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San Francisco, United States
Photo: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Atop the hills overlooking the bay and bustling downtown San Francisco are two adjacent neighborhoods famed for their wealth, panoramic views, and the historic cable cars which still climb the steep streets of the area. Nob Hill is an affluent neighborhood dating back to the gold rush, today renowned for its lavish hotels and charming shops and restaurants. Just to the north is Russian Hill, a quieter residential area most well known for its pleasant walks and the famous crooked section of Lombard Street. The district is bounded roughly by Van Ness Avenue to the west, Bay Street to the north, Sutter Street to the south, and Powell Street and Columbus Avenue to the east.
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Here you can see the mechanisms that drive San Francisco's famed cable cars, as well as plenty of cable car memorabilia and information on the history of the cable cars.
Do see the "crookedest street in the world", a one-block portion of Lombard Street that contains eight hairpin turns, created to reduce the hill's natural steep slope. The best time to see and photograph the winding street from the bottom (from Leavenworth St) is in the morning because Lombard Street runs east-west and slopes eastward. The best time to see and photograph the view from the top (from Hyde St) is in the afternoon. At night there are great views of Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower. The wild parrots of Telegraph Hill frequently fly over head in the morning.
Pretend you are a guest and not just a visitor, and have a look around the lobbies of some swanky San Francisco hotels. The Fairmont and Mark Hopkins have impressive lobbies that will leave you counting your pennies to see if you can afford a room. See below under the Sleep section for further info.
At a 31.5% grade, this is one of the very steepest streets in the entire Western Hemisphere. Like many of the steeper streets in the city, it has steps along the sidewalk and its own special set of parking rules, so that people and cars don't all come tumbling down!
This block contains twelve spectacular mansions in a variety of styles. It is very close to the crooked section of Lombard Street and is worth the minor detour on the way.
The main Episcopalian church of the city, based on the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. They request a donation and the tour is an hour long. You learn a lot but at times it is way too detailed.
A thoroughly charming pedestrian way tucked onto the southeast side of Russian Hill, paved with brick and cobblestone and lined with gardens and Victorian houses that have been home to many writers—indeed, Macondray was recast as Barbary Lane in Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.
In addition to the lodge room and corporate offices, this place also has a museum of Freemasonry.
These five blocks form the heart of the Russian Hill neighborhood district. There are over 20 restaurants, 10 bars and cafes, and 20 shops. Dinner at many of the restaurants typically require reservations.
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Small park and recreation center that has some interesting public art like the Five Carved Stones by Marcia Donahue and Tectonic Melange by Lampo Leong. Its name translates to "Garden of Peace and Joy".
The Old First Church has concerts F 8PM & Su 4PM, and some other evenings, throughout the year.
Hosts many concerts and other special events.
In the Huntington Hotel. Closed until further notice as of February 2023.
Mixed reviews about this Vietnamese restaurant, so make your own decision. However, the roast crab has consistently garnered good reviews.
A pan-European that is somewhat fancy but still relaxed and features local food.
Excellent steak house; luxurious dining (plush seats, table cloths, brass chandeliers, etc.).
Popular with locals that rave about the freshness of the sushi here. Solid sushi at good prices, and large quantities too.
A north Italian bistro that serves dinner.
A good sushi restaurant very near the cable car lines on Hyde Street. There is typically no need for a reservation.
Pleasant Italian restaurant.
A good, cheap pizza-by-the-slice restaurant.
Small intimate twenty-seat bar that is a good place to go to get a nice glass of wine or a sake cocktail.
A new venture by veterans of the Tenderloin bar scene. Nice, craft cocktails, signature house creations, and an impressive beer menu are set in a swanky new/old interior that intentionally has no TV.
A step up from the Nob Hill Tavern.
Bimbo's is a glamorous upscale event venue and nightclub that holds up to 700 people. It has three bars, a dance floor and stage. Robin Williams did his act here quite regularly.
A great beer bar and restaurtant hidden in the lower part of North Beach. Out of the way of most tourists because of its low profile. Huge Belgian Beer selection, and other craft brews from around the world. Restaurant offers mussels and frites - classic Belgian combo. Be prepared to splurge if you go, you can easily drink your way to a hefty bill.
A rumbly, simple dive-esque bar in the upper Tenderloin neighborhood. Popular with the bar crawl crowds that make their way around the corner from Polk Street.
Established in 1920, this is a relatively clean hotel and reasonably priced.
A small and historic hotel with a French theme.
A charming budget hotel in an old Victorian.
A Holiday Inn with more amenities than the typical location and nice views of the city.
The Columbus Motor Inn is in the nice part of North Beach, on the border of the Fishermen's Wharf district, within easy walking distance of all Fisherman's Wharf attractions, and from Washington Square. Public transportation is very convenient, with the No. 30 bus stopping at the door, and the Bay and Taylor Cable Car Turntable a short walk away. Rooms are spacious, with good views and balconies on most Columbus Side rooms. Parking is limited, but covered: the first two floors of the building are parking, with all guest rooms above. No on-site food, but nearby restaurants cater to every budget and taste.
One of the most famous hotels in the city, having been gutted in the 1906 earthquake and fire, and rebuilt. The lobby is fantastic, and many rooms have fantastic views.
A former apartment building-turned-luxury hotel with individually decorated rooms.
Historic hotel atop Nob Hill. Convenient for walking tours of the city.
A French provincial style inn. Cozy parlor with fireplace, afternoon wine and hors d'oeuvres. Many of the 26 guestrooms offer fireplaces. Breakfast buffet each morning.
Another 4-star hotel with marble baths and free limousine service.
A lovely small hotel with a fireplace in all 26 guestrooms. Dark wood paneling, floral carpets, comfy furniture, and English art and collectibles set the tone. Evening turndown service, breakfast buffet, and evening wine and hors d'oeuvres served fireside.
A hotel with lots of bright colors and relatively few amenities compared to other splurge hotels in the area, but with nice rooms and a friendly staff.
The bookshelves here are any war buff's haven, with a treasure trove of books on the history of California and the American West. It also has good collections on the American Civil War, American railroads, regional Americana, antiques and maritime books.
Bridal gowns and jewelry.
A consignment shop with high-end goods.
"Molte Cose", or "many things" in Italian, fits the name of this shop. Tons of cool adornments, clothes and accessories.
Established in 1991, the gallery shows contemporary jewelry by international artists and craft-based sculpture. Housed in an old furniture factory the gallery has 10 exhibitions a year and is a must see for fans of cutting-edge jewelry.
By car
Driving into this district is not recommended due to the steep hills, narrow and dead-end streets, lack of parking, and sometimes confusing traffic diversions.
By cable car
All three Cable Car lines cross at Powell and California. The Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason cable car lines run between Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf.
By bus
MUNI bus routes #1-California, #10-Townsend, #12-Folsom/Pacific, #19-Polk, #27-Bryant, #30-Stockton, #41-Union, #45-Union/Stockton, #49-Van Ness/Mission pass through the district.
This district is small enough for walking, but being very hilly, it can be somewhat strenuous.
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