Things to do in

Stockton Street

Explore the largest Chinatown outside Asia on a 3-hour food tour of San Francisco's Chinatown, and discover a maze of alleys off Grant Avenue and Stockton Street, where traditional techniques that date back centuries are still practiced. See food markets and local restaurants, with a surprise around every corner. Watch artisans making Fortune Cookies by hand, and enliven your senses with new flavors, smells, and aromas. Your guide will help you search out authentic crafts and pottery, explore exotic produce, and learn about herbs and teas from the very people who know them best. Uncover the hidden secrets that only intrepid locals know about. As you taste and see everything from Dim Sum to fortune cookies, teas, incredible antiquities, rare and unique musical instruments, and authentic cookware, you'll know you've really experienced Chinatown. Marvel at statuettes and ritual objects that are literally thousands of years old. Visit a music center where you'll see musical instruments you've never seen before. Try different types of Dim Sum from the oldest Chinese bakery in San Francisco. Go to one of the city's oldest cathedrals, and look inside a Buddhist temple.

Meet your tour guide at Dragon's Gate, the main entrance to San Francisco's Chinatown neighborhood, to begin your walking tour of Chinatown's most famous sights and hidden spots. As you wander this colorful and lively neighborhood, listen to commentary from your guide about Chinatown's history, culture, and present-day authenticity. Stroll down Stockton Street past busy markets selling some of the freshest and most exotic foods in the city. Pass by buildings designed like pagodas and have your camera out as you admire eye-catching Chinese decorations adorning the streets. Gain an understanding of Chinatown's religious culture and history as you visit the Old Saint Mary's Cathedral. Get a chance to taste traditional Chinese cookies and tea of your choice at Eastern Bakery where you can expect to get some inside cooking tips from the bakery owners. Go to Portsmouth Square and learn about the historical significance of this area for the Gold Rush, California's beginnings, and Chinatown's origin. Taste homemade dim sum at Delicious Dim Sum where you'll enjoy some of the best dim sum in the city.  Finish your tour with a memorable visit to a Fortune Cookie factory. Taste the fortune cookie, learn about the cooking techniques, and learn about the historical significance of fortune.

This experience is essential to anyone who is serious about exploring the best of San Francisco. Start the day with a coffee on Union Square, named for a series of pro-union mass demonstrations for the Civil War. This is the epicenter of the city’s shopping district and a great place to start your orientation in the city.  Walk through Chinatown, which remains its own authentic world despite the number of international visitors. Join the locals and check out the vegetable and herb markets, restaurants and the colorful markets along Stockton Street. Your local host will also recommend some peculiar knickknack shops which are a great source of souvenirs. On a nice day, let your local host take you on a diversion to the waterfront and grab some lunch in the Ferry Building Marketplace, where there are several excellent options, from street food and gourmet meals. Refueled, walk leisurely past the Embarcadero, the views on the bay are breathtaking and more and more attractions are popping up along the Fisherman’s Wharf, including the Exploratorium and Pier 39.  Your local host will suggest activities for the afternoon. According to your preferences, you may consider exploring the huge Golden Gate Park and its peculiar gardens, walk around the elegant Nob Hill or have a taste of the great mix of modern and old-world charm of the Mission.  A great place to end the experience is the Marin county end of the Golden Gate Bridge as the late afternoon fog rolls in, and you’ll witness the ultimate magic show - now you see the Golden Gate Bridge, now you don’t. This experience is great for all ages. Book this experience and you will be contacted within 24-hours with questions about your preferences and interests. You'll be paired with guides that are passionate about the place they call home and who choose to spend their free time sharing it with like-minded travelers matched to them. Replicate the experience of spending time in a city with a friend who lives there as the best travel moments come from going beneath the surface of a destination and discovering it through a local lens. Based on the things that you would like to see and do a personalized and bespoke itinerary will be built just for you. Please note that this will be outlined but flexible.  During the exploration, if you feel like changing direction, or if your local host believes that you'd enjoy a sight or different experience, they will suggest and discuss with you changes to the itinerary. You will be able to arrange a meeting point and time with your host in the most convenient place for you.  Enjoy discovering amazing spots in San Francisco that you don't know about and are difficult to find in any guidebook or on the internet as they are lesser-known to the crowd but loved by locals. Let your private local host show you the San Francisco you will love.

Experience San Francisco on this self-guided tour via an app that functions as a guide, narrator, and map. Learn about the city while visiting top attractions and must-see spots. Enjoy a tour that’s been developed by local guides, creative writers, and professional voice artists. Start your experience by downloading the app that will function as your personal guide, audio tour, and map all in one (download instructions received via email after booking). After downloading the app, begin your tour at the Painted Ladies. The Painted Ladies is one of the city’s top attractions. These beautiful, colorful homes exemplify Frisco’s funky culture. From there, hear about the city’s unique history and how it became one of the most progressive cities around. Head into the city’s tech quarter and spot big-name headquarters like Uber and Twitter. Get a crash course on how the city became the go-to spot for the most cutting-edge tech produced anywhere. Then, swing by San Francisco City Hall. Get the inside scoop of how Hollywood uses this building as a stand-in for Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Building in all sorts of films. After that, ride down Lombard Street, also known as the most crooked street in the world. This picturesque, winding road has been another Hollywood staple for ages. Next, climb Telegraph Hill for a look at the famous Coit Tower and unbeatable views of the city. Get help identifying some of the most famous structures that make up Frisco’s skyline. Afterward, it’s on to Chinatown and Manilatown. Hear about the long, often embattled, history of both historic districts. Experience the rich culture of these spots. Turn onto Stockton Street and get a look at something else you won’t see every day: cable cars. Get a history lesson on these quirky little cars and learn why they are still used today. At last, reach the waterfront, home to some of the best foods and drinks in the city. Finish off your tour with astonishing views of the bay.

Take a 2-hour walking tour of San Francisco’s Chinatown and learn about the history and culture of the Chinese in America. Join insider Linda Lee and her staff of knowledgeable tour guides and see the major sights of this popular neighborhood – as well as places most visitors never get to know! You’ll visit a fortune cookie factory and an herbal pharmacy, browse the Stockton Street food markets, and discover a secluded Chinese temple. If time permits, you’ll also visit a tea salon. Tours depart daily at 10:00 AM and end at noon. You can also choose an option that includes a dim sum luncheon at one of Chinatown's popular teahouses after your tour.