Discover California’s oldest redwood state park, combined with a trip to Silicon Valley or the Pacific Highway natural wonders, beach towns and Santa Cruz world class attractions
Discover the biggest, the best, oldest, and largest redwoods in the entire San Francisco Bay Area on this day trip to the South Bay of San Francisco. Combine your private day trip to the majestic redwoods with additional sights, hidden gems, and thrilling outdoor adventures of your choice. This is a bucket-list worry-free tour package and highly recommended for everyone, including families with kids.
Join us now to explore California’s oldest redwood state park combined with a private custom tour of Silicon Valley or with thrilling outdoor adventures including, but not limited to, a Redwood Canopy zipline thrilling adventure to experience the giant redwoods from above.
You may also combine this new exciting adventure with a side trip to the Pacific Coast Highway 1 to marvel at the natural wonders, stunning state beaches, and beach towns including Pacifica, Half-Moon Bay, Davenport, Santa Cruz. Or travel to Santa Cruz Mystery Spot to experience a strange natural phenomenon, that will defy your perception of the laws of physics and gravity! You may also combine this new redwood day trip with a ride into the past on a stunning 19th Century steam train, by traveling through towering redwood groves and up on a winding narrow-gauge track all the way to the summit of Bear Mountain.
Looking to immerse yourself in the hidden nature in the Santa Cruz wilderness to restore balance and enjoy peace and tranquility? We can take you to a different forest of massive redwoods equally impressive and majestic like Big Basin State Park, at no extra charge, entrance fees included. Unlike Muir Woods, where tour guides are not allowed to guide their customers inside the park, your private tour guide will be walking and guiding you inside and outside this forest.
You may also add more attractions of your choice, such as taking a horseback ride on the beach or in the forest, visit Bigfoot discovery museum, head west to the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk to enjoy warm sand, cool surf, hot rides and free entertainment at the only major seaside amusement park on the West Coast.
Take a stroll through historic villages located off-the-beaten-path and enjoy your lunch at one of the local restaurants or let your private tour guide take you to one of Santa Cruz’s best state beaches to enjoy lunch and majestic of views of the Pacific Ocean coastline. You may even get lucky and spot whales, sharks, seals or elephant seals.
Do yourself a favor and skip the large crowds and big bus tours of Muir Woods. Did you know that Muir Woods has become the first national park to require all year-round reservation to it, without which you get turned away at the entrance wasting your day trip! Save yourself time and money and join us on this new relaxing discovery adventure to marvel at towering old redwoods without driving far and enjoy more peace and quality time in the real wilderness of Santa Cruz mountains.
Book this new and exclusive outdoor adventure online, or let us know more about your specific needs, and expectations, and will make your journey, unique, memorable and enjoyable.
Top recommendation: If you are not looking to add any of the extra adventures or optional attractions to this day tour, we highly recommend that you simply book this tour online at your earliest, to save time and money. Leave it to your expert local tour guide to customize the trip itinerary based on your preference and needs.
This new getaway is the perfect escape and day-trip - a bucket-list worry-free tour package highly recommended for everyone including families with kids. Join us now and travel with your personal and private tour guide to the South Bay to visit Santa Cruz wilderness and discover the biggest, oldest and largest redwoods in the entire San Francisco Bay Area.
Visiting Muir Woods has become so complicated and frustrating because visitors are no longer allowed to enter the Muir Woods national monument without a reservation. The Big Basin Redwoods State Park, on the other hand, is far more remote and much less crowded. You will not be disappointed. We are the only tour company to offer this new outdoor custom outdoor adventure. Explore California’s oldest redwood state park, combined with a private custom tour of Silicon Valley, or a thrilling Redwood Canopy zipline adventure to explore the giant redwoods from above, a horseback ride on the beach or in the forest, or even a trip along California Scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1 to marvel at natural wonders, stunning state beaches, and beach towns including Pacifica, Half-Moon Bay, Davenport, Santa Cruz iconic sites and world class attractions.
This is the prefect discovery expedition to explore Santa Cruz wilderness and Giant Redwoods. The Santa Cruz Mountains are part of the Pacific Coast Ranges that form a ridge down the San Francisco Peninsula, it separates the Pacific Ocean from the San Francisco Bay and the Silicon Valley Area and creating a magical landscape of mountainous steep terrain and dense forests, totally in contrast with the corporate world of Silicon Valley located only 30 minutes away.
Not only are visitors stunned by the beauty of these wilderness and spectacular views, but they are also pleased to visit some of the largest redwoods on Earth in a couple of hidden forests and stunning groves of massive redwoods nestled in Santa Cruz Mountains. One of these must-see giant redwoods parks is called Big Basin Redwoods State Park which was established in 1900. It is California’s oldest and first state park of redwoods, and home to the most impressive collection of old-growth redwoods in the entire Bay Area - far bigger and much older than the redwoods in Muir Woods. Some of these giant redwood trees are more than 50 feet in circumference and as tall as the Statue of Liberty. At 1,000 to 2,500 years old, some may predate the Roman Empire. The park also offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, lush waterfalls, and a fascinating natural and cultural history. For those who do not want to hike, there are other options to see the majestic redwoods.
Do yourself a favor and skip the Muir Woods large crowds and big bus tours. Did you know that Muir Woods has become the first national park to require all year-round reservation and permit to access Muir Woods? Without which, you get turned down at the entrance wasting your day trip and time! Save yourself time and money and join us on this new relaxing discovery adventure to marvel at real towering old redwoods without driving far and enjoy more peace and quality time in the real wilderness of Santa Cruz mountains.
During the rainy season, you can enjoy waterfalls that cascade down between fern canyons and mossy rocks. You'll find a lush forest of ferns, berries and wildflowers where you can walk, hike, horseback ride, picnic, swim and even camp, if want.
Take a stroll through historic villages like Saratoga, Boulder Creek, or Los Gatos and enjoy your lunch at one of the local restaurants or let your private tour guide take you to one of Santa Cruz’s best state beaches to enjoy lunch and take in majestic views of the Pacific Ocean coastline, where you may get lucky and spot whales, sharks, seals, or elephant seals.
Other attractions and optional adventures that you can add to your day trip, but that requires overtime hours and could come at an extra cost: If you are interested in the Silicon Valley tech world and iconic sites, you can add one stop to visit one of the Silicon Valley top sites; we recommend either Stanford University or Apple’s “spaceship” new headquarters in Cupertino and visit this massive ring-shaped office building and amazing park, this gives it an exotic retro-future feel, evoking illustrations from science fiction magazines of the 1950s.
Instead of visiting Apple in Cupertino, you may either visit Google in Mountain View and make a quick stop at Facebook or take the time to visit the huge campus of Stanford. Spend up to two hours and visit the iconic Stanford in Palo Alto, and - based on the season, availability and weather conditions – you might be lucky to get a guided walking tour with a one of Stanford college students and guides to explore the highlights of Stanford’s beautiful campus. This a great introduction for first-time visitors and tourists. We pay for the SUV parking fees and permit, and the walking tour is complimentary when it's available, otherwise, you can go on a self-guided tour if your personal driver is not available due to lack of parking. Please plan ahead and book this trip weeks and months in advance, so we can help you to get the reservations secured in advance to maximize your chance of making the best out of your day trip to the huge South of Bay Area.
Note that many sites like Stanford require special permits and extra fees for all vans and bus tours that have eight visitors or more. This is not included in the tour price if you book the van tour, so you might consider skipping this if you have more than seven guests in your party.
Looking for a quaint shopping village and elegant dining experience? Let your private tour guide drive you to Silicon Valley's premiere destination known as “Santana Row”. This is small, charming sunny village within the city of San Jose in Silicon Valley, located across the street from the World famous ‘haunted’ Winchester Mystery. This is considered by locals as the "Rodeo Drive" of San Jose thanks to its 70 elegant boutique stores, 20 world class restaurants, and 9 spas and salons - there's something for everyone in this hidden village of San Jose. This is where you can also visit one of the first and best Tesla show-rooms on the West coast.
Consider a horseback ride or a side trip to the famous Santa Cruz Mystery Spot. However, on weekends and holidays the Mystery Spot frequently closes the road around noon, as it gets crowded. This means they only allow reservations on a first-come-first-served basis. If you would like to visit during these busy times, week-ends, holidays and in the summertime, please book this optional attraction along with the day trip, weeks and even months in advance. We can either book it on your behalf and you can pay this in cash to your tour guide, or simply add it to your purchase on our secure website. The average cost is $17 per person including the transaction, reservation and parking fees.
You may also combine your redwood day trip with a ride into the past on a stunning 19th Century steam train and travel through towering redwood groves and up on a winding narrow-gauge grade all the way to the summit of Bear Mountain. This Redwood Forest Steam Train trip requires about 2 hours, including the check-in time, parking and cost about $39 per person including the train round trip tickets, taxes, transaction and parking fees.
If you wish to add a bit of extra adventure to your day trip you can choose from the following:
Option one: The Young Adventurers basic package- This lower, scaled down challenge course is designed with the young adventurer in mind. The is the perfect adventure for kids, birthday parties, school field trips, spring breaks or summers’ family vacation. The course features seven different activities, at heights of 25 feet above the forest floor, with a short zip line descent back to the ground. The highly-trained staff offer instruction and monitor your progress through the course. The Discovery Grove package is a two-hour experience for up to 20 guests and includes the use of the outdoor picnic area. This sequoia aerial adventure is $95 per person until June, and $105 p/person in June, July and August. Guests must be at least 10 years old, between 75-250 lbs. and at least 54" tall to participate. (All three requirements must be met.) This is a high ropes adventure course with 30 elements and two zip lines that is more self-facilitated (guides will be on course, as well). Participants under 14 years must be accompanied by an adult.
Option two: Looking for more adrenaline rush and thrill-seekers? Can you handle the height of these giant redwoods? Look no more. This is the ideal thrilling Zip line through the redwoods! This two-hour guided eco-adventure includes six zip lines and two sky bridges at heights of up to 150 feet. Each tour of up to 8 people is led by 2 certified guides who share ecological knowledge and bring the forest to life. This Redwood Canopy Tour option is $139p/person until June and $149p/person June, July, and August. It can accommodate up to 8 guests at a time, and participants must be at least 10 years old, between 75-250 lbs. and at least 52" tall to participate. (All three requirements must be met). The Canopy Tour is a guided zip line tour with 6 zips and 2 sky bridges. Participants under 14 years must be accompanied by an adult.
All tours are 2 hours. Groups larger than the max group size for the course, will be divided into two back-to-back tours.
Terms and cancellation policy of the company: Take note of the above terms regarding age, weight and group size. We operate in rain or shine, so if you choose to cancel due to weather or for any other consideration, a 2-week cancelation notice is required. If cancelled within 2 weeks, the trip is not refundable.
These attractions get sold out months in advance, so nothing is guaranteed until we confirm availability. However, if your adventure of choice is not available, you will be refunded for the amount you paid.
We do not work on commission. We offer these extra adventures to provide you with more choices and options, but we are not to blame for anything that may not work out as planned or booked, for whatever reason. This is totally out of our hands and we have no control over other firms, sites or company policies and terms. Please book these attractions months in advance to maximize your chances of securing availability.
Any hours added to the tour after the 8-hour door-to-door tour, when leaving and ending the tour in San Francisco, or after 6 hours when starting and ending the tour in Silicon Valley area, will be considered as overtime hours, and will be for your charge. Each additional hour cost only $99 when paying with cash or $139 when using a credit card.
Book this new and exclusive outdoor adventure online to save time and money. Let us take care of the rest, and we will make your journey unique, memorable and enjoyable.
What to expect on our tour itinerary: After pick-up in San Francisco, your guide will drive to the South Bay along highway 280 or on other alternative routes based on traffic, weather and road conditions. However, if you choose the alternative route via Pacific highway from San Francisco to Santa Cruz driving through Pacifica or Half-Moon Bay, we will not include any stop in Silicon Valley unless you wish to add overtime. Please bear in mind that this park of redwoods takes about 6 hours of your 8-hour day trip door to door, when starting and ending the tour in San Francisco; that’s 2 hours’ drive each way, and up to 2 hours to visit this park of redwoods. The remaining 2 hours can be used to enjoy lunch along the way wherever you choose to stop assuming you will take only one hour, and the remaining hour would be ideal to make a quick stop at any site of your choice in Silicon Valley like Apple headquarter in Cupertino.
However, if you choose to get to the redwoods with a side trip along California Highway 1, this will add 3 hours or more to your 8-hour day trip, but this side trip will be at no extra charge. Basically, the trip from San Francisco to Big Basin and vice versa takes about 4 hours round trip approximately, and 1 hour or more will be needed for lunch break anywhere you want along the way, plus 1 or 2 hours to visit Big Basin Redwoods, this makes it a full day 8-hour trip door to door. However, if you start and end the trip in Silicon Valley region, the trip lasts 6 hours instead of 8 hours because we are based in San Francisco. It takes us at least 90 minutes’ drive each to get to Silicon Valley and vice versa, same traveling time to get on Highway 1, but this route takes long when going all the way south through Santa Cruz. So, if you wish to add a stop in Silicon Valley, please don’t choose to drive along Pacific Highway 1, unless you wish to add overtime hours to your tour.
Among the optional sites in Silicon Valley you may want to visit, are Apple’s new ‘spaceship’ campus in Cupertino (highly recommended), Google or the famous Stanford University in Palo Alto, The Winchester Mystery House in San José, Santa Row and Tesla Retail Sore, the Computer History Museum or Intel Museum, NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Children's Discovery Museum, the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, Hiller Aviation Museum, the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.
When driving on California State Route 1 instead of Silicon Valley, you’ll either start in Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, or in Santa Cruz County after or before your guided tour of Big Basin Redwoods Park. The route will depend on traffic and road conditions, among other considerations. Pacific Highway 1 is often subject to heavy fog, particularly in the summer, but it’s gorgeous on a clear day.
Among the sights and top beach towns you will drive through or by, include Pacifica State Beach, the perfect destination for locals and visitors alike. Further South of Pacifica, you will drive via Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County, home to beautiful state beaches, picturesque coastline, marinas, and big waves home to some of the world’s best big waves where surfers and riders come to challenge themselves in the Maverick competition each winter. Along Highway 1, you will also pass by farms known for growing the nation’s largest pumpkins, and see golden beaches like San Gregorio State Beach, Pomponio State Beach, or Pescadero State Beach and Lighthouse. A must-see is Pigeon Point Lighthouse located between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz on California State Route 1. The 115-foot tall lighthouse is perched atop of a cliff and overlooking a beach where elephant seals and gray whales can be seen during the migration season.
Following this, your guide will drive you along Santa Cruz’s rugged coastline, and its beautiful beaches and cliffs. Santa Cruz is a popular and relaxing getaway thanks to its location and endless attractions, including a beach boardwalk, and great surfing. Your guide can make a stop at the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, if time allows, where you’ll see pictures of surfers challenging huge waves, and watch surfers catching waves along scenic cliffs. You may also enjoy a lunch break at one of Sant Cruz beach restaurants before heading to Big Basin Redwood. Unless you wish to add more time to your day trip you will then head straight back to your hotel. Depending on where you are staying, the driving timing back to San Francisco takes about 2 hours approximately, but depends on traffic and weather conditions, which may increase the traveling time.
Book this new and exclusive outdoor adventure online to save time and money, or let us know more about your specific needs, and expectations, and will make your journey, unique, memorable and enjoyable.
This SUV tour is private, and the price is per person
| Price per person | 1 Guest | 2 Guests | 3 Guests | 4 Guests | 5 Guests | 6 Guests | 7 Guests |
| Hotel Accommodation Excluded | $998 | $499 | $359 | $299 | $269 | $229 | $209 |
This van tour is private and the people in your party will be the only ones on the tour. The price is per party and not per person.
| Price per group | 1-5 Guests | 6-7 Guests | 8-10 Guests | 11-12 Guests | 13-14 Guests |
| Hotel Accommodation Excluded | $1599 | $1779 | $1799 | $1829 | $1899 |
All applicable taxes, pickup and drop off at your hotel in San Francisco or even in the south bay area(the length of the tour will be adjusted accordingly) , a private 8-hour guided tour, all applicable taxes, your redwoods forest entrance fees(some of the oldest and largest redwoods in California) ,commercial parking and permits fees, state park or beaches entrance fees. This 8-hour tour is totally private and customizable to your needs and schedule.
Meals, driver’s gratuity (which are recommended and customary in the USA at 15%-20%) and entrance tickets or fees to any optional site/place not stated above.
Term & Refund Policy
91% of the total amount will be refunded to your credit card if you cancel your trip at least 15 business days prior to the scheduled tour or service date. The remaining 9% covers the required transaction fees, which include a 4.5% fee for each transaction (booking is one transaction, and refunding is a second transaction for which we are also charged). (Weekends and holidays do not count.)
50% of the total amount will be refunded if the tour is canceled at least 7 business days prior to the scheduled tour or service date. (Weekends and holidays do not count.)
15% of the total amount will be refunded if the tour is canceled at least 5 business days prior to the scheduled tour date. (Weekends and holidays do not count.)
0% of the total amount will be refunded if the tour is canceled 4 business days or fewer prior to the scheduled tour or service date. This includes no-shows. (Weekends and holidays do not count.)
Please note that all refunds are subject to credit card and merchant fees imposed by the credit card companies and merchant banks or providers. The average credit card and merchant transaction fees may range between 3.9% to 9.8% of the total purchase amount, depending on the type of credit card used, the card issuer, country, and conversion fees we incur per transaction. Many foreign countries apply additional origination and conversion fees.
Important:
Please note that we reserve the date(s) you requested and booked on our website, and we decline taking other tours for those dates in order to honor your booking. We reserve a tour guide and a luxury vehicle for you, and we make all necessary reservations and arrangements for your party. Therefore, please refrain from changing the date or canceling last minute, as we have other customers and tours to honor.
General Terms
Reservation and Confirmation:
Upon booking online, a merchant receipt will be automatically generated and sent to your email. We will also confirm your reservation via email and provide a tour voucher or booking confirmation, including your tour date, time, and pick-up details. This confirmation or voucher is valid only for the specific date(s) and names listed on your reservation. Please note that you cannot transfer names or change dates, as we have other tours to honor. The tour date cannot be modified within 15 days of the scheduled departure, and no alternative dates will be offered.
To ensure smooth operations, we reserve the right to partner with other tour operators, freelancers, and/or our sister companies. The name and contact details of your tour operator will be provided on your tour voucher, and the trip confirmation will be sent to you once we receive approval of your payment transaction.
Declined Transactions:
If a transaction is declined, we will not receive any notification regarding the reason. Please do not assume your reservation is confirmed unless you have received written confirmation from us. If your booking is declined by your bank, it may be due to a mismatch in bank details (e.g., name, billing address, zip/postal code) or insufficient funds. Your tour(s) will not be confirmed until your payment is approved. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but this precaution is taken by your bank to protect against fraud.
Even with an approved transaction, all tours are subject to availability. We will contact you as soon as possible to confirm if the requested tour and dates are available. Please note that all our tours are conducted in English unless otherwise specified in the confirmation email or tour voucher.
We reserve the right to offer suitable substitutes or changes to your itinerary, tours, or services due to special events, weather conditions, road closures, vehicle breakdowns, or other unforeseen circumstances. We assume no responsibility for delays caused by accidents, breakdowns, road conditions, weather, or other factors beyond our control. While we make every effort to adhere to the tour schedule, we do not guarantee specific arrival or departure times.
Hot-Air Balloon Special Cancellation and Refund Policy:
This is an 8-hour guided tour (door-to-door from San Francisco, or 6 hours from Napa or Sonoma Valley).
Your balloon ride will be scheduled before sunrise, depending on weather conditions. Safety is our #1 priority. Balloon rides will not take place if there is rain or winds above 12 mph. In case Napa weather conditions prevent us from flying, alternative launch sites such as Yolo County or Pope Valley may be used.
Heads-Up:
The hot-air balloon pilots offer alternative launch sites when Napa Valley weather doesn’t permit takeoff from the valley, increasing your chances of flying even when weather conditions are less than ideal in Napa.
Non-refundable for No-Show or Last-Minute Changes:
Our office will notify you by 5 pm the day before your hot-air balloon tour (typically, pick-up is between 4 and 5 am from your hotel in San Francisco or Napa). If we cannot reach you before 5 pm due to lack of response to emails or phone calls, your driver will still show up at 4 am as scheduled. If you do not wake up for the tour, it will be considered a no-show, and the full cost will be non-refundable as per our cancellation and refund policy.
Refundable Portion of the Balloon Ride:
If you need to cancel the balloon ride portion of the tour, please do so at least 72 hours in advance. The balloon ride is refundable only if canceled by the pilot on the same day due to weather conditions or other considerations. If you cancel 72 hours in advance, your tour guide will pick you up at 9 am instead of 4 am and proceed with the wine tour as scheduled.
Please note that the wine tour portion is non-refundable regardless of weather conditions. However, if you wish to take the risk, your tour guide will pick you up as originally scheduled at 4 am. We reserve this day exclusively for you and turn away other bookings to honor your tour, and we still incur operational costs. Only the balloon ride portion is refundable if canceled before 5 pm the day before your tour. If refunded, you will receive $190 per person within 7 business days.
If you book through Viator, please review their cancellation policy as it may differ.
No Changes or Modifications Within 72 Hours of Departure:
No changes or modifications will be accepted within 72 hours prior to your tour. Our office closes at 5 pm, and our drivers leave at 7 pm to ensure they can wake up at 2 am to prepare for the early pick-up. After 5 pm, we will not process any requests, as we won’t receive your message until the next business day.
We are committed to being transparent about weather conditions and our cancellation policy. Please read these terms carefully to avoid misunderstandings. Our drivers go to great lengths to ensure your experience is smooth, so we appreciate your cooperation in not making last-minute changes after 5 pm the day before your tour.
Other terms and information
Wheelchair and Handicap Accessibility:
We apologize, but our vehicles are not equipped with wheelchair access. There is limited space for a wheelchair unless it is small and foldable. The main concern is the customer's ability to get in and out of the vehicle due to liability reasons. When children, seniors, or individuals with wheelchairs are part of the tour, it may slow down the trip and result in overtime. A fee of $179 will be charged to your credit card for each additional hour added to the tour (after 12 hours) when traveling by van, and $129 per hour when touring by SUV.
Pets:
Pets are not allowed in our vehicles out of respect for those who may have pet allergies.
Smoking:
Our vehicles are non-smoking.
Clothing:
Please be prepared for cold weather, slippery roads, and hiking trails. Comfortable waterproof hiking shoes are recommended for walking in the snow during winter and spring. This long-day tour can be challenging for kids and seniors; we recommend the overnight tour package for a more comfortable experience.
Parks, Attractions, and Site Closures:
We are not responsible or liable for road or weather conditions. State and national parks can close at any time, without prior notice, due to adverse road and weather conditions. No refund will be issued if the trip is unable to reach its destination for any reason. If you cancel or stop the tour for personal or medical reasons, no refund or tour date changes will be offered.
Guided Tours in Foreign Languages:
All tours in foreign languages are subject to additional fees to cover the cost of tour guides or freelancers we may hire to conduct the tour in the requested language.
Travel Agents:
Travel agents are responsible for a 20% gratuity when their clients do not tip the driver or tour guides. We require the full name and contact information of the customer from all travel agents, or the tour will be canceled. Travel agents are also liable for any overtime fees incurred when their clients do not pay for it, and a credit card must be kept on file. Due to the high costs of conducting business in California, we do not offer commission-based rates, as our pricing is designed to cover our business expenses and wages.
Gratuity:
A gratuity of 15–20% is customary in the USA. Typically, the tip ranges between 15% and 20% of the total purchase amount, or it may be a flat amount that aligns with the appropriate percentage. Gratuities are essential for tour guides, as they rely on them for their livelihood in California. Without tips, tour guides cannot thrive, and without tour guides, we cannot operate our business. Thank you for your generosity and understanding.
Muir Woods National Monument New Regulations:
Muir Woods National Monument has become less crowded and more peaceful, as it is now the first national park to require advance reservations and special commercial and parking permits. This additional cost and complex reservation process have deterred many visitors and tour companies. No one can access Muir Woods without prior reservations and permits. However, thanks to our private tours and small group custom trips, we handle all the necessary arrangements, providing you with a worry-free tour package. We reserve and pay for your parking and Muir Woods permits, but your Muir Woods tickets are not included in the tour price and will be at your own expense ($10 per person, subject to change).
Please note that tour guides are not permitted to conduct guided tours at Alcatraz or Muir Woods. Both Alcatraz and Muir Woods are self-guided tours, as outlined on our website. Alcatraz includes an audio self-guided tour. To keep costs down, we do not include hotel drop-offs after your visit to Alcatraz, so you do not pay overtime or have a driver waiting for you. Fisherman’s Wharf hotels are within walking distance of the Alcatraz landing, and public transportation is affordable and readily available.
Alcatraz Tours and Tickets & Online Calendar Usage:
The online calendar on our website is difficult to manage and update daily. It governs all our tours and is available in over 10 languages, which multiplies the number of tour options. When Alcatraz tickets are sold out, we cannot block the calendar for those specific dates, as this would prevent all other clients from booking tours in any of the 10 available languages. Alcatraz represents only 1% of our tours, and it’s extremely challenging to block the calendar each time tickets are sold out. For this reason, we have updated our terms and conditions to clearly state the following regarding Alcatraz tours and tickets:
Common Mistakes by Customers:
When Alcatraz tickets are sold out, some customers rush to book the Alcatraz tour directly on our website without reviewing our terms and conditions. As we clearly state, we have no control over Alcatraz ticket availability, and we require at least 8 business weeks’ advance booking to ensure ticket availability.
Misconceptions About Private Tours:
There is a misconception that private tours are more cost-effective for operators than large public group tours. In reality, the input costs for both private and public tours are roughly the same—both require a driver or tour guide, a vehicle, and similar trip lengths, with the same business expenses and insurance liabilities. However, private tour operators (like ours) make significantly less profit (up to 90% less) than public group tours, because we focus on smaller groups (couples or families). Public tour operators benefit from the volume and profit margins that come with larger groups. While we provide higher-quality services and incur greater expenses, the profit margins for private tours are limited, which makes some of our private tours barely profitable due to the rising costs and liabilities of doing business in California.
Additional Terms & Tips for visitors and hikers
If you are prone to car or motion sickness, we recommend consulting your doctor for suitable medication. Some visitors underestimate this issue and end up experiencing only 50% of the tour due to motion sickness or altitude sickness, resulting in frequent stops. Please ensure you have the appropriate medication in advance.
Consider leaving unnecessary luggage at your hotel and traveling light to maximize space in the vehicle.
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes suitable for walking and hiking (snowshoes are recommended in winter, and a swimsuit is advised if you wish to enjoy the hotel’s swimming pool and hot tub).
Bring sunscreen, bug spray, extra memory cards, and batteries for your camera (if applicable).
Pack warm layers for cooler weather, and don't forget a raincoat for summer showers.
Stay hydrated, especially at high altitudes, and avoid hiking alone as we offer fully-guided tours.
We are not responsible for injuries or accidents that may occur during this trip, whether in or out of Yosemite National Park. Please read our terms and conditions for more information.
Expect rugged terrain with narrow, steep, and winding hiking trails to the sequoias. Be prepared for a downhill hike followed by an uphill return to the parking lot. The trail is steep at the beginning of the return leg but levels out as you approach the parking lot. The specific grove your driver chooses will determine the trail, but all require hiking. The elevation at the trailhead of both primary groves is approximately 6,200 feet (1,860 meters). The Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias is the most popular, with a 2.5-mile (4 km) round trip taking around 1.5–2 hours of hiking. It’s suitable for everyone who is able to hike, including children.
California Gold Country: When Tioga Pass Road (located between Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra, leading to Tahoe) is closed due to heavy snow from as early as October until about June or July, we will drive through the historic and legendary California Gold Country on days 2 and 3 of your adventure.
Please note that we may start the tour in Lake Tahoe and then head to Yosemite National Park, or vice versa. This depends on hotel availability, the season, and road/weather conditions. We do not work on commission, so you are welcome to book your own hotel. However, if you'd prefer not to handle these details, we can assist you by selecting the 'hotel included' option when booking through our shopping cart.
Hotel Reservation: To keep costs down, we charge each guest approximately $100 per night for a three-star hotel in and around the Yosemite Valley area, based on availability. If you have higher expectations for accommodations and wish to upgrade, we recommend booking your own hotel directly with the resort or hotel of your choice. The Majestic Hotel (formerly the Ahwahnee) is the only 4-star hotel in Yosemite Valley, with suite prices ranging from $600 to $1,200 per night, depending on availability and the season. Please note that Yosemite’s hotels are limited and often booked 6 to 12 months in advance, so booking as early as possible is recommended. However, we are frequently able to secure reservations at nearby resorts or motels close to Yosemite Valley for tours booked closer to the travel date.
More Terms and Miscellaneous
Foreign Languages: Our tours are conducted in English unless otherwise specified on your tour voucher. Some foreign language tours may be subject to additional fees. To enjoy a tour in a foreign language, you must book a Private Tour (subject to availability), as semi-private tours are conducted in English and shared with other clients. Additional fees may apply for extra foreign languages. Semi-private tours will no longer be available on our website, so please book your private tour as soon as possible, as our bilingual tour guides are often booked months in advance.
Miscellaneous: Meals and gratuities for tour guides/drivers are not included in the tour price unless otherwise indicated on your tour voucher or email confirmation.
Tour prices do not include additional fees such as wine tastings, accommodations, entry fees to attractions, winery tours, or any other optional experiences unless otherwise indicated on your tour voucher or email confirmation.
Hot Air Balloon Rides: Our hot air balloon rides are not guaranteed to depart or return to Napa Valley and are subject to last-minute cancellations due to weather considerations. Golden Horizon Travel Inc. reserves the right to fly anywhere within an 80-mile radius of Napa Valley, depending on weather conditions.
Service Refusal: We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who refuses to comply with our safety instructions, tour itinerary, or who may pose a threat to other customers or our tour guide-drivers. Abusive behavior such as yelling or insulting tour guide-drivers, fellow passengers, or third-party businesses and subcontractors will result in immediate termination of the tour without a refund. Discrimination of any kind toward a customer or tour guide-driver will not be tolerated.
Cancellation Due to Unforeseen Weather Conditions: In the event of unforeseen circumstances such as weather conditions, fires, landslides, road closures, vehicle breakdowns, or medical emergencies, we reserve the right to offer alternative tours or destinations of equal value and duration.
Travel Insurance: As a small local tour company, we do not provide or qualify for travel insurance, as this falls outside our industry. Therefore, we strongly recommend that our guests obtain their own travel insurance prior to their trip. While we are not affiliated with any insurance providers, we found the following reputable companies offering travel insurance within the U.S.: Allianz Global Assistance, AIG Travel Guard, Travelex Insurance Services, Nationwide Travel Insurance, AXA Assistance USA, World Nomads, VisitorsCoverage, Travel Guard by AIG, and Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection.
Modifications of Terms and Conditions: Golden Horizon Travel Inc. and its affiliated websites or contractors reserve the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time. We may update our website content, terms, and privacy policy without prior notice. privacy policy and complete terms and conditions
We selected Golden Horizon Tours as the best Silicon Valley tour provider and specialist. We debated renting a car for the day and hitting the sights on our own, but we are so glad we decided to splurge on Golden Horizons for the day! Mary was AMAZING! She is so intelligent and well spoken. She was able to answer every question my inquisitive husband threw at her! She knew just where to take us for the best photo ops and experiences. WE would have likely missed much on our own at best...and at worst spent the day going in circles in traffic jams or lost! She was flexible to meet our needs and adjusted the day accordingly.
We had to move our day up by half an hour to get in a late afternoon helicopter tour that had to be rescheduled due to fog from the previous day. Mary took us to the airport and surprised us by waiting the whole HOUR to take us back to our hotel, even though our tour with her was technically over. WOW...this is a 5-star customer service. It saved us from having to take a train back and allowed us some rest time before dinner. We were so appreciative! Thanks, Mary, for an amazing Silicon Valley day full of personalized attention. We feel like we spent the day with a friend!
Dm-Atlanta, Georgia
Trip Advisor Senior Contributor
We booked this Silicon Valley on the website of golden horizon tours and didn’t really know what to expect. This turned out to be a wonderful guided tour with Adam. We were greeted at Intel and Stanford and went on a tour for over one-hour walking in each location. We also had a guided tour at Stanford University in Palo Alto. We got to the top of hoover tower and took in the views of Stanford huge campus. Adam took us to a tech store where startup businesses display their latest inventions and products. We also managed to visit a local tesla showroom and Apple headquarter in Cupertino, and that was more than we expected.
Thank you, Adam and golden horizon travel, my kids enjoyed themselves very much.
Jim H
Jackson, New Hampshire
A wonderful guided tour to Silicon Valley with my kids. We enjoyed our guided tour very much to Intel Museum in Santa Clara and at the computer history museum. My kids loved the walking tour with a college student at Stanford University in Palo Alto. I got to say that the computer history museum is overwhelming and interesting….trust the expert at GHT, you’ll not be disappointed
Raffelinn
Anne R
Charleston, South Carolina
My husband and I are computer geeks, so we could not miss the opportunity to go on a tour of Silicon Valley during our trip to San Francisco in California. I am so glad we decided to go with Golden Horizon. Our guides Adam and David went out of their way to ensure that we had a great time. They made sure we saw all the good spots and then some more like Stanford University, HP garage in Palo Alto, Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, the Intel Museum, Oracle, Googleplex and Facebook, ... all in one day tour. We didn’t even feel rushed at all. We would definitely give our Silicon Valley tour experience five stars and we will recommend it to our friends and colleagues.
Olga Colombo
Watford, United Kingdom
My son and I were very excited about the idea of touring Silicon Valley tech companies and museums with a Spanish speaking travel guide. We have just got off a group bus tour that took us to Los Angles, Vegas, Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Yosemite, but Silicon Valley tour was on our mind during this long journey.
This is the best tour company and the only operator who offers private guided tours in Spanish, and with real tour guides, not just drivers. The booking process was hassle-free, and they responded promptly to all our inquiries and questions through their live chat and emails; and all responses were in perfect Spanish. We could not have asked for, but we would have preferred to get the feedback in Catalan though ( just kidding!).
My parents visited Silicon Valley and San Jose with this travel agency back in 2006, and they highly recommended them. We were not disappointed either. In fact, we managed to visit Intel Museum, Ebay, the computer history museum and Cisco from inside, and we had a private walking tour of Stanford and apple with our fun and awesome Spanish speaking tour guide (Adam).
If you like Silicon Valley high tech companies, and want a real tour and worry-free tour package, go with this travel company, you’ll be in very good hands. Trust me, I’m a real customer from Barcelona, and not just a PR writing a review.
We also added 2 hours overtime for only $89 instead of $139, and we even got an extra hour for free. We also stopped at Google campus, YouTube, Facebook, HP garage and high-tech start up stores in Palo Alto and San Jose . My son was so happy when we visited a Tesla retail store in San Jose. I liked Santana Row area very much and the tech sores nearby.
Without the knowledge and expertise of our awesome tour guide, Adam, we would have not even visited 10% of what we have accomplished in one day trip.
We felt that we had a good friend in town, Adam is very downtown to earth and make everything goes so smooth and easy, this made this journey a memorable trip to Silicon Valley.
Moltes gràcies Adán
Josep. M
Barcelona, Catatonía
My boss was planning to travel from New York to Silicon Valley on a private Jet, so I needed a very serious, local and reliable tour operator in San Francisco Bay Area who specializes in VIP services. From day 1, Golden Horizon Travel staff were extremely helpful, professional and responsive; they answered every telephone call I made, online chats and emails, they’re very experienced with VIP and high-profile clients, they didn’t disappoint at all.
My boss and his family wanted a private guided tour of Silicon Valley a la carte, and they also wanted to visit an old park of giant redwoods nearby Silicon Valley. I didn’t want them to go to Muir Woods forest as I heard that it’s a very small and crowded. I‘m glad they that this tour company offered us an alternative private tour to a big forest of old redwoods nearby Silicon Valley where the trees are taller and much older trees than those in Muir Woods.
I was very relieved to find a reliable and local tour company like Golden Horizon Tours, they took the pressure off my shoulders from day one and stepped in to help me in every way possible.
Highly recommended for high profiles and VIP clients.
Marsha Rojas
New York City, New York
Adam and Patricia were great and exceeded my expectations. They also offered me overtime hours at no additional cost. We visited too many tech companies and 2 museums in a single day trip!
We even got to see our favorite football teams new stadium-the 49ers at Levis in Santa Clara.
Barry N Dubai- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Even though the wooded trails were a bit wet for us to ride due to the fog, the experience was amazing, and we all enjoyed it very much. The horses looked happy, well cared for, and these were some of the best-behaved horses we’ve ever interacted with. The staff was very friendly. It didn’t take us too long to reach a laid-back beach, so peaceful and beautiful.
After the horseback ride, our fun and very nice tour guide drove us to Santa Cruz where we had lunch in a restaurant located on the Wharf. We ordered a seafood platter which was fresh and yummy, and the views made it the perfect location for our family.
For me personally, the highlight of our trip was our tour of a beautiful forest of big redwood trees in Santa Cruz mountains. I’ve been to Muir Woods before, but this state park was less crowded than Muir Woods and the redwood trees are much bigger and older in Santa Cruz mountains.
On the way back to our hotel in San Francisco, the tour guide made a quick stop at Apple’s new headquarter in Silicon Valley. We visited the visitor center and the store (while our son was sneaking out to fly his drone over Apple’s new and amazing architecture “it looks like a spaceship from the sky”.)
We highly recommend this outdoor adventure and this business.
Sean K.
Annapolis, MD
Reviewed 4 days ago
We did a whole day tour with Adam. He was terrific; the tour exceeded all our expectations. We saw more of Silicon Valley than we ever thought we'd see!
Adam was very knowledgeable and outgoing; more than anxious to accommodate us. He also was very good with our teenage grandson, who were blown away by the experience.
It was a great tour and a perfect way to spend the day in Silicon Valley; we really couldn't be more pleased with Adam and all the arrangements.
Highly recommend.
Washington, D.C.
I had a wonderful experience alongside thirteen other college students who were in my group on this Multi-day private custom tech tours of Silicon Valley and San Francisco.
Golden Horizon Tours is a well-organized tour company and offer top notch customer service.
It was nice to see how promptly I got their attention and response each time I contacted them. They took their time(days and weeks) to offer me all the information required to allow me to make the best decision for my group tour as this was our first trip to the USA. No other tour companies bothered to even respond once to our inquires, and some seemed to be located out of California, which made me nervous. But Golden Horizon staff were available all the time over the phone, email and live chat, they proved to me that are local and have been in business for over 16 years, so I trusted them, and I was not disappointed-they exceed our expectations.
Their tour guides are very seasoned professionals and were very helpful and friendly to the point of taking photos of my group and sending to us via mail after we were long gone. They managed to get us access inside tech firms that are not open to the public such us Cisco, Yahoo, Ebay and PayPal. Every day was a new experience and covered the entire Silicon Valley are after few days stay in Santa Clara. Our group of college students were very excited and learned a lot from this journey to Silicon Valley and places we have visited such as Stanford, University of Berkeley and San Jose guided tours, Intel, Tech museum of innovation, the computer history museum, the exploration in San Francisco, Adobe, the aviation museum, apple, Facebook, Google, Tech corner, Tesla factory, NASA Ames Research Center(with a guided tour inside with an engineer from the Nasa wind tunnels), and much more.
I will gladly recommend those travelers and university groups seeking the services of a local and reliable tour agency to feel confident enough to engage the services of Golden Horizon Tours. They are simply the best and they will exceed your expectations.
Ernest OnuiriNsukka, Enugu State
Lecturer at Babcock Tech University of Nigeria
We spent a day in Silicon Valley with John as our driver. Our group included 3 adults and 3 teenagers and we all fitted very comfortably into one vehicle.
John was excellent and helped us arrange an itinerary that took in all the major tech sites in Silicon Valley - Facebook, Google, Apple, Stanford, Nasa, Apple, computer history museum, the birthplace of Silicon valley (HP garage in Palo Alto).
There is no way we would have been able to find all of these places ourselves and it was much more relaxing being driven around than trying to drive and navigate.
Well worth the $$ and recommended
JFK_on_the_road(Trip Advisor senior contributor)
Brisbane, Australia
We (myself and my husband) took the Silicon valley tech tour with Golden Horizon and it was awesome. Our tour guide Mary who was very informative and made our day very memorable. She personalized the tour itinerary and made sure we were very happy with each stop we made in Silicon Valley.
It's our first visit to USA and to the fascinating silicon Valley tech companies, this tour was the best we had in the San Francisco bay area. We are very grateful to Mary for customizing the tour for us in such personalized way with extreme attention to details and each step of the way. These guys are top notch guides and very professional, highly recommended. We appreciate and recommend it to anyone interested in a private guided tour of the Silicon valley.
Highly recommended
Rea. Bagyaling
Portmoresby, Papua New Guinea
We had a wonderful day tour to Silicon Valley and Mary was the one who made it all perfect. Mary tweaked our trip itinerary on the go, and she adjusted it nonstop as we kept changing our mind and adding new places. We ended up visited twice more tech sites and museums than we initially planned( eBay, Adobe, Intel, Apple, Tesla, Google, Levis stadium, Nasa and the aviation museum).
Mary is a stellar guide and the best I have ever used. Her kindness, positivity, calmness and organization will be remembered for years to come. Thank you so much and I give Golden Horizon and Mary 10 stars. Thank you!
Our full day tour took us to Silicon Valley in luxury vehicle conducted by a friendly kiwi tour guide.
The tour with Jon was exemplary! His knowledge of all sites and places we visited in Silicon Valley was fantastic and the manner in which he conducted the tour was also fantastic and very professional. It was as if we were traveling with an old friend. Nothing was rushed in any way and the tour timing worked out perfectly.
We would more than highly recommend Golden Horizon Tours and Jon to anyone contemplating a personalized tour to anywhere Jon takes them. This tour was the peak of our holiday to California
Brucesrobinson
Dunedin, New Zealand
Jon was an excellent tour guide. We were very pleased with him! He deserves the five (5) star rating I gave him. He was very knowledgeable of the area; both San Francisco and the Silicon Valley regions. He made the trip fun for both me and my 18-year-old grandson; who intends to go into the Tech field and truly enjoyed seeing all the places one can work in the future. We recommend visiting the tech museum in San Jose and intel museum. All questions we had for him he answered quickly and even gave us information about certain areas that we were not familiar with. The tour was exceptional! It was a very memorable experience for us.
SavannahGA55
Dalton, Georgia
Our full day tour took us to Silicon Valley in luxury vehicle conducted by a friendly kiwi tour guide.
This was a last-minute tour . Ages 9 to 58 -family of 6. We had six hours to spare in SF. I asked for an ' express ' tour of Silicon Valley . Jon arrived promptly . Displayed a wealth of knowledge during the tour. Friendly and patient taking the obligatory photos! Facebook , Apple , Stanford , the garage where Jobs first worked on computer and where HP first started in the historic garage . At Stanford - Saw the longest laser in the world etc Quick lunch in San Jose and lots of information and places Was easy to work with and excellent condition of SUV with refreshment included.
Travelmom799
Fort Myers, Florida
Let me tell you about Golden Horizon Tours
Not sure where to begin - this is a review that spans a one-year period. Last year, I made a mistake in booking a Silicon Valley day tour for the wrong month. After some confusion, the team at Golden Horizon offered to take our family of five on a Silicon Valley tour any of the following days. None of them worked for us because we had plans already while in San Francisco, but they offered us a "credit" for our tour if we came back. Since we planned to come back the following year, we readily accepted that, even though the mistake was all ours and they had no obligation to offer us a credit.
Well - yesterday was our "one year old tour" of Silicon Valley and we had a blast. Not only was it everything we hoped for "and then some," but we also enjoyed a private tour of Stanford Campus with a college student from the university.
Of course Stanford doesn't offer private tours any longer, but the folks at Golden Horizon sourced an email of a young lady student who we communicated with and provided a one hour tour privately for our family.
Again, Golden Horizon went above and beyond to find a way to meet our needs and exceeded our expectations. We were not charged for this complimentary private tour by SUV.
We use tour companies all over the world as we travel frequently as a family and have never had such tremendous service as we did at Golden Horizon Travel. When we come back next year, we'll use them for a hot air ballooning adventure one morning in Napa Valley.
Thanks again for everything, your services are totally underrated.
**********10 stars and more **********
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Gregory Borca
Cedarburg, WI
A fantastic guided tour to Silicon Valley including Stanford University with Adam! The intel museum guided tour was the highlight of our silicon valley experience with golden horizon travel. Many thanks Adam for your input and the great tour
Highly recommended
The Patels,
Mumbai, India
A quick note to the CEO of Golden Horizon Travel to thank you and your tour guide Adam for the excellent guided tour in Silicon Valley. Thanks to his knowledge and connections in Silicon Valley we managed to access places that are not open for public. This service you offer goes beyond 5 stars!
Many thanks indeed and all the best
Rosa R
Reno, Nevada
We had a great day trip to Silicon Valley with Jon who served us as a great tour guide throughout the entire tour in Sant Clara and San Jose.
There was just one disappointment (and this isn’t Jon‘s fault) - I wish we could have more time to visit more tech firms and places in Silicon Valley. I recommend adding overtime, Silicon Valley is massive and requires more than a day to see top places for first time visitors.
Chris.B
Prottes, Austria
If you have young kids, I recommend the Children's Discovery Museum but for teens the tech museum of innovation is more appealing and has a lot to offer. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is interesting but I would not make it a priority, however, the Winchester Mystery House is creepy and caught our kids’ attention. Lots of interactive exhibits and a great learning experience in San Jose museums, the staff were really nice and friendly in San Jose museums.
We love the NHL games, but we could not get tour hand son last minutes tickets to see San Jose Sharks
A great destination for family with kids
Brucesrobinson
Dunedin, New Zealand
The scenery along pacific coast highway is breathtaking. We only drove for 30 minutes before we got on horseback near Pacifica. What a beautiful scenery.
What an amazing transition between the giant redwoods and giant tech companies? We finished our Silicon Valley tour, had lunch in a laid-back village before we drove up to Santa Cruz mountains to visit Big Basin state park. What a wonderful introduction to the redwoods; nature at its best.
The contrast between the hustle-and-bustle in Silicon Valley and the serenity of this remote park of redwoods is amazing. Easy trails inside the park, lots of photo ops and history thanks to our tour wonderful tour guide Leo.
Brucesrobinson
Dunedin, New Zealand
The horses looked healthy and happy, the horseback ride was fun and exciting. We also enjoyed our tour of Santa Cruz beaches and picturesque cliffs.
We skipped Big Basin and went to a similar forest of redwoods where trees the redwood are humongous and impressive. We also made a couple of stops in Silicon Valley at Apple park and Stanford campus.
I highly recommend this day trip from families with teens and young kids.
We were excited on hearing about this tourist attraction. The drive was nice through towering redwoods, I would say it was a good experience. After visiting this “illusion” spot, I would rather recommend doing the Redwood canopy zip lines in Santa Cruz, located nearby this area.
Santa Cruz Mystery spot is nice but not unique.
The Masons
Columbia, MO
This is a wonderful State Park and I believe was the first state park of California, the towering redwoods make you feel so little next their massive size. We walked for an hour and the loops are easy and accessible to everyone including wheelchairs.
This trip was part of our multiple tours with Golden Horizon Tours, the trip was smooth and easy, both Mary and Adam made sure we were happy with this side trip to Big Basin, and we are glad they took us there as Yosemite mariposa grove was closed when we visited the park.
A great destination for family with kids
Richard Wild
Indiana, USA
What an amazing trip around Lake Tahoe after a 3-day custom adventure of Yosemite national park sights and attractions - a wonderful destination.
Even if you’re not a fan of outdoors activities, Tahoe worth the long drive from San Francisco. This is a must-see destination with remarkable attractions.
Tahoe is a must-see place & Yosemite is the crown jewel of California, they offer amazing outdoor activities for families with kids
Our 3-day private tour package to Lake Tahoe wonders, Gold Country & Yosemite National Park top attractions was excellent, exciting & memorable!
The Lake is pristine, wonderful, so clean, the air is so fresh & pure with magnificent surroundings, what an awesome paradise on earth?
Our adventure to Lake Tahoe and Reno from San Francisco was amazing and unforgettable thanks to Golden Horizon Travel attentive staff, and tour guide.
My wife and I want you to know how much we enjoyed our time in Tahoe & Yosemite, we loved travelling with your company
Trust their tour reviews on trip advisor 100%, they earned our satisfaction, they have a great customer service and amazing tour guides.
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