You can’t talk about The City’s landmarks without first talking about the geography that gives rise to them – figuratively and literally, in some cases – namely, its hills and its islands.
Depending on the source, you might read that San Francisco has 43 named hills (from “Hills of San Francisco,” a compilation of San Francisco Chronicle articles published in 1959) or 53 (from a 2004 San Francisco Chronicle article by Tom Graham) or even 74 (from a list compiled by Dave Schweisguth, who has stood atop all 74 of them). Most commonly, however, people talk about “seven hills,” which refers to Nob Hill, Rincon Hill, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, Mount Davidson, Mount Sutro and Twin Peaks.
The first four in that list are discussed in our San Francisco Neighborhoods article, and the last three are covered in the “San Francisco Landmarks – The Icons” section below. (You can click on that link to be delivered to “The Icons” section immediately.)
Similarly abundant, are the islands located in the San Francisco Bay, with one recent book, The Islands of San Francisco Bay, putting the tally at 48. The five discussions below will introduce you to the most prominent ones.
San Francisco Landmarks – The Islands
Alcatraz – This island has served as a military fort (1850s), the site of the first west coast lighthouse (since replaced by the current lighthouse) and the birthplace of the Native American “Red Power” movement (1969-71), but “The Rock” is best remembered as the former federal prison that once incarcerated gangster Al Capone. The island also features gardens, tide pools, bird colonies and spectacular bay views. It is open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year’s Day. (parksconservancy.org/visit/alcatraz/)
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Angel Island – This San Francisco Bay state park is a 740-acre mountainous island offering a variety of activities (hiking, biking, camping, picnicking and tram tours) along with panoramic vistas of The City skyline and the entire Bay (Golden Gate Bridge, Marin and Mt. Tamalpais). A clear day on the island is referred to as a “five bridge day,” when from the top of Mt. Livermore hikers can view the Golden Gate, Bay, Richmond/San Rafael, San Mateo and the Dumbarton bridges. The island is open to the public from 8:00am to sunset all year round, and the Immigration Station Detention Barracks Museum is open during the summer season, April-November. Year-round, daily ferry service is available from Tiberon and San Francisco; ferry service from Oakland is available during the summer season. (angelisland.org)
The Farallon Islands – This pristine biological treasure-trove archipelago is about 27 miles away from The City and is a National Wildlife Refuge. Its 211 acres of rocks, towering to 350 feet on the southern island, are sometimes referred to as “California Galapagos” because of their ecological significance. While the islands are not open to public access, wildlife can be observed, studied and photographed at a distance from boats, and whale watching and saltwater fishing is offered in nearby waters. (farallones.org)
Treasure Island – Constructed as a late-1930s WPA project of quarried rock and bay-dredged landfill, this 400-acre man-made island was the site of the 1939-40 Golden Gate International Exposition, a world’s fair that celebrated the area’s two new bridges – the Bay Bridge (opened in 1936) and the Golden Gate Bridge (opened in 1937). Someone has assembled a delightful collection of old postcards from the fair here.
Thereafter, the U.S. Navy, deeming it an ideal location for Pacific theater access, established Treasure Island Naval Station (which also included a portion of Yerba Buena Island) in 1941. In 1996, the naval base was decommissioned and opened to public control. Presently, Treasure Island is on the brink of becoming San Francisco’s newest residential neighborhood.
Yerba Buena Island – Known by many different names throughout the years (including Seabird Island, Wood Island and Goat Island), this island is presently best known as the location of the Yerba Buena Tunnel which runs through its center and connects the western and eastern spans of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
San Francisco Landmarks – The Icons
The Bay Bridge – When constructed in 1936, this was the most expensive man-made structure ever built and the longest steel high-level bridge in the world. The bridge connects San Francisco to Oakland by way of Yerba Buena Island, and the portion that spans the 1.78 miles between San Francisco and the island is really two suspension bridges with a concrete pier in the middle supporting one end of each. The Yerba Buena Tunnel remains in the Guinness book of World Records as the largest diameter bore tunnel in the world, measuring 76 feet wide by 56 feet high. An important thing to remember about the Bay Bridge: try to avoid it between 3 and 7:00pm.
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Cable Cars – San Francisco is home to the world’s last permanently-operational, manually-operated cable car system, and no visit to San Francisco is complete without taking a ride on a clanging cable car. Operating as part of The City’s “Muni” (San Francisco Municipal Railway) system, there are three cable car lines: (1) Powell-Hyde is the most scenic, offering magnificent panoramic views of The City and bay; it begins at Aquatic Park and ends up a bit past Union Square at Powell & Market; (2) Powell-Mason runs over Nob Hill and turns around in Fisherman’s Wharf; this is the line you want if you’re headed for North Beach, Chinatown or the Cable Car Museum; and (3) the California line runs from California & Market in the Financial District to Van Ness Avenue. (sfcablecar.com)
Coit Tower, North Beach – Atop Telegraph Hill, this curious 210-foot structure offers magnificent views of The City (especially at sunset) and includes a mural created as part of Roosevelt’s Federal Art Project that wraps around the ground floor’s circular walls and depicts the effects of the Depression on the Bay Area.
Ferry Building Marketplace, The Embarcadero – This is a terminal for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay and a shopping center. It was built in 1898 and survived both the 1906 and the 1989 earthquakes with minimal damage. Until the completion of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930s, it was the second busiest transit terminal in the world, second only to London’s Charing Cross Station. In 2004, the building was renovated and now serves as an upscale gourmet marketplace and office building in addition to its ferry terminal duties. San Francisco’s largest farmers market is held there on weekends and Friday nights.
Fisherman’s Wharf and Aquatic Park Historic Landmark District – While this area might now be more aptly described as “a San Francisco tourist attraction” rather than a landmark, its history dates back to the Gold Rush when Italian immigrant fishermen based their fishing fleets here. In addition to housing a couple of the more “light-hearted entries on this list of San Francisco museums (specifically, Musée Mécanique and Ripley’s Believe It or Not), the area still celebrates its nautical history at the nearby San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, where you’ll find the Maritime Museum (a late-Art Deco building with incredible WPA Project murals that were recently restored – click here for Maritime Museum photos and hours of operation) and the Hyde Street Pier (where an impressive fleet of historic vessels are moored).
Fort Baker – The gateway to the Marin Headlands and other Bay Area national parklands, Fort Baker is surrounded by more than 75,500 acres of open space and offers easy access to beaches, mountains, trails, and historic sites. In 2008, Fort Baker became a first-class destination for renewal and discovery, thanks to a unique partnership of private, public and nonprofit organizations (the National Park Service, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and Fort Baker Retreat Group LLC). The property features a hands-on children’s museum and learning center (the Bay Area Discovery Museum), a first-class lodge (Cavallo Point), an institution dedicated to dialog and action on global environmental issues (the Institute at the Golden Gate) as well as a very active U.S. Coast Guard station and a small yacht harbor. (fortbaker.net)
Ghirardelli Square – Located on the west side of Fisherman’s Wharf (one block west of the Beach and Hyde Streets cable car turnaround), Ghirardelli Square became the home of Ghirardelli Chocolate in 1895. It was declared an official San Francisco landmark in 1965 and has been granted National Historic Register status. Today, Ghirardelli Square is a dining and retail destination, popular with both residents and visitors. (ghirardellisq.com)
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Fort Mason – Situated on 13 waterfront acres with a stunning view of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, this former military installation and historic landmark has been converted to public use as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Two dozen nonprofit organizations call the center home, including theaters, museums, a music school, a maritime library, a radio station, a gourmet vegetarian restaurant, several environmental groups and a bookstore.
Golden Gate Bridge – Opened in 1937, this is perhaps the best-loved symbol of San Francisco and is visible from almost every high point in The City. It is widely considered one of the most beautiful examples of bridge engineering, both as a structural design challenge and for its aesthetic appeal, and was declared one of the modern Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. You can drive (tolls are collected only in the southbound lanes), bike or walk across the bridge. On a nice day, the half-hour walk is an outstanding experience as it allows you to take in the enormity of the bridge and its spectacular views. (goldengatebridge.org)
Golden Gate Park – This 1017-acre urban oasis is home to over one million trees, several museums, a lake that allows fly fishing and a herd of bison. (You read that right!) If you’re visiting in February-March, be sure to take in the park’s tulips and windmills. Adding on the 40+ years of car-free Sundays in Golden Gate Park, Saturdays in April through September are now also car-free. JFK Drive between Tea Garden Drive (near 8th Avenue) and Transverse Drive are closed to automobile traffic from 6:00am to 6:00pm. There are ample public transportation alternatives, and you can find information on the park’s website as well as on the de Young Museum’s website. (golden-gate-park.com)
Lombard Street, Russian Hill – Known as “the crookedest street in the world” because of its eight sharp turns (built in the 1920s to allow traffic to descend the steep incline), the street zigzags around beautiful landscaping and offers a nice view of the bay. There are stairways on either side of the street for pedestrians, and the descent begins at Hyde Street.
Mount Davidson – Since 1934, a 103-foot tall concrete cross has stood atop this 925-foot high hill, San Francisco’s highest natural point. The cross is illuminated for the Easter prayer service that is held here. (mtdavidson.org)
Mount Sutro – Once named Mount Parnassus, it was renamed to honor The City’s 24th mayor, Adolph Sutro. Covered by a eucalyptus forest planted in the late 19th century, it is mostly private property owned by University of California, San Francisco. Unmarked trails leading up to the forested summit are open to visitors, but there are no views from the top.
Painted Ladies, Alamo Square – The term “painted ladies” is trademarked and describes Victorian buildings and homes which have been painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural ruffles and flourishes. These six, perfectly-maintained Victorians, with downtown in full view, offer a popular San Francisco “photo opp” that is also sometimes referred to as “Postcard Row.”
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Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Park – Originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, this is the present home for the Exploratorium, a popular science museum, as well as a 1,000-seat, continental-style theatre.
The Presidio, Inner Richmond – Now a national park, this area is distinguished as the U.S. longest-lasting, continuously used military post. Formally established on September 17, 1776, it has been used as a military headquarters by Spain, Mexico and the U.S., and it boasts military buildings in various styles (from Spanish Colonial to Georgian), some of which date from 1848. Popular with joggers and dog walkers, the Presidio is accessible by car from Arguello or Lombard streets, Marina Boulevard or 25th Avenue, or you can get through on foot or by bike at 14th or 15th avenues.
Sutro Baths ruins, Seal Rock, Cliff House Restaurant & Camera Obscura, Point Lobos – Just north of Ocean Beach, this historic landmark and tourist attraction presently includes a casual bistro, an upscale dining room and a cocktail lounge, all with intimate views of the ocean. Camera Obscura, a giant camera built based on Leonardo da Vinci’s design, produces 360 degrees of spectacular live images of the Seal Rock area. (cliffhouse.com)
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Transamerica Pyramid, Financial District – Part of Transamerica Center (a complex that includes Two Transamerica Center and Transamerica Redwood Park) encompassing nearly one city block, its unconventional shape was chosen to provide an openness that allows natural light and fresh air to filter down to the streets below. (transamerica.com)
Twin Peaks – These two hills, located in San Francisco’s geographic center, have a 922-foot elevation and offer unobstructed, 360-degree, panoramic city and bay views.
All images via flickr (Creative Commons). Photo of Angel Island by Anna Majkowska; Photo of Cable Car by Fábio Gianesi; Photo of Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Mason by Shayan (USA); Photo of Palace of Fine Arts Rotunda by JBlaze B; Photo of Transamerica Pyramid by jurvetson.
Related posts:
San Francisco Bay Area Vacation Ideas
San Francisco Bay Area Museums
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