Name: Essential Ticket + Bay Cruise | San Francisco | Big Bus Tours
Brand: Big Bus Tours
Rating: 4.0 (5579 reviews)

Highlights

Enjoy stunning views of San Francisco on land and at sea with our Essential Ticket + Bay Cruise.
This ticket includes a 1-day pass for our hop-on, hop-off San Francisco bus tours, and a ticket for a 1-hour Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise.

Hop on, hop off

Explore San Francisco at your own pace.

Make the most of your time in San Francisco with our flexible hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours. Explore the city's sights at your own pace - you'll have the freedom to hop off the tour at any of our conveniently located stops, and rejoin when you're ready.

Blue & Gold Bay Cruise

Sail the bay on a 1-hour scenic cruise

Enjoy San Francisco's sights from a fresh perspective on the water with Blue & Gold Fleet, San Francisco's premier sightseeing cruise operators. Take in impressive views of the San Francisco waterfront, pass under the Golden Gate Bridge, and sail around the notorious Alcatraz Island on a 1-hour Bay Cruise. Before boarding your Blue & Gold Bay Cruise, please download your cruise ticket from our Booking Portal. If you do not download your entry pass, please redeem your booking confirmation with a Big Bus Tours staff member before your cruise.

Pre-recorded Commentary

Available in 10 languages.

Pre-recorded commentary is available in 10 languages on all Red Route buses via complimentary headphones that you can keep when you hop off the bus. Languages featured include English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Cantonese.

See all the top Landmarks

Big Bus gets you closer to the city's best sights.

Immerse yourself in Chinatown, reel in revelry at Fisherman's Wharf and hang out in the hippy mecca of Haight Ashbury. With Big Bus Tours you'll get to take in the best of San Francisco, including an unmissable ride over the Golden Gate Bridge - enjoy this bucket-list moment from the upper deck of our open-top, double-decker buses.

Free Mobile App

Now with live bus arrival times!

Download our free mobile app for the perfect pocket companion to your sightseeing adventure. Our new live bus arrival times feature shows you exactly where the bus is along the route, along with an ETA for your nearest stop! This gives you the freedom to make the most of your time exploring. In addition to live bus arrival times, you'll also get detailed maps and route information, stop images, walking directions, facts about famous landmarks and attractions, ticket offers and more. Save memory-making minutes on your city adventure with the Big Bus Tours App!

Check Service

Plan ahead for your tour with our service updates

Visit our Service Information Page for up-to-date information about our current service.

1 Route

Our Sightseeing Route

One of the undeniable highlights of our San Francisco Bus Tour is the journey across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, with top-deck views across the bay. However, with its diverse neighborhoods, lively entertainment hub and bustling shopping district, there are so many other great areas of the Golden City to explore. Hop on with us to discover the best of San Francisco.