San Francisco Tours | Self Guided Audio Tours
Want to explore San Francisco at your own pace? Our self-guided walking tours of San Francisco let you do exactly that, taking you to popular neighborhoods like North Beach, Haight-Ashbury, and Golden Gate Park. Leave the logistics and planning to local hosts who share the top attractions, hidden gems, and unique stories you won’t find in the guidebooks.
Our self-guided tours are ideal for anyone considering a DIY tour of San Francisco — especially if you value local knowledge and authentic experiences. Each walking or driving tour delivers hand-free maps, history, celebrity interviews, and travel tips based on your location. Ranging from 1 to 2 hours, these tours are just the right length to introduce you to a new neighborhood that you can continue to explore on your own.
Prefer a live, guided tour experience? Try our San Francisco City Sightseeing Tours or our day trips to Muir Woods or wine country. Contact us if you have any questions!
Gold Rush to Golden Gate: Self Guided Tour of San Francisco
Learn the colorful history and see the top attractions along San Francisco’s waterfront and across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.
North Beach San Francisco: Self-Guided Audio Tour
This audio walking tour features restaurants and literary sites of the Barbary Coast and the North Beach neighborhoods in San Francisco.
Steinbeck’s Cannery Row Monterey: Self-Guided Audio Tour
Monterey audio walking tour features the historic and literary sites made famous by John Steinbeck along Cannery Row in Monterey, California
Haight Ashbury San Francisco: Self-Guided Audio Tour
This audio walking tour features historic sites and figures from the ‘67 Summer of Love in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood.
Hidden Gems of Golden Gate Park: Self-Guided Walking Tour
A local storyteller leads you on a fascinating walking tour that plays out as a game.
FAQs
How do self-guided walking tours work?
A self-guided walking tour is one in which you walk along the route at your own pace instead of following a guide. Most self-guided tours use either a printed map or audio guide to direct participants to the next stop.
Extranomical’s audio tours use a GPS-activated app that automatically plays on your phone when you reach the next location. You can also pause and play it manually so you can follow it at your own pace.
Is a self-guided tour worth it?
A self-guided tour is worth it if you prefer to explore on your own, while still getting the benefits of a narrated tour. On the other hand, if you like to ask a lot of questions and explore as a group, you may prefer one of our guided San Francisco tours instead.
How long does it take to walk the Golden Gate Bridge?
The Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles long, so most people can walk across it in 45 to 60 minutes. It’s open to pedestrians from sunrise to sunset. You can drive or bike across it 24/7. Learn more about San Francisco bike rentals here.
What’s the most walkable part of San Francisco?
Chinatown has a Walk Score of 100, making it one of the most walkable parts of San Francisco. North Beach has a Walk Score of 99, so it’s a great choice for a self-guided walking tour of San Francisco. Nob Hill, the Castro, and Union Square are also highly walkable and some of the best areas of San Francisco to stay in overnight.