Take away the uncertainty of booking a tour to Alcatraz with this package that includes Alcatraz tickets and a guided walking tour of Chinatown and North Beach, two of the most essential neighborhoods in the City by the Bay. Follow your guide through the heart of Chinatown, visit a famed fortune cookie factory, and then wander the streets of San Francisco's Little Italy. Set out for some time on your own to enjoy lunch in this foodie neighborhood. Then, make your way to Alcatraz Landing for your ferry to the infamous island. This is the perfect way to spend the day in San Francisco—with a local at your side and your time on Alcatraz sorted!
Begin your day meeting a local guide who will whisk you under the Dragon's Gate into the largest (and first) Chinatown outside of Asia. Once a warren of brothels and opium dens, travel the narrow street of Grant Avenue, peeking down side alleys and into traditional bakeries, pharmacies practicing Eastern medicine, and even a shop filled with gifts for the afterlife. Hit hot spots like St. Mary's Square and stroll over to Waverly Place, before dropping by a sure hit: the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Here you'll enjoy a warm taste of heaven fresh off the machine. Watch the method, practiced for decades, of handmade fortune cookies and take home a special box with custom cookies just for you.
As quickly as Chinatown appeared, it will fade behind us as the brilliant textures of San Francisco's Little Italy arise. Walk the well-worn paths of Beat poets and cinematic icons. See the cafe where Francis Ford Coppola sipped espresso and wrote the screenplays for "The Godfather" trilogy. Glimpse down avenues where neon signs beckon and the "Azzurri" reign supreme. Head for lunch on your own in this incredible foodie neighborhood. Your guide will set you up to find the locals' favorite spots.
Reconvening with your guide with a full belly, make your way to Alcatraz Landing, pausing along the route to see the 8 turns (in only one city block, mind you!) of Lombard Street, deemed "The Most Crooked Street in the World." As your departure on the ferry draws closer and you reach Alcatraz Landing, your guide will set you up for a great experience, giving you all the insider tips before bidding you farewell. (Tour guides aren't allowed on Alcatraz Island, but yours will tell you what to expect, giving you time to explore at your own pace).
Your all-inclusive Alcatraz ticket means you get a roundtrip ferry to Alcatraz Island, the incredible Cellhouse audio guide (narrated by former inmates and correctional officers), and all the impeccable views of San Francisco Bay including sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge one could only hope for. What a great day in San Francisco!
Guide: English