Greater San Francisco
San Francisco - California
Alamo Square
Description: The park at Alamo Square was created in 1957. The side facing the city consists of a series of attractive Victorian houses and is one of the most photographed motifs in the USA. The contrast between the old houses in the foreground and the skyscrapers in the background is particularly appealing here. The houses by writers Elisabeth Pamada and Michael Lassen in 1978 were nicknamed Painted Ladys.
Our rating: One of the top highlights during a visit to San Francisco. Definitely a must see. Alamo Square is a nice park where you can enjoy a nice view and a picnic. We also liked the neighborhood around it. Besides the Painted Ladies, there are many other pretty Victorian houses in the area.
City Hall
Description: The town hall is the seat of the city government. The construction became necessary when the old building was completely destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. The new City Hall was opened in 1915 and still exists today. The building was damaged in further earthquakes but could be preserved by extensive renovations. In the meantime, it has also been renovated to be earthquake-proof.
Fun Fact: In 1954, Joe Di Maggio and Marilyn Monroe got married here.
For the GPS: 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl, San Francisco, CA 94102
Our rating: The very striking building is definitely an eye-catcher and makes a nice photo spot. Not an absolute must see, but if you are in the area it is worth a little stop.
Lukas Film
Description: The Presidio is home of the company that produces films, games and television series. The company was founded in 1971 by George Lucas and produced mainly the films of the Star Wars series.
In 2012, the company was sold to Disney for over $4 billion. As a visitor, you can't see very much here. There is no guided tour of the company, but you are allowed to go into the lobby and look at and photograph the devotional items on display. (We had asked for permission at the reception beforehand).
In front of the building is also the Yoda Fountain. A fountain adorned with a statue of Yoda.
Our rating: Most likely, this location is especially interesting for Star Wars fans. We enjoyed it very much to be at the Birthplaces of R2D2 and Co. So if you have a little time and are interested in movies, you may want to check it out.
Entrance fees and opening hours
- Free of charge
- Daily during office hours. Closed on weekends.
For the GPS: 1110 Gorgas Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129
MosaiC Stairway
Description: The pretty mosaic steps can be found on 16th Avenue, just outside the city. The 163 steps were designed by Arleen Barr and Colette Crutcher and created over 2 1/2 years with the help of over 300 volunteers. They used over 200 handmade tiles and over 75000 mosaic pieces. The finished staircase was opened in 2005.
Since the staircase is located in a purely residential area, there may be parking restrictions, especially on weekends.
For the GPS: 16th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
Our rating: Certainly not an absolute must see, but for all people interested in art, this is certainly a worthwhile place. The staircase offers beautiful photo motifs and is simply pretty to look at. On the many mosaics there is much to discover.
Twin Peaks
Description: Twin Peaks is a viewpoint located southwest of downtown San Francisco on the hill of the same name. At a height of about 920ft you have a great view over the whole city.
For the GPS: 501 Twin Peaks Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94114
Our rating: In our opinion, this is one of the best viewpoints over the city. With good visibility you almost have a panoramic view.
