Urban Trek USA is a 5-star one-man operation San Francisco private walking and sightseeing city tour for a real IMMERSIVE San Francisco EXPERIENCE. Why just simply visit when you can experience it?
Get off the tour bus, urban trek with us!
The Fuchsia Garden is not as popular as the Rose Garden, Dahlia Garden, Botanical Garden, etc. but it is worth the visit especially if you want to be in a place of solitude.
The Fuchsia Garden is located near the entrance to Golden Gate Park at Stanyan and Hayes Streets. Taking the #21 Muni bus and disembarking at the Hayes & Stanyan bus stop <Stop ID 15009> is the easiest way to get there via public transportation. After you disembark, cross Stanyan Street to the entrance to the Golden Gate Park and you will soon see the sign showing the entrance to the Fuchsia Garden (shown in the video below). And if you follow the path heading west, you will end up near the Dahlia Garden & Conservatory of Flowers.
Click here for other things to do in Golden Gate Park.
I wasn't feeling the Christmas spirit so I decided to do something yesterday evening to capture that feeling and I am happy I did it because today I am more in a holiday frame of mind.
This is the whole video showing what I did:
In my opinion, it's best to do this in the evening especially if you plan to check out the events at Grace Cathedral (e.g. Dec. 23, 2022).
Here's what I did:
1) I started at Hallidie Plaza (where the Powell Metro & BART station is located) where there is the Holiday Winter Wanderland until Dec. 24, 2022. Click here for more information about the shows done daily.
2) Head up the escalator to the cable car turn around and check the cable cars with holiday decorations.
3) Walk up Powell Street to the St. Francis Hotel and check out their holiday decorations.
4) Walk across the street to Union Square where the ice skating rink and giant Christmas tree are located.
5) Take the cable car or the bus (or walk?) to the top of Nob Hill to the Fairmont Hotel. (Note: Taking the bus is cheaper than the cable car. Walk to the bus top at Stockton & Sutter and take any bus headed into the tunnel. Disembark at the very next stop in Chinatown <Stockton & Sacramento> and take a short walk to the bus stop at Sacramento & Stockton and take the #1 bus and disembark at Sacramento & Sproule/Mason and take a short walk to the Fairmont Hotel. Check out their holiday decorations and the giant ginger bread house.
.6) Walk to Huntington Park and check out the Christmas lights.
7) If the music and screen projection is on at Grace Cathedral across the street from Huntington Park, cross the street and check it out. Also, click here for the calendar of events at Grace Cathedral.
Things to do in San Francisco - Let's Glow SF kicked off Dec. 2, 2022. It is "America's largest holiday projection mapping festival." This year is the second time for this event in San Francisco. The projection installations will be running until Dec. 11, 2002 from 5:00 - 10:00 pm. I highly recommend it if you will be visiting the downtown area.
Click here for more information and list of artists with bios.
There are 5 locations and this is the order I recommend to see them:
1. Mechanics Monument Plaza (Market & Battery)
2. 1 Bush Street (Best to watch from across the street at 525 Market St)
3. Hobart Building (Market & Montgomery)
4. Pacific Stock Exchange Building (Pine & Sansome)
5. Station J (222 Leidesdorff)
When you end at Station J, you will be within walking distance to Chinatown, Jackson Square and North Beach where you have a whole lot of choice to eat or get some cocktails.
Here are a few of my recommendations in the following areas:
Chinatown
1. Hong Kong Clay Pot at 960 Grant Ave (Food)
2. R&G Lounge at 631 Kearny St (Food & Cocktails)
Jackson Square
1. Cotogna at 490 Pacific Ave (Food & Cocktails)
2. Bix at 56 Gold St (Food & Cocktails)
3. Bask at 42 Columbus Ave
North Beach
1. Comstock Saloon at 155 Columbus Ave (Food & Cocktails)
2. Specs at 12 William Saroyan Pl (Cocktails)
3. Vesuvio at 255 Columbus Ave (Cocktails)
4. Stella Party & Cafe at 446 Columbus Ave (Italian desserts & coffee)
We are currently a private walking and city tour experience in San Francisco, CA
Urban Trek USA is a one-man operation (Anton). Therefore, no need to request for Anton since Anton is the only one 😀 (Note: Urban Trek USA takes only approximately 3 reservations a month so making a reservation in advance is a plus.)
Urban Trek USA started offering tours back in August 8, 2008
Urban Trek USA is a 5-star rated San Francisco tour for over 10 years now
As a result of the pandemic, Urban Trek USA is now only offering private San Francisco experiences
How was the urban trek concept developed?
The urban trek concept, which is to provide an immersive San Francisco experience by walking and taking public transportation, came about almost by accident. Anton's original plan was to do the usual walking tour that are offered by the majority of other tour companies. However, when Anton was attending a tour guide seminar, a bunch of seminar participants who were not from San Francisco asked Anton to show them around San Francisco since Anton is a local. Anton planned an itinerary where he took participants to his favorite local places in the city that are not well-known to visitors and also took them for dinner at one of his favorite restaurants. Everyone loved it! So basically, that is how the urban trek concept was conceived.
Another aspect of the urban trek concept was to be environmentally friendly and to help visitors learn how to navigate San Francisco on their own after the urban trek, hence taking public transportation was part of the urban trek. (Note: The Historical San Francisco itinerary has less of the public transportation aspect because it is only a half-day itinerary and most places are easy to walk to.)
The different itineraries always offer a local point of view and "secret spots" when possible in addition to the more well-known attractions. When lunch is part of the itinerary, Anton makes excellent recommendations depending on what you want to have.
Local point of view is defined as Anton's favorite places/neighborhoods that are not well-known to visitors (maybe even some locals) and/or neighborhood places (i.e. restaurants, bars, cafes, dessert places, etc.) that would be worth visiting after the urban trek to soak in more of San Francisco's way of life, food culture, etc.
Secret spots is defined as neat places that are not crowded and often have awesome views. You will notice from the videos, even at the Golden Gate Bridge, there are not many people even though the videos were taken in the middle of the day.
Maybe the most important aspect of the urban trek concept is that the urban trek service is not done for only the time during the urban trek. Urban Trek USA provides free tips and directions for self-guided exploration of more places in San Francisco that were not covered in the urban trek itinerary. Anton is always willing to provide you with helpful tips on whatever else you want to experience.
Note: Prior to offering only private tours, Urban Trek USA limited the total number of urban trekkers to 6 (in the beginning) so guests will have a private tour experience since it was always a small group. Later on, the number was raised to 7 in order to not raise the price. Urban Trek USA does not want to make guests feel like being part of a herd. Urban Trek USA's priority has always been and will always be to provide excellent service.
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Why is walking and taking public transportation better?
You cannot get the real feel for a neighborhood if you do not walk the streets, alleys, etc. Walking is the only way to get a more intimate experience because you are not detached from the environment. Also unexpected things can happen when walking like being able to watch a movie being filmed in the neighborhood; or kids seeing a distressed baby seal and wanting to make sure it is cared for; or being offered to appear in a video to promote Earth Day.
As mentioned previously taking public transportation is a way to be environmentally friendly since there is no additional pollution being produced and no contribution to the the traffic congestion in San Francisco. You will also get a feel for the locals who live or frequent the different neighborhoods. And you will feel more comfortable exploring more of San Francisco on your own once you experience taking public transportation, which is a lot cheaper than other forms of transportation in the city.
Click here for detailed descriptions of the different itineraries.
How to make a reservation:
Send an e-mail to anton@urbantrekusa.com
Include the date you want to reserve and the private urban trek itinerary you want to do.
The San Francisco Scenery urban trek includes two of the most iconic San Francisco attractions (i.e. Golden Gate Bridge, crooked part of Lombard Street) plus the also popular Palace of Fine Arts and the less popular billionaire's area of Pacific Heights. All of the places have beautiful views, but most important is you will get to experience some of the "secret spots" with awesome views without the crowd. In addition to the awesome views, you will also learn some historical information about the places and, as always, the insider's scoop on more recent events about them.
(Note: Maybe if the promotional video for this urban trek goes viral then the "secret spots" will be less of a secret so do not share it. LOL.)
The first place you will experience is Russian Hill where you will see the crooked part of Lombard Street, a very steep street and a couple of the "secret spots" noted above.
The Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina neighborhood is the next stop, which has a beautiful architectural design and park for the neighborhood.
After the Palace of Fine Arts, lunch break will be on Chestnut Street in the Marina neighborhood where you will have a wide variety of good choices for lunch. The Urban Trek Leader will provide you with excellent recommendations to help you make a good choice. (Note: The cost of your lunch and snack break, when applicable, is not included in the urban trek price and will be your responsibility.)
After lunch will be the Golden Gate Bridge. There will be quite a bit of time devoted to this area so you will see it from far and near, left side, right sie and under. You will have the option to walk to the first tower (closest to San Francisco) if you want to do so. Therefore, you will be very familiar with the bridge after you leave. Did I mention the "secret spots?"
After the Golden Gate Bridge is the billionaire's area of Pacific Heights which has a nice view and you will see where the ultra rich live in San Francisco. You will be given some scoop on who owns some of the mansions.
The itinerary for this private urban trek ends at this point. You have the option to stop for an afternoon coffee, tea, ice cream, snack at one of the places along Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights. Or the Urban Trek Leader can take you back to your hotel or take you to a location you want to go as long as it is within a reasonable distance and accessible by public transportation.
How to make a reservation:
Send an e-mail toanton@urbantrekusa.com
Include the date you want to reserve and the private urban trek you want to do.
Additional information:
Start time: 9:30 am (or mutually agreed upon time)
Approximate length of urban trek: 6.5 to 7 hours which includes one-hour lunch break and, if you want, an afternoon break for ice cream, coffee, hot chocolate, beer/wine.
To make a reservation, send an e-mail to anton@urbantrekusa.com or WhatsApp and Viber 1-415-265-8229
Price: 1 to 4 people $210 (total) plus $15 for each additional person (Note: Price does not include the cost of your meals, but it includes the cost of Muni fares <no cable car rides>)
Fitness level for this urban trek:
This is a little above moderate urban trek mostly because it is a whole-day urban trek (with bus rides) and a few uphill walks to get the best vantage points and being San Francisco is a very hilly city and having to go down a lot of steps and up several steps. The trails around the Golden Gate Bridge area can also be narrow and uneven (dirt trail). But there is a one-hour lunch break to relax halfway though the urban trek. Everyone has to be fit in order to walk uphill for at least one city block and can spend hours on their feet. Of course, walking will not be constant since there will be a whole lot of standing stops while you hear commentaries and short stops to admire and take photos of the scenery. Resting will be fine but it will be hard for people who cannot walk for about 10 minutes without stopping to rest to do this urban trek and enjoy it. Each stretch of walking will be approximately 10 minutes before a short standing break while the Urban Trek Leader explains or says something about the place.
The San Francisco Neighborhoods urban trek has a good mix of history and beautiful scenery, well-known tourist and not so famous interesting places, some art and architecture by combining five San Francisco diverse neighborhoods plus brief walk-throughs of two more neighborhoods. You will get a local perspective from your Urban Trek Leader who has lived in San Francisco for decades. You will definitely get the insider's tips on what you can do in these neighborhoods should you want to revisit them after your urban trek experience. This particular urban trek is a true well-rounded San Francisco experience for visitors, especially first-time visitors.
Our goal for this private urban trek is for you to experience five different and diverse neighborhoods of San Francisco plus a brief walk through in one neighborhood in a full-day walking and city tour:
North Beach for its uniqueness and a place with a whole bunch of legacy businesses (over 50 years old). Click here for a more detailed description of the North Beach experience. (Note: The coffee break in North Beach is not part of the San Francisco neighborhoods itinerary, but you will get recommendations on what cafes are worth visiting on your own.)
A brief walk through in the Cow Hollow neighborhood to transfer buses. Cow Hollow is a neighborhood with Victorian houses that have been converted into boutiques, restaurants and offices.
Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights has a whole bunch on good places to eat so this is an excellent place to have a lunch break. You will have a choice from varied cuisines: American, Mediterranean, Italian, Seafood, Vietnamese, etc. (Note: The cost of lunch and snack break, when applicable, is not included in the urban trek price and will be your responsibility.)
Alamo Square neighborhood has the famous "Painted Ladies" Victorian houses and NOPA (North of the Panhandle) has been going though quite a transformation (gentrification?) in the past years. The name NOPA is part of said transformation (LOL). Click here for a more detailed description of the Alamo Square / NOPA experience.
Include the date you want to reserve and the private urban trek you want to do.
Additional information:
Start time: 9:30 am (or mutually agreed upon time)
Approximate length of urban trek: 6.5 to 7 hours which includes one-hour lunch break and, if you want, an afternoon break for ice cream, coffee, hot chocolate, beer/wine.
To make a reservation, send an e-mail to anton@urbantrekusa.com or WhatsApp and Viber 1-415-265-8229
Price: 1 to 4 people $210 (total) plus $15 for each additional person (Note: Price does not include the cost of your meals, but it includes the cost of Muni fares <no cable car rides>)
Fitness level for this urban trek:
This is a moderate urban trek mostly because it is a whole-day urban trek (with bus rides) and a few uphill walks to get the best vantage points and being San Francisco is a very hilly city. But there is a one-hour lunch break to relax halfway though the urban trek. Everyone has to be fit in order to walk uphill for at least one city block and can spend hours on their feet. Of course, walking will not be constant since there will be a whole lot of standing stops while you hear commentaries and short stops to admire and take photos of the scenery. Resting will be fine but it will be hard for people who cannot walk for about 10 minutes without stopping to rest to do this urban trek and enjoy it. Each stretch of walking will be approximately 10 minutes before a short standing break while the Urban Trek Leader explains or says something about the place.
Hayes Valley is one of the hippest neighborhoods in San Francisco with a whole bunch of good places to eat with outdoor seating; neat bars, beer garden and wine shops; excellent coffee and hot chocolate places; and trendy boutiques. Another neat thing about this neighborhood is the contrast of old Victorian buildings and more contemporary architecture style buildings mixed together. This neighborhood used to be considered an up and coming neighborhood but today it has definitely arrived. In my opinion, the gentrification that happened in this neighborhood was a good thing. You will learn about the transformation that happened and the main reason for the transformation.
If you are doing the San Francisco neighborhoods private urban trek, this neighborhood is where it ends. This was done intentionally because you have the option to hang out here and shop or browse at the many of the trendy shops or have coffee or hot chocolate or beer or wine to unwind after your full-day urban trek of San Francisco neighborhoods. You will be given directions on how to get to where you want to go (e.g. your hotel) if you decide to end your private urban trek here. You will also get excellent recommendations of what to do in this neighborhood.
Hayes Valley is also a good place to have a lunch break if you do a customized urban trek because you will have a whole bunch of good choices for a place to stop for lunch.
Urban Trek USA San Francisco private walking and sightseeing city tours. (Note: Urban Trek USA is a one-man operation and takes only approximately 3 reservations a month so making a reservation in advance is a plus.)
What is an Urban Trek?
Short definition: It's like having a knowledgeable friend giving you the insider's scoop on San Francisco vs. just a tour guide.
Long definition: An urban trek is a unique walking and city tour. This walking tour immerses oneself in the various San Francisco neighborhoods, history and culture of the city. Part of this tour includes taking public transportation to cover distant & uphill locations.
Joining an urban trek will give you a better perspective of what makes San Francisco unique from most cities because you will get information that might not normally be found in tour books or websites about San Francisco.
The Urban Trek Leader (Anton) has been a San Francisco resident for decades. Anton will provide you with an experience that will leave you with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the city of San Francisco.
Urban Trek USA has been the premier walking tour of San Francisco for over a decade.
- Sending an e-mail to anton@urbantrekusa.com will be the best way. In you e-mail, include the date you want to reserve and which itinerary you want to do if you already know the itinerary you want (e.g. Historical San Francisco, San Francisco Neighborhoods, San Francisco Secret Spots, San Francisco Scenery).
- Send a text message to (415) 265-8229. You can also use WhatsApp and Viber. Provide the same information noted above.
Links to itineraries offered with detailed information:
Note:On the video, there is a message when you see the photo below to watch a video about this amazing discovery:
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It was thought that the Franciscan Manzanita was extinct in the wild until someone discovered this plant in the Presidio before the old Doyle Drive was to be demolished and replaced by the Presidio Parkway. Click on this link to the YouTube video by Melissa Peabody documenting the amazing set of circumstances ("divine intervention" as said by one person in the documentary video) that lead to saving the Franciscan Manzanita from being extinct: Click here for the link to YouTube video
Francisco Park is a park along Hyde Street where the famous Powell & Hyde cable car runs; bounded by Hyde, Francisco, Larkin and Bay Streets. The best view is at the entrance of the park at the top of the hill at Hyde and Francisco Streets.
Francisco Park is just two city blocks away from the very famous crooked part of Lombard Street. Make sure to check out Francisco Park when visiting Lombard Street's crooked portion.
Tips:
If you are coming form the lower portion of the crooked part of Lombard Street, walk to the top of the crooked street (to Hyde Street). When you get to Hyde Street, turn right and walk down the hill to Francisco Street. Make sure to walk on the sidewalk at the western side of Hyde Street (i.e. when you get to the top of the crooked street, cross to the other side of Hyde Street and turn right). There is no crosswalk at the intersection of Hyde and Francisco so it will be more dangerous to cross there. You will see the entrance of Francisco Park where the stairs is located that goes down to the main section of the park. Go down the stairs and check out the various exhibits in the park (see photos below). If you have children, they will definitely want to play in the playground. Then take the wooden ramp leading down to where the dog play area is located. Make sure to check out the plants and flowers in the garden. The exit is at the corner of Hyde and Bay Streets.
If you are coming from Ghirardelli Square, Aquatic Park or Fisherman's Wharf, walk up the hill (going south) on the sidewalk of Hyde Street along the cable car route on the western side. When you get to the southwest portion of Hyde and Bay Streets, you will see the entrance to Francisco Park where the dog play area is located. You will also see the wooden ramp that leads to the top of the park. Take the ramp and check out the plants and flowers in the garden. Also, make sure to check out the various exhibits along the way (see photos below). If you have children, they will undoubtedly want to check out the playground.
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This is the wooden ramp and the dog play area
These are the various exhibits that have interesting things to know:
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Maria Manetti Shrem Community Garden:
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Picnic tables:
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Public toilets:
There are public toilets in this park. Being a brand new park (opened April 27, 2022), they are nice and new at the moment.
Miscellaneous (quite funny):
On Apr. 20, 2023, a herd of goats that were hired to eat the vegetation above Francisco Park escaped and caused a little traffic jam. According to the article, the herd possibly went all the way down to Ghirardelli Square. LOL. Click on the link to the San Francisco Standard story about this incident:
The Presidio has a whole lot of excellent vistas and now everyone has to definitely add Battery Bluff Park to the must things to do in San Francisco as the video below shows:
How to get to the Presidio (eco-friendly way):
Coming from downtown, the best way to get to the Presidio is to take the FREE PresidiGo Downtown shuttle from one of the three stops: Howard & Beale, Drumm & California (near Embarcadero BART station), Van Ness & Union. The PresidiGo Downtown shuttle departs every 30 minutes.
The most convenient PresidiGo shuttle stop downtown is the one on Drumm & California at shown in this photo:
(Click on photo to enlarge)
How to get to Battery Bluff from Presidio Terminal:
Disembark at the Presidio Terminal (last stop in the Presidio).
Follow the Presidio Promenade by walking in between the two buildings as shown in the arrow in this photo:
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The Presidio Promenade will lead to the Presidio National Cemetery. Once you get there, you will see the entrance to Battery Bluff as shown in the video at the bottom of this page. (Note: The video at the bottom will show you exactly what you will see if you follow these directions.)
Follow the paved path when you enter Battery Bluff. You will immediately see an awesome view as shown in the video.
After a little bit of walking, you will see a paved path to your left (as shown in the photo below):
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Turn left and follow the path (shown above) until you see steps on your left leading to the picnic tables at the top. This is a panoramic view from the area where the picnic tables are located:
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Follow the path where the picnic table are located and walk towards the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge until you see the bench shown in the photo below:
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The spot shown above is another vantage point. Walk back to the picnic tables and when you see steps on your left leading to the lower path, go down the steps and make a left at the bottom and follow the path as shown in the photo below:
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Follow the path shown above towards the Golden Gate Bridge until you get to the overlook as shown in the photo below:
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You can make your way back to the entrance by taking the path at the lowest part of Battery Bluff. From the overlook, turn left as shown in the photo below:
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The path shown above will lead you back to the entrance on Lincoln Blvd.
Do not miss:
The views are definitely the main attraction. However, do not miss reading the story boards along the path:
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If you follow the directions above, this video shows what you will see:
Public toilets: The closest public toilet is at the Transit Center near the Main Post, which about a 10-minute walk from Battery Bluff. For a list of other public toilets around the Presidio, click on this link to the Presidio website.
Tips:
Even though it is sunny, this area can get windy and that means the temperature will be much cooler than other parts of San Francisco (e.g. downtown).
It is always a very good idea to dress in layers so you can add or remove pieces of clothing as the temperature changes. A hooded sweatshirt can be your best friend in San Francisco.
As a rule, it is usually windier in the afternoon than in the morning. However, when there is fog, is is usually foggier in the morning and the fog burns out in the afternoon after 12:00 pm.
Enjoy!
Coming next will be how to walk to the Pet Cemetery and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Alamo Square is famous because of the beautiful Victorian houses commonly called the "Painted Ladies" and the panoramic view of the skyline of the downtown buildings. However, the Westerfeld Mansion is also a stunning Victorian house with an interesting history. Revolving art by local artist is another interesting aspect not well-known by most tourists. You will learn about the history of the famous "Painted Ladies" Victorian houses (e.g. listing on how much they were originally sold) and more current sales (at outrageous prices) of the famous houses. Also learn about the Westerfeld Mansion and, when available, some information on the local artists that have their art on display.
There will be a short walk-through the NOPA neighborhood (North of the Panhandle). This neighborhood has evolved (still evolving) into one of the places where the people in their 20s and 30s have moved and hang out especially during the weekends. Today, there are a whole bunch of very good places to dine, have coffee & desserts, cool bars and other forms of entertainment. You will get some information on the evolution of this neighborhood and why the long-time locals are not quire sold on the NOPA name.
Although Alamo Square has been written about in all the tour books on San Francisco, it is likely that you will still get some interesting information about this area that will enhance your appreciation of this neighborhood.
Pacific Heights is considered by most as the elite neighborhood where the socialites and the well-connected residents of San Francisco live because of the awesome view from this neighborhood.
Highlights of what you will experience here:
View of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and a little bit of the Golden Gate Bridge
Well-preserved Victorian houses
Homes (mansions) worth multi-millions
Other things you can expect:
History on how this neighborhood evolved (i.e. why the wealthy moved to this neighborhood)
Brief historical information about a couple of Victorian houses and mansions in the neighborhood
See the house used in the movie, "Mrs. Doubtfire"
Note: On a whole-day private urban trek, this neighborhood is a good place to stop for a lunch break because there is a wide variety of good food and cuisine to choose from along Fillmore Street.
When you do an urban trek with Pacific Heights as part of your itinerary, you will experience a part of San Francisco that is not a popular tourist destination, but knowledgeable locals know this neighborhood is a gem if they know the best spots to visit.
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