Roam Local

TAKE THIS TOUR-​you won’t be disappointed
Wow! What a spectacular tour given by an amazing guide! Ryan is very likeable and personable. He is quick to develop a rapport with you. He is extremely knowledgeable and shares the information in a fun, interactive way. I’ve been on many San Francisco tours over the years, and Ryan’s tour is the best, hands down! I only wish that I’d known about his tours sooner-​I would’ve taken most, if not all, of them. I definitely will on my next trip.
I took the Telegraph Hill & Old Waterfront tour. I was the only one signed up, but Ryan never let that be an issue. It rained lightly during most of the tour, but we persevered. His excitement, passion and enthusiasm were contagious and never waned. I learned all sorts of fun new facts. I didn’t want it to end.
TAKE THIS TOUR

Ryan was an excellent tour guide. We did the Old Waterfront /​Telegraph hill tour. He had interesting historic stories that he researched and supplemented with pictures he showed us on his ipad. There are so many hidden spots in this city. This tour has given me extra motivation to find many more of these little secret garden gems.
Tips: wear good walking shoes, bring a long sleeve for times when you are in the shade, and water.

The day started out well. We were excited to join the tour. It went south with a no-​show. We called. Oh, he double booked by mistake. OK — mistakes happen.
Me: Where are you?
Near Fisherman’s Warf. I double booked by accident. I’m really sorry. Can you meet us?
Me: OK, exactly where should we meet you?
Sidney Walton Square.
Me: OK, we should be there in less than ten minutes.
We called to check in and try to figure out what to do.
Where are you he asked?
Me: We gave a location. I don’t know where we were now.
Oh dear, you’re far from us.
Me: I know, we said it would take a while.
Well, you were the first to book, but I can’t keep these people waiting.
(I am thinking, wait, we were the first to book. shouldn’t he be accommodating us?)
Me: OK, if we were the first to book, you could at least wait 10 minutes while we walk further. We’ll walk again for another block. It feels wrong. It turns out, we were going in the wrong direct. First day, not enough sleep, we got turned around. We didn’t figure this out until after we gave up.
At this point we texted and said never mind.
He should have called before the meet-​up time and let us know what was going on. We would have probably enjoyed the tour. But we’ll never know, because he didn’t honor his commitment and follow through.

This last weekend, we took a tour with Ryan: Chinatown/​North Beach. It was fantastic and we will surely book a tour in the future!
Highlights:
–Amazing knowledge of the history and culture of SF
–Incredible energy like no other I’ve seen
–Enthusiasm for EVERYTHING
–Healthy 4.0+ mile hike with minimum steps/​difficulty
–Beautiful weather, luckily for us!
–Good crowd of about 10 (old and young)
–From buildings to people to events to architecture, we learned about it all
Things to think about:
–Not cheap at $ 40 per person (but understandable for the amount your learn/​walk)
–Booking was a bit difficult, but it was sorted out by the time we got there
–He was a bit late and we had no way of contacting him if there had been a problem
I’m already looking forward to the next time we take a tour with Ryan. Check it out!

This review will probably get filtered, and I am not rating Ryan for his actual tour, as we never did get to go on the tour. I discovered Ryan through Groupon, and based on the great Unilocal reviews, I was very excited to have my parents go on a tour (first time in SF!). I booked a tour with Ryan with email confirmation of date and time, and made plans for my parents to go on this tour (which was midday) and decided to push back our other plans. However, my parents made all the trouble of getting to Market and Castro street (they were staying with me in Oakland) only to find no guide, no Roam Local person and no response from Ryan. He finally gets back today saying there is no reservation. I am sure he is a great guide and this is probably a great tour, but to be stood up in the middle of your morning during your precious vacation is not cool.

The short review: Take the Four Peaks tour if you want beautiful vistas, interesting stories and treks through the great Open Spaces of San Francisco. Ryan’s passion and enthusiasm for the city is apparent as he’s not reciting a lot of facts but telling the story of the history, architecture, local celebrity and plants of the city and area.
I don’t typically give 5 stars on reviews but this «roam» has to be one of the best walking tours I’ve ever taken– and I’ve been on quite a few. Plus, the customer service exceeded expectations. I look forward to going on another roam soon and making sure I take my next out-​of-​towners as well!
Ryan is instantly likeable– even before the roam. There was a glitch in the website that Ryan resolved by offering to take me on my requested tour on a day he didn’t typically conduct one. Thanks, Ryan!
I’ve visited San Francisco multiple times before moving to the East Bay area almost a year ago and never went on a more in-​depth, engaging, and entertaining journey into the city. The roam starts at the lowest elevation of the tour and the destinations (the four peaks) are pointed out. At each peak, you turn back toward your starting point to see how far you’ve come in just a short period of time.
While the Four Peaks tour is listed as the most physically demanding, it wasn’t too bad at all. Read the website and make sure you wear comfortable shoes and bring water (a hat or sunscreen might be good, too).

One of the best tour guides ever, Ryan took us to off the beaten path
corners of the NorthBeach/​Chinatown neighborhoods. Some of the best views of SF from unusual areas that we would have never discovered on our own. You think you know San Francisco until Ryan shares his enthusiasm and knowledge about one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

We just had the best time with Ryan — so knowledgable and passionate about our City of San Francisco. We did the Chinatown and Russian Hill tour. Most highly recommended !!!

We spent an afternoon with Ryan and two other couples, touring Chinatown and North Beach and instantly liked him. Wow! I learned so much and got the best look at a city I had been to many times, but hadn’t ever gotten to know. He was able to introduce us to history, great places to eat and shop, while throwing in some magical spots which are hidden away as well. If you are into horticulture, he knows the name of almost any plant you will run across. He has a complete wealth of knowledge and tailors his tours just to the group he has.
Sign up for a tour with him and you won’t be disappointed. You will get a nice little workout too while you become aquatinted, or more acquainted, with the city by the Bay.

We had been wanting to do a walking tour of the city and this tour with Roam Local absolutely met our expectations. We had 2 locals and 2 visitors and walked the Chinatown/​Russian Hill tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgable and was clearly passionate about telling the history and stories of the neighborhoods we toured. We especially appreciated the discussion of architecture and historical figures (that none of us knew about). Ryan had great energy and a passion for sharing — we truly had a great experience. We plan to make our way through the other tours next!

Ryan and Roam Local are the local walking tour guide company you are looking for — tons of great knowledge for locals and out-​of-​towners alike. Seriously good value and a great way to spend the day. I will be back for more tours for sure.

Ryan is a real gem! I went on a tour with my family (parents are in their sixties) for his most physically challenging tour the four peaks. Ryan has a natural friendliness about him. Almost like an instant bond he forms with everyone. Everywhere we go he points out the interesting facts about the neighborhood, a wall mural, an art work, the weather, history, plants, flowers and buildings… I have no idea how he remembers everything but I was really impressed. At the end of the day, this mixed crowd group had a wonderful time and Ryan made this experience a super special one, I highly recommend Ryan!

Loved our time with Ryan on the Chinatown/​Russian Hill/​North Beach tour. This is a terrific tour if you are a curious and energetic person, because Ryan definitely is, and he has a lot of information and enthusiasm to share (and a lot of ground to cover!) We particularly liked the enormous variety of spots and information Ryan shared… he has done a ton of work to put this itinerary together and it’s a super rewarding experience.

Amazing!!! Thanks Ryan for the awesome SF walking guide.
My husband and I did a food tour in Rome and enjoyed it so much and set the bar for guided tours.
This is not a food tour but the it is in the same level as the Rome tour we did in terms of history, architecture and walk off the beaten path type of walking tour. I’m so elated that we did this to celebrate our anniversary.
We are local but did not know much of SF history so this is educational for us.
Type of tour: Chinatown, North beach and Russian hill tour
We went to the Cable car museum, Chinatown (went inside a Chinese prayer/​worship building, mind you I wouldn’t have done this if we went here on our own), Ryan gave us tips on the best Chinese restaurant and dim sum place. He points out landmarks that I see on my trips to SF but don’t know anything about it. So amazing to know what its significance.
We then headed up to Russian hill and I was wowed by a park we went up to see an amazing panoramic view of the SF. The houses we’re impressive and he explained the different designs of the house. I enjoyed this due to the fact that I traveled to Europe and I fascinated by the designs of the buildings and houses. Again, we walked in non tourist spot and I felt like I was a local there.
Then walked to North beach and he gave us info on some landmarks that most of the time we take for granted. He also gave us tips on where to eat the best pizza. We continued our tour back to Chinatown but on the way, Ryan pointed out a good bookstore place, bar and custom tailored store to check out.
This was one of the best things I’ve done locally and I can’t thank Ryan enough for making our anniversary memorable. I’ve traveled outside the country and for the first time, I actually felt like there is really a lot to learn and enjoy locally. Thanks Ryan and keep up the good work.
This tour is like walking with a friend so you will enjoy it!
Tips: wear walking shoes, bring water and small snack and some bills in case you want to buy something in Chinatown.

I’ll keep this review short and sweet. Just scroll down and see all the 5 star reviews and positive comments about Ryan, ditto on all. Best tour of the city you can get. If you had a really good friend and he knew all these incredible places to go, both secret and famous, and he wanted to give you a tour of his city with the hope that you will have a great day and at the end of it be excited about all the cool stuff you learned, you would be so grateful to have that friend… that’s a day with Ryan.

Seeing the flawless Unilocal reviews is what prompted my bf and me to book a tour with Roam Local. We knew it would be «good» but man oh man this went infinitely beyond our expectations.
SHORT VERSION REVIEW:
DO ROAM LOCAL! ITS ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES YOULL EVER HAVE TRUST ME!!!
LONG VERSION REVIEW:
Roam Local. To «roam» rather than to «tour»; it is an immersion into a city and its culture with an inhabitant who is passionate about the city. Do you want a bullet list of city trivia read to you while being enclosed in a muggy bus, sitting shoulder to shoulder with a stranger who constantly blocks the window? How about a walk through the city behind 20 other tourists, barely being able to hear your tour guide? No and no! Paraphrasing Rick Steves: get lost in a city! Get a true appreciation of the city you’re visiting. Dont get caught in the tourist trap like Pier 39 where you see the same tourists and lame street performers youd see at any other amusement park. There is no other experience that narrates the culture and history of San Francisco the way Ryan does. Roam Local is like a really good novel whereas the typical tour is like the preview of that novel’s film adaptation! The book is always better!
My boyfriend and I did the Chinatown/​North Beach/​Russian Hill tour. Very efficiently, we covered a lot of ground all on foot. I knew there would be a lot of walking but I did not realize the extent of how hilly San Francisco is.
**Make sure you stretch, hydrate, and wear walking shoes!**
Again, it doesnt feel like a «tour»; its private so there is a 6 person max. The wealth of information that Ryan shared was astounding. Like other reviewers explained, he takes you to places that no other tour takes you. I say «tour» because that word is associated with «tourists» which we rarely ran into. He took us to magnificent views that even very few locals knew of. We walked down beautiful streets where you only saw locals and not other tourists with massive cameras. Every place we passed by there was an interesting story. You dont feel like a tourist. You’re exploring the city and learning a lot about it by the second. Unlike other tours Ryan does not regurgitate facts from a travel book, but rather he tells you the stories of what HE researched. In addition to being extremely knowledgeable, Ryan is also very pleasant guy: funny, friendly, the type of guy that can get along with anyone.
Im telling you, Roam Local is a must! I could go on and on about it but theres no way for you to know how amazing it is until you experience it yourself. You wont regret it. Im not sure what the current rates are but given your time and the unmatchable experience you’re getting, YOU will be getting the deal. Book now before it gets too popular that you cant get a reservation! My next booking will be the Castro District.

Ryan is the ish. My gf found him on groupon as a quick tour to get our weekend and it couldn’t have been a better choice. Ryan is courteous, funny, knowledgable and very accommodating. He took us on a very cool (but tolling) tour of Chinatown, North Beach and the Financial District where we learned a ton about the history of the areas and all the nook and crannies that the neighborhoods offer. He took us to this amazing location by Russian Hill where we got a sick panorama view of the bay bridge and the downtown area.
Ryan is a fun guy with lots of enthusiasm for what he does and i have to admit I am a bit jealous of his job lol. Awesome guy and def worth the time and $$
His rates are reasonable and if you’re into checking out things off the beaten path then look no further than Roam Local.

I have been in the Bay Area for 20 years and I have been to the City many, many times so when my mom visited I decided to do something different this time and Roam Local was different.
We took the Castro tour. It was fantastic. We learned things about San Francisco and saw things that we never would have noticed had we been in a vehicle. Luckily for us, we were the only ones on the tour with Ryan so it was a little more personal.
I recommend this tour, although I am certain that the other ones that Ryan offers are just as good.
Enjoy.

Just going to add my voice to the chorus of praises for Roam Local. I joined Ryan for his tour of the Old Waterfront and Telegraph Hill.
This was my third trip to San Francisco, but it was the first time I really SAW the city, and it’s all thanks to Ryan. Instantly engaging and ease-​inducing, Ryan made me feel like we had been friends for ages. His pride in and love for the city are both apparent and highly contagious. I became enchanted by the «secret» stairways and parks Ryan guided us through, and the vistas that unfurled at every turn were breathtaking.
His knowledge of the city’s history is staggering, he effortlessly answered our abundant questions, and I appreciated his use of technology in giving us a glimpse into the golden, olden days of San Francisco. The one regret I have is that I only participated in a single tour; on future trips to the city I will definitely plan on taking more Roam Local tours.
I think it’s fair to say that Ryan is the best tour guide in the world, so, do yourself a favor and book a tour with him.

This past weekend I made my first trip to San Francisco. I didn’t really have an agenda and also, I was traveling by myself. Before I left, I cruised some of the groupons available for activities in the area and came across Roam Local. I scheduled my tour and was very excited. But… I scheduled it for the wrong month. Ryan was fantastic and worked me in last minute for the next day.
I took the Four Peaks tour and learned so many fascinating things about the city. I took the tour by myself. Ryan is so friendly that it honestly felt like I was just hanging out with a friend. Ryan is incredibly knowledgable about the area, from historical facts to plant and tree species, he really knows the area. He made sure to point out some of this favorite homes, gardens, and little interesting stories he has come across while doing the tours.
The Four Peaks is an excellent tour to take if you feel as though you may have endulged a little too much and want to work off some of those wine calories (about 900 to be exact). I was definitely winded and slept all the way through my red-​eye flight home. The views were breathtaking, and I might have bored some of my friends with all of the San Francisco facts I learned. These tours are great to get a non-​tourist experience and also fantastic if you live there.
I plan on going back sooner rather than later and definitely want to take another tour!