About Activity
Come on our History Walking Tour of San Francisco!
Travel back in time to the San Francisco of the late 1840s and early 1850s with this Gold Rush History Tour. You'll visit sites important to the early history of San Francisco, and by extension, all of California. From Portsmouth Square, to Sydney Town, to Pier 7, explore the locations, people, and legends that make up some of the darker side of San Francisco's early history, replete with tales of greed, discrimination, feuds, and lawless violence.
Includes
- Professional and knowledgeable local guide
- Thoroughly researched and accurate history
Departure Point
- Meet your tour guide in front of the Hilton Financial District, at the intersection of Merchant and Kearny Streets. Your guide will be wearing a black US Ghost Adventures t-shirt and carrying a lantern. Please arrive 15 minutes prior start of the tour.
Return
- Meet your tour guide in front of the Hilton Financial District, at the intersection of Merchant and Kearny Streets. Your guide will be wearing a black US Ghost Adventures t-shirt and carrying a lantern. Please arrive 15 minutes prior start of the tour.
Stop At: Portsmouth Square This was the center of the original city of San Francisco, before California was even part of the US. Legend has it that the California gold rush officially began here.
Stop At: Discover the true story of the struggles Chinese people faced during the gold rush, which even included a fee for the privilege of mining at all.
Stop At: Learn more about the Six Companies that governed Chinatown, and the Tong Wars, here.
Stop At: The Devil's Acre San Francisco is a city of contrasts, where a short walk can take you to a completely different place. Learn the history of the area known as The Devil's Acre, once such place in San Francisco, here.
Stop At: Learn the history of the Sydney Ducks, a team of arsonists, in this, the area they controlled.
Stop At: In San Francisco, as ships were grounded with the changing shoreline, they were simply repurposed into buildings. This saloon is an example of this.
Stop At: Sydney Walton Square At this square, learn about "The Hounds" and the massacre that was the tipping point in creating an official police force for San Francisco.
Stop At: Shanghai Kelly's Discover the legend of Shanghai Kelly, the region's most famous "crimper".
Stop At: Pier 7 End your tour with the tragic tale of James and Belle Cora.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Public transportation options are available nearby Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness Operated by San Francisco Ghosts By Us Ghost Adventures For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
This is the One, Look no FurtherStay68680419050
Jun 24, 2025, 11:30:59 AM Erin was so generous with her knowledge of the SF’s history and lore. Her storytelling drew us in giving us shivers as we listened. The architecture we saw coupled with the history was amazing. Highly recommend
Fascinating, fun tales of yesteryearfoodfan2
Really informative walking tour around some of the oldest parts of the city. We were the only ones booked so were lucky to enjoy a private tour. Jamie was a terrific guide and threw in some ghost stories as an extra for us. I suspect his ghost tour would be a lot of fun!
