- Hours: Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m.
- Reservations: Highly recommended. See options below
- Cost: Admission charged
- Location: Nob Hill. Starts at the corner of California and Taylor Streets
- How Long: About two hours
- Best Time to Visit: Spring and fall, when the weather is better. The tour goes on in winter except during heavy rain and foggy summer nights can be as cold as a Vampire's kiss. The tour fills up early for Halloween.
Vampire Tour Review
San Francisco's Nob Hill has been the home of the rich and famous for over a century. Railroad barons built their mansions here. Some of the city's most upscale hotels and restaurants perch atop the hill today. But beneath all this wealth and opulence lies a secret: vampires live in tunnels below here. That's according to Mina Harker, a 127-year-old vampire who sleeps during the day in a Nob Hill church. Mina is the main character and guide of the San Francisco Vampire Tour. Created and played by playwright Kitty Burns, Mina guides visitors on a two-hour nighttime adventure that combines Nob Hill history with vampire fantasy.The tour begins at the corner of California and Taylor Streets, where Mina relates her creation as a vampire. Having been a vegetarian, she was plenty mad at first and had to be force fed on her way to San Francisco's Barbary Coast. When she arrived, the Barbary Coast was so bad that even vampires were afraid to come out, and she stayed underground for a long time. When Mina did venture out, though, she seems to have met all the most famous characters and she spins tales and tells all, from how a millionaire made his way from his home to his mistress across the street to how vampires helped build the Bay Area Rapid Transit System.
During stops at the Nob Hill Cafe, Huntington Park, Pacific Union Club, Fairmont and Mark Hopkins hotels, tour members learn about San Francisco history and vampire lore. It's all in good fun, though, as the cheerful, smiling Burns leads her flock to the tour's end at the Marines' Memorial Club.
We rate the Vampire Tour 4 stars out of 5 for its unique combination of history and entertainment. It's a pleasant alternative to standard evening activities. Be sure to dress warmly, it's usually quite windy on the top of Nob Hill and San Francisco evening fog makes it feel even colder.
