anyone tried San Francisco City Guides?
 

We're thinking of doing the Chinatown walk offered by San Francisco City Guides and wondered if anyone has done it. Opinions? Suggestions? We love London Walks and were looking for something similar.

Two years ago I took a City Guide tour of the hotel where we stayed, The Palace Hotel. Tour was excellent. Another poster, DebitNM, has taken several and written about them in her trip reports. I haven't taken a London Walks tour so I don't know how the two compare but based on my experience, and others here, I would say don't hesitate. I'm assuming the tours remain free with donations accepted. I still have my brochure from two years ago, they have quite a selection of tours to choose from.

Yes! Lots of us! Thanks to Stu Dudley's recommendations through the years. He loves them and his wife leads one of the tours.

From one of his SF threads - <i>San Francisco City Guides – free walks. www.sfcityguides.org . Sponsored by the SF Public Library. Over 28 unique walks given by volunteers who all share one common thing – they are passionate about San Francisco and the subjects that they cover. You will notice that I “push” City Guides quite a bit. When my wife & I retired (early) in ’99, I wanted to spend more time learning about the city where I was born & where I have lived (or close by) most of my life. I went on a few City Guides walks & thought that they were exceptional (and free) My wife liked them so much that she is now a volunteer with City Guides and conducts a few walks herself. The “Haight-Ashbury” walk is given by someone who lived there through “the summer of love” and still remembers it. The “Pacific Heights Mansions” by a person who has lived there all her life. Many of the guides are retired history teachers. Tours are usually 2 hours or less. They sometimes change tour days, so check the internet schedule for the time you will be visiting. Twenty additional tours are conducted in October & May.
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

I've taken a number of them and most were great.

City Hall also gives it's own free tour which was excellent. The architecture is amazing.

http://sfgsa.org/index.aspx?page=1172

I should add that I've never taken the Chinatown tour. My favorite, to date, is City Scapes and Public Places.

We have done close to 2 dozen walks with them, including Chinatown. We have loved a
Most everyone of them ( 1 or 2 were less stellar, because the guide wasn't as engaging as most others are).

The Chinatown one was most enjoyable; despite visiting SF frequently, the tour took us to spots in Chinatown that we would not normally see. Also, we were given lots of great historical info that we also would not have had otherwise.

There are currently over 80 tours offered, althought some are only given at select times during the year. There are high level of activity ( Sutro Forest hike) to those that are leisurely (Ruth Miller Ramble). There is something for everyone.

I also highly recommend the free docent tour of City Hall as well.

If you click on my name, you can see some of my trip reports where I talk about the tours.

We did the Chinatown tour on Monday, July 9! It was great. Thanks for the recommendation!

That's great, ksbeem!

Glad you enjoyed it!