Alcatraz tickets are San Francisco’s hottest (and most unreliable) commodity, often requiring visitors to book months in advance. To take away the stress and uncertainty, we’ve booked them for you and paired them with another of San Francisco’s most iconic areas: Chinatown. To begin the day your guide will give you some tips and tricks for navigating Alcatraz, make sure you get onto the ferry without a problem, and then invite you along for an afternoon tour through the home of the largest Chinese community in the Western World. This is a great way to spend a day in San Francisco, enjoying some of its quintessential experiences with the help of a local who is on-hand both to guide you and sort out logistics.

Your day begins near Alcatraz Landing, where you’ll meet your guide and get your tickets. Before you pop on the ferry to the island, we’ll give you some insider tips and tricks for navigating Alcatraz, noting what to look out for and even offering a few local recommendations for where to get a bite to eat when you return. Your all-inclusive Alcatraz ticket means your roundtrip ferry to the island (with views of the Golden Gate Bridge) is covered, and once you get there you’ll have your own official audio guide to help put it all into context.

While we’ll be leaving you here to enjoy your Alcatraz experience, it’s not goodbye from us. Before you board the ferry we’ll explain where to meet for your deep dive into the history and culture of Chinatown later that afternoon, and how best to get there. 

Starting near the Dragon’s Gate, we’ll take you back to when the neighborhood was a warren of brothels and opium dens where sailors came looking for a good time. You’ll learn the ways the area has improved over the years as we take in neighborhood landmarks such as Waverly Place, Portsmouth Square, and St. Mary’s Cathedral. 

We’ll visit a traditional apothecary, tempt your tastebuds at some of the city’s best bakeries, and - a real highlight of the tour - journey inside the legendary Golden Gate Factory to learn all about the art (and logistics!) of fortune cookie making. Not only will you discover a thing or two about the iconic after-dinner treat, you’ll also receive a special custom-made cookie as a little gift from us! Your tour comes to an end in Chinatown but don’t worry - before you go we’ll discuss the eight great cuisines of China and let you know where best to try them, and share some of our favorite places for dim sum. 

While never expected, tips/gratuity are always appreciated.

Required to bring: Valid photo ID