Emperor Norton's Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine | La Vacanza Travel

Emperor Norton's Fantastic San Francisco Time Machine

Duration: 2 hours
Destination: United States, California, San Francisco
from
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  • 2 hours
  • San Francisco
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

Overview

Be informed and entertained on this one-of-a-kind 3-hour walking tour of downtown San Francisco, led by an impersonator of the late Emperor Norton. Self-proclaimed as the Emperor of the US, this 19th-century character comes to life as your guide leads you back to the past. Step into a time machine of sorts and learn about the Barbary Coast, the 1906 earthquake, and historic landmarks surrounding Union Square.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Barbary Coast Trail, 900 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102-2804

This trail winds throughout the tour and feathures numerous historical sites.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Union Square, 333 Post St San Francisco Shopping Districts, San Francisco, CA 94108-4901

The history of Union Square and the Dewey Monument.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Jackson Square, Jackson Street between Battery and Kearny, San Francisco, CA 94111

The history of the notorious Barbary Coast.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Maiden Lane, Between Stockton and Kearny Streets Union Square, San Francisco, CA

Glamorous Maiden used to be lined with brothels.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Lotta's Fountain, Coner of Geary-Market and Kearny Streets, San Francisco, CA

A gathering place since 1875, it's also where the yearly earthquake commemoration is held. Hear the stories of buildings that survived, Lotta Crabtree, Lola Montez, and Luisa Tetrazzini.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Portsmouth Square, 50 Walter U Lum Pl b/t Clay St & Washington St in Chinatown, San Francisco, CA 94108

The birthplace of San Francisco and Chinatown's living room.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Old Cathedral of St. Mary, 660 California St Chinatown, San Francisco, CA 94108-2501

Hear the history of the cathedral and the passing of the Emperor.

Duration: 5 minutes

Inclusions
  • Professional guide
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Entry/Admission - Union Square
  • Entry/Admission - Lotta's Fountain
  • Entry/Admission - Portsmouth Square
  • Entry/Admission - Jackson Square
  • Entry/Admission - Maiden Lane

Exclusions
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Masks and social distancing required.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Departure Point

Union Square, San Francisco, CA, USA


Departure Time

11:00 AM


Return Details

Old Saint Mary's Cathedral, 660 California St, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Duration

2 hours


User's Reviews

SlowMachine

10 Sep, 2023

Emperor Norton shares San Francisco history in an entertaining and genuine way, bringing the past to life, one block at a time. The City never looks more beautiful as you stroll along the old Barbary Coast with SFPD saluting the Emperor along the way. The nuts and bolts: He’s a fantastic storyteller. The information is well-researched and easy to understand. The pace of the tour is perfectly balanced, not strenuous and not lethargic. The path is through the essential historical areas without being too touristy. The route is also very safe and clean. You’re pretty much guaranteed to have “only in San Francisco” magical moments. It lasts about 2.5 hours, but that flies by. San Francisco is a city like no other — constantly reinventing itself and encouraging citizens and visitors alike to be open, free, kind, and curious. Let Emperor Norton show you the beauty and the story of the City by the Bay.

Annette B

13 Feb, 2023

Great way to learn the colorful history of San Francisco as well as a base of what to explore next. Emperor Norton knew an amazing amount of information and was very informative and helpfu.

Linda_O

13 Nov, 2022

So much information…we took his recommendations for lunch and also popovers at Neiman Marcus. Yum yum! I loved that people shouted at the Emperor as if he was an old friend along the way. What a character!

David K

22 Oct, 2022

One of the best walking tours we have ever taken. Emperor Norton is an expert on San Francisco history and makes the city come alive with tales of the earthquake and city live before and after. He gives you so much information that even a city native is going to learn new fun and historical facts about the city. The three hours flew by and we appreciated the restaurant recommendations at the end. The perfect way to spend some novel time a little time in SF! (don't call it Frisco:) Thank you Emperor for sharing your vast knowledge of the city with us today.

susanlR5399BJ

16 Oct, 2022

My favorite part was listening to the facts and tales of the City. The walking tour is about 4 miles. Our tour guide, the Emporer Norton himself, was very entertaining.

User's Picture Gallery

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Pretty much the ultimate San Francisco tour

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So Amazing!

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Emperor Norton rules!!! It was as animated, informative, and fun as a tour can be!

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The Emperor has great clothes - and hat !

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Extraordinary Time Warp into the 19th Century

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Great walking tour of San Francisco

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Outstanding “Only in SF” Experience

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So much more than a gimmick!

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Emperor Norton’s Time Machine Tour

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Wonderful tour!

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Don't hesitate to book this tour

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Emperor Norton is a San Francisco Institution!

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Fantadtic Indeed!

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Fantastic three-hour tour

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On of the best

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One of the best walking tours anywhere!

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