3-Hour GoCar GPS Tour San Francisco: Drive yourself, no guide needed

You drive a talking GPS car through San Francisco's best stops, no tour bus required.

You rent a two-seat GPS-guided GoCar and drive yourself through San Francisco's major landmarks (Golden Gate Bridge viewpoint, Palace of Fine Arts, Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Park, and Lombard Street) over three hours at your own pace. Gas, map, and helmets are included. You set when to stop and how long to linger at each spot.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Palace of Fine Arts10m
2. Golden Gate Bridge20m
3. Lombard Street20m
4. Fisherman's Wharf
5. Ocean Beach10m
6. Presidio15m
7. Fort Point National Historic Site10m
8. Crissy Field
9. Golden Gate Park1h
10. Legion of Honor
11. Sutro Baths15m

Explore San Francisco landmarks by GoCar

• Drive through Fisherman's Wharf
• Visit Palace of Fine Arts
• Stop at Crissy Field for views
• Explore Presidio area
• View Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point
• Take photos at Baker Beach
• Visit Ocean Beach and Seal Rock
• Tour Golden Gate Park attractions
• See Rodin's The Thinker at Legion of Honor
• Visit Sutro Baths ruins
• Drive down Lombard Street

The experience

You pick up the GoCar at your chosen location, get a quick orientation on the throttle and hand brakes, and then the GPS voice takes over: telling you where to go while you steer through the city at your own speed. The car holds two people max, seats are motorcycle-style, and the whole thing feels less like a tour bus and more like you've borrowed a friend's quirky vehicle that happens to know every story. The Palace of Fine Arts comes first, that massive white structure from the 1915 Exposition still sitting on its original Marina District spot, and the GPS narrates while you circle for photos.

From there you're heading toward the Golden Gate Bridge, though here's the thing. You can't actually drive across it. Instead the car navigates you to Fort Point, where the bridge towers about 200 feet above your head and the photos are honestly better than from the span itself. Baker Beach is a few minutes past that if you want even wider angles. The route takes you through Fisherman's Wharf with its crab shacks and bakeries, past Crissy Field where locals are running and playing, and then out to Ocean Beach where you can look for sand dollars in the fog and watch Seal Rock jut out of the Pacific. It's the kind of driving where you can pull over anywhere (motorcycle parking spots make that easy in San Francisco), and stay as long as you want. When you start moving again, the GPS picks up the narration.

The Presidio is a 15-minute drive from the Wharf and feels like stepping into another world: a decommissioned military base with architecture, a War Memorial, and views of the Bay that most visitors miss. Golden Gate Park itself spans almost half the city's length and the tour threads you through it, past the Conservatory of Flowers and the Japanese Tea Garden. Legion of Honor sits at the edge with the Rodin sculpture "The Thinker" outside, and Sutro Baths (the haunting remains of a natatorium destroyed by fire) gives you the North Pacific in all its fog and scale. The final move is Lombard Street, San Francisco's crookedest street, and zooming down those eight hairpin turns in a three-wheeled car is the kind of thing you remember.

You're in control of the whole three hours. The car maxes out at 35 mph but San Francisco drivers don't push it anyway, so expect an average of 30 or less. The GPS knows where you are at all times, but you're not locked into the route. If you spot something else you want to see, the map they give you lets you navigate your own way. There's even a CD player if you want music instead of the narration for a stretch. A full tank of gas is included, along with helmets and the orientation, plus an 8.75% environmental fee covers carbon offset and tire recycling.

What’s included

Your rental includes a full tank of gas, GPS-guided three-wheeled car for up to two people, a paper map of the city, helmets for both riders, a brief orientation on how to operate the vehicle, and an 8.75% environmental fee covering carbon offset, gasoline, and tire recycling. You choose your pickup location at booking and set your own pace throughout the three-hour tour, stopping and lingering wherever you want.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 15:00

Book up to8h before

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Korean

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by GoCar Rentals, Inc.

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to see San Francisco's main landmarks (Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Park, Lombard Street) without a guide talking at you the whole time. You'll be out for three hours at your own speed, which means you can linger at views or skip ahead. Plan for an average pace of 30 mph through city streets.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I drive across the Golden Gate Bridge in the GoCar?

No, but the tour navigates you to Fort Point at the bridge's foot, where it towers 200 feet overhead and offers excellent photo angles. You can also walk onto the bridge span from the parking area there.

How many people can fit in one GoCar?

A maximum of two people. The price is per car, not per person.

Do I need a motorcycle license to drive it?

No. You need a valid driver's license (in your physical possession, not a photocopy) and must be at least 21 years old. Foreign customers do not need an international license.

Can I stop wherever I want during the tour?

Yes. You set your own pace and can park anywhere for as long as you want. When you start driving again, the GPS narration resumes.

What if I want to see something not on the tour route?

You can use the provided map to navigate to any San Francisco sight you want. The GPS will guide you back to the tour whenever you're ready.

How fast does the GoCar go?

It maxes out at 35 mph, but average driving speed in San Francisco is 30 mph or less.

What's included in the rental?

A full tank of gas, the GPS-guided car, a map, helmets, rider orientation, and an 8.75% environmental fee for carbon offset and recycling.

What's the security deposit?

A $500 deposit is held on your credit card at check-in and released when you return the car. If you purchase collision damage waiver (CDW) insurance, the deposit is $300 instead.

Are there height or weight limits?

Yes. Maximum height is 6'4" and the combined weight limit for two passengers is 500 lbs. Children must be at least 4 years old and fit safely into a DOT-approved helmet.

Is the GoCar wheelchair accessible?

The vehicle itself is not wheelchair accessible, but the tour operator offers wheelchair-accessible transportation options and all pickup/drop-off areas are wheelchair accessible.