San Francisco Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and Alcatraz Tour 2026
2-day combo: bus, Chinatown & Alcatraz | Skip-the-line
About San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Tour and Alcatraz Tour
Enjoy a 2-day Hop-on Hop-Off Bus Tour through San Francisco to see top spots like the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf. Visit the famous Alcatraz Island and prison, and enjoy a guided walking tour of Chinatown. Enjoy the unique opportunity to see the city's iconic landmarks illuminated under the evening sky on a panoramic sunset tour. Make the most of your time in San Francisco, reserve your spot now and experience both the city and the island with one booking!
See all of San Francisco’s top sights on a sightseeing bus ride. Hop off the bus to explore places like Union Square and Fisherman’s Wharf, then hop back on whenever you’re ready to continue! This tour gives you the flexibility to explore San Francisco on your schedule.
Take a ferry to Alcatraz Island, home to the world's most infamous prison. Once a high-security federal penitentiary, it housed notorious criminals like Al Capone and the "Birdman of Alcatraz". Walk through the actual cells where these prisoners lived and discover why Alcatraz was considered inescapable.
Sit back and relax on a scenic ride over the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy top-deck views from the open-top bus as you take in stunning sights and snap beautiful photos. Discover the rich history and engineering behind this legendary landmark with detailed audio commentary.
Join a guided walking tour through historic Chinatown. Stroll past colorful shops, taste authentic cuisine, and hear stories of this lively neighborhood. Explore one of San Francisco’s most vibrant areas and discover its rich culture.
Your San Francisco Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Pass is valid for 2 days, giving you the flexibility to explore at your own pace. You don’t need to see all the sights at once - explore the city at your own pace! Hop off to visit places you like and hop back on when you're ready.
EXPERIENCE MORE, PAY LESS & SKIP THE LINES!
Explore the entire San Francisco with a single ticket!
I loved this tour because it is so flexible. I could hop on and off wherever I wanted, making it easy to explore places like Golden Gate Park and Fisherman’s Wharf. Alcatraz was definitely the highlight for me. The audio tour there was excellent, and I loved learning about the world's most infamous prison and the escape stories. If you’re visiting San Francisco for the first time, this bus tour is a great way to explore it!
Perfect mix of sightseeing and relaxation! The bus tour was super convenient, and I loved the freedom it gave me to explore. The Chinatown walking tour was a delightful surprise! I really enjoyed learning about the rich culture and history of the neighborhood. Walking through Alcatraz gave me chills, and the audio tour there was excellent! The whole experience was very well-organized and easy to navigate. Highly recommend it!
DESCRIPTION
San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Tour and Alcatraz Tour
- 2-day Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off pass
- Entry ticket to Alcatraz Island
- Alcatraz ferry ticket
- Audio guide for Alcatraz Island
- 1-hour guided walking tour of Chinatown
- 1-hour panoramic sunset tour
- Access to Pier 39 attraction: The Flyer or 7D Experience
- English, French, German, Italian, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese
SIGHTSEE AT YOUR OWN PACE
With this tour, you get two full days to explore San Francisco. The 2-day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour lets you visit popular spots like Golden Gate Park, Union Square, and Fisherman’s Wharf by simply hopping on and off an open top bus. The audio guide provides interesting facts about the city’s history, like how the Golden Gate Bridge was built and its role in the city’s growth. You can hop off the bus to explore each area and then hop back on whenever you're ready.
VISIT ALCATRAZ ISLAND
No trip to San Francisco is complete without a visit to Alcatraz Island, one of the most famous prisons in the world. The island housed some of the most notorious criminals in history, including Al Capone, and over 1,500 prisoners in total called its cells home. While exploring the prison, you’ll listen to the audio tour, which will guide you through the prison’s cell blocks, sharing stories of escape attempts and the harsh conditions inmates faced. You’ll also learn about the island’s history, from its military use in the 1850s to its time as a federal prison from 1934 to 1963. The tour also covers the prison’s closure and how it became a part of the Golden Gate National Park.
GO ON A WALKING TOUR OF CHINATOWN
Take a stroll through San Francisco’s Chinatown, the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. On this guided walking tour, you’ll explore the unique markets and restaurants, in one of San Francisco’s most vibrant areas. The audio commentary will explain the area’s rich history, from its beginnings in the 1800s to how it became the lively neighborhood it is today.
SUNSET TOUR AND FAMOUS CITY ATTRACTIONS
A panoramic sunset tour of San Francisco is the perfect way to end your tour. Hop on the bus and drive around to see stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, and other famous sights, all while the audio commentary tells you the city’s stories. For even more fun, check out The Flyer or The 7D Experience at Pier 39, where you can enjoy an exciting virtual ride over landmarks like Lombard Street and the Redwood Forest.
Did you know Alcatraz had lush gardens?
Despite Alcatraz being known as one of the most notorious prisons, it surprisingly featured vibrant garden areas. Prisoners, particularly those with lighter sentences, were allowed to tend to these gardens, growing flowers, vegetables, and even fruit. The gardens provided food for the prison and offered prisoners a chance for peace and a connection with nature.
After the prison closed, the gardens deteriorated. However, in 2003, the Garden Conservancy and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy partnered with the National Park Service to restore them. The Alcatraz Historic Gardens Project now works to preserve, rebuild, and maintain these gardens while educating visitors on their history and cultural significance.
If you want to learn more about America's most notorious prison, make sure to book San Francisco Hop-On Hop-Off and Alcatraz Tour!
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
- A multilingual audio guide is available throughout the Hop-On Hop-Off tour.
- Make sure to bring a passport or ID card, as you may be required to show it for identification purposes.
- There’s a Big Bus Tours Mobile App available for download, giving you access to detailed maps and start times.
- This ticket is valid for 2 days from the first activation.
Meeting Point
To start using your Hop-On Hop-Off pass, simply visit the office at 99 Jefferson Street in Fisherman’s Wharf 24 to 48 hours before your scheduled Alcatraz cruise to collect your tickets before heading to Pier 33.
FREE CANCELLATION & FULL REFUND!
Receive a complete refund if you cancel your booking 12 days before the selected date!
FAQ - San Francisco Hop-On Hop-Off Tour and Alcatraz Tour
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Don’t wait! Book now!
- Transportation included
- Valid 2 days
- Multilingual audio guide
- Free cancellation
- Easy & fast booking process
We have the best value Alcatraz tours & tickets for you!
Ferry ride included
Alcatraz Day Tour
Visit Alcatraz Island at your own pace and learn about its history with an audio guide. Explore the cell blocks and learn about Al Capone, "Machine Gun" Kelly, and other infamous prisoners, as well as why escape from the island was hard. The tour includes a convenient round-trip ferry ticket.
Multilingual audio guide
San Francisco Bay Cruise
Cruise along the beautiful San Francisco Bay while admiring the sights from the water. Sail under the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge and around the infamous Alcatraz Island. This island was once used as a prison and was considered escape-proof. On your cruise, keep an eye out for wildlife such as sea lions and dolphins, and learn about San Francisco's history from your audio guide.
30+ attractions
San Francisco City Pass
Enjoy access to more than 30 attractions in San Francisco! See Alcatraz on a cruise, visit the San Francisco Zoo, the Aquarium of the Bay, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Walt Disney Family Museum, see the city on a hop-on hop-off bus tour, and more. Your pass includes a digital guide and is valid for 1-5 days, so you can have fun at your own pace.