Private San Francisco: Flavors & Murals of the Mission – 2 Hours 30 Minutes
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Your private Mission food tour will kick off the only way we know how at 9:30 am – with coffee and donuts! But these aren’t just any donuts. These are artisan hoops of heaven! They’re locally sourced, made with organic, sustainable ingredients to create an eclectic selection ranging from bacon maple apple, to chocolate rose or even lemon and thyme. Enjoy a donut and a cup o’ joe with your local guide as they introduce you to the neighborhood and its legendary food scene. Your next stop on this SF food tour is a local panaderia, a Mexican bakery that captures the Latino culture and charm that is everywhere in the Mission district. Here you can choose from a selection of pan dulce, or Mexican sweet bread, made daily in the bakery. To wash that all down, you can also try an agua fresca, a blended fruit drink that is sure to refresh. Fully stocked up on energy after your breakfast, we’ll continue our tour towards the murals along Balmy Avenue.
Mission district
This area’s artistic roots date back over 30 years, giving us plenty to chat about. Your guide will give you the scoop on the murals we’ll find here and what they mean to this neighbourhood. Whether they’re describing the plight of migrant workers from Latin America, oppression in Nicaragua, or the gentrification of the mission District itself, the multitude of murals along Balmy Avenue each have a special story to share and your local guide will make time for you to soak in all the beautiful artwork. Next up, pie time! Whether you’re up for some strawberry rhubarb, or perhaps you fancy a roasted cauliflower and black olive quiche made with free range eggs, organic milk, and cream, you’re sure to find your slice of happiness in the local spot we take you to. Having tasted these delights, we’ll hop on a bus to travel a few minutes down the heart of Mission Street itself and make our way to one of the oldest and most beloved taquerias in the neighbourhood. Here you can sample a carne asada, al pastor, or another of this spot’s famous tacos – a must-try in the Mission! We’ll continue to tour SF onwards to Clarion Alley, where we’ll find the second largest collection of murals in the Mission. It might be more contemporary than Balmy Avenue, but Clarion Alley shares the same vibrant stories and is lined with lots of colourful graffiti. We dare you to try and pick your favourite – it’ll be difficult!
Our final section of the tour will take you to the centre of the hipster scene, where we’ll check out the Mission’s best thrift stores, grab a last snack at one of the trendiest bakeries in San Francisco, and then we’ll head to Dolores Park, finishing up at the Mission Dolores church itself. We’ll conclude your food tour here, the perfect spot for you to continue to spend as much time as you like learning about the history and stories that built San Francisco. (If you’d prefer to travel as part of a regular group experience, please book our Flavors & Murals of the Mission group tour.) This tour is priced for a minimum group size of two travellers. A solo traveller may still book this private experience but will be charged the base rate for two travelers.
Included
- Local English speaking guide and food samples at 5 different locations
Not Included
- $2 bus fare, drinks, and tips / gratuities for your guide.
Urban Adventures
Urban Adventures are day tours with a difference. We connect you with local-led experiences in 150+ cities across the world (with 18 in the USA) to discover the hidden gems that won’t be found in a guidebook. They’re for clients that really want to immerse themselves in a destination, experience different cultures and build connections with local people. Whether you want to taste tapas in Barcelona, see the monuments of Washington DC at night or cruise down the Mekong River in a traditional sampan, Urban Adventures have your back with over 1,000+ unique itineraries.
Urban Adventures firmly believe local travel is one of the best ways we can support responsible tourism. In fact, we believe it so strongly that they have made it their entire business! All of their tours are designed, built and run by local experts with a insiders sense of the local vibe.
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