Things to do in San Francisco - Historical San Francisco private walking and city tour by Urban Trek USA. (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.)
Our goal is to provide you with San Francisco's a very interesting history. This private walking and city tour includes six diverse neighborhoods that are rich in history and some awesome views:
We start in Union Square, which is considered the heart of San Francisco today. You will learn how this neighborhood evolved from its beginnings as a huge sand dune and the great earthquake and fire of 1906 and a woman associated with Union Square and her rags to riches story. You will also walk through an alley lined with high-end boutiques and learn of its seedy past. Click here for a more detailed description of the itinerary for Union Square.
Chinatown is next on the itinerary. Mostly everyone thinks of Chinatown as the neighborhood where the first Chinese immigrants settled. However, the most interesting aspect of Chinatown is this is the location where San Francisco began as a trading village to the heart of San Francisco during the gold rush era. You will see the location of the oldest street in San Francisco, where the first house was built and the old town square. Also learn where the one block of the original Chinatown started and a brief history of how/why the Chinese came to San Francisco and see the "Alley of the Painted Balconies" and learn the current living conditions in this neighborhood. Click here for a more detailed description of the itinerary for Chinatown.
Next up is Jackson Square Historic District. This part of San Francisco was spared from the great fire of 1906. Therefore, buildings that date back to the 1850s are still standing so you can get a glimpse of what this area looked like back then. Also learn where the old beach used to be and where some buried ships are located. Click here for a more detailed description of the itinerary for Jackson Square.
Onward to North Beach. Known as San Francisco's "Little Italy" but there are so much more interesting aspects about this neighborhood. For one, this neighborhood is one of the few neighborhoods that has not changed much since the 1950s even though the Italians have moved away a long time ago. There is also a concentration of legacy businesses (50 years and older). Learn how this neighborhood as evolved, get tips on places to check out on your own (for food and cocktails) and a brief history about the Beats and their old hangout. Maybe the best part of the itinerary is the coffee break at one of the legacy businesses (my favorite cafe) with excellent selection of Italian pastries and one cake that they are famous for. Click here for a more detailed description of the itinerary for North Beach.
- Send an e-mail to anton@urbantrekusa.com
- Include the date you want to reserve and the private urban trek you want to do
- Start time: 9:00 am (or mutually agreed upon time)
- Approximate length of urban trek: 4.5 hours which includes 20-minute coffee break.
- 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 $204 (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>)
