Erin_r, Aug 2026
So fun and the tour guide Jack was so nice and knows so much history about San Francisco. We got so see all the major tourist spots.
Joanie, Aug 2026
It's great if you don't have a lot of time, but you want to see the city. Our guide was very knowledgeable and fun!
Dina_F, Aug 2026
It was a super fun and informative tour. Dominic was an amazing guide with great energy, enthusiasm and a great story teller! He has a wealth of information which made the tour so interesting.
Adrienne_D, Aug 2026
This tour takes you through so many amazing neighborhoods in San Francisco with a music theme to the tour, learning about some cool history. We all loved it. Our youngest is 15 and this was such a fun tour!
Carolyn_F, Aug 2026
This is a great tour. Fun and informative with beautiful scenery and excellent tour guide. We took the Miss Daisy van. Loved it, loved it! A must do while in San Francisco! I'd take it again!
Sophia_T, Aug 2026
Amazing experience! Jack was a great tour guide. I appreciated the context and details he gave us about each neighborhood and historical site we visited. I recommend to every newcomer in SF!
Lisa_T, Aug 2026
Fun time. “Uncle Al” was very informative and provided a great experience for all of us. Enjoyed all the scenery SF has to offer.
Carma_S, Aug 2026
We had a fantastic time on the VW bus tour in San Francisco. The route covered many of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street and the Painted Ladies. The guide was knowledgable, entertaining, and shared interesting stories about the city’s history and culture. I highly recommend the tour to anyone looking for a fun and informative sightseeing experience!
Ashlyn_K, Aug 2026
Super fun and you learn a lot of random things. Jeff was an awesome tour guide. Would definitely do it again!
Naomi_P, Jul 2026
I started first with this tour- great overview. Cousin Al was very knowledgeable and friendly.Enjoyed thoroughly. Very interesting. Would do again
Kelli_B, Jul 2026
Clay was a great tour guide. Very knowledgeable about every neighborhood and made the tour a lot of fun!
perla_n, Jul 2026
This tour was great would highly recommend! The driver was kind, engaging, entertaining, and knowledgeable 10/10!
L_R, Jul 2026
I thought the van was in need of updating because of missing grab bars, peeling trim, squeaky brakes, and a generally shabby aesthetic. The leader was very informal in his presentation, definitely not a trained professional. The narration was uneven: going into detail about some facts, yet totally ignoring other basic points. The leader was a nice guy with a thick accent, making it somewhat hard to understand what was being said. Considering the price charged, the value was not there, although we did get to see many neighborhoods in San Francisco, and their beauty speaks for itself. San Francisco is notably an exclusive place to live with an educated, sophisticated population. One would expect a tour like this taking place in a city like this to be of much better quality.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Not sure this is for the right VW bus tour company as all our guides are professionally trained and have been with us for several years and have an average of 99 % five star reviews as you can see on our 3000+total reviews- also, our buses have been totally updated - each bus has a beautiful inside and outside wrap - they go to the mechanics weekly and are being inspected daily- the city of San Francisco is a beautiful city with lots of different neighborhoods to explore which we do- we would love to show you around the city with one of our beautifully vans and Professional tour guides
Susan_K, Jul 2026
Caio was excellent! His narration was awesome complete with synched music for each attraction.
He was friendly and took pictures for us.
Tara_V, Jul 2026
Cruising through San Francisco in a restored, colorful 1970s VW bus with The Painted Ladies Tour Company was an absolute blast and easily the best highlight of our trip! Our guide, Caio, was fantastic—super friendly, deeply knowledgeable, and full of great local stories that brought every stop to life. Because of the small bus size, we got an intimate, VIP experience and easily navigated spots where huge tour buses can't go. We covered an incredible amount of ground, from iconic landmarks like the actual Painted Ladies, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Palace of Fine Arts, and the Presidio, to navigating the famous twists of Lombard Street. The pop culture stops like the Mrs. Doubtfire House and the Princess Diaries School were a nostalgic treat, and soaking in the distinct vibes of Haight-Ashbury (which felt so right in a retro VW!), Chinatown, North Beach, and the Marina made the day unforgettable. People smiled and waved at us everywhere we drove—if you want a tour with true local charm, personality, and unforgettable views, book this tour with Caio immediately!
Amy_P, Jul 2026
Great experience! Highly recommend. Tour Guide was passionate and very knowledgeable about the city.
Justin_M, Jul 2026
This tour was the perfect introduction to San Francisco! It gives you a great overview of the city by driving past many of the iconic landmarks in just a few hours, making it easy to decide where you want to come back and explore later.
My tour guide was fantastic: friendly, knowledgeable, and full of fun facts, local tips, and recommendations that made the experience even better. I also loved that the group was small (about 8 people in the van), which made it easy to ask questions and actually see everything without feeling crowded.
The three photo stops are short, but they’re at excellent viewpoints and perfect for getting some Instagram-worthy pictures.
As a solo traveler, I honestly can’t recommend this tour enough. You get an incredible amount of value for the price, and it’s a great way to get your bearings before exploring the city on your own. I’d recommend keeping notes of the places and recommendations your guide mentions so you can revisit them later.
One thing that really stood out was the customer service. My original booking didn’t meet the minimum group size, so I was moved to a different tour. Unfortunately, that caused me to arrive late, but the guide was incredibly gracious and made me feel welcome without any hassle.
Whether you’re traveling solo, with a partner, or as a family, I’d absolutely recommend this tour. It’s one of the best ways to kick off a trip to San Francisco.
Carol_B, Jul 2026
Caio was outstanding! We took the tour because we thought it would be cool to see the city using an old VW van, which we loved. The car’s name was Ocean. We knew we would stop at the Painted Ladies (which was on our checklist). We also knew we would stop by the Golden Gate Bridge (another checklist item) and the Palace of Fine Arts. Caio was super friendly, very knowledgeable and pointed out interesting buildings and facts that we would have never known or seen without him. We weren’t expecting to see Janis Joplin’s house nor take a ride down Lombard Street. His friendly demeanor was infectious. We had three adults, two young adults, and two tweens on the tour. EVERYONE loved Caio! His love of San Francisco was contagious.
Raul_N, Jul 2026
Dominic was wonderful! He is a great addition to your tours! Very informative and did an awesome job! We enjoyed it very much! Greater than 5stars!
Margaret_O, Jul 2026
The VW bus is vintage no frills fun! On our trip we had a Knowledgeable tour guide who was also a long time SF resident so good mix of history and local life. Very enjoyable small group tour in a good frame for a short visit or to queue up for return visits.
Susie_W, Jul 2026
Jack was great. Picked us up on time, gave us all the inside scoop on SF after having lived here fir 40 years, went to all the great places, and to top it off he took some great pics of us and texted them to me later that day. Perfect way to look at all the famous sites and decide which ones you want to go back and spend time at. Highly recommend.
Carly_G, Jul 2026
This tour is great! It hit all the spots on my list, plenty of photo opportunities and fun facts. I went solo as I was in town for business and thought it was a great option- very safe and easy pick up location. Great communication before and after the tour.
Ashley_W, Jul 2026
We had a great tour with Caio and Poppy! We don't usually do tours, but this one was totally worth it. We got to see and learn so much that we wouldn't have if we hadn't done the tour.
Carol_N, Jul 2026
Jim was very informative and interesting and made our experience a great one.
He told us all about the history of the city amd more .
Jacqueline_R, Jul 2026
This tour was excellent! Jack was a fantastic tour guide! We learned so much about San Fransisco and the different areas. It was a great and fun way to see the city. Would recommend and do again!
brent_l, Jul 2026
Best tour I have ever taken. Fun. Educational. Our guide was not only a great person but a great and thoughtful man.
We appreciate all he did.
From $82.00
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