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Hop-on Hop-off Tours San Francisco

Combo: Alcatraz Tour + San Francisco 48-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

Alcatraz Prison cell block interior during San Francisco Bay cruise tour.
Alcatraz prison cell interior, San Francisco.
San Francisco hop-on hop-off tour bus driving through city streets.
San Francisco City Hall with flags and trees in Civic Center, California.

Open today

9:00am - 9:30pm

Explore at your pace

Choose your entry time, stay as long as you like

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide
    • This combo includes a San Francisco hop-on hop-off bus tour and a ferry trip with entry to the iconic and historic Alcatraz Island.

    • Discover the city on an open-top bus with audio in 7 languages, covering landmarks like Chinatown, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Fisherman’s Wharf.

    • Hop off and explore at your own pace, with buses running every 15 minutes and a free app to track live arrivals for smooth sightseeing.

    • Your pass throws in extras! Visit the Aquarium By The Bay, set off on a sunset tour, explore Chinatown on a digital walking tour & rent a bike to see the sights.

    • Ferry to Alcatraz and explore the infamous former prison with an immersive audio guide featuring gripping tales by former inmates and officers.

  • San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Tour:

    • 48-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off tour

    • Access to Red Route

    • 1-hour Chinatown digital walking tour

    • Entry to Aquarium By The Bay

    • 60-min sunset tour

    • Bike rental offer: book 1 hour, get 1 free

    • Audio guide in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese & Korean (on the bus)

    • Audio guide English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese (on the walking tour)

    • Complimentary headphones

    • Mobile app with a detailed map and live bus tracking

    Alcatraz Island:

    • Round-trip ferry ride to Alcatraz Island

    • Admission to Alcatraz ($45)

    • Multilingual audio guide

    • Hotel pick-up and drop-off

    • Food and beverages

    • Tips

  • TOTAL DURATION2 hours 20 minutes
    FREQUENCYEvery 15 minutes
    MODE OF TRANSFERA/C Bus
    FIRST DEPARTUREBig Bus Tours Visitors' Center at 10:00 AM
    LAST DEPARTUREBig Bus Tours Visitors' Center at 6:00 PM
    Timeline
    Map

    1. Big Bus Tours Visitors' Center

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Big Bus Tours Visitors' Center

    Powell Street Cable Car Turnaround

    16 minutes walk

    2. Columbus/Ghirardelli Square

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Columbus Avenue

    Ghirardelli Square

    3 minutes walk

    3. North Beach / Chinatown

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    North Beach / Chinatown

    1 minute walk

    City Lights Bookstore

    4. Embarcadero Center

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Embarcadero Center

    Rincon Park

    7 minutes walk

    5. Ferry Building

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Ferry Building

    3 minutes walk

    Alcatraz Ferry Landing

    15 minutes walk

    6. Union Square South

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Union Square South

    2 minutes walk

    Maiden Lane

    2 minutes walk

    7. Hilton Hotel

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Hilton Hotel

    10 minutes walk

    Glide Memorial Church

    1 minute walk

    8. Civic Center

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Civic Center

    1 minute walk

    Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

    2 minutes walk

    9. Alamo Square

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Alamo Square

    1 minute walk

    Painted Ladies

    2 minutes walk

    10. Haight Ashbury

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Haight Ashbury

    2 minutes walk

    Amoeba Music

    11. Golden Gate Park

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Golden Gate Park

    3 minutes walk

    Conservatory of Flowers

    10 minutes walk

    12. Golden Gate Park 2

    Get direction

    13. North Vista Point / Golden Gate Bridge

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Golden Gate Bridge

    4 minutes walk

    Battery Spencer

    4 minutes walk

    14. Palace of Fine Arts

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Palace of Fine Arts

    2 minutes walk

    Fort Mason Center

    8 minutes walk

    15. Marina / Cow Hollow

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Marina / Cow Hollow

    3 minutes walk

    Lyon Street Steps

    6 minutes walk

    16. Lombard Street

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Lombard Street

    3 minutes walk

    Russian Hill

    4 minutes walk

    17. Pier 35 / Cruise Terminal

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Pier 35

    Pier 7

    7 minutes walk

    18. Pier 39

    Get direction
    2 attractions

    Pier 39

    Musical Stairs

    2 minutes walk
  • These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

  • 129 reviews

    How do we collect reviews?

    These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.

    61
    47
    21
    0
    0

    What our guests say

    Amy E

    Solo
    Verified booking
    3 weeks ago
    The fact that I could stay off as long as i wanted

    Maximilian F

    Couple
    Verified booking
    Apr 2026
    The trip to Alcatraz was very impressive; the Big Bus tour was good

    Julie H

    Group
    Verified booking
    Apr 2026

    Shiomara B

    Couple
    Verified booking
    Apr 2026

    Tashia J

    Group
    Verified booking
    Jan 2026
  • What’s not allowed

    San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Tour:

    • Keep in mind luggage, food & beverages are not allowed on this experience. Pack wisely!

    • Due to operator restrictions, pets cannot tag along for this experience.

    Alcatraz Island:

    • Keep in mind large bags, luggage, oversized backpacks, food and beverages (except bottled water), weapons, skateboards, “wheelie” shoes are not allowed on this experience. Pack wisely!

    • Feeding wildlife on the island is prohibited.

    Accessibility

    San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Tour:

    • Not all buses are wheelchair accessible. If you require it, contact the company at least 48 hours in advance of your tour.

    • Your guide dogs are welcome on board.

    Alcatraz Island:

    • The ferry and the island are wheelchair-accessible.

    Additional information

    Alcatraz Island:

    • Heads up! The time slot selected is for the Alcatraz ferry and not the hop-on hop-off tour

    • You can stay on the island for as long as you like.

    Tour Details

    Red Route (City Highlights Tour)

    • Discover San Francisco's major landmarks while cruising down the red route of this flexible hop-on hop-off tour.

    • Popular stops: Chinatown, Golden Gate Park, Pier 39

    Please click here for the detailed route map and boarding points.

    You can join a tour at any stop and hop on and off for the duration of your ticket.

    Alcatraz Ferry

    • Board from: Pier 33

    • Redeem tickets at: 99 Jefferson St Information Center the day before or up until 10:00am the day of your Alcatraz visit

    Your time slot will be allocated after ticket redemption.

    Sunset Tour

    • Departure: 6:30pm from stop #1 (Big Bus Tours Visitors' Center)

    • Frequency: Once every evening

    • Duration: 60 mins

    Digital Walking Tour

    • Departure: Scan the QR Code at Stop 1 (Big Bus Tours Visitors' Center) and head to Stop 3 (North Beach / Chinatown) for departure

    • Duration: 1 hour

    • Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese

    Bike Rental

    • Purchase 1-hour, get 1-hour free

    • Avail offer at: Blazing Saddles at 2715 Hyde Street or Pier 41

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