Is Big Bus Hop On Hop Off Tour Worth it in San Francisco?

Even though I have lived in the San Francisco suburbs for the past 20+ years and visited the city’s main attractions several times, I decided to play tourist for a day and check out the Big Bus Hop On Hop Off Tour.

Why, you ask? Well, it was a nice sunny Saturday morning in October. It wasn’t windy in the city, and I thought sitting on an open-air bus and seeing the city sights would be amazing. Plus, I wanted to experience going over the Golden Gate Bridge while sitting on the top deck of the bus!

My amazing husband obliged my wish, and we explored the city on a bus like tourists. Overall, we loved it! Parking in San Franciso is expensive, and taking public transport can be time-consuming and often confusing, making this a great way to get to the most popular tourist attractions quickly.

➡️ In a hurry and want a quick answer?
I highly recommend taking this Big Bus Hop On Hop Off tour in San Francisco for first-time tourists.
You can quickly get to the main tourist attractions without worrying about parking or public transportation.

Our Experience on San Francisco’s Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour

We got the 1 day ticket for the Day tour. But if you are in San Francisco for more than a day, I recommend getting the 2-day ticket as it is only a couple of dollars more than the 1-day ticket. Great Value! That way you will have more time to explore the stops as you can spread them out over two days.

We live in the San Francisco suburbs, so we drove to the city and parked in the garage right opposite Pier 39. That day, the daily parking rate was a whopping $60 for the day! It was a Saturday, but that is still crazy expensive for parking!

From Pier 39, it was just a one-block walk to the first stop on the bus route at the corner of Jefferson and Mason Street in Fisherman’s Wharf.

As most tourists stay in a hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf, you can just walk to the first bus stop. If you are staying at Union Square, the Hop On Hop Off bus stops there, and you can start your tour from that stop. Just keep in mind the time the first bus comes to Union Square. After that, it’s every 15-20 minutes.

The entire bus route takes around 2.5 hours, but I highly recommend getting off at the stops that interest you the most. The bus drops very close to most places of interest, with just a couple of minutes of walking.

Stops I recommend starting from Stop #1

We have been to most of these San Francisco attractions several times before, so we didn’t get down at every stop, but this time around, we went to the Ferry Building, Alamo Square, Palace of the Fine Arts, and Golden Gate Bridge.

For a one-day bus tour, you might not be able to fit in all the stops. So pick your top 4-5 stops and enjoy them.

If you have the two-day ticket, you might be able to explore all the stops. Add in an Alcatraz tour or a Bay Cruise, and you will be all set with your San Francisco itinerary!

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Stop #1 Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the most iconic tourist areas in San Francisco. We like to walk around, look at the souvenir shops, and enjoy the touristy vibe. A visit to Ghirardelli Square for an ice cream sundae is a must!

You can also check out the historic ships at Hyde Street Pier or walk along the Aquatic Park.

Stop #2 North Beach/Chinatown

This is a loaded stop with North Beach (Little Italy area) on one side and Grant Ave (Chinatown) on the other. The bus will drop you at a good spot with an easy, flat walk to both neighborhoods.

I highly recommend visiting these neighborhoods. You can easily spend a full day here. But maybe spend an hour strolling Columbus Ave until Washinton Square Park to get a feel of Little Italy, and then Grant Ave to soak in the Chinatown vibes. Then, come back later to try the restaurants. Tony’s pizza is my favorite!

➡️For more details, check my detailed post about Things to do in North Beach.

Stop #4 Ferry Building

The Ferry Building is a historic landmark and a working ferry terminal. It is also home to a marketplace where you can shop for artisan foods, enjoy local cafes, and take in views of the Bay Bridge.

The bus stops right across the street from the Ferry Building. You can’t miss it! As we visited on a Saturday, there was a farmer’s market here, which made the place lively.

Stop #5 Union Square

Union Square is a lively hub in the heart of San Francisco, known for its shopping and dining atmosphere. It’s a great spot to stroll around, enjoy a coffee, and take in the energy of the city, surrounded by iconic stores and historic buildings.

The bus stops right at Union Square. I love the rooftop Cheesecake Factory restaurant here on top of the Macy’s building.

Stop #7 Civic Center

The Civic Center area is home to some of San Francisco’s most important landmarks, including City Hall with its grand dome and the Asian Art Museum.

The City Hall building is architecturally stunning and open to the public on weekdays.

Stop #8 Alamo Square

This is where the famous row of Victorian Houses called ‘The Painted Ladies’ is. The bus stops a block away from the park and is a 5-minute walk. The best view of The Painted Ladies is seen from Alamo Square Park.

Stop #9 Haight Ashbury

Haight-Ashbury is known for its rich history as the center of the 1960s counterculture movement. Walking through this neighborhood on Haight St, you’ll find vintage shops, colorful murals, and unique cafes, all while soaking in the hippie and artistic vibe that still defines the area today.

➡️For more details, check my detailed post about Things to do in Haight Ashbury.

Stop #11 Golden Gate Bridge

This is the main experience we were waiting for! Before reaching the rest area on the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bus goes over it! I highly recommend being on the top deck for this one. If you have long hair, keep a hair tie, as it was very windy on the bridge!

The rest area is a good place to get down to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the San Francisco Bay. Plus, it’s a good place to use the restrooms. From here, the bus turns around, and you will go over the Golden Gate Bridge again!

Stop #12 Palace of the Fine Arts

The Palace of Fine Arts is a stunning architectural landmark in San Francisco. Although it’s an event venue, it is also a tourist attraction known for its grand rotunda and peaceful lagoon.

There is a nice short trail around it, and we saw many wedding photoshoots happening here.

Stop #16 Pier 39

I love Pier 39, even if it’s touristy! I think it is lively and a great place to walk around. Look for the sea lions, browse the souvenir shops, and try the many restaurants here. I love getting a sourdough bread bowl with hot soup at the Boudin bakery.

➡️Check rates and availability for 1 day and 2 day tickets for Big Bus Hop On Hop Off tour in San Francisco

Stops I don’t recommend getting down at and why

Below are some of the stops I don’t recommend going to while on the Hop On Hop Off tour. You might be surprised to see Golden Gate Park and Lombard Street on this list, but believe me I have a reason.

Stop #3 Embarcadero Center

This is the financial district and the main attraction here is the tall buildings. If you sit on the top deck, you can enjoy the views from the bus.

Stop #6 Hilton Hotel

There is nothing much to see here except a bunch of hotels. So unless you are staying in one of these hotels, there is no reason to get down here after seeing Union Square.

Stop #10 Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park is huge and requires a whole day to explore. It has several amazing science and art museums, gardens, lakes, and walking trails.

The bus stops in front of the California Academy of Sciences Museum, which is right opposite the de Young Museum. The Japanese Garden is also here.

Each museum takes several hours to explore and has entrance tickets. If you have an extra day on your trip, you could come back and explore the park at leisure.

Stop #13 Marina / Cow Hollow

The Marina District is popular for dining, but there is nothing close by from the stop.

Stop #14 Lombard Street

The location of the Lombard Street stop, I think, is the biggest negative of the Hop On Hop Off bus. Lombard St is a very popular landmark, but the bus stops several blocks away from the street. To reach the street, you have to climb 5 blocks of a very steep hill.

At the stop, we looked at the steep uphill road and didn’t get down. Even the driver said he doesn’t recommend tourists getting down here to visit Lombard Street.

A better way to get to Lombard Street is to get down at the first Fisherman’s Wharf stop and then walk to the intersection of Leavenworth and Lombard St from there, which is the lower end of Lombard St. This is a 0.7 mile (around 15 minutes) walk and not that steep.

Stop #15 Pier 35 / Cruise Terminal

This is a stop for the Cruise terminal and Pier 33, from where the Alcatraz ferry departs. There’s not much here. Pier 39 is a more fun pier to explore.

What we liked about the Hop On Hop Off Big Bus Tour

• The tour covers several main tourist spots in San Francisco.
• Great way to get to the tourist attractions without worrying about public transport or parking.
• The bus drops very close to most attractions.
• A great way to cross the Golden Gate Bridge on an open-top bus. This was my favorite part!
• There is a smartphone app that allows you to see live bus arrival times. We used it, and it was so helpful to know when the next bus was arriving.
• There is an audio tour on the bus, and free earphones are provided. The audio tour provides spot on commentary about the city sights you are passing by and information about the upcoming stops.

➡️Check rates and availability for 1 day and 2 day tickets for Big Bus Hop On Hop Off tour in San Francisco

What we didn’t like about the tour

• The Lombard Street stop is too far away and is a steep uphill walk.
• There are no bus stop signs along the route, so you have to look in the app to see where to wait for the next bus. Usually, there are a few people waiting on the sidewalk.
• It’s not fun if you don’t get to sit on the top deck. Note that standing on the top deck is not allowed because of all the cable wires on the streets.

Do I recommend this tour?

For first-time tourists to San Francisco, I highly recommend taking the 1-day or 2-day Big Bus Hop On Hop Off tour to be able to easily get to the most popular tourist places in the city. Later you can come back to the places you liked the best and explore them.

Although we only did the 1-day Hop On Hop Off tour, they also have a 2-day ticket, which is a great value. It has to be used within two consecutive days. They have another 2-day ticket with a Chinatown walking tour included.

➡️Check rates and availability for Big Bus Hop On Hop Off tour in San Francisco

Final Takeaways: Is the San Francisco Hop On Hop Off bus tour worth it?

Overall, I had a great time exploring the sights and tourist spots of San Francisco aboard the Hop on hop off bus. Going over the Golden Gate Bridge was super thrilling!

I think it is totally worth it for tourists as you can quickly get to the popular attractions without worrying about public transport. And it comes out cheaper when compared to renting a car and paying for parking at each spot, or even taking an Uber to each stop.

Up next, check out my San Francisco itinerary to plan your perfect trip!