Trace the city’s origin story from shoreline alleys to hilltop icons. Follow Barbary Coast markers, climb to Coit Tower, and finish on piers where boats still work the bay—stories of risk, grit, and reinvention at every turn.
Admissions not included.
Your purchase is for 30-day access to our self-guided tour. Tickets or entry fees
for museums, historic sites, and other attractions are sold separately.
Walk the early shoreline where ships became streets, then climb to hilltop views and return to busy piers. This route threads Barbary Coast markers, North Beach corners, and waterfront promenades into a single story of San Francisco’s rise. With narration, GPS guidance, and local tips, you set the pace while the city’s history unfolds block by block.
Highlights
Barbary Coast Trail Marker — discover how gold, greed, and gambling built a shoreline empire where ships became streets and fortunes changed overnight.
Telegraph Hill Base — hear the tales of signal towers, sailors, and secret gardens that reveal the neighborhood’s rough-edged transformation from port to perch.
Coit Tower — learn how a firefighting heiress turned tragedy into tribute, and how its murals captured a city rising from the Great Depression.
North Beach Bakery Corner — follow the aroma of espresso and legend as we uncover how Italian newcomers shaped San Francisco’s bohemian soul.
Washington Square Park — listen to stories of tents, faith, and resilience where the 1906 quake turned a quiet green into a camp of survival and renewal.
Lombard Street Crooked Block — unravel the tale of one family’s problem-solving that turned an impossible hill into the city’s most photographed curve.
Fisherman’s Wharf — discover how immigrant crews, bustling piers, and postwar tourism mixed to create a living stage of grit and reinvention.
Hyde Street Pier — step back into the age of ferries and hear how this pier kept the city connected before the first bridge ever spanned the bay.
Ghirardelli Square — learn how a shuttered chocolate works was rescued by visionaries, preserving flavor, craft, and a sweet link to the city’s past.
Aquatic Park Promenade — trace the voices of swimmers, muralists, and shipwrights who shaped this art-deco harbor into a living museum by the sea.
Pier 39 Overlook — hear enduring tales of sea lions and sailors where the working bay meets skyline legends and the bridge that defines them both.
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. On the map, tap the compass to center on your current location (one-time locate). If you’d like the map center to follow you as you walk, turn on GPS Auto-Location in Settings (optional). Now knowing where YOU are, visit any stop you like, in any order, at any pace — you’re in complete control.
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.
