Where to Visit During A San Francisco (SFO) Layover

Do You Know Where to Visit On A San Francisco Layover?

Just over 100 years ago, men and women, except in their minds, were unable to fly anywhere.

Think about that. To go anywhere in the world, whether overseas or a few American states over, we had to ride in a horse and carriage or a new-fangled jalopy, or hop on a boat, not that long ago.

Technology has come a long way since then. We’re able to step into a plane, sit down, and fly through the air at ridiculous speeds, and even sip a glass of orange juice or champagne while we do it.

We can travel on a commercial or private jet or helicopter. The more adventurous of us can even jump from a plane (skydive) if they want to. The opportunities are endless, really, and completely up to us. Since the first flight of the Wright brothers in 1903, that mode of transportation has come a long way.

But even flying around the world takes time, including sometimes long layovers between flights, whether purposely booked by you to give yourself an overnight break from the airplane seat (even first class can be tough sometimes), or on accident by the airline, such as for a flight delay, giving you nine hours of newly-found free time in San Francisco.

If you are flying around the world and are caught in a layover in San Francisco (whether by choice or not), do you know the options available to you to privately see the city? Or who you can call to help show you San Francisco in luxury, privately and directly from SFO?

First things first, is you need time to explore, and if your layover is less than seven hours long, you might as well not bother, especially if you need to go through airport customs. You can instead hang out in the airport lounge, catch up on some work, or ponder to yourself as the time goes by.

If you do have time, though, and are looking for a private San Francisco tour from the airport, look no further than with us, where we can pick you up from SFO, show you around our city (with or without your luggage), and drop you back off before your departure. And here are a few things you will see:

The Financial District

The Financial District is the first place you will see on your way from the airport, besides the San Francisco Bay, of course. You will know when you see it because of the large, 200+ meter skyscrapers, two of the most notable being the Transamerica Pyramid, and the Salesforce Tower, the now tallest skyscraper in San Francisco and now becoming a central spot for public transportation. Not for you on your private SFO layover tour, though.

North Beach

This is the Italian part of town. If you are tired after your long flight, we can drive through here for an espresso, or so you can partake in some al fresco dining. The area also has some nice hidden restaurants, such as Tomasso’s, family owned and Italian since the 1920s. And if you are in need of a refreshing cocktail, there are plenty of lounges and watering holes nearby. Even gelato for the kids.

Fisherman’s Wharf

The main tourist attraction of the city, Fisherman’s Wharf provides great views of San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz. Main viewpoints include sampling a bread bowl of clam chowder, grabbing your high-end chocolate fix at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, or seeing and hearing the sea lions bark down on Pier 39. Fisherman’s Wharf is a central focal point if you want a private San Francisco tour in one day.

Golden Gate Bridge

No trip to San Francisco is complete without a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s one of the most famous sights in the world! We can show you both sides of the bridge, and even take you to private viewpoints, with its iconic structure too awe-inspiring to ignore.

Shopping

San Francisco boasts many shopping districts, and if you want to shop while on your layover here, look no further than the five main spots: Union Square for large department stores, and Fillmore, Hayes, Union and Chestnut Streets for the high-end boutique, what-you-won’t-find-in-other-stores, type shopping. There are some sightseeing spots near these boutiques, such as Billionaire’s Row.

Although lots more sightseeing and hands-on options exist in San Francisco, these are good places to begin if you want to see the city on a layover. Your biggest obstacles will be your transportation, which is why we offer our private San Francisco tours from the airport, instead of you needing to wait in line for a rental car, or wait for a train, because we all know your time is limited.

If you want to drive on your own, of course, you are more than welcome to, and you can use our guidelines to help show you around. You can even call us and we’ll help navigate you.

Although if you do, please be careful: San Francisco, like many large cities, is well-known for its petty thefts. If you park your rental car in a specific area, especially a famous tourist attraction like Lombard Street, make sure your vehicle is empty (not even a phone charger showing) and locked. Otherwise, you can lose your suitcase and end up libel for a broken window or other damage.

San Francisco is a gateway hub to many countries around the world, especially Japan, China, and Australia. And many more travelers use SFO as a landing point for their next leg of their trip to places such as central Canada, Chicago or New York. If you do land in San Francisco for a layover, for an overnight one or only a few hours, we hope we can be part of your memorable journey. Just request a private tour from us at your convenience.