Yeeees, beautiful views from these steps!…read more I've come here in the very early morning to see lovely views of the Bay Bridge and then in the afternoon to see the city humming with life below me. Never too crowded, but worth the work out for the view. 2024: 66/100

There are three sets of stairs that were built on the eastern slope of Telegraph Hill, and it's…read moreclear to me which one is which. With its leafy foliage, the Filbert Steps are Ginger, and with far less foot traffic than the Filbert Steps, the Greenwich Steps are Mary Ann. That must mean these stairs are Mrs. Howell because let's face it, they're the least sexy. Three stairways make up the Vallejo Street Steps, but the central one is the only one that allows you to wander the surrounding gardens. These steps are the closest ones to Broadway, and that counts for something. Isn't that right, Lovey? RELATED - Interested in climbing the stairways around the Bay Area? Here's a collection of steps I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3UkMHud

Our day trips to SF always include lots of eating while visiting friends and relatives…read more So I try to balance our caloric intake with some scenic incline hikes. Today we did a 1 mile out-and-back hike at Corona Heights. Park on Ord Street Go up Vulcan Stairway Left on Levant Street Right on Lower Terrace Right on Michael Sullivan Steps Left on Clifford Terrace Left on Upper Terrace Right on Mt Olympus Stairs Sit and rest on a cement bench under the obelisk to enjoy views from the center of San Francisco. Then reverse back the path.

I really liked viewing the backyards of houses on Vulcan Stairway. It was rustic and backyards…read more It's hard to find and somebody led a hike and we took the stairway towards Corona Heights park after Mt. Sutro. It's a fun adventure. Hadn't done it in all this time.

For fans of Tales of the City, it's definitely worth stopping by for a pic of the sign and the view…read moreof the bay in back of it. Otherwise, it is nothing else like the show, there is no apartment complex nestled in the hill, that was filmed on a soundstage. Technically there are some apartments along the path but nothing really to see. It's nice go this way if going from North Beach to the Marina/Cow Hollow or Russian Hill. Vallejo, Lombard, Green, and Greenwich pathway stairs are nearby so best to make a stair walk out of it.

If you've been wondering where the steps of 28 Barbary Lane are in the city, here they be. That's…read morebecause the cloistered walkway that is Macondray Lane served as the inspiration for Anna Madrigal's compound in Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City", the classic series of books about the liberating life in San Francisco primarily during the '70's and '80's. The residential path is in front of a series of charming homes that are understandably well ensconced in the seven-figure range. On the other side is a steep embankment covered with greenery and freckled with nice touches like a tranquil little waterfall and a trio of trousers doubling as planters. Just be quiet and respectful because people live here but enjoy the atmosphere. RELATED - Exploring Russian Hill? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2IfTVOB

I almost hesitate to post this because of how fantastic and "classic SF" it feels but I do think…read morepeople should know about this amazing starcase walk near Coit Tower. I actually found this trying to visit Coit Tower but it wasn't open early enough whereas these stairs are basically 24 hours. We arrived around 8:30 am on Friday and there are 3 parking spots right at the bottom of the stairs. During peak times I'm not sure where you can park that is closer but there is a lot of metered street parking in a 1-2 block radius around it. My 75+ aged parents were able to climb and descend the 300 steps but it did leave them winded and we had to stop a couple of times. The payoff is definitely the top area near the houses. If you go to the right "off-trail" you'll find these amazing public areas covered in trees, greenery, sitting areas, and art installations that will feel like you found a Secret Garden. This is a perfect and quiet place to blast off and on the way back there was a guy about to shoot up sitting on the stairs.

It's quite a workout with 384 stairs across 3 different landings up to Coit Tower…read more The first leg the stairs are the steepest and looks very foreboding. During the summer this part has wild blackberries in bloom. From there the stairs turn into a path that goes alongside some small gardens and houses. In the spring expect to see roses, lavender, and bougainvillea. In the winter rainy season, it looks very green. There are always lots of bird chirping and it feels so peaceful, like a little retreat. There are a couple of other legs of stairs before arriving at Coit tower with killer views of the Golden Gate and Bay bridges. Greenwich stairs are parallel to the Filbert stairs so basically you walk up one and down the other. They are both equally awesome, but it seems like Filbert gets all the attention. From the base to Coit tower and back is about a mile but to make it longer and add more stairs I'd advise to walk through North Beach to Ina Colbrith Park or the top of Lombard street. That will tack on an extra mile each way and it's always fun to stop in North beach at an Italian café, pizzeria, or Washington Square Park.

One of the many free Privately Owned Public Open Spaces in SF! While lovely, this location is…read morepretty small and is only a tiny walking area with a pretty water fountain. There's no seating like other spaces so keep this place in mind for more of a quick stop to admire the water and plants.

31 years in The City and The Castro is still my safe space. I have memories here from my first…read morevisit to the present time. I know of it's history, from a working class neighborhood and it's subsequent reinventions. More importantly, I as an elder, Gen-X, gay ,disabled, Mexican man have never felt unwelcome here

As I walk on through this wicked world Searching for light…read morein the darkness of insanity I ask myself, Is all hope lost? Is there only pain, and hatred, and misery? And each time I feel like this inside There's one thing I wanna know What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? And as I walked on through troubled times My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes So where are the strong? And who are the trusted? And where is the harmony? Sweet harmony Cause each time I feel it slipping away, just makes me wanna cry What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? So where are the strong? And who are the trusted? And where is the harmony? Sweet harmony 'Cause each time I feel it slipping away, just makes me wanna cry What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding? Written By Nick Lowe

NOTE: This is a review of the Presidio Heights neighborhood in San Francisco. It is not a review of…read moreany particular park in Presidio Heights. I originally added this listing on 1/8/2025, but Yelp capriciously made it a review of a park. I removed my review and added it again on 1/10/2025, but Yelp once again merged it into an existing park listing. THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF A PARK. Yelp, please stop combining reviews without good reason. Believe it or not, I really like the Presidio wall, especially on the southern end of the Presidio, where the wall acts not only as the border between the Presidio and the rest of San Francisco but also as the line between the Presidio and the San Francisco neighborhood known as Presidio Heights. Why is this important? It's not, but it's cool to me. Look at the 3100 block of Pacific Avenue on a map. While both sides of the street are outside of the Presidio, in the general San Francisco way of dividing neighborhoods, the northern side of the street shouldn't be in Presidio Heights, because neighborhood borders are almost always streets. But since this tiny slice of houses is outside of the Presidio wall even though Pacific Avenue should be the dividing line between neighborhoods, it's still in the neighborhood. And as you continue west along Pacific Avenue, the houses on the northern side end in the middle of the 3200 block (between Presidio Avenue and Walnut Street), because the Presidio wall finally angles over enough to more or less parallel Pacific Avenue. And this gives you the strange experience of being on Pacific Avenue looking north over the wall at a parallel but different street that is helpfully and confusingly named West Pacific Avenue, because the Presidio has its own duplicate streets that might not technically be duplicates because they're on federal land. But wait, there's more. I love the tree-named streets and their old big houses and the shrubbery and the London-feeling (or at least England-feeling) streets, some of which have cobblestones and stone walls and creeping vines. During COVID, when I would drive around aimlessly just to get out of a crowded house, I would sometimes park on Locust Street and just watch the people social-distancing as they exercised and walked and played catch at Presidio Wall Playground Park. It's an old San Francisco residential neighborhood with all the lovely architectural styles and mistakes you've come to know and love from our dear city. It's also the site of the last confirmed Zodiac murder, which is very spooky because it was witnessed by three teenagers and because police may have spoken to the murderer as he escaped but didn't detain him because the dispatcher had mistakenly described the killer as a Black man. Haunted San Francisco may or may not be a thing, but the way the fog rolls in at night and lingers makes neighborhoods like Presidio Heights feel simultaneously cozy and eerie. Like London (or at least England).

Was taking a fine stroll around Chinatown when I happened upon this tunnel. Brightly painted red…read moreand yellow on opposing ends, it was nights like these I was glad I wasn't driving. Traffic was congested even before the entrance of the tunnel, though the drivers were remarkably patient without honking away. Seems like the "Quiet Through Tunnel" sign actually worked. While these two lanes heading out of Chinatown were backed up, the singular opposing lane was more or less empty. A few other pedestrians were passing through that evening. One was blasting music from his phone, while another was practicing his high notes out loud, so even without the honking their sounds bounced and reverberated. There were scraps of refuse here and there along with an abandoned scooter, but for the most part it was a clean path. Walls included the words Chinatown on one end and Union Square in English and Chinese along with an assortment of koi paintings. I decided to come back in the morning when the traffic was at a minimum and check out the scenery above the tunnel. The stairway going up was smelly and less maintained than the tunnel, though once I was back on the streets, it was a pleasant experience walking downhill to Chinatown.

I have walked through the Stockton Street Tunnel many times over the years. Sadly, over the last…read morefew years, especially during the COVID period, it was poorly maintained, and the sidewalks were littered with garbage. However, a few days ago, while walking toward Chinatown through the tunnel on the left side, I found it much cleaner than it had been in recent years. Granted, I still noticed a few signs of the challenges the area has faced, but overall, the tunnel felt much cleaner and better maintained. The Stockton Street Tunnel opened on December 29, 1914. It connects downtown San Francisco to Chinatown and North Beach. It was designed to avoid the steep climb over Nob Hill. It originally accommodated electric streetcars, but today it carries traffic and Muni buses. Personally, every time I walk through it, I appreciate not having to climb to the top of Nob Hill and then head down the other end. It is also a big help to drivers, like me, who need to drive from one side of the hill to the other.