Find Your Tour
Friday May 17
- 9:30 am
After the successful 1894 Mid-Winter Exposition San Francisco decided to keep the Japanese Village exhibit. Makoto Hagiwara was hired to be the new manager of the Garden and immediately set about expanding the Garden three-fold to its size today. An impressive variety of flora greets you as you enter a Japanese inspired wonderland of small scenes created throughout the Garden. The peace and quiet of the Garden encourages one to slow down and be mindful of the surroundings - A perfect walk for those seeking a peaceful afternoon...
- 10:00 am
City Hall and the Civic Center
After the original City Hall perished in the 1906 earthquake, San Francisco had a chance to think bigger the second time around. Civic Center is a campus that houses some of the city’s most important governmental and cultural institutions. Minimal walking — but maximum awe.
- 10:00 am
The 1985 Downtown Plan was one of the most important piece of red tape in San Francisco history. With accelerating downtown development, city officials laid down some ground rules: If you’re going to build here, you’re going to have to pay a little extra to cover the necessary infrastructure improvements. Oh — and you have to devote a portion of your project to a publicly accessible open space. Thus, Privately-Owned Public Open Spaces (POPOS) were born.
- 11:00 am
Cable Cars: Halfway to the Stars
Since Andrew Hallidie introduced Cable Cars in 1873, San Francisco’s cable car lines changed the landscape of San Francisco, making hilly neighborhoods accessible. The cable cars survived the 1906 earthquake and fire as well as outlasting political attempts to modernize transportation. Today the cable cars have gained worldwide attention to become what it is seen as today, a San Francisco icon.
- 11:00 am
After the successful 1894 Mid-Winter Exposition San Francisco decided to keep the Japanese Village exhibit. Makoto Hagiwara was hired to be the new manager of the Garden and immediately set about expanding the Garden three-fold to its size today. An impressive variety of flora greets you as you enter a Japanese inspired wonderland of small scenes created throughout the Garden. The peace and quiet of the Garden encourages one to slow down and be mindful of the surroundings - A perfect walk for those seeking a peaceful afternoon...
- 1:00 pm
The 1985 Downtown Plan was one of the most important piece of red tape in San Francisco history. With accelerating downtown development, city officials laid down some ground rules: If you’re going to build here, you’re going to have to pay a little extra to cover the necessary infrastructure improvements. Oh — and you have to devote a portion of your project to a publicly accessible open space. Thus, Privately-Owned Public Open Spaces (POPOS) were born.
- 1:00 pm
After the successful 1894 Mid-Winter Exposition San Francisco decided to keep the Japanese Village exhibit. Makoto Hagiwara was hired to be the new manager of the Garden and immediately set about expanding the Garden three-fold to its size today. An impressive variety of flora greets you as you enter a Japanese inspired wonderland of small scenes created throughout the Garden. The peace and quiet of the Garden encourages one to slow down and be mindful of the surroundings - A perfect walk for those seeking a peaceful afternoon...
- 1:00 pm
Presidio: From Military Base to National Park with Tunnel Tops
From Spain, to Mexico, to the United States — The Presidio has been home to more militaries than almost any other fortress in America. When the military left lawmakers transformed the space into a National Park in 1996, and since then the Presidio has become one of the greatest (and greenest) places to explore in all of San Francisco. Join us on a walk through San Francisco’s panoramic, luscious park, with wooded areas and scenic views as far as the eye can see including the newly-created Tunnel Tops.
- 1:30 pm
"Gold! Gold from the American River!", shouted San Francisco businessman Sam Brannan, as he ran down Montgomery Street in May,1848, waving a jar filled with gold over his head, sparking the Gold Rush. As word spread rapidly around the world, the tiny village of San Francisco, tucked amidst massive sand dunes by the Bay, and frequented by grizzly bears and mountain lions, was transformed virtually overnight into a booming instant city.
- 2:00 pm
Architectural Gems South of Market
Join us for a captivating stroll through one of our most intriguing and often overlooked neighborhoods. Delve into 150 years of urban evolution, and an array of architectural styles, from Victorian Gothic to 21stc Contemporary. See the juxtaposition of historic landmarks with modern skyscrapers, each witnessing the city's past and present. Learn about transformation through massive redevelopment projects, while discovering protected hidden gems. Stunning open spaces offer panoramic views. This flat, leisurely walk shows a rich tapestry of architectural, socio-economic and cultural history. Explore the soul of the city, here, one step at a time.
