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Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo

star-4414 Reviews
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San Francisco, United States
Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo
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Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo
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From $135.50

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Number of travelers
1 Adult2 Adults3 Adults4 Adults5 Adults6 Adults7 Adults8 Adults9 Adults
Non-refundable
You will not receive a refund if you cancel. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon3 hours  (approx.)
iconOffered in: English and 9 more

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Overview

This combo package allows you to see all of San Francisco's top sights and attraction. Ride the open top double decker bus for one full day, hopping on and off at over 15 stops around the city. Cruise across the bay to the infamous prison known today as the Rock and explore the infamous Island.
  • Big Bus San Francisco hop-on hop-off tour and Alcatraz Island combo
  • Tour the city by open-top, double-decker bus with your 1-day sightseeing pass
  • Visit top San Francisco attractions including the Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, Pier 39 and Lombard Street
  • Customize your own itinerary and hop on and off as you please
  • Visit the infamous prison island of Alcatraz with your included admission ticket

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

Get all the added bonuses—tours of Chinatown and on the Sausalito trolley—plus a ferry ride to Alcatraz.
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From $135.50

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Round-trip ferry from San Francisco to Alcatraz Island
Buy 1 hour bike rental get 1 hour free from any Blazing Saddles shop
One Day Hop-on Hop-off Ticket
Please note that the date you have selected is the date for your Alcatraz Tour
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Gratuities

Departure Point

You may start this tour at any of the stops listed.
See itinerary

Return Details

You may disembark at any of the available stops.
Your Big Bus San Francisco Sightseeing and Alcatraz Combo can begin at any stop along the bus route. After climbing aboard your pass will allow you to hop on and off as much as you’d like.

You’ll pass the city’s top attractions on the exensive loop, including Haight-Ashbury, the Palace of Fine Arts, Union Square, Pier 39, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the crooked path of Lombard Street. Stick on board with the audio commentary to admire the sights, or hop off at any time to explore a neighborhood or attraction on your own. This ticket also includes a round-trip ferry to the infamous prison island of Alcatraz, once home to Al Capone and other famous inmates and a bonus deal on a bike rental.
Itinerary
Duration: 
3 hours 
Operating Schedule:
  1 Day Hop on Hop off Tour: Operates daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm, with buses departing every 60 minutes. Customers are advised to download our app to find out more about our new health and safety measures and for real-time bus tracking information. Alternatively please visit our website.
99 Jefferson St
Stop 1 - San Francisco Visitor Center
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621 Columbus Ave
Stop 2 - North Beach / Chinatown
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Clay St (500-598)
Stop 3 - Embarcadero Center
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Ferry Building
Stop 4 - Ferry Building
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280 Geary St
Stop 5 - Union Square South
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201 Mason St
Stop 6 - Redemption Center / Hilton Hotel
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90 Fulton St
Stop 7 - Civic Center
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944 Fell St
Stop 8 - Alamo Square
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1816 Haight St
Stop 9 - Haight Ashbury
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1816 Haight St
Stop 10 - Golden Gate Park (Monday - Saturday only)
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Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point
Stop 11 - North Vista Point / Golden Gate Bridge
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211 Richardson Ave
Stop 12 - Palace of Fine Arts
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2101 Lombard St
Stop 13 - Marina / Cow Hollow
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1599 Lombard St
Stop 14 - Lombard Street
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Embarcadero
Stop 15 - Pier 39
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Points of interest passed by on this route
Alcatraz Island
 
Big Bus Tours
 
The Embarcadero
 
Haight-Ashbury
 
Union Square
 
Civic Center
 
Fisherman’s Wharf
 
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
 
Golden Gate Park
 
Golden Gate Bridge
 
Chinatown
 
Madame Tussauds
 
  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Recorded commentary available in English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, Mandarin, Korean, Cantonese and Italian
  • To receive your Alcatraz Island Ticket you must check into the Big Bus office (on voucher) one day prior to the Alcatraz Tour date or before 9am on the date of your Alcatraz Tour.
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required
  • Photo ID is required.
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please note that the date you have selected is the date for your Alcatraz Tour.
  • Your tour time will be assigned 10 days in advance of the tour date. Once a time is assigned we are not able to make any changes, please note your timed entry will be allocated by Alcatraz this will not be able to be personally selected
  • OPERATED BY Big Bus Tours - USA
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
How do I arrange my Alcatraz visit during the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:After booking, our team will get in touch with you to confirm your preferred Alcatraz tour date and time. This must be confirmed at least 10 days in advance of your visit.
Mar 2021
Q:
Where does the Alcatraz portion of the tour depart from?
A:The Alcatraz ferry departs from Pier 33. Note: you MUST redeem your ticket at the Big Bus Welcome Center (99 Jefferson Street) at 9 am on the date of your Alcatraz visit.
Mar 2021
Q:
Can I select my preferred time to visit Alcatraz?
A:Due to limited availability, we cannot guarantee any scheduling requests for Alcatraz departure times. You may add your preference in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout, but again we cannot guarantee any specific time.
Mar 2021
Q:
Do I need ID for the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:Yes - ID is required for all guests over the age of 18 who are visiting Alcatraz.
Mar 2021
Q:
Can I change my Alcatraz tour date/time once it has been confirmed?
A:Unfortunately, no. Alcatraz bookings cannot be changed once a time has been allocated and confirmed.
Mar 2021
Q:
How often does a bus arrive at each stop during the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:A bus arrives approximately every 30 minutes.
Mar 2021
Q:
Do I have to go to a central location to redeem my ticket for the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off and Alcatraz Combo?
A:For the Hop-On-Hop-Off day tour, you can simply show a printed or electronic version of your ticket at any of the stops to board the bus.
Mar 2021
Q:
What time is the last bus on the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:The last bus departs Stop #1 - San Francisco Visitor Center at 5:00 pm.
Mar 2021
Q:
How will I know which stop(s) to use during the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:Our live guides and pre-recorded commentary will communicate upcoming stops. You can also download our free App for more information on routes and times, and what to see and do at each stop location.
Mar 2021
Q:
Is the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo wheelchair accessible?
A:Yes, we operate wheelchair-accessible vehicles with lifts that can accommodate up to 650 pounds however, not all vehicles are equipped. If you require an accessible vehicle, please let us know in the "Special Requirements" box at checkout.
Mar 2021
Q:
Can I bring a pet with me on the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:No pets are allowed onboard the bus, except ADA service animals.
Mar 2021
Q:
Can I bring food or drink with me on the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:No food or alcohol is permitted onboard the bus. Non-alcoholic drinks in screw-top bottles are permitted.
Mar 2021
Q:
Can I bring luggage on the Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:No, luggage is not permitted onboard the bus at this time.
Mar 2021
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:The policies on sanitization are:

  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
  • Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
  • Gear/equipment sanitized between use
  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
See all safety measures taken by Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
See all safety measures taken by Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo.
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo?
A:The policy on staff health & safety is:

  • Regular temperature checks for staff
See all safety measures taken by Big Bus San Francisco Hop-On-Hop-Off Open Top Tour and Alcatraz Combo.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

  • "Great trip round SF on open top bus (though cold, bring jacket even if sunny) especially as we were only there 2 days so got to see all the sights, go over Golden Gate Bridge etc." See review
  • "The lines are very long so be prepar d to wait." See review
  • "Combo is okay but not to do on the same day." See review

Reviews

4.0
star-4
414 Reviews
5 stars
225
4 stars
95
3 stars
41
2 stars
19
1 star
34

Reviews by Viator travelers

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 414 reviews
star-5
Bus and Alcatraz tour
joel_h
, May 2022
Had a great day on the bus going round San Francisco, weather was lovely and the tour gives you lots of info on the areas your driving through (could not have walked and seen half the things we did) over the Golden gates bridge was amazing and windy lol, got the bus at 10am at Union Square, then on to Alcatraz later after we did lunch our boat was at 3:20, walked around listening to a recording on a phone about the place listening to inmates and guards that stayed there, it’s an eeary place with lots of history around it definitely somewhere you need to visit in San Fran.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-3
Great bus, average Alcatraz tour
Suzanne_D
, May 2022
Touring San Francisco via the Hop On Hop Off bus was great - went for 3.5hrs so be prepared if you need to be somewhere afterwards! The Alcatraz tour was underwhelming - you and approx 200+ of your new best friends catch the ferry over to the island then battle it out to see the exhibits as one large group. There is an app to download to your phone to tune into the audio exhibits and they remind you constantly to do this - however you need your own headphones! As it turns out the app doesn't work as the staff informed us once we got into the jail, and they hand out individual audiopods - you listen to it out loud so there are 200 odd audio players going at once... and to us it was painful to listen to the narration. There are rare visual boards to read (our preference over audio) so we feel we missed out on a lot of information but that's our choice I guess. Overall, it had great potential, but the crowds and rush to get back before last ferry, and the fact you can't choose what time to do your tour really works against it.
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star-5
Fun, safe, scenic day
Julie_L
, Apr 2022
Alcatraz was the highlight of the day! The bus ride was great also, friendly safe drivers. But since we couldnt pick our Alcatraz tour time (at 1100), by the time we returned to the wharf & had lunch, we only had about 3.5 hours to do the entire bus route which was not very much time.
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star-3
Meh
Eric_B
, Aug 2021
The bus was very very dirty. The audio jacks didn’t work well. You had to continually play with the input probably from overuse. Also the ear buds were too large for my children. Beautiful day. Sites were nice. Experience was meh
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star-5
5 stars 🌟
Sherlyn_J
, Jul 2021
Beautiful experience touring San Francisco on the Big Bus. China Town, Cricket street and many more enjoyable 😀. Strongly suggest.
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star-4
Recommended!
Kerry_G
, Jul 2021
Great way to get around San Francisco. We had some trouble with audio for the recorded info, but when it worked the content was interesting. Great views. Drivers were all professional.
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star-4
Cool
kyle_m
, Jul 2021
It was fun but going through the city wasn’t the best. And was cold but other than that it was fun. I don’t know what else to say but it is making me type more
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star-4
Fun
Lisa
, Jul 2021
Very nice did not make the night tour it didn’t pan out with doing Alcatraz in the tour keep me from the night tour. The morning tour was nice and as always Alcatraz was super cool
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-1
Overpriced
Antonette_G
, Jun 2021
What did I pay for Lame tour and not enough info on procedures and itineraries, vague responses to questions and timeline
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star-4
Alcatraz was cool
dana_m
, Jun 2021
We couldn’t find the location to redeem and there was no one to return any calls for weeks before arrival at big bus., however via tour people were good
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star-4
Poor communication
Melissa_S
, Jun 2021
Driver did not tell us what channel to be on so we missed part of the audio Tour. It was great once we got on the correct channel on the second bus.
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star-5
1 day fun.
Glenda_F
, May 2021
We were in San Francisco one day and did the Red Bus and Alcatraz tour. So informative and interesting. Got to see much of the city without worrying about driving and parking.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-1
Alcatraz / big bus tour
Chris_H
, Apr 2021
I had to cancel my tour after my holiday was cancelled due to covid restrictions but viator have still not refunded my money after numerous attempts to contact them.
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star-4
Alcatraz great
Sharon_M
, Dec 2019
Alcatraz was the best, bus ride was ok, guy was funny commentating Would definitely recommend Alcatraz to anyone the walk is a killer though
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star-3
Bus should not have been on the road
Andy D
, Oct 2019
The Big Bus tour of San Francisco was great with very informative information and the tour of Alcatraz was superb. Unfortunately our schedule did not allow us to spend extended time on "The Rock".The only downside of our sightseeing experience was the mechanical condition of the bus. The brakes on this particular bus were metal on metal and screeched every time that we came to a stop. Heads would turn and people would stare. We had concerns on the stopping ability, especially on some of the San Francisco streets. In addition the squealing brakes made it difficult to hear the audio recording and took away from the experience.
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star-4
🤔
Matthew_W
, Sep 2019
Alcatraz was great. Didn’t get to do the bus tour because our trip for Alcatraz was at 12:30 and didn’t find out til we got there that day. So paying $140 for Alcatraz was ridiculous.
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star-5
Rondog
ronnieharper57
, Sep 2019
Was a very enjoyable day tour operator knew his stuff good sites loved Sausalito short break staff st office very helpful
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-1
Sausalito bus tour
Brian_M
, Sep 2019
The itinerary provided by Viator said that the last tour to Sausalito left at 6, when we got to the Big Bus Company we were told that the last bus left at 4.30! Staff insisted that they were not responsible for third party information and refused to offer any refund. I feel that we were misled by both Viator and the bus company, I tried to claim a refund online, which I think is only fair since I had travelled from the UK, but the website does not allow refunds
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Busy but a good busy.
kevin_d
, Sep 2019
Combo is okay but not to do on the same day. Big bus isn’t realllly a hop on and off. The ride is good though.
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star-5
Alcatraz
374cancun1949
, Aug 2019
Loved Alcatraz. It was well worth going. It was nice that you could go at your own pace. Bought a signed book written by a prisoner.
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