Mission District: Cultural and Culinary Walking Tour

Experience the vibrant culture and culinary delights of San Francisco’s Mission District on a pay-as-you-go walking tour. Explore the Latinx community, admire stunning murals, and indulge in delicious local flavors.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Mission District - Historic Core of Mission District along 24th Street
  • Balmy Alley Murals - Explore a one-block-long alley that is home to the most concentrated collection of murals in the city of San Francisco.
  • Discolandia - See what the historic spot turned into and learn its history
What's Included
  • English-speaking Tour Guide provided.
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • $30 for “Pay-as-you-go” model
Additional Information

The Mission District is one of the country’s best cultural and culinary neighborhoods, and no part of San Francisco has a more vibrant food scene than the Mission.
Our unique pay-as-you-go model lets you enjoy more of what you want for less money, a better value than comparable food tours. Simply hand the guide $30 cash on your arrival, and they’ll take…

Location
3318 24th St
24th Street
In front of Santana Family Mural
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(36 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
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1 star
Karen_b
Sep 24, 2024
What's not to love?! Food, culture, walking the streets, great artwork, lovely people! A+ experience! I'd do it again! - I had really wanted just a mural tour of the Mission District but couldn't find one to fit the timing with my other tour itineraries. So I booked this tour as the next best thing and what I got was waaaayyyy better than I would have ever imagined and totally one of the most magical experiences of my time in San Francisco! I can't say enough about the food which was primarily Latino dishes. We ate from the best 'mom & pop' places cooking traditional meals that were divine! Superb tacos, tortillas, burritos and pastries. I had the most delicious tamales I ever had in my life on this tour! They were so good, I also bought extras to take back to my hotel too! My tour guide, Jamie was the epitome of both professionalism and fun! He knew all the insights and knew so many people around the areas where we walked. He knew all the best mural spots to take great photos, which is a total plus if you're posting to social media! He told the background stories, the politics and the controversies of the works along our walk. It wasn't so much a commentary as an eye-opening experience of the culture of the area and wider San Francisco (both good and bad). The highlight for me was meeting muralists Roberto & Xochitl Guerrero in the process of painting their latest mural along Balmy Alley! We spent a good amount of time chatting with them; I learned so much and didn't want to leave! I loved this tour because Jamie was equally passionate about art, food and his neighbourhood, so it was great to see it through his eyes! He tailored it to my needs too. It was a lot of food so in most places I ate half of the dish and requested the rest be packed up. These half-eaten treats became my dinner in the evening which helped me relive the amazing experience I had enjoyed earlier in the day! He also offered to take my photos being a solo traveller which was far nicer than taking selfies! He was a very caring guide and sensitive to one's needs; whether it be walking on the shadier / sheltered side of the street when it was too hot or regular bathroom stops. He also made sure that my return transport was organised before leaving at the end of the tour. I saved a lot using the train than taking a taxi to Union Square thanks to his advice! I would absolutely do this tour again on a future trip to San Francisco! I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about the Mission District and delve into its unique culture, food and vibe! This was honestly the best experience I had during my visit to San Francisco!
Review provided by Viator
The_concierge_8
Sep 24, 2024
What's not to love?! Food, culture, walking the streets, great artwork, lovely people! A+ experience! I'd do it again! - I had really wanted just a mural tour of the Mission District but couldn't find one to fit the timing with my other tour itineraries. So I booked this tour as the next best thing and what I got was waaaayyyy better than I would have ever imagined and totally one of the most magical experiences of my time in San Francisco! I can't say enough about the food which was primarily Latino dishes. We ate from the best 'mom & pop' places cooking traditional meals that were divine! Superb tacos, tortillas, burritos and pastries. I had the most delicious tamales I ever had in my life on this tour! They were so good, I also bought extras to take back to my hotel too! My tour guide, Jamie was the epitome of both professionalism and fun! He knew all the insights and knew so many people around the areas where we walked. He knew all the best mural spots to take great photos, which is a total plus if you're posting to social media! He told the background stories, the politics and the controversies of the works along our walk. It wasn't so much a commentary as an eye-opening experience of the culture of the area and wider San Francisco (both good and bad). The highlight for me was meeting muralists Roberto & Xochitl Guerrero in the process of painting their latest mural along Balmy Alley! We spent a good amount of time chatting with them; I learned so much and didn't want to leave! I loved this tour because Jamie was equally passionate about art, food and his neighbourhood, so it was great to see it through his eyes! He tailored it to my needs too. It was a lot of food so in most places I ate half of the dish and requested the rest be packed up. These half-eaten treats became my dinner in the evening which helped me relive the amazing experience I had enjoyed earlier in the day! He also offered to take my photos being a solo traveller which was far nicer than taking selfies! He was a very caring guide and sensitive to one's needs; whether it be walking on the shadier / sheltered side of the street when it was too hot or regular bathroom stops. He also made sure that my return transport was organised before leaving at the end of the tour. I saved a lot using the train than taking a taxi to Union Square thanks to his advice! I would absolutely do this tour again on a future trip to San Francisco! I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn about the Mission District and delve into its unique culture, food and vibe! This was honestly the best experience I had during my visit to San Francisco!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurasaurina
Jul 28, 2024
Fantastic Tour - Jamie did a great job on our tour of the Mission District. He took us to 3 authenic Mexican Restaurants, provided us with historical facts of the area, pointed out distinctive architecture and showed us several magnificant street murals. A must do tour when visiting San Francisco!
Review provided by Viator
Renecn198rz
Jul 26, 2024
The best food around - Excellent trip very informative, we were able to find ton of amazing places and try some of the best food around in San Francisco
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightsee05872886994
Jul 20, 2024
Best secret food spots in SF! - We had a fantastic time with Jamie, our tour guide, exploring Little Italy and Chinatown. We learnt loads about San Francisco’s history and culture; ate the best shrimp dumplings and focaccia pizza, and drank coffee where Francis Coppola penned The Godfather!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y6528wbcc
Jun 9, 2024
Amazing art and food! - Guide was very knowledgeable, food was amazing! Really great experience!! I would recommend it to learn about San Francisco.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
881jannettem
May 28, 2024
Fantastic time in the Mission district - Fantastic tour filled with amazing murals and fantastic food. The tacos were on another level. We enjoyed the history and our knowledgeable tour guide was incredible. Would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Canigetapooppoop
May 19, 2024
Mission district food tour - The tour was informative and we had enough time to sit and eat the various food. I liked the political aspect of the tour, because it gave a better understanding of what’s happening in SF.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rikiah
May 18, 2024
Amazing! - The tour guide was amazing and very knowledgeable. The route and places that were present were very interesting and made me enjoy the tour that much more.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ronnie
Sep 3, 2024
Surprise! Pay more, get less - When we booked the tour, we understood that we were to pay $20 to our guide at the start of the tour. From the website:  "Just meet your guide by the 'Familia Santana' mural on 24th St, hand them your $20 to cover food, and get ready to eat your way through the Mission!" Upon arrival, the guide asked each of us for $30.00 and told us the cost was changed.  We were not prepared with the extra cash, so my husband had to go to an ATM.   The tour was informative, and we enjoyed the mural art immensely. I gave this tour as many as 3 stars because of the art and the history that we learned from the guide. Two of the 3 food items we sampled were delicious. We stopped at the first restaurant and received 1/2 a burrito and a glass of water each. At the 2nd restaurant, we received a burria taco each, no water, no forks. The food was outstanding. Absolutely delicious.   Outside the 2nd restaurant, our guide handed us each a stale bun from a bag.  He said that he purchased it from an excellent bakery. That was all.  Our food experience was much different from the website description:  "Food, glorious food - visit some of the Mission District's finest eateries, where you'll sample traditional Latin dishes including rice and beans, pupusas (flatbreads), meat and cactus tacos, and quesadillas made with zucchini flowers and pungent epazote herbs." I wrote to the company to ask why the tour was not as described on the company's website and why we were charged an extra $10.00 each. From the response, I've come to the conclusion that they don't really care about their guests' experiences: Thank you for your feedback. We apologize for the confusion regarding the tour price and the discrepancies in the food offerings. The price adjustment is due to rising costs, which we should have communicated better. We are addressing these issues to ensure a better experience in the future. We appreciate your understanding and hope to provide you with a more accurate and enjoyable experience on your other tours. Please contact us if you need further assistance.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
October 2024
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