2024 San Francisco: 2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour & Alcatraz Entry/Ferry
Tours and Tickets
San Francisco: 2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour & Alcatraz Entry/Ferry
4

San Francisco: 2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour & Alcatraz Entry/Ferry

By Big Bus Tours
About
A hop-on hop-off bus pass bundled with an admission ticket to Alcatraz offers one of the best values for San Francisco sightseeing. With pickup and drop-off locations at the city’s most popular attractions, this bus loop makes it super easy to get around. Plus, Alcatraz Island tickets give you access to the famous prison island, which is difficult to book at the last minute.
from
$120.00
per adult
Lowest price guarantee

Ages 5-99
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Audio guide: German, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, English, Italian, French, Spanish
More

Highlights
  • Hop-on hop-off tour lets you visit top San Francisco attractions 
  • Get an Alcatraz Island ticket without booking months ahead 
  • Deals on bike rentals and entertainment save you money
  • Explore San Francisco your way

  • Round-trip ferry from San Francisco to Alcatraz Island
  • Buy 1 hour bike rental get 1 hour free from any Blazing Saddles shop
  • Two Day Hop-on Hop-off Ticket
  • Please note that the date you have selected is the date for your Alcatraz Tour
  • Official Alcatraz ticket, including ferry ride to the island (Value $45.25)
What's not included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities

Begin your tour at any of the 15 bus stops around San Francisco. A double-decker bus lets you choose from covered seats at street level or sitting on the open-air upper deck. Hop on or off the bus at any stop, including top attractions such as Union Square and the Palace of Fine Arts, or ride the entire loop for an informative sightseeing tour. A ferry ride and admission ticket to Alcatraz Island are also included. Check in at the Big Bus office the day before your tour to get your Alcatraz admission ticket. Additional bike rental and entertainment deals are featured in this package.

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5096ALCATRAZ

  • Recorded commentary available in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, Mandarin, Korean, Cantonese and Italian
  • To receive your Alcatraz Island Ticket you must check into the Big Bus office (on voucher) one day prior to the Alcatraz Tour date or before 9am on the date of your Alcatraz Tour.
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required
  • Photo ID is required.
  • Please note that the date you have selected is the date for your Alcatraz Tour.
  • Your tour time will be assigned 10 days in advance of the tour date. Once a time is assigned we are not able to make any changes, please note your timed entry will be allocated by Alcatraz this will not be able to be personally selected
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund

  • All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5096ALCATRAZ

Reserve your spot

Similar experiences

About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • Big Bus Tours
    10,583
    San Francisco, California
    Joined in February 2012
  • lisakV4678KC
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Thumbs up for Doug
    Included in our 2 day hop on, hop off bus ticket was a walking tour of China Town. Doug was our guide and he was fantastic. Knowledgeable, friendly, funny. You can tell he loves his city.
    Written May 18, 2024
  • chandrap950
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great tour
    Nickolaus was so helpful with getting tickets! Super friendly! Plenty of stops to choose from. Bus comes around often.
    Written May 18, 2024
  • N6260PJrickyp
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tour
    Nicholas was amazing. Helped get our tickets. Great tour. A full tour of greater San Francisco. Double decker bus for great views.
    Written May 18, 2024
  • N7516RIstellaf
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tips for first comer to San Fran
    Hop on San Francisco's sightseeing bus for an adventure through the city's best spots. With stops everywhere I wanna be, friendly guides, and killer views, that was a blast for everyone. Learn cool facts and soak up the vibe of SF in style. Don't miss this out when visit San Fran and I highly recommend this and many other activities in SF.
    Written May 12, 2024
  • Camper20828751123
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Extensive Tour! Value for Money
    Awesome tour and unexpectedly extensive with its coverage of San Francisco, you’d be able to see the neighbourhoods and also cross the Golden Gate Bridge. Ps. Blake’s an incredible staff and filled w knowledge of SF, super helpful and friendly. He’d make a good mayor and help out with the homeless population in SF if given a chance 😂 love the cruise idea - 3 ladies from Singapore
    Written May 11, 2024
  • G8494VOjenniferb
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highly recommend Big Bus Tour San Francisco
    Arnel & Cody were awesome providing us the best package to suit our adventure! The tour through the city was a great way to view locations and easy hop on hop off at the stops. The app provides real time for the bus arrivals and location pick ups. The Muir woods was amazing. Happy we decided to take this route because parking is limited. This made it east and 90 mins to explore nature. Also enjoyed a mixed berry scone after the hike. Les the tour guide was also fantastic! Highly recommend!
    Written May 11, 2024
  • Conor J
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth it
    Very easy way of getting around the city and informative narration of the landmarks around the city. There’s a bus every 15 minutes or so and space to sit on the top floor most of the time. A little bit pricey at approximately £60 a ticket but worth it for the experience in my opinion.
    Written May 10, 2024
  • 0torib
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mother’s Day trip
    Great experience that allowed us to see all of the sights we wanted. Matt was very knowledgeable and was able to help us decide which tour option is best for our group! Will definitely recommend them to see San Francisco
    Written May 10, 2024
  • hiralc28
    0 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good option for city tour
    It's a very good tour if you want to see SF in totality. You can get off and get on as you please and can monitor about arrival of bus via their app and its pretty accurate. They give headphones so you can hear details about all the spots. Do carry a good jacket as per the season as its an open bus and SF can be windy.
    Written May 10, 2024
  • M2849MHvanessat
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    great fun experience
    Big Bus was amazing, i recommend it to all tourist, working with matthew P was great, easy and he was very generous. we love big bus
    Written May 9, 2024
  • Jackie G
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cody is awesome !
    Great customer service from Cody - he gave us superb restaurant recommendations also. Friendly & helpful!! Sisters from Canada :)
    Written May 8, 2024
  • keithamara
    0 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good tour of San Francisco
    This was a very good tour of San Francisco lasting about 2 1/2 hours if you stayed on the bus for the whole tour. Lots to see, although obviously the bus can't get to some of the sights you may wish to see. However, most are within walking distance of one of the stops. The highlight for me, although very windy, was the drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, getting views that I would miss if I was driving. The only criticism would be that the bus got extremely full, even having people standing at times. Perhaps it needs to be more frequent.
    Written May 6, 2024
  • Michelle T
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A definite Must See!
    We ventured down to the bus meeting spot at 8am. Everyone was super friendly and we were so excited to see the Redwoods. Grady was our driver and he was excellent at navigating and telling the history of San Francisco all the way to Muir Woods. He made this trip very enjoyable. Lots of laughs for sure. I’d definitely recommend this trip.
    Written May 6, 2024
  • M9932AXsaram
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great experience and very friendly staff!
    We did have problems redeeming our „Flex-Pass“ but Amar recognised our problem and helped us straight away. The manager was also quick to help and gave us courteous tickets despite the difficulties with scanning. The tour was very informative, both the bus driver and staff were friendly and helpful. The journey took about 2.5 hours and also took us over the Golden Gate Bridge (very cold and windy!!). You can see a lot of sightseeing attractions in a short time. We would do the BigBus tours again and recommend them to others!
    Written May 5, 2024
  • jharrison2549
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent!
    The Hilton San Francisco Financial District hotel was only a 5 minute walk from stop #2! It is an Excellent way to see San Fran & learn more of the cities history from the audio tour!
    Written May 4, 2024
See all 10 reviews
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles248 reviews
Excellent
152
Very good
45
Average
23
Poor
8
Terrible
20

sonderlufte
Surprise, AZ64 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
We stayed near Fishermen's Wharf, so the Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Bus with
Boat tour to Alcatraz was definitely a good value for us. The boat trip to Alcatraz included a free audio tour that was excellent and we enjoyed the excursion more than we anticipated. The Big Bus stopped at all the major attractions in San Francisco, so we used it the first day for an overall tour of the city followed by a dinner in Chinatown, then a return to our hotel. The second day we went back to Golden Gate Park and spent the day at the California Science Museum with its aquarium and rainforest exhibits followed by lunch at theJapanese Garden and a walk through its serene and photo-friendly grounds. My only caveat: be very careful at the Pier 33 check-in window where you have to show photo ID, as I lost my wallet with my money, credit cards and Medicare card to a pickpocket at that location. I don't know how it happened, but that is the last place I saw my wallet. I cannot fault the Big Bus Tour or the Alcatraz excursion, as both exceeded our expectations. Just be sware that pickpockets are active at the Alcatraz landing dock at Pier 33.
Written June 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are glad to know you had a great tour with us and the Alcatraz tour. We also appreciate your warning for other guests taking the tours. We hope you will ride with us again!
Written July 11, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Susan G
4 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Friends
Good points:Informative audio
Enough spaces
Alcatraz was really good and there was an audio tour of the cell house which I recommend
Went over Golden Gate Bridge and back which was a buzz
Good route round the city and felt really safe
Bad points:sunset tour was included but I did not think I had booked that and it was a bit too much bus as I had already booked two days on the day bus
As it only goes one way, it’s a bit awkward if you are using it as your mode of transport
Two days was too much really, one would be ok
The Alcatraz ferry time was not allocated by email until I asked for it the day before and was given 3.20pm which means there is no way I could get the bus back to my hotel near union square as the last bus leaves the area at 5pm
Tried to get public transport which was too full to stop to take on passengers and ended up paying for a taxi
Written June 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for providing your feedback. When you purchased your Alcatraz tour with us you should have been sent information on how to confirm your Alcatraz tour with us. As we work with many third party vendors I do apologize if you did not receive the information.
Written June 29, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sevim D
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
Thanks to Marissa at Union Square. She was so helpful. We are so happy! It is a wonderful experience with a wonderful staff. We totally recommend it
Written June 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glad to see we were able to meet your expectations, and for the future recommendations!
Written June 29, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jane
Staines, UK5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
Good tour, fairly long, very windy up top going over bridge! Wrap up. Helpful friendly staff throughout.
Written June 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sounds like you had the very authentic experience of our windy city! Thank you for sharing the positive feedback and joining our tour.
Written June 23, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Miguel B
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
Oscar Lopez was extremely helpful in the purchase of our tickets. Recommend going here and seeing him. Definitely coming back
Written May 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! Oscar will be glad to know they provided a helpful tour experience with you. We hope to see you again!
Written June 6, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Joel beltran
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
Amar is the person in the right place. He explained to us very well what was best for us to enjoy the city. Look for him and he will help you with your tour.
Written May 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are glad everything went well on your tour. We hope you will ride with us again!
Written May 26, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kimberly C
Elyria, OH1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Friends
The bus did not come every 15 minutes. We waiting for 35 minutes for a bus. In the rain. Then we’re told there was no room. We didn’t even use the bus the second day and just walked or used an Uber.

The Alcatraz tour was great though.
Written May 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and we are glad that you enjoyed your Alcatraz Tour. We are sorry for your longer than usual wait time. Downstairs seating is limited, but we do have plenty of seats available on the top level for a true SF adventure!
Written May 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Susannah L
London, UK68 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
The bus was convenient and easy to use, map was always up to date which was super helpful as you could see not only the next arrival but where the buses were on the route.

The evening tour was a highlight, our guide (we didn’t catch his name) was BRILLIANT, very funny and friendly and we got some incredible sunset shots.

Alcatraz also very easy to book and navigate. Would definitely recommend
Written May 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We are very happy to know that you had a brilliant time on the sunset tour with us. We hope you will ride with us again!
Written May 4, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Armando H
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023
we took a 5:30 tour, Saturday 15/04/2023 we stop at the city hall, but the driver never told us was the last one. we have a nightmare on our way back to the hotel .we won't used again.
Written April 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We apologize this did not live up to your expectations or ours. We will let operations know so they can take appropriate actions. When you have a moment, would you be able to email us at sfreservations@bigbustours.com to let us know more about your time with us and how we can improve?
Written April 19, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TUSHAR M
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Family
Richard helped us a lo.good tour.it was fantastic experience. Very interesting.Big bus always give us best experience
Written October 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and exploring San Francisco with us! Richard is great! We are glad to hear you enjoyed our bus tour.
Written October 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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San Francisco: 2-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour & Alcatraz Entry/Ferry provided by Big Bus Tours

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