San Francisco – Barbary Bastions and Gold Rush Dreams
Follow San Francisco’s shoreline from Barbary Coast alleys to Coit Tower and the piers, tracing Gold Rush grit and a reinvented waterfront. A self-guided phone tour with GPS map, narration, and local tips.
Admissions not included.
Your purchase is for 30-day access to our self-guided cell-phone tour. Tickets or entry fees
for museums, historic sites, and other attractions are sold separately.
San Francisco’s story begins along these blocks of waterfront and hillside. This self-guided walking tour moves from the old Barbary Coast and Telegraph Hill to North Beach corners, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Pier 39, linking Gold Rush hulls, immigrant bakeries, and preserved piers into one connected narrative. As you walk, audio stories and the GPS map help you notice markers in the pavement, working boats in the harbor, and hilltop murals above the bay. Start anywhere, walk at your own pace, and turn this shoreline into one of the most revealing things to do in San Francisco.
Highlights
Barbary Coast Trail Marker — bronze sidewalk medallion marking the old waterfront; discover how gold, greed, and gambling turned beached ships and muddy wharves into streets of sudden fortunes.
Telegraph Hill Base — the hinge between harbor and hillside homes; hear how signal towers, sailors, and today’s gardens trace a steep climb from working port to hilltop perch.
Coit Tower — a 1930s concrete lookout crowned with New Deal murals; learn how a firefighting heiress and local artists turned Telegraph Hill into a monument to workers and resilience.
North Beach (Liguria Bakery Corner) — an everyday North Beach crossroads of focaccia, coffee, and parish life; discover how Italian newcomers baked, worshiped, and talked soccer into a neighborhood identity.
Washington Square Park — green heart of North Beach framed by cafés and church towers; hear how tents, festivals, and post quake camps made this one of the city’s most enduring gathering places.
Lombard Street Curve (Crooked Block) — one steep hill redesigned into a brick zigzag; learn how a single idea turned a practical fix for residents into San Francisco’s most photographed residential street.
Fisherman’s Wharf — the working harbor that became a postcard; discover how immigrant fishing crews, crab fleets, and postwar tourism still share the same slips and sheds along the pier.
Hyde Street Pier — a former highway ferry terminal turned floating history exhibit; hear how ferries once carried cars and cargo across the bay long before bridges spanned the water.
Ghirardelli Square — brick chocolate works reborn as a public plaza; learn how saving one factory helped pioneer the idea of turning industrial warehouses into shops, courtyards, and city views.
Aquatic Park Promenade — an art deco curve of seawall, bleachers, and sheltered cove; discover how swimmers, muralists, and New Deal crews shaped this quiet harbor into a living museum by the bay.
Pier 39 Overlook — a wooden deck above sea lions and sailboats; hear how reused piers, a busy marina, and views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate turned this spot into a classic San Francisco balcony.
All this, plus additional "hidden gems," expertly brought to life through our virtual guides....with rich, vivid history, local stories, and unmatched knowledge you will not find elsewhere. Even better, no tipping required!
Tour area: San Francisco – Barbary Bastions and Gold Rush Dreams
Distance: ~3 miles (4.8 km) • Time: 2.5 hours • Stops: 11+ • Terrain: City sidewalks, hills, stairways, waterfront boardwalks
Shaded area = approximate tour area
What you’ll experience
GPS location tracking — see your current location on the map.
Virtual Tour Guides — Detailed narration at each stop & answers to common questions.
Vast local knowledge — history, legends, and insider spots.
Local weather updates — stay prepared as you explore outdoors.
A “Free Roaming” adventure — start anywhere, wander at your pace.
What exactly unlocks when I buy?
You’ll get the full tour map with hot-air balloon markers (our map pins), our suggested walking path for orientation, detailed stories and site info, narration, and tons of local tips. Your purchase gives you unlimited access for 30 days via a private link. It runs right in your mobile browser — no installs, no storage — just open and go.
How do I start the tour?
Open your private tour link on your phone and tap the compass icon on the map to show where you are. Simply walk to the nearest stop and tap its marker to start the story. Then just visit any other stops you like, in any order, at your own pace.
How does a SmartWalkTour differ from a traditional tour?
It’s your pace, your path. No buses or group schedules. No tour guide tipping. Explore freely with on-map markers, narration, and an optional suggested path for big-picture orientation. Pause for a café, browse a shop, and pick up where you left off anytime — your guide is always in your pocket.
Screenshots from an actual tour. (Key West example)
Swipe or scroll to see more →
Multiple tour stopping points. Start at any one, then tap the hot air balloon for detailed tour guide information.Virtual tour guides share rich stories at every stop, with Q&A and helpful links.Always know the local weather and plan your walk comfortably.Discover more tours nearby—walkable options to keep exploring.Four map styles, live GPS, and a suggested path you can toggle on/off.Helpful information is built in, plus links for even more detail.In app tips, FAQs, Local festivals and events. Maps show a wealth of detail, with public restroom locations.Direct links to attractions for hours, tickets, and more.
