City Tour
Twin Peaks, Haight Ashbury, Alamo Square, Marina Yacht Harbor, Crissy Field, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, Presidio/Lincoln Park,
Richmond/Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park
Richmond/Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park
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Duration: full day
Distance: 36 miles/58 km Getting to Twin Peaks from Union Square: the best route is along Geary Street towards Golden Gate Park. At Van Ness Avenue you have to turn left to continue up to Market Street. Here you make a sharp right turn to merge into Portola Drive. From there make another sharp right turn to drive up Twin Peaks Boulevard. |
After you made a left turn onto Van Ness you pass the Herbst Theatre (at McAllister) followed by the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Symphony, both located to your right at Grove Street. To your left at the opposite you see San Francisco’s City Hall.
Getting to Twin Peaks from Fisherman's Wharf: I recommend following Hyde Street until you end at Market Street. Turn right and continue on Market Street until it merges into Portola Drive. From Portola Drive make sharp right turn to drive up to Twin Peaks Boulevard. |
1st stop: Twin Peaks
The city’s most beautiful overlook is waiting on top of Twin Peaks. The stunning vantage point covers a panorama running in between Presidio and Golden Gate Bridge at the far left to the South of San Francisco at the far right.
Twin Peaks is a great starting point. It gets you an overview of San Francisco before you start driving along the steep inclines and declines.
The earlier you get to Twin Peaks the less crowded it will be. In general the sightseeing busses start unloading their passengers here from 9 am.
In case of coastal fog skip this vista point since you won’t see anything.
2nd stop: Haight Ashbury
From Twin Peaks follow the right street and leave the parking lot towards Clayton Street towards Haight Ashbury.
Along your way you will come to small intersection not provided with road signs: stay right and follow the street until it merges into Clayton. Continue driving until you hit Haight Street and make a right at the intersection.
If you come here before 11am (which would be the case if you hit the Peaks early) don’t be astonished that all stores are still closed – it’s still in the middle of the night for the Haight…but the best time to stroll along the facades and shops.
An institution is the Red Victorian Café where you have ‘conversation tables’ to discuss politics or other topics with strangers. If you are not in the mood to mingle with strangers the café also offers common tables where you can enjoy your coffee alone.
The corner of Haight and Ashbury Street is the famous gathering point of the Love & Peace devotees in the 1960s. Since then the Haight is known as origin of the hippieism.
The quarter’s hippie culture is preserved until today. Many shops are still selling bell-bottoms and bohemian wear and the smell of dope is still unmistakeable.
Walking down Haigh Street you come across Buena Vista Park. From the top you have a nice view over the Victorian houses and San Francisco.
3rd stop: Alamo Square
Back at the car drive down Haight Street and turn left into Scott Street. Four blocks down the street you reach Alamo Square with the ‘Painted Ladies’. The term painted ladies is used for Victorian buildings painted in more than 3 colors. The Steiner Row and its Painted Ladies became a famous sight in the city because the houses that were built between 1892 and 1896 appeared in several visitor brochures, ads, movies and TV shows. From the top of Alamo Square you have the best view over the row of houses and its colorful facades. If the sky is clear you also have a postcard view over the city’s skyline.
Parking can be difficult here, so start looking for a lot early. If you were lucky finding a lot and you should be close to lunchtime you can consider walking down Hayes Street for four blocks to the center of Hayes Valley. The residential area is known for many small and very good restaurants, bars and shops. A selection of restaurants is listed under ‘Restaurants’ and ideas for good shops under ‘Shopping’.
Back at the car drive down Haight Street and turn left into Scott Street. Four blocks down the street you reach Alamo Square with the ‘Painted Ladies’. The term painted ladies is used for Victorian buildings painted in more than 3 colors. The Steiner Row and its Painted Ladies became a famous sight in the city because the houses that were built between 1892 and 1896 appeared in several visitor brochures, ads, movies and TV shows. From the top of Alamo Square you have the best view over the row of houses and its colorful facades. If the sky is clear you also have a postcard view over the city’s skyline.
Parking can be difficult here, so start looking for a lot early. If you were lucky finding a lot and you should be close to lunchtime you can consider walking down Hayes Street for four blocks to the center of Hayes Valley. The residential area is known for many small and very good restaurants, bars and shops. A selection of restaurants is listed under ‘Restaurants’ and ideas for good shops under ‘Shopping’.
4th stop: Marina
Back in the car you continue from Hayes Valley to the Marina. Drive along Fulton Street up to Filmore Street and make a left there.
On your way you come across Japantown and later Cow Hollow, both very diverse neighborhoods with many restaurants, event venues, and shops.
Follow Filmore to the end to enter Marina Boulevard. At the other side of the street is San Francisco’s yacht harbor with many sailing and motorboats. You can park your car at the parking lot or make a left turn and head to the end of the Marina basin. Before the highway entrance to Golden Gate Bridge turn right into Yacht Boulevard to get to a smaller parking lot at the end.
Those who parked at the large lot walk down the harbor basin towards Golden Gate Bridge.
Before you enter Crissy Field and have a beautiful vantage point over the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge make a detour to Palace of Fine Arts.
The ones who found parking at Yacht Boulevard walk back to Marina Boulevard and cross the street.
The impressive structure was built in 1915 for the Panama Pacific International Exposition and is the only building that was kept.
You might recognize the building from movies like Vertigo, The Rock, and TV shows like Monk and The Streets of San Francisco. The former exhibition hall became part of the ‘Exploratorium’ an interactive science museum with a 1000-seat theatre. The best way to explore Palace of Fine Arts is by taking the loop trail starting to your right and left in front of Exploratorium. A great photo spot is the view from the duck pond towards the building.
To get back to the Marina and the beginning of Crissy Field just walk back to Marina Blvd, cross the street and continue straight towards the Bay.
5th stop: Crissy Field (http://www.parksconservancy.org/our-work/crissy/)
At the end of Yacht Boulevard you have some stairs that lead into the Bay and a great vantage point over Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Sausalito, the small village at the other side of the Bay. The red colored stones along the beach are debris from the big earthquake in 1906.
Don’t miss to turn around to enjoy the view over San Francisco’s skyline as well. This view is getting better the closer you get to Golden Gate Bridge walking the path.
Crissy Field is a great opportunity to stretch your legs and have a nice panorama over Golden Gate Bridge. At the beginning of the path is the ‘Crissy Field Visitor Center’ where you get more information about its history and development. Moreover the center sells nice souvenirs if you need some presents for family and friends.
The lawn to your left was a former runway of the Presidio Army Base. The old Presidio buildings are lined along the hill to your left. Today, many of them are used for commercial and residential purposes. From the Presidio hills you have wonderful views over the Bay, the Pacific and of course Golden Gate Bridge.
From the path you have several possibilities to enter the beach. Coming here during summer months you might don't believe that in spring crowds of people are sunbathing here.
Warming Hut
At the end of Crissy Field you come across the Warming Hut. The café and bistro sells delicious snacks and has a small souvenir shop with outlandish gifts.
Referring to the average temperatures in San Francisco the café carries the perfect name. For a nice view over San Francisco’s skyline I recommend to enter the pier in front of the Warming Hut. Just be careful with the fishermen, most of them pay no attention to pedestrians when they wet their lines.
Fort Point – (http://www.nps.gov/fopo/)
– during summer the Fort is open 7 days a week and the rest of the year from Fri-Sun 10am-5pm!
From the Warming Hut you can see Fort Point already. During winter and spring this area of the Bay becomes a popular surf spot. Most times the swell is so good that experienced short board surfers are having fun close to the shore and long boarders enjoy the waves below Golden Gate Bridge. Great to watch, but due to sharp rocks underneath the surface, strong currents, and sea traffic it is also very dangerous to surf here.
Fort Point was a former deterrence to naval attacks in California. Today a small exhibition informs about the live of the army officers and soldiers in the Fort and shows uniforms from the time of the civil war.
The best vantage point over Golden Gate Bridge is from the roof.
If you like to join the crowds at the lookout on the hill above you follow the way back towards the Warming Hut and take the steps to your left on Marina Drive.
At the Fort's exit is a tiny box collecting donations to keep the Fort open to public.
If you can spare some money I think it’s worth to support them.
Walk back to your car.
6th stop: Golden Gate Bridge
From Yacht Boulevard you have to turn into Doyle Drive (Highway Bridge) to enter the ramp to Golden Gate Bridge directly. All others who parked in the large lot follow Marina Boulevard towards Golden Gate Bridge.
Golden Gate Bridge was built from 1933 to 1937 after long disputes with the Department of War and the Southern Pacific Railroad. One party was concerned that the bridge affects the ship traffic; the other was afraid losing their transportation monopoly.
There are no records how many people worked on the Golden Gate Bridge construction since the bridge was built with 10 different contractors. However, eleven men died during the construction and 19 were saved by a safety net that was running from one side to the other. Those guys were nicknamed the ‘Halfway-to-Hell-Club’.
Driving out of San Francisco you are not charged any toll fees for bridges but coming back you have to pay. At the bridge’s other end you will see a vista point to your right, perfect for bikers but since you are driving with your car there is a more spectacular outlook coming up later. But first follow me to Sausalito.
Take HWY1/101 north and exit at Marin City. There is another exit to Sausalito before Marin City, please ignore it since the route over Marin City is way more scenic.
At the end of the exit continue straight forward (please do not turn right onto N Bridge Boulevard) along Bridgeway. You will pass the harbor and many houseboats that are typical for Sausalito before you get to Sausalito’s center. Pass the center to park along the long waterfront promenade (Bridgeway).
7th stop: Sausalito
Sausalito was a former commercial fisher village only accessible for people that owned a boat since a carriage would need one or more days to ride along the bay. The town became more diverse when railway tracks finally connected the area with other communities along the Bay at the end of the 19th century.
The infrastructure was even more improved with a car ferry connection to Sausalito from San Francisco in the 1930s and the opening of Golden Gate Bridge in 1937. With World War II Sausalito became a hub of marine ships and after the end of the war developed into a quaint community with houseboats and a yacht harbor.
Today Sausalito is a picturesque small seacoast village with beautiful houses that are lined along rolling hills. Its center is packed with tiny souvenir shops, boutiques, and restaurants. From the long waterfront promenade visitors have stunning views towards San Francisco.
Leave the seacoast village by following the Bridgeway to the end. Make a right into Richardson Street and an immediate left into 2nd Street. Continue on South Street that becomes Alexander Avenue. Make a right into Bunker Rd before the highway entrance and drive through the tunnel towards the next stop the Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point.
8th stop: Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point
After crossing the one-way tunnel close to Sausalito you enter Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Follow Bunker Road up to McCullough Road (first bigger street to your left) and make a left.
At the end of the road you enter Conzelman Road and should have a jaw-dropping view over the Bay. First turn right to reach the highest lookout over Golden Gate Bridge.
After that drive back towards Golden Gate Bridge to the 2nd lookout and finish the scenic view onto the bridge at the 3rd stop next to an old fortification. Walk down the path that passes the fortification and leads you to the vantage point that is located above the bridge.
9th stop: Presido/Lincoln Park
From Conzelman Road head back to Highway 1/101 and cross Golden Gate Bridge to return to the city. This time you have to pay a toll fee. Since all toll booths are closed since March 2013 you have to pay the fee online in advance or within 72 hours under: http://www.goldengate.org/tolls/. Have your credit card and license plate ready for the purchase.
Stay at the far right because I will have you turn right into Merchant Road immediate after the tollbooth.
By making the turn you will explore the other side of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Make another turn at the first possibility and follow Lincoln Blvd.
Just behind the intersection of Merchant Road and Lincoln Blvd enter a small parking lot that is marked with the sign ‘Vista Point’ and walk up to the cliff edge. From there you have another stunning view over Golden Gate Bridge.
Back on the road turn right twice at Bowley Road, which gets you to Baker Beach. From the beach you have another scenic view towards Golden Gate Bridge. This beach is also very popular during sunset. However, it can get very cold and you should bring some warm layers.
Back on Bowley Road turn left or right to return to Lincoln Boulevard. At Lincoln turn right and continue through the Presidio neighborhood, the secondary residence of many Hollywood stars. Gazing at the mansions along the street you might get a clue about the property prices.
Down the road you will bump into a golf course fairway to your right. This is the 17th hole of Lincoln Park Golf Course. Parking or stopping here gives you another opportunity taking pictures of Golden Gate Bridge. In addition you can enter scenic Lands End Trail from here.
Please make sure you enter the trail behind the golf hole and do not short cut over the fairway. This only gives the golfers the right to hit a moving target since you trespassed their territory.
Lands End Trail goes down to Ocean Beach and the Cliff House. It is a 4-mile roundtrip and I would only recommend it if you have enough energy left and love to hike since there are some steep inclines on the trail.
Back at the car continue the tour to the North where Lincoln Boulevard becomes El Camino del Mar and ends at California Palace of the Legion of Honor (art museum). Make a left and drive down 34th Street to Geary Street and the Richmond (neighborhood).
10th stop: Richmond/Ocean Beach/Golden Gate Park
Leaving the Presidio you arrive at Richmond a neighborhood with Asian, Eastern European, and Arabian influences. Here you have an international variety of restaurants and supermarkets.
If you want to take a closer look park around 25th and Clement Street (Clement St. is behind you in case you already drove down to 34th Street and Geary).
One of the most colorful supermarkets is New May Wah Supermarket at 707-709 Clement Street. You will find spices from all over the world at Haig's Delicacies, 642 Clement Street and next door a Hawaiian place that offers traditional Hawaiian fare for the hungry.
If you want to skip this stop make a right into Geary Street and follow the street down to the ocean and the famous Cliff House. The Cliff House is one of the oldest restaurants in California located at Ocean Beach.
The Cliff House had to be re-built five times since it fell victim to bad construction, fires and an explosion. Its Sutro Bar and Restaurant opens nice views over the shore, in particular during sunset. While all people are heading to the upper floor I recommend the lower floor since it is less busy. http://www.cliffhouse.com/.
Just a stone throw away is the entrance of Golden Gate Park. You can enter the park with your car by taking John F Kennedy Drive to the left.
The Dutch windmill at the entrance was built in 1903 to water the park. The Wilhelmina tulip garden in front was a present to the city from Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. Continuing JFK Drive you will reach the Chain of Lakes Drives, which is located next to the bison paddock on your left. If you are really really lucky they will wait for you behind the fence but honestly: usually they are hanging around in the far back of their compound. I recommend bringing binoculars.
Please note: if the JFK Drive is temporarily closed use the Martin Luther King Jr Drive (south of JFK Drive).
After crossing Park Cross Overdrive you should look for parking if you are planning to visit Stow Lake, the Japanese Tea Garden or De Young Museum or the California Academy of Science.
Stow Lake is the largest lake in the park and visitors can rent pedal and rowing boats to explore it if they do not want to walk the lakeshore.
The Japanese Tea Garden was originally built as Japanese Village in 1894 for the Californian Midwinter International Exposition. The beautiful landscape contains ponds, fishes, monuments, flowers, and plants.
Around the corner are the De Young Museum (contemporary modern art) and the California Academy of Science (natural history museum incl. an aquarium, planetarium, and rain forest). Both are amazing museums and worth a visit but you have to allow at least 2hrs for your visit. More details are available under: http://deyoung.famsf.org/ and http://www.calacademy.org/.
Leaving the park you now could consider:
To spend the sunset at Ocean Beach and later have dinner at one of the great restaurants in Marina/Cow Hollow. Drive back Fulton Street or JFK Drive. From there to Marina/Cow Hollow take Geary Blvd and make a left behind HWY 1 into one of the streets up to California Street. At California make a left into Divisadero or Filmore. Along Chestnut and Union Street you have most restaurants.
Drive to Union Square to have dinner on the patio of Cheesecake Factory that is located within the skyline. Drive down Oak Street up to Franklin Street. Make a left at Franklin and an immediate right into Fell Street. From Fell Street continue onto Market Street. Turn left at 3rd Street and immediate right into Geary Street.
Behind Stockton follows the entrance to Union Square garage to your right.
Head back to Hayes Valley to try out the restaurants in this charming neighborhood. Follow Oak Street and make a left into Webster Street. At the corner of Hayes Street turn right and look for parking.
Or you drive one of the steepest streets in San Franciso: Filbert Street. Take HWY 1/Park Presidio Bvld to Golden Gate Bridge and make a right into California Street. Follow California to Hyde Street and make a left. From Hyde turn right into Filbert and stop before you descend.
Recommendations for dinner in all areas are listed under ‘Restaurants’.