San Francisco’s Chinatown is both the oldest and densest in the United States. Yet, the neighborhood we visit today is much changed since the 1906 earthquake and fire. Join me for a 3 hour walking tour in Chinatown, exploring its history of hardships and successes. Our tour will begin in Portsmouth Square, one of the oldest parks in San Francisco, and currently Chinatown’s “Living Room”. Our route will take us through narrow alleyways, vibrant food markets, unique shops, and local temples. We will learn about important Chinese immigrants, their friends and their adversaries. While the route is not long, it does require walking up and down hills. If time permits, we will stop at the Chinese Historical Center and view their exhibits.
Our tour will take us through streets and alleyways of today’s Chinatown, while peering beneath the surface to understand the discrimination of the past and the consequences to the community. We will visit a temple, a fortune cookie factory, the produce and dried food markets of Stockton Street, and some retails shops on Grant Street. If time permits we will stop at the Chinese Historical Society to view the current exhibits. Our walk will be about 2 miles, and include some of San Francisco’s famous hills.
Meeting location: We will meet at Portsmouth Square or some other prearranged location such as your hotel. I will have a clipboard with your name on it.
End location: We will end the tour at your hotel, if desired, or at the Dragon Gate, entrance to Chinatown on Grant and Bush
Duration: 3 hours
This tour will proceed rain or shine
We will walk the hilly and flat streets of Chinatown
This walking tour includes a visit to a local temple and the Golden Gate Cookie Factory
20 USD – You may want to have a taste of dim sum, a custard pastry, or buy a local souvenir
All food, drink and souvenirs are extra
I am a step on guide for motorcoach tours and am licensed to drive up to 6 passengers in my Acura MDX. TPC#36052
