Notorious SF: Ghost & Crime Tour

Go back in time on our ghost & true crime tour for tales of SF's lawless past: Visiting the sites of celebrity sex scandals, old Chinatown & Gold Rush era crime and vice. 6pm Saturdays.

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Highlights

See & learn about the 1st celebrity sex scandal, the Fatty Arbuckle Affair
Walk down a lane full of designer shops & cafe's, but was a red light district
Visit Chinatown and see the sites of opium dens, parlor houses & gambling shops
Learn about a time when San Francisco was the Wild West & Barbary Coast
Hear some seriously scary ghost stories from that period.

Description

On our Notorious SF: Ghost & Crime tour we visit the sites of old Hollywood scandals, red light districts, opium dens, Gold Rush era lynchings and kidnappings, haunted locations (with some of the scariest ghost stories you've ever heard) and stop to enjoy a drink in a historic bar from the Barbary Coast era. We start with the Fatty Arbuckle affair at the St Francis, the first Hollywood sex scandal, a moment that changed the public's perception of celebrity forever (and lead to the 'morality clause'). Then we stroll down Maiden Lane, which is lined with designer boutiques now, but a hundred years ago was the city's main red light district. After that we visit Chinatown, a neighborhood that was full of opium dens and gambling hellholes more than a hundred years ago, but is now a fun and fascinating place to visit. Next you'll learn about Gold Rush era SF, when it was the Wild West here and public lynchings were held on Portsmouth Square. Finally, we head to the infamous Barbary Coast, which was once full of brothels and dance halls, often used to Shanghai unwary sailors (which is where the term originated). During the evening we'll regale you with some very scary San Francisco ghost stories from that period. We end the tour at the oldest continuously operating bar in the city, the Old Ship Saloon, which dates all the way back to the 1850's. Join our Notorious SF: Ghost & Crime tour and be haunted by these tales from San Francisco's lawless past for weeks!

Includes

We donate $1 for every guest to a non-profit, Climate Cents.

Important Information

Aim to get to the meeting point 10-15 minutes early. If you’re late you will miss the tour. By making a booking for this tour you agree to be bound by Real San Francisco Tours terms of service. Please bring government issued ID if intending to purchase alcoholic drinks. This is a walking tour and we move at a reasonable pace, climbing several hills and sets of steps. It’s not suitable for people with mobility issues. This tour is not recommended for children under 15 y.o.