Boutique Traveler
Downtown, California
(15)
Downtown, California
(15)
15 customer reviews
Maureen Campbell
Good pace. Informative. Michael was lovely and emailed us pictures of the trip. Must do if visiting San Francisco
Reviewed on Facebook
Chip Barker
On a recent visit to Mexico City, I researched high and low for the perfect tour company to show us the sights. Not wanting to be part of a large group and seeking some personalized touring with special experiences, I came upon Boutique Traveler. The owner, Michael Glass was a wealth of information for not only planning the tours while in Mexico City, but offering tips on other attractions, places to see, places to eat and places to consider staying. So even though we’d only have a couple of official tours booked through them, the information they provided via email and on their website, really helped craft our plans for the entire visit. You’re getting much more than just a tour here. We had the same guide for all of our tours, the amazing Rulo. And here’s the cool thing. Rulo was our tour guide but also our professional photographer. A few days after the tour we got an email of the most amazing photos. We never get pictures of us together on vacation because one of us is always taking the photos and one of us us in them. (Selfies don’t count) These were the best photos of “us” we’ve ever had taken so to us, they’re just priceless. Touring with Rulo was like hanging out with a pal and we really enjoyed his company. He kept us on schedule so we could see all the high points but also let us wander a bit. My attraction to “shiny objects” has derailed more than one itinerary but Rulo made it all work out. Rulo is genuinely a Mexico City (and beyond) expert. Any questions on food, culture, traditions, architecture, history…Rulo was like a walking Google search. While in Mexico City we enjoyed the “Best of Mexico City” tour, a modified “Tastes of Coyoacan” tour to fit some time constraints we were under, and a sneak peek at a tour in the making, a visit to the incredible pyramids of Teotihuacan. Every tour was simply spectacular. I’ll definitely be booking with Boutique Traveler again. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Marjorie Lehman
If you are in San Francisco and want a great tour, hire Michael from Boutique traveler. The highlights of San Francisco tour is excellent and he is so accommodating. He really works with his clients to develop a tour of interest to them. We hired him for a second day as well! We would hire him again for sure! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Alice Zhang
Michael's walking tour is packed with historical anecdotes and stories! On top of that, you also get awesome photos taken and have access to them right after! Overall loved the tour! Recommended to a friend's family of 7 from Shanghai and they commented that this tour was the best part of their two week's US trip! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Stefano Pulcini
The best choice!
Reviewed on Facebook
Jonas Judd
Lived in SF for over 20yrs, and Michael pointed out some nooks I never knew of. Wonderful tour! Thanks, Michael!!
Reviewed on Facebook
Inma Gregorio
Perfect choice for custom made tours. Attentive, super knowledgeable guides that went the extra mile to make us happy. Thanks!
Reviewed on Facebook
Peter Wright
Alex and Acelle were excellent tour guides and I learned a lot of interesting information about a city I live in and thought I knew everything about. I am very excited to take another tour with the company! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Rachael Smolen
I don't get into the city much these days. And when I do, rarely do I get a chance to play tourist. After all, I had lived in San Francisco for almost a decade and I thought I had seen it all.
This last Saturday, I had an opportunity to join Michael on one of his walking tours through the Ferry Building and the Financial District. What a wonderful way to experience San Francisco!
Michael is a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide. As an Australian who has embraced San Francisco as his home, he offers a fresh perspective and a true appreciation of the city and its vibrant history.
Not only did I learn something new about the history of San Francisco, I now have a renewed appreciation for things I had taken for granted – from historic buildings hidden among the high-rises in the Financial District, to public and private parks, to the sidewalk beneath my feet.
I recommend the Boutique Traveler for Bay Area locals and visitors from afar. A private walking tour is a fantastic way to experience the richness of the city, both in terms of its history and modern culture.
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Reviewed on Facebook
Graham Hoff-Downing
I was in Oakland on a layover with my coworker from the airline and we were looking for something to do relatively close to downtown Oakland.
We did the Chinatown and North Beach tour and were not disappointed. Although neither of us had any prior knowledge of the Beatnik culture or even basic history of San Fransisco, Mike assisted us in getting some of the more foundational aspects of this wonderful town, from culture to the culinary.
I had walked around San Fransisco (and MANY other U.S. cities, on a regular basis) on layovers in the past, quite aimlessly and without a discerning eye to what I was seeing. After taking the tour with Mike, I will be taking more like them in the future, as it opens your eyes to the rich culture that surrounds you. My interest, for example, in the Beatnik culture has spurred me to look into some of the literature that were the fruits of the movement, as well as seek out more info on the history of the city.
I WILL absolutely be taking another one of the San Fransisco tours given by Boutique Traveler on a future layover and highly recommend these tours. More generally, I will be seeking out tours in other cities, now that I see the high value they can provide. I can only hope they are as good as this one.
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Reviewed on Facebook
Sammie JCat
My boyfriend and I visited San Francisco and decided to get a walking tour with The Boutique Traveler. And I really must say that it was one of the best days of my entire trip and really opened my eyes to what a fabulous city it is.
Our tour guide Michael was warm and friendly, and his knowledge of San Francisco, its hidden treasures and its history, was really expansive! He seemed to be know about so many different aspects of the city.
We were enthralled by beautiful secret gardens, architecture and art and then the gourmet and organic treats at the Ferry Building just about blew my mind.
I will and have recommended these walking tours to anyone who will listen! I would even get another tour when I go back!
Many Thanks to The Boutique Traveler
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Reviewed on Facebook
Matt Bell
My friends and I were lucky enough to be part of the first tour ran in Mexico City & what an experience it was. Perfect mix of authentic culture, history & fun. Our guide Rulo was an endless supply of knowledge & ensured the tour was interesting the entire time. Will be highly recommending to friends and travellers alike. Thanks Rulo, Michael and Boutique Traveler for an unforgettable experience More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Matthew B.
My friends and I were lucky enough to be part of the first tour ran in Mexico City & what an experience it was. Perfect mix of authentic culture, history & fun. Our guide Rulo was an endless supply of knowledge & ensured the tour was interesting the entire time. Will be highly recommending to friends and travellers alike. Thanks Rulo, Michael and Boutique Traveler for an unforgettable experience More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Penny L.
There's a lot of options when trying to book tours in San Francisco. Private, group, free, walking, riding, biking..it can be overwhelming. Believe me, I'm pretty sure I contacted every tour company on the Bay Area. I decided to go with Michael and Boutique Traveler because he was amazingly friendly, very knowledgeable and flexible. Yes, private tours are more expensive than the group ones but in this case it's worth it. You pay by the hour and the tour is customized to what you want to see. He tells you the history, shows you hidden gems, and directs you to the best coffee in the city. The only downside is because you pay by the hour, it's hard to take pictures of everything and you'll probably end up going back on your own to do so. Along the way, Michael takes pictures and stuff but it's cool to have your perspective too. Honestly, not only is this company a great value that provides great knowledge but it's like going about with a friend. You don't feel like such a stranger in a strange land. So if you're looking for a wonderful tour company to see the sights; look no further than Boutique Traveler! More...
Reviewed on Yelp
Lisette P.
Many people who live in SF are transplants from somewhere else, so even if you're not a tourist, it's fun to be tourist in your own city. The Boutique Traveler is poles apart from the hop-on, hop-off bus tours where you're crammed in with dozens of other tourists getting the same tired experience. I've never been a fan of traveling like this, because you don't have any real insights into the culture of a city and its people. All of the tours with The Boutique Traveler are private, which means that they are all customized to what you're interested in doing. I love food and history so I received a great taste of this from checking out the Ferry Building (and the markets - yum yum) as well as learning about the gold rush, Chinatown, the financial system etc. What's a big differentiator is that you have photos taken of you and your family/friends during the trip that are sent to you afterwards, which means that you can relax and just take everything in on the tour. Definitely something for everyone - families, couples, groups or solo travels. Lots of fun. More...
Reviewed on Yelp
