Walking tours are a great way to step off the beaten path on trips and see things up close not available from tour buses or cars. Two recommendations to incoming visitors are to take an overview sightseeing tour for city highlights and find walking tours with local tour guides to learn in depth about the local people and culture.
Victorian Home Walks in San Francisco is an excellent way to see this city. People walk on the streets of San Francisco which they may not always find on their own or on a bus tour. This is a very easy paced walking tour of this city.
Founder of Victorian Home Walks, Jay Gifford says, “But I think the best thing about my tour is that visitors get to experience the quiet side of San Francisco where people live. Travel is one of life's greatest gifts — why limit it to the confines of a tour bus?”
Starting Points for Victorian Home Walks in San Francisco
Victorian Home Walks is offered daily, rain or shine, at 11 a.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day without reservations. Tours begin at Union Square, Post and Powell Streets, close to Saks Fifth Avenue and the Westin St Francis. The price for each tour is $25 per person and the length is about 2 ½ hours, one may call (415) 252-9485 for more information.
Perhaps the most important tip is that one does not have to be a marathon runner because this walking tour is designed not to walk up hills. Do wear comfortable walking shoes and dress in layers. A person will learn how to ride the local transportation buses which the price is included within the tour fee. Remember to bring a camera.
Where Do These San Francisco Victorian Home Walks Go?
These tour guides will walk through the neighborhoods of Cow Hollow and Pacific Heights where one learns many fun local stories. They actually see the three styles of historic Victorian architecture; Queen Anne, Italianate, and Stick-Style. Next, is a chance to see the interior of Queen Anne Hotel and the exterior of the magnificent building.
This walking tour goes past the famous house from the movie, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the house from the domestic television show, Party of Five. There are plenty of chances to shoot photo images with several attractive gardens along the way and views of the Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. One may return on the local city bus with the guide or stay a while longer with lunch and shopping suggestions on Union Street and instructions of how to return.
About Jay Gifford, Victorian Home Walks Tour Guide
Jay Gifford, creator of Victorian Home Walks, has lived in San Francisco about 30 years and is a victim of corporate downsizing in the early 1990’s. Always a traveler himself, and showing people San Francisco, Jay decided to offer tours to show places in San Francisco that people may not discover with this engaging Victorian Homes walking tour.
Jay says on his website, “As breathtaking as San Francisco is, few visitors ever get a chance to experience the real beauty and history of its neighborhoods. They might go to Chinatown, Alcatraz or Union Square, but as San Franciscans know, the true heart of the city lies outside the usual tourist stops.”
This Victorian Home Walks walking tour is more than gaining the knowledge of these stunning Victorian Homes, it also is a walk through the side streets to see where many of the locals of San Francisco live and work and a opportunity to shoot amazing photo images of this city. An added benefit is easy exercise before indulging in the great foods of San Francisco at lunch.
Donna West - Donna West is a Writer with an uncanny ability and passion of finding unusual ideas, off the beaten path, even in everyday occurrences.
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