Private San Francisco city tours by car
See San Francisco at your own pace with a private car and a professional chauffeur. You pick the sights, you decide how long to stay at each one, and the car is there when you're ready to move on.
City tour at a glance
- Booked as
- Hourly, 3-hour minimum
- Stops
- Your list, your order
- Vehicles
- Sedan, SUV, Sprinter
- Group size
- Up to 14 passengers
- Tickets
- Not included
How it works
Private sightseeing transportation, explained
A city tour with us is a car and a chauffeur kept by the hour. You bring the list of places, and we handle the driving, the drop-offs and the waiting.
Your stops, your order
Send the places you want to see and we'll suggest an order that keeps time on the road down. You decide how long to stay at each one.
Kept by the hour
City tours are booked like hourly service, with a 3-hour minimum. The car and chauffeur stay with you for the whole booking.
Guides on request
Your chauffeur drives and waits between stops. If you'd like a professional guide, ask when you request a quote and we'll tell you what we can arrange.
Tickets on your side
Attraction tickets, museum entry and the Alcatraz ferry aren't part of the car service. Book them directly and send us the times.
Seats for children
Touring with little ones? Request infant, child or youth booster seats in the quote form, and we'll confirm them with the price.
Changes as you go
Plans shift during a day out. Time beyond your booking is charged per minute at the hourly rate for your vehicle class.
An example route through the city
Here's one way a first visit could flow, from the waterfront out to the western hills and back toward the center. It's an example to start from, not a schedule. The order, the stops and the time you spend at each are yours to change.
| Stop | Neighborhood | Why people go | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferry Building | Embarcadero | Food stalls, the waterfront and views of the Bay Bridge | An easy first pickup, or a lunch stop on the way back |
| Lombard Street | Russian Hill | The crooked block of switchbacks and flower beds | Often busy. Walking down the steps beside it is an option |
| Palace of Fine Arts | Marina | The rotunda and lagoon, a favorite for photos | Flat paths around the lagoon |
| Golden Gate Bridge view | Presidio or Marin Headlands | The classic bridge views, from either side of the Golden Gate | Fog can hide the towers, so keep this stop flexible |
| Painted Ladies | Alamo Square | The row of Victorian houses facing the park | Little parking nearby, so expect a short walk |
| Twin Peaks | Center of the city | Views across the whole city on a clear day | Windy and cool, even in summer |
Swap in your own favorites
Other popular stops include Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill, Grant Avenue in Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39, Golden Gate Park, the Legion of Honor and Lands End, and the murals of the Mission. The quote form takes up to five stops, and you can list the rest in the notes.
Crossing the bridge to Marin
Sausalito, Muir Woods and the Marin Headlands are just across the Golden Gate Bridge, and Marin is part of our service area. Some sites ask visitors to reserve parking or entry ahead, so check before your day. For a full day farther north, see our Napa and Sonoma wine tours.
Viewpoints and parking
Where the car stops and you walk
San Francisco's best views often come with very little parking. At places like Alamo Square and the bridge overlooks, your chauffeur drops you as close as the rules allow and picks you up after, sometimes a short walk from where you got out.
Comfortable shoes help. So does a layer: summer fog keeps the coast and the western neighborhoods cool, and the wind on Twin Peaks and at the bridge surprises plenty of visitors.
Before the day, we confirm where to meet for the first pickup. During the tour, your chauffeur tells you where the car will be waiting.
Vehicles for touring the city
Every class comes with a professional chauffeur. A sedan suits two people, an SUV gives a family of five room to spread out, and the Luxury Sprinter keeps a group of up to 14 together. See all five classes side by side on our fleet page.
Executive SUV
Chevrolet Suburban or similar
5 passengers 6 bags
Get a quote for the Chevrolet Suburban
Luxury Sprinter
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or similar
14 passengers 14 bags
Get a quote for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Got a list of places? We'll shape it into a day.
Send the sights and a date, and we'll reply with a vehicle and a price.
How many hours to book
Hourly bookings start at 3 hours, which suits a handful of stops in one part of the city. A tour that crosses town, adds a long lunch or heads over the bridge into Marin needs more. Send your list and we'll help you judge it.
Additional waiting time and extra hours are charged per minute at the hourly rate for your vehicle class. If you'd like to stretch the day, ask your chauffeur, or call us at (415) 881-6199.
Starting from a hotel, a home or a cruise ship
Most tours start at a hotel, a home or the cruise terminal at Pier 27. If you land the same day, you can start with an SFO airport pickup and keep the car with you, luggage and all.
Showing the city to colleagues or clients
A city tour can round off a conference at Moscone Center or a client visit. Our corporate travel page covers trips you arrange for someone else.
Ending the day at dinner
If the day ends at a restaurant, you can keep the car for the ride back, or end the tour at dinner and book a separate point-to-point ride home later.
Private city tour questions
Does the chauffeur give a guided tour?
Your chauffeur drives and waits between stops. If you'd like a professional guide, ask when you request a quote and we'll tell you what we can arrange.
Can we choose our own stops?
Yes. Send your list and we'll suggest an order. The quote form takes up to five stops, and you can add more in the notes.
Are attraction tickets included?
No. Tickets for attractions, museums and the Alcatraz ferry aren't part of the car service. Book them directly and send us the times.
What if the car can't stop at a viewpoint?
Your chauffeur drops you as close as the rules allow, and you may walk the last part. Your chauffeur will tell you where the car will pick you up.
Can you pick us up from a cruise ship?
Yes. Send the ship, the terminal and the time you expect to be off the ship, and we'll confirm where to meet before the day.
How is a city tour different from hourly service?
It's booked the same way, by the hour with a 3-hour minimum. The difference is the planning: we help you shape the route around the sights you want.
What should we bring?
A layer, comfortable shoes and any tickets you've booked. San Francisco is often cooler and windier than visitors expect, especially near the coast.
Can the tour include Sausalito or Muir Woods?
Yes. Marin County is in our service area. Check whether the places you plan to visit need advance reservations for entry or parking.
Ready to see the city?
Send your list of places and a date. We'll reply with a vehicle and a price.
info@sf.limo