San Francisco – Noir Streets, Chases & Hollywood After Dark
Step into the cinematic shadows of San Francisco after dark, where fog, film, and real history blur. A self-guided phone tour with a live GPS map, tour-guide-style narration, and local tips through its most atmospheric streets.
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.
See San Francisco as a living movie set, with fog, lights, and stories leading you from Market Street to Nob Hill, Chinatown, and the waterfront. This self-guided walking tour links real noir film locations, chase-scene hills, cable tracks, and lantern-lit alleys into one continuous night walk. Audio stories and the GPS map help you notice details that most visitors miss while you choose where to begin and how long to linger. Best experienced after dark, it turns city streets into one of the most atmospheric things to do in San Francisco at night.
Highlights
Sam Spade Office Corner — quiet downtown corner tied to Dashiell Hammett’s detective; trace how this setting helped turn San Francisco into the birthplace of American noir.
Flood Building — massive Market Street survivor of the 1906 fire; hear how its steel frame, stone arches, and nighttime glow made it a favorite backdrop for detectives and chase scenes.
Tenderloin Neon Block — gritty working-class streets lined with vintage signs; discover how rain, reflections, and neon turned these corners into classic shots of cinematic danger and desire.
Columbus Tower — copper-clad flatiron landmark at the edge of North Beach; step into the building Francis Ford Coppola transformed into a living studio of film, legend, and light.
Broadway & Columbus Strip — crossroads of clubs, jazz, and beat poets; follow the postwar rhythm of music, comedy, and nightlife that kept these blocks buzzing after dark.
Taylor & Vallejo Intersection — steep Russian Hill crossing made famous by Bullitt; relive the roar of McQueen’s Mustang and see how one chase redefined movie realism.
Lombard Street Top Curve — the best vantage on the city’s crookedest block; watch how motion, headlights, and mystery twist together on San Francisco’s most filmed hill.
Grace Cathedral Steps — Gothic hilltop staircase above Nob Hill; climb to a skyline where noir mood met faith and directors framed redemption against stone and fog.
Powell Cable Turntable — busy Powell Street cable terminus turned night stage; uncover the rhythm of crews and machinery that still spin the city’s story under streetlamps.
Waverly Place Alley — lantern-lit Chinatown lane of balconies and temples; walk the narrow corridor whose beauty and secrecy inspired writers, detectives, and dream sequences alike.
Zoetrope Bar Nook — intimate corner of Coppola’s Zoetrope studio in Columbus Tower; end the night where copper glow, film history, and conversation still share the same shadows.
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 – Noir Streets, Chases & Hollywood After Dark
Distance: ~3.6 miles (5.8 km) • Time: 3.5 hours • Stops: 11+ • Terrain: City slopes, stairways, night sidewalks
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.
