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San Francisco: Painted Ladies & Twin Peaks GoCar Tour

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.94 (16 reviews)

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/6

Duration4h

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEN · DE +7

Mobile ticketAccepted

You drive yourself past the Golden Gate Bridge, then climb 922 feet to see the whole city at once

You rent a two-seater GoCar with GPS navigation and drive yourself past the Golden Gate Bridge, up Twin Peaks for panoramic views, through Haight-Ashbury, and down the crooked Lombard Street. The route includes stops at the Painted Ladies, Sutro Baths, Golden Gate Park, and Fort Point, with a full tank of gas and helmets included. The whole tour takes 4 hours and you move at your own pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Drive past Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf
Pass by Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory
Learn about Crissy Field airstrip
Take pictures at Fort Point
Walk out to Golden Gate Bridge
Visit Baker Beach under the bridge
Walk to Land's End overlook
Visit Sutro Baths ruins
Drive through Golden Gate Park sights
Drive up to Twin Peaks viewpoint
Pass through Haight-Ashbury neighborhood
Snap photo of Painted Ladies
Snap photo at Palace of Fine Arts
Drive down Lombard Street crooked road

The Experience

Most San Francisco tours stick you in a bus seat while someone else narrates. This one puts you in a two-seater GoCar with a GPS that talks you through the route, which means you move at your own pace and stop whenever something catches your eye. The car holds a maximum of two people, so it's just you and whoever you brought—no strangers, no fixed schedule, no waiting for the group to finish their photos.

The route takes you through Fisherman's Wharf and past Ghirardelli Square (your rental receipt gets you 10% off chocolate, which is a nice touch), then heads toward the Golden Gate Bridge. You'll drive under it at Fort Point, where the Gold Rush-era fort sits right at the water's edge and gives you the angle most tourists miss. After that comes Baker Beach and Land's End, where the Pacific Ocean actually meets the bay. The Sutro Baths ruins are next—just the skeleton of what used to be a massive natatorium, sitting on the rocks like something from another era. Then you loop through Golden Gate Park, past the Buffalo Paddock and the Dutch Windmill, before climbing up to Twin Peaks at 2,200 feet. On a clear day the view is unreal; you can see the whole city, the bay, and out to the ocean all at once.

From there the route takes you down through Haight-Ashbury—the neighborhood that defined the Summer of Love—and then to Alamo Square for the Painted Ladies, those Victorian houses that got famous from Full House. The last stop is Lombard Street, the crooked street that tour buses have to skip because of the hairpin turns. You drive it yourself, which feels like a small victory. The whole thing is 4 hours, and the GPS keeps you on track in French, Spanish, Italian or German if you need it. You'll need a valid driver's license in your physical possession, and you have to be at least 21 to rent. A $500 security deposit gets held on your credit card when you pick up the car—or $300 if you buy the collision damage waiver insurance.

The car comes with a full tank of gas, helmets, and a map. There's an 8.75% environmental fee built into the price that covers carbon offset, gas and tire recycling. If you're traveling with kids, passengers have to be at least 4 years old and small enough to fit safely into one of the DOT-approved helmets. The GoCar is registered as a motorcycle, but you don't need a motorcycle license to drive it—just a regular driver's license.

What’s included

GPS-guided route with map.
rider orientation and safety briefing.
full tank of gas.
helmets for all passengers.
8.75% environmental fee for carbon offset, gas and tire recycling.
10% discount at Ghirardelli Square with your rental receipt.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for back problems

Operated by GoCar Rentals, Inc.

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to see San Francisco's main landmarks—Twin Peaks, the Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies, Lombard Street—without waiting for a tour bus or arranging their own transport. The GPS handles navigation, so you just drive and stop when something interests you.