Getting Around
It’s no secret that San Francisco is a city of innovation—and that includes, of course, modes of transportation. Not content to just settle for cars, SF offers a menu of quirky transportation options for getting around and exploring the city.
Rentals
Discover the city on your own terms! The below rental options are arranged from most to least adventurous.
Go Car Tours
GoCarsA self-proclaimed “GPS-enabled storytelling car®,” Go Car rentals are a unique option for zippy sightseeing. Purchase self-guided tour packages, including trips to Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Chinatown—or all three. Plug your destination into the GPS, and you’re off (yes, Go Cars do travel on the road alongside other vehicles).
Scooter Rentals
BirdSimilar to Go Bikes (below), Bird electric scooter rentals have pickup and drop-off stations around the city. Unlock available electric scooters—which you ride on bike lanes, not sidewalks—using the Bird app, which also instructs riders on safety and procedure.
Parkwide in Union Square has guided tour options and a variety of bikes including tandem, surreys, electric bikes and covered trailers for the little ones. Go Bike by Ford is an e-bike rental service with a fleet of bikes for rent at stations around the city—the nearest is on Post St. in Union Square. Choose from single rides of up to 30 minutes, one- or three-day passes, or monthly memberships.
Or go old school with a rental car. Both Avis Car Rental and Budget are located within the same building on Post Street, a half-block away from both of the Beresford hotels.
Guided Tours
Learn about San Francisco’s history on foot, by bike, or in classic “Summer of Love” style in a VW bus.
VW Bus Tours
Painted Ladies TourHop aboard an authentic VW bus to explore a variety of SF attractions, from neighborhood tours to the Golden Gate to lush Muir Woods and Sausalito. The Union Square launch point for these highly rated, small-group tours is just two to three blocks from the Beresford hotels.
Bike Tours
Alcatraz Bike ToursSetting off just one block from Hotel Beresford, Alcatraz Bikes and Tours offers a variety of fun ways to explore Alcatraz Island and beyond, with guided tour options including bikes and double-decker busses.
Walking Tours
Barbary Coast TrailBegin this well-regarded tour by stopping at the San Francisco Visitor Information Center—just a few blocks south of Beresford Arms—and pick up your copy of the Barbary Coast Trail guide by Daniel Bacon. Then hit all the highlights in about a four mile walk, including Chinatown, the outskirts of the Financial District, North Beach, Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square and the cable cars. Supplement with audio, available for purchase on the Barbary Coast Trail website.
Architectural Tours
Architectural Walking TourAnother visitor favorite—especially among history/architecture buffs—is Rick Evans’ highly rated tour, which brings together San Francisco’s past, present and future as seen through its architecture, design and urban planning.