San Francisco draws visitors from around the world with beautiful sights like the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. If you want to visit the City by the Bay with your coworkers, school group, or sports team, a San Francisco charter bus rental is one of the easiest ways to do it.
That’s where National Charter Bus comes in. We’ll give you a comfortable, air-conditioned ride around the city so your group can focus on learning about Stanford University or Muir Woods National Monument. Check out our pricing guide to get an idea of how much a charter bus may cost in SF, or call our 24-hour team at 415-226-7853 to get a free, personalized quote for your trip to the Bay Area.
National Charter Bus takes pride in the wide array of charter buses in our network. Whether you need a minibus to navigate SF’s narrow streets or a full-sized charter bus to carry all of your wedding guests, we can find the bus you’re looking for.
The motorcoaches we offer also come with a wide array of amenities. If you’re traveling for work, request a bus with free WiFi so you can keep up with emails and assignments on the road. Bringing a bunch of kids with you? Make sure you ask for flat-screen TVs so they can watch movies on their way to The Golden City.
Stanford University lies about an hour from San Francisco. This means that if you’re bringing a group of students to tour the college, you can easily treat them to iconic SF destinations like the Golden Gate Bridge after you leave the campus. You may also want to stop by a few other area schools, like San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco.
If your students need to keep up with homework or might become bored on the journey, request a charter bus rental with free WiFi so they can work on papers or watch movies on their personal devices. You can also ask for reclining seats if you think they’ll need a nap during the journey.
Curious about landmarks or campuses you can visit on your university tour? Keep reading to find out more:
The Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge isn’t just San Francisco’s most iconic landmark. The bridge connects the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, is one of the most popular ways to enter the city, and allows visitors to walk and bike across for free. If you only have time to visit one tourist attraction during your college tour, this is probably the one you want to pick.
Address: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA 94129
Phone: 415-921-5858
Stanford University
Stanford is known for its beautiful Mission-style architecture and its extraordinary academics. Take your students to learn more about the medicine, law, humanities and sciences, engineering, education, and business schools at this university with prestige that rivals that of the Ivy League.
Address: 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305
Phone: 650-723-2300
National Charter Bus works with thousands of bus operators throughout the United States, ensuring that we have access to safe, modern motorcoaches for your youth sports team. Every vehicle in our bus company's network is inspected before it hits the road, and all drivers go through rigorous examinations and background checks before they get behind the wheel.
You don’t have to worry about keeping your sports team entertained, either. Request a San Francisco bus rental with flat-screen TVs so you can put on a movie for your players, and stash snacks and Gatorade in the overhead space so no one goes hungry. If you need room to stow equipment like bats, balls, sticks, or racquets, take advantage of undercarriage storage as well.
Heading to San Francisco to cheer on a sports team rather than coach one? National Charter Bus has you covered too. Book a minibus for your tailgating group and easily store all of your food on your way to cheer on the 49ers, the Giants, or the Golden State Warriors.
San Francisco offers breathtaking wedding and event venues, from verdant outdoor spaces like the Shakespeare Garden, to stunning indoor locations like the Golden Gate Club and the Flood Mansion. With any luck, you might even manage to book a venue that overlooks the San Francisco Bay.
If you have guests coming in from out of town, you can remove the stress of reaching your event by booking a San Francisco charter bus for them. Request a motorcoach with air-conditioning and reclining seats so your guests will be comfortable while they travel from their hotel to your ceremony, reception, or corporate banquet. You won’t have to worry about people getting lost, having trouble parking, or being uncomfortable driving on SF’s narrow roads.
Another major bonus of having charter bus service for your event? You won’t have to think about who will serve as designated driver. Let an experienced professional be everyone’s DD so your friends, family, or coworkers can have fun without stress.
San Francisco Bay
Bordered by Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Presidio forest, San Francisco Bay is easily the most famous body of water in Northern California. This shallow estuary is spanned by the Golden Gate Bridge and home to the famous Alcatraz prison, which you can visit via ferry after your wedding or banquet.
Address: San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, California 94133
Phone: 415-509-6995
If your group plans to fly into San Francisco, you’ll need to figure out how to get from San Francisco International Airport or Oakland International Airport to the city. You can take the train from either location, but if you’re traveling with a large group that may get separated or confused while trying to board BART, a shuttle bus offers a more direct form of transportation.
Your San Francisco charter bus can also take you straight to your hotel without intermediate stops along the way, which can save you a lot of time if you want to dive straight into your sightseeing itinerary. Keep reading to learn more about SF’s airports.
San Francisco International Airport
Located about 30 minutes south of San Francisco, SFO is one of the most popular airports for visitors flying into the Bay Area. Ask your charter bus to pick you up in one of the courtyards designated for charter operators. Your bus will then take you into the city so you don’t have to navigate I-280 or the 101 on your own.
Address: San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, CA 94128
Phone: 650-821-8211
Oakland International Airport
The Oakland International Airport is roughly 45 minutes from San Francisco, and you’ll get to drive across the Bay on your way into the city. You can even visit some of Oakland’s attractions—like Jack London Square and the Oakland Museum—before heading to SF.
Address: 1 Airport Dr, Oakland, CA 94621
Phone: 510-563-3300
Because National Charter Bus works with bus operators across the U.S., it’s easy for us to handle transportation outside of San Francisco as well as across the city. If you’re escorting a tour group throughout California, let our reservation specialist know that you’d like your driver to take you to Los Angeles, Irvine, or San Diego, all located within a 9-hour drive.
Up for a longer road trip? Your driver can also take you to other cities like Las Vegas, Phoenix, or Denver. Just know that these trips might take two days so your driver can stop and rest—after 10 hours of driving, they are legally required to have 8 hours off so they can sleep.
Once you’ve planned what cities you’d like to visit and researched how long it will take you to get there, call National Charter Bus at 415-226-7853. We’d love to help you organize your trip around the West Coast.
Home to some of the most diverse landscapes and architecture in the world, San Francisco is an easy city to fall in love with. Whether you’re in the city for work or for fun, you won’t want to miss the chance to see the iconic streetcars, famous neighborhoods, and historic Victorian homes.
If you’re traveling to SF with coworkers, you may be able to take public transportation around the Bay Area. However, a minibus offers a comfortable, air-conditioned way to keep everyone together so you don’t have to worry about anybody getting lost and showing up late to the conference venue. You can also request a bus with free WiFi so you can complete assignments and check your email while you travel.
Traveling for fun instead of for work? National Charter Bus can help with that too. Keep reading to discover our ideas for first-time visitors to San Francisco.
With so much to do in the City by the Bay, you won’t be able to explore everything on a single trip. But a charter bus makes it easier to hit the destinations that are most important to your group. You won’t have to waste time waiting on public buses or trains while trying to get from Fisherman’s Wharf to The Castro, and you can take advantage of relaxing amenities like air-conditioning, reclining chairs, and flat-screen TVs in between stops.
You should definitely customize your trip to better meet the needs of your group, but if you’re looking for ideas, here are a few of our suggestions for what you shouldn’t miss during your first visit.
Walking, jogging, or cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge is free, and no trip to SF is complete without setting foot on the bridge. Have your charter bus drop your group off at one end so you can take your time coasting or strolling while you admire the water below and around you.
Depending on your group’s stamina, you can either pay for your bus to cross the bridge so it can pick you up at the other end, or turn around and bike or walk back. Either way, your bus will take you to your next destination after your workout.
Another of San Francisco’s most famous landmarks, this port is home to abundant stores, like NorthPoint Shopping Center, The Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop, and Wattle Creek Winery, as well as delicious restaurants like Alioto’s, Cioppino’s, and Fog Harbor Fish House. You can also book a cruise around the harbor or visit destinations like Pier 39, home to hundreds of sunbathing sea lions and the Aquarium of the Bay.
This island in the Bay once housed a fort and a military prison as well as the maximum-security federal prison that made it famous. In 1969, Indians of All Tribes occupied the island for more than a year and a half in order to protest for Native American civil rights.
Alcatraz now serves as a popular destination for tour groups and classes on field trips. You can learn about the protest as well as the prison’s famous inmates, past escape attempts, and daily life on the island when you take a guided behind-the-scenes tour. The island can only be accessed by ferry, but your bus can drop you off and pick you up at the dock the ferry leaves from.
Most of the redwoods in the Muir Woods are at least 500 years old, with some as old as 1,200 years. You must notify the park that you wish to park a charter bus before you arrive, and you may be required to disembark from the bus and board a shuttle to reach the forest. Once you’re there, take a moment to revel in the serenity of the primeval woods and think about how many generations of people have stood beneath those same trees.
When you think of Northern California, there’s a good chance you think of wine. There are about 600 wineries in Napa Valley and Sonoma Wine Country alone, and the two regions have a sibling rivalry regarding which is best for wine-lovers. So how do you pick one? Your charter bus can take you around either or both, but here are a few facts to help you decide which one you prefer if you have to choose.
Napa Valley and Sonoma share mountainous geography and an arid climate, but they have very different personalities. If you’re looking for a high-end, tourist-oriented experience, put Napa Valley on your bus itinerary. If you’re more into a rustic, country vibe, Sonoma is right for you. Whichever one you pick, you’ll have a guaranteed designated driver when you rent a charter bus.
Napa Valley is pricey and highly commercialized, with high-end restaurants and luxury hotels sharing space with vineyards specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. If your group wants to feel like high-rollers, put Napa on your itinerary. Some of the most popular vineyards here include Domaine Carneros, Monticello, Corley Family Napa Valley, Piña Napa Valley, and the famous Castello di Amorosa.
This sprawling region offers more vineyards and more affordable wines, though it lacks Napa’s fine dining restaurants and high-end lodgings. This makes Sonoma ideal for groups who want a slow-paced journey through the countryside. Popular wineries in this area include Buena Vista, Ravenswood, Deerfield Ranch, and Sebastiani.
Silicon Valley lies about 30 minutes from the southernmost part of San Francisco, which means many Google and Facebook workers call San Francisco home and board their company shuttle to get to work each day. If you have to travel to Silicon Valley for work, you can follow much the same pattern.
Book a hotel in SF so you can explore Fisherman’s Wharf, The Presidio and the Golden Gate Bridge during your free time, and then rent a bus to take you to the tech headquarters where you’ll be working for the day. And if you haven’t filled up your itinerary with fun attractions, check out the options below to finish fleshing it out.
The Orignal Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop at Ghiradelli Square
Ghirardelli’s original chocolate factory was founded in 1852, making it the third-oldest chocolate company in the United States. Have your charter bus driver drop your group off at Fisherman's Wharf and then walk to this charming storefront for a sundae.
Address: 900 North Point Suite #52, San Francisco, CA 94109
Union Square
With abundant stores, restaurants, and hotels, Union Square is a major hub for the city of SF. Check out luxury stores like Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co before grabbing something to eat at Amber India, Colibri Mexican Bistro, or Chabaa Thai Cuisine. Your charter bus can drop you off so your group can wander freely through the area.
Address: 333 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94108
Lombard Street
While the majority of Lombard Street runs smoothly and predictably between The Presidio and The Embarcadero, the stretch between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets gets interesting. Made famous in multiple films, this twisting street has 8 hairpin turns crammed into a 1-block area. Although a charter bus can’t make it down the road, your driver can drop you off nearby so your group can walk up and down the hill and take plenty of pictures for Instagram.
Address: 1070 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Golden Gate Park
This large urban park lies on the western edge of San Francisco and offers stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Pack a picnic lunch in your motorcoach's undercarriage, spend a few hours sitting on the grass, and take in the breathtaking vistas.
Address: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94122
Muir Beach Lookout
Muir Beach is where the redwood forest meets the Pacific Ocean. If your group hikes through the woods to this peaceful spot on the coastline, you’ll be greeted with a 360-degree panoramic view of the Pacific.
Address: Muir Beach Overlook, Muir Beach, CA 94965
The Palace of Fine Arts
Showcasing all the regality its name implies, The Palace of Fine Arts is one San Francisco architectural landmark you won't want to miss. Marvel at the 1,100-ft. Greek pergola structure, watch ducks and swans float by on the tranquil lagoon, or catch a special event or show.
Address: 3601 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Point Bonita Lighthouse
If you opt to take your charter bus to Sausalito, the charming city located on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge, don’t miss the historical Point Bonita Lighthouse. The third lighthouse to be built on the West Coast, this landmark offers views of the bridge and the San Francisco skyline and is often less crowded than other vantage points.
Address: San Francisco Bay Entrance in the Marin Headlands, Sausalito, CA 94965
A charter bus offers a safe and efficient way to navigate San Francisco’s narrow streets and California’s busy highways. Depending on how many people you’re bringing, it can be more affordable than flying, rental cars, or rideshares, and it certainly carries less risk of getting lost than public transit does.
Your experienced driver will drop you off and pick you up at all of the destinations on your personalized itinerary so you won’t have to waste time waiting on trains, rideshares, or buses. You can also store your belongings in the luggage bays and take advantage of relaxing amenities like free WiFi, flat-screen TVs, and reclining seats. If any of that sounds good to you, call National Charter Bus at 415-226-7853. We’d love to give you a free, no-obligation quote for your trip to the City by the Bay.