The Mission / Castro Hidden Stories
Free Walking Tour!

HIDDEN Stories of Rebels and Artists
AND TRANSFORMATION. Unmissable!

Starts: 2 pm
Starting point: at the Mission Dolores Basilica located at 16th and Dolores St. Look for the white-and-orange umbrella! Click here for Google Maps location.
Ends: 4:30 pm in the heart of Castro, right next to the Castro Metro station. Click here for Google Maps location.

BOOK HERE!

San Francisco is a very diverse city with a lot of cultural history. Come discover the hidden stories in two of its central neighborhoods: The Mission District and The Castro! We’ll explore many spots, loved by locals and often missed by tourists, famous including Mission Dolores Park, the Castro Theater, and the Clarion Mural Alley. Dive into the stories of the city and learn how the forces of history have transformed these neighborhoods over the last two centuries.

The tour will last between 2 and 2 and a half hours and will include 2 miles of walking. There will be a short restroom and water break as well as a free group photo.

We will visit Mission Dolores Park, the Castro Theater,  the Clarion Mural Alley and many more non-touristic points along the way.

The tour ends at Harvey Milk Plaza, next to The Castro Theater – click for Google Maps location.

Price: Pay-as-you-wish to the guide. All guides are volunteers and not paid by the City Government or any other institution. We appreciate your donations to keep this tour running!

The Castro by maria-jesus-errazuriz-@chuerrazuriz-unsplash22

BOOK YOUR MISSION/CASTRO HIDDEN STORIES TOUR!

Choose an available date and don’t miss to leave your phone number, just in case!

Calendar is loading…

Name*

Email*

Phone

Number of Adults*

Add Your Message

 

Better doing this tour before everything else, so that you can actually use all the hints you're gonna receive! (or at least try;))

Leonardo Z

Filip was awesome I really felt to learn to know the feeling of San Francisco.

Johannes Gräter

This tour is a must. I learnt so much about San Francisco and are looking more of this type of tour

Tobias Kin

I had 4 walking tours with different companies. All the tours I had were good, but this one was the best! Filip, the guide, is really passionate about the city and is very good in conveying it.

Leonardo Z

Thank God for guys like Filip who love this City and love to share their experience & knowledge. I highly recommend this Tour before making other plans because he gives you lots of good tips to take full advantage of what SF has to offer.

Angelo Barbieri

MISSION/CASTRO TOUR MAP

Route: 2 miles or 3.4 km
Stroller and wheelchair accessible

Open Location in Google Maps

Mission-Castro Walking Tour Map

FAQ

I have booked a tour to Alcatraz. Will I manage to the ferry after the tour?

The tour ends opposite Ferry Building. It takes 20 minutes by foot (or less) to reach Pier 39 where you board the ferry to Alcatraz.

Is the tour child-friendly? Can I bring a baby?

Yes, the tour is child-friendly. Children of all ages love the stories of buried ships under the buildings. Babies in strollers or carries are welcome too.

Can I bring a dog to the tour?

Yes, we have dogs on tours all the time:) Just make sure your pet is securely leashed.

How to get to Union Square from the SFO airport?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisi cing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat
How to get to Union Square from the OAK airport?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisi cing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat
Can I use the bathroom during the tour?

Yes, we make a bathroom/toilet stop halfway through the route. No worries!

How much is the usual tip? I don’t want to overpay or lose face.

From experience, the average tip is $10 per person. Some people donate less, others are happy to give more. Remember, it’s all up to you: if you have had a good time, tip the guide. If you didn’t like the tour – well, don’t.

It’s raining. Will the tour get canceled?

No. The Free SF Tour happens rain or shine. Plus, it’s San Francisco – one minute it’s raining, the next – glorious sun appears. Bring layers and nevermind the weather.

What if I am the only person turned up? Will the tour still happen?

Of course the tour will happen! It’s just going to feel like a private tour – a knowledgeable, friendly guide all to yourself 🙂

Where to park my car?

It's a bit tight with parking spaces around Union Square, but you can still get lucky and park in the street. Alternatively, there are many convenient car parks in the Union Square vicinity. There’s an underground garage just under Union Square – you can’t get closer than that 🙂 Most charge around $6 per hour but you can find places for as low as $3-3.50. Check out this list of garages http://www.visitunionsquaresf.com/maps-parking-transportation (just click on "park" under the map).

I use a wheelchair. Is the route accessible?

Yes! The route is wheelchair- and stroller-friendly, and largely step-free. Despite the city’s famously hilly terrain, our tour is makes the most of flat streets in Downtown. There might be a ramp here and there, but nothing to worry about.

I want to leave a tip but hate cash. Do you take cards?

Paypal and Venmo app are okay. Credit cards – nope, sorry.

Find us in Union Square

389 Post Street (corner of Powell and Post), Union Square
San Francisco, California ( MAP )

@ 10:00 AM the Free Walking Tour in English
@ 10:30 AM the Free Walking Tour in Spanish
@ 14:30 PM the Free Walking Tour in Spanish

Drop us a line, we can help