San Francisco Walking Tours

SAN FRANCISCO WALKING TOURS: WATCH THE VIDEO

Greg Pabst, a professor at University of San Francisco and a tour guide, gave us some great tips on free walking tours conducted by San Francisco City Guides.

Here are Greg's Tips:

• Downtown San Francisco: This walking tour takes you to glorious rooftop gardens, uncovers hidden city parks and walks into the old-style banks that are adorned with beautiful art work and majestic architecture.

• Golden Gate Bridge: The walking tour of the Golden Gate Bridge starts at the Strauss Statue with a discussion on the history of the bridge. It highlights the struggles that Strauss and his workers faced in building the bridge, including tales of the "Halfway to Hell Club," the club that workers joined if they fell and landed in the large net that was erected for their safety. The tour then leads you out onto the bridge where you can take in the spectacular views of the Bay.

• Chinatown: This walking tour is an "insiders" look at Chinatown. You go to shops, restaurants, a fortune cookie factory and specialty stores. The tour gives you greater insight into Chinatown as a neighborhood where people work and live.