This is a very embarrassing review because I've been living in the Bay Area for the past 28 years and this is probably my third time visiting the Coit Tower in SF. The first time was probably when I was about 13 years old and the second time was probably about 10+ years ago or so and I honestly can not recall either of those experiences at all. So, when my friend, Ryan, told me that he was open to any tourist spot in SF...I was more than happy to take him to Coit Tower, which he's never been to either. I felt like a tourist as well because I didn't even know you can actually go inside the tower and look at the whole city of SF. Unfortunately, since they closed at 6 PM and it was already 6:30 when we showed up, we didn't have that opportunity. It was still a beautiful sight from just standing outside. The weather was as close to being perfect as it possibly could for SF since it's always cold. The drive back down was even more beautiful as you can see the full view of the ocean. How did I ever live here for 28 years and not visit this spot as an adult? What a shame to have waited so many years. I guess I should thank Ryan for visiting Cali so I can rediscover the beauty of my own backyard. read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

My brother and I were visiting from Los Angeles and wanted to check out this San Fransisco Lankmark in the neighborhood Telegraph Hill. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/coit-tower-san-francisco?select=98RK_oRQPwHiQnRNGiYF7A Not much going on here. The parking lot is tiny and busy, took a while to find a spot. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/coit-tower-san-francisco?select=cL2CCbtZHDM4g89fbeA5IA Once inside the Coit Tower we waited in line for 20-minutes to take the only way up, the elevator up the 210-foot tower to the observation deck. The observation deck provides city and bay views, including the Golden Gate Bridge http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/coit-tower-san-francisco?select=LUyN-hMZZBzXVSZzk2ziqg#LUyN-hMZZBzXVSZzk2ziqg Views of the city http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/coit-tower-san-francisco?select=PQ-avCaHRLW6kuC794Lj2g#PQ-avCaHRLW6kuC794Lj2g http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/coit-tower-san-francisco?select=-jnWK4QwcR4Hhfz4fUIQ-Q Tickets cost $7.00/adult, admission is less if you are a resident, senior or child. read more

Having lived in San Francisco all my life I've found that I take many things for granted. Throughout my life monuments such as Coit Tower were rarely visited because in my eye it was a tourist destination and nothing more than that. Enter volunteer gardening projects with One Brick, and I can actually say that I've visited Coit Tower three times now. If you go there on a nice day the views of the bridges, San Francisco Bay, Nob Hill and Alcatraz are spectacular. What I've found even more spectacular however is the stair-filled hike up to the base of the tower. It's a great morning workout and if you do it vigorously enough you will discover an intense burning sensation in your quadriceps. Coit Tower will always be a tourist destination where visitors think you are gardening as part of a prison furlough program, but it looks nice even from far away, and granted, I'll admit it's just another wonderful site which makes San Francisco the great city that it is. read more

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SF Landmark Night experience is better 360 degree view Free since were not going inside the tower Great for pictures at night Tower lights up at night Views were amazing Def a place you can bring your kids to even at night. read more

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Came here on Christmas Eve 2015... amazing view BTW! Had no intent on coming here but getting lost will help you find the best spots! Been living in the Bay all my life and have seen this tower a million times but never have ever been up to see the view! If you are this same type of person GPS it and roll up night! Super chill people out laughing, Bob Marley playing and the faint smell of Dro made me feel some type of way! Great panoramic view from the Bay bridge to Ghirardelli square and beyond! read more

Coit Tower - Tower at night - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing views , in order to appreciate the view it's better to go on a sunny day! It's small spot once you get up top! But great little spot! It's not that busy so you have chance to enjoy the views of San Fran! read more

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Everywhere you walk around SF, you will see this tall building sitting on the hill and you just wonder what it's like to just go to the top and view the whole Bay area. Trust me, it's gorgeous. (see video & pictures below). Come here only if the sky is clear and the sun is out. If not, it won't be worth it to visit here. The cost to ride up the elevator is $8/person for adults & if this is your first time to SF, then this is the place to visit. It's one of those "you'll be satisfied just visiting this place once. Once is enough." But even at the ground level, you still get a good glimpse of the city so you'll be happy either way. When you get to the top, please be careful entering and exiting the elevator and up the stairs. It's a little steep (37 steps total after the elevator). The windows are open so visit each one to see each part of SF. But be careful NOT to drop your camera or phone when you take the pictures/videos. It's a high & far drop. But breathtaking view if the skies are clear. Blue skies & sunny weather? Then come here and pay the $8 for the elevator ride. Mentioned before, this is the place to visit at least once if you are visiting SF. read more

Coit Tower - Instructions when you ride to the top - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

I hate touristy spots. Why are fanny packs still popular? And I can only hear "WOW" so many times. That is until I realize that's exactly what I'm saying in my head when I come up here. I ride up to the top of the tower and observe the peons of Northeastern San Francisco. My gaze wanders to the light that shines through the clouds in the Autumn Sunset. I don't leave until I've heard "WOW" for the 100th time. We live in a beautiful city. read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I came here with my two kids on a Saturday afternoon during the summer - BIG MISTAKE. There were SO MANY PEOPLE. Unfortunately, we didn't go to the top because there was too long a line. We were able to "sneak in" and see the beautiful murals though. I really enjoyed the majestic views of the bay too. RECOMMENDATION: THE PARK RANGER RECOMMENDED GETTING THERE WHEN IT OPENS AT 10am. WARNING: THERE IS ONLY ONE BATHROOM. You've been warned. COIT TOWER DETAILS Hours 10am-6pm May through October and 10am-5pm November through April. Holiday closures Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day From the website: Coit Tower, a slender white concrete column rising from the top of Telegraph Hill, has been an emblem of San Francisco's skyline since its completion in 1933, a welcoming beacon to visitors and residents alike. Its observation deck, reached by elevator (tickets can be purchased in the gift shop), provides 360-degree views of the city and bay, including the Golden Gate and Bay bridges. The simple fluted tower is named for Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a wealthy eccentric and patron of the city's firefighters. Coit died in 1929, leaving a substantial bequest "for the purpose of adding to the beauty of the city I have always loved." The funds were used to build both the tower and a monument to Coit's beloved volunteer firefighters, in nearby Washington Square. The tower was designed by the firm of Arthur Brown, Jr., architect of San Francisco's City Hall. Contrary to popular belief, Coit Tower was not designed to resemble a firehose nozzle. The murals inside the tower's base were painted in 1934 by a group of artists employed by the Public Works of Art Project, a precursor to the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and depict life in California during the Depression. When violence broke out during the 1934 longshoremen's strike, controversy over the radical content in some of the panels became quite heated. Some of the most controversial elements were painted over, and the tower was padlocked for several months before the frescoes were finally opened to the public in the fall of 1934. Telegraph Hill takes its name from a semaphore telegraph erected on its summit in 1850 to alert residents to the arrival of ships. Pioneer Park, which surrounds Coit Tower, was established in 1876 on the former site of the telegraph station. As you wander the trails that wind around the tower and down the hill, you may hear the raucous chatter of the neighborhood's most famous (and noisiest) residents, the flock of parrots featured in the 2005 film "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill." read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I was lucky enough to have one, full sunny day during my week in San Francisco, and on it, I visited everything I could possibly cram into one day, including the Coit Tower. From the Embarcadero, the Tower looks pretty amazing. Once you get to the foot of Telegraph Hill and see the Filbert Steps leading up to it, and you sheepishly look up at the Tower and doubt that you, as a smoker, will ever get there, it can be pretty damn intimidating. But as my only other option was to go to Washington Square and get the 39 bus all the way back up the hill and to the parking lot, I decided to just walk up those stairs. You know, because I have a lot of heart to counteract the effects of a somewhat diminishing lung capacity. And it turned out that the walk up was pretty amazing - beautiful houses, flowers and plants, and cute little statues every so often. I would advise all those who decide to drive up there NOT to do that. That's how you get stuck in traffic then give the Coit Tower less than 5 stars because you got stuck. I first heard about all the murals inside the Tower, which were done under the Public Works of Art project as part of the New Deal. This is one of my favorite times in US history, so I could not miss them. My favorite mural is Victor Aurnatoff's City Life. My absolute favorite part of my self-led tour around SF was learning about Lilly "Firebelle Lil" Coit, the woman whose fortunes funded the Tower. A woman after my own heart, Firebelle Lil was a pants-wearin', cigar-smokin' gambler. She apparently used to dress up as a man so she could gamble in the men-only establishments in North Beach. She earned her nickname because she was the Engine Company No. 5 mascot, and every time she heard the fire bell ring, her parents could hardly keep her away from the action. She was a real tomboy. Love it. Getting down Telegraph Hill is another story entirely. But the neighborhood is so pretty, and once you hit level ground in North Beach, you'll be so enchanted by the cute stores and Italian restaurants, that the searing pain in your legs and ankles will be forgotten. read more

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The fire hose nozzle named after Lillian Coit is now lighten Blue and Gold! Looks great at night and fit accordingly to the current Golden State Warrior's championship run. LOVE IT! read more

Coit Tower - Golden State Warrior's colors - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

Today 10/25/08 SF celebrated the 75th anniversary of Coit Tower. It was FREE so I was there. I saw it advertised as starting at 10:30am, but it was a lie. Nobody was allowed inside until After the speeches which didn't start until 12:30pm. The wooden ladder that took 10 fire fighters to lift up was cool. I saw the practice and the one for the dignitaries. One guy went up the ladder, put up the flag, and then came down the other side of the ladder. Lots of speeches. Very cool to see Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Assemblyman Mark Leno, and Mayor Gavin Newsom. After the speeches we rushed to the Elevator. They let 10 people at a time up the elevator. Very cramped. We all saved $5 each which was cool. Once you are off the elevator you have to climb a set of stairs. Good views on a nice, clear day. If it's cloudy don't bother going up it. Murals down on the ground level. They are ok. You can see them FREE anytime. Separate bathrooms available. Women's only has 2 stalls & 1 sink. There was a Joseph Schmidt white chocolate & milk chocolate in the lobby that they were auctioning off for the Coit Tower mural renovations. Nancy Pelosi bid $300! That's cool. Outside in the back they had FREE drinks, Joseph Schmidt chocolates, missed any real food. FREE posters of Coit Tower went fast. Arts & crafts for the kids. JL Productions performed live jazz in the front. They closed the road to the top for this event, but regularly people can drive up. Opens daily at 10am. read more

Another opportunity to get a 360' view of the city.. yes please! We parked about a 1/2 mile down and walked up Lombard St. to get a good work out for our calves and to get a close up view of the houses that line the street. We arrived at around 10:30 on a Sunday and it was already getting crowded so we skipped the murals and paid our 8$ to ride the elevator. It was about a 30 min wait and that is when you can get an up close view of the colorful murals. Once at the top! Yay! What a view.. some of the windows are open so you can squeeze out for better view and to feel that fresh ocean air on your face. It can get a bit crowded up there so bring your patience. There is always someone to take your pic and why not be friendly and offer to take one for someone else. I went to each open window and stared out to soak up all the wonder. What a great place to take some pictures. Back down at the lobby there are some neat items to take home as a souvenir. read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I felt like Rapunzel on top of this tower! The Coit Tower was part of my itinerary when I was planning my SF trip and I'm so glad I was able to make the trek out on the second to last day of my stay in SF. At first my bf and I were planning on taking the muni up to the Coit Tower entrance since we heard the hike up there would require us to climb the 300+ stairs. Unfortunately we weren't able to find the bus to take us up and since we were short on time we decided to take the trolley from the Ferry Building and walk up the stairs. I'm not going to lie, climbing the stairs was a huge work out. Both me and my bf are pretty fit, but we found ourselves running out of breath and having to take breaks. The walk up is very pretty since you get to see the spectacular views of the bay. Also, there's plenty of shade from the trees so it wasn't too terrible. Once you make it up to the top you will find yourself in front of the Christopher Columbus statue in the parking lot. There's several binoculars in the parking lot so you can get a better view of the bay. If you decide to go all the way up to the Coit Tower. There's a fee of $7 for adults (discounts available for seniors and children) to take the elevator to the top. If you haven't been up there I would suggest trying it once. After you pay for your ticket in the store they give you a receipt which you bring to the elevator attendant. The elevator itself is an antique and can only bring up to about 10 people to the top so if it gets busy expect to wait. Once you get to the top there's another flight of stairs you have to walk up to see the view. It is quite gorgeous but super windy and cold so most people only stay for 20 minutes and come right back down the elevator. Tip* Bring a jacket or you will freeze at the top! Also bring your own binoculars to get a better view. read more

Coit Tower is one of the must stops for tourists. The beautiful construction and architecture is seen from all around the city. Built on top of one of the hills, the views of San Francisco are breathtaking. The tower is made to look like the end of a fire hose. The lady whom left the money to the city for this tower was saved at a young age by firefighters. Hence the fire hose. There are elevator rides to the top of the tower for an even more gorgeous view. We arrived a little late in the day so there was about an hour wait. Hopefully next time I will get there early enough to go to the top. It is a sight to see for locals and visitors. Enjoy the view! read more

Coit Tower - Coit tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

Upon the finish of climbing the filbert steps you are rewarded with the Coit Tower. This landmark can be seen from all around San Francisco. But the true beauty isn't in the tower itself but the view that it provides from a top this hill. It gives a fabulous view of Alcatraz island and if you look in the other direction it gives you a cool view of the city. I didn't pay the 5 dollars to go up in the tower. 1 I was cheap and 2 there was a long line. I figured whats a little more up? I would suggest walking because there are only a limited amount of parking spots and you can't park until someone else leaves and most people stay for a good while. I remember as we walked up there was a line of cars that went down the hill. Come for the tower, stay for the view. read more

What a fun trek to get to CT!!! Luckily I workout consistently, so it wasn't too bad going up all the stairs from Levi Square. It was at the recommendation of my bro and his watching of Amazing Race that inspired this visit. As soon as you reach the top, it was an amazing view. Luckily, the weather faired so I was able to see the city skyline and the bridge. Great pic ops!!! If you're driving, the parking situation sucks. They are 30 min limit spaces and cars would have to wait for the next avail spot. It's a $5 fee to take the elevators up and sometimes the lines could get lengthy. read more

This historical landmark cracks me up, but I'll get to that later. Coit Tower is rarely packed because it's not directly accessible via public transportation. You still need to do some walking and climbing stairs to reach the tower. Once browsing the murals inside the building, you reach the top of the tower by an elevator regulated by two people -- the tour guide who talks about Coit Tower history and lets people onto the elevator, and the other guy operating the elevator who makes lame small talk with all the tourists. The views of San Francisco from the top of the tower are beautiful. One of the tour guides carefully warns visitors not to jump out of the open windows (thank you) and once you're done making your rounds, you can return down the elevator. My trip to Coit Tower was quite curious because my friend and I just got onto the elevator without having to show any proof of purchase. Then we realized that we were supposed to pay $8.00 to gain access to the elevator at all. HAHH OH WELL. There's also a gift shop that you can wander around before continuing on your adventure through San Francisco. Coit Tower is a pretty brief stop but quite an enjoyable and relaxing one, especially on clear San Francisco days. read more

A must see site but not one of my favorites. Free to see, but cost money to go up the tower. Free parking, but limited space. Can be empty or crowded. Depends on your luck. Decent views during the day and at night. The view from Twin Peaks is so much nicer. Too much brush that covers the skyline. read more

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We had to go and see the tower and the views. We took an Uber up the hill and we excited to see the GGB and the Bay bridge. You can take plenty of photos once you are up there. Great views and you don't have to pay to go up to the top of the tower in the elevator. We walked down the hill and enjoyed the views and homes along the way to the pier. read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

Want a booty workout? Look no further! This will get those glutes burning up in no time. Walked up from the Greenwich Street Stairs up to Coit Tower. Saw the stairs from the bottom and literally hated myself for deciding to do it LOL it really looked terrifying. No lie, your butt will hurt hahah but who says exercising was easy? The view from the top will be worth it though! And plus walking down will be a piece of cake. PARKING: wouldn't recommend, in a pretty busy area and metered parking can get expensive. If you live far, I would suggest busing and then walking. I live close by so I walked from my apartment. VIEW: AMAAZZIINGG, especially at sunset. Gah can't get over it, it's beautiful :') Must do if you are visiting San Francisco! Great views take work :P read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Yes. I was definitely a tourist this summer in San Fran. But this tourist is no fool. I had a private car with a driver to drive us to the 'must see' landmarks of the city. Now this is the best way to see any city without the long hikes/walks (if you rented a car) or be in a huge group in a tour bus (takes all day to see a few attraction--which we actually did ONCE and UGH!!). Back to Coit Tower. This view is awesome. Another breath taking view of this amazing city. One side is the layout of this unique city. The other side is the ocean surrounding it. WOW! Definitely worth the short drive up here. A must see indeed. I still have to upload all my photos from my slr. Needless to say, I took TONS of photos of this beautiful city:) read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

For $8 you get to take the 87 year old elevator to the top of the tower to see an amazing view of San Francisco. Be prepared to spend most of your time waiting in line, as they only take up so many people at a time. But once your at the top, the view is amazing. San Francisco is a beautiful city and you get to see it from above. It gets pretty cold too especially when you get close to the open windows. Bring a jacket to keep you warm. I also suggest getting dropped off or parking at the bottom of the street. There's not a lot of parking when you go up the hill. Would I do it again? Probably not. It's a good one-time experience if you've never done it. read more

Coit Tower - The view from the drop-off area - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

Coit Tower NOW has free wifi! BE aware that the signal seems much stronger on the east side of the Coit Tower lobby than other locations. Which side is east? That's the side closest to the Embarcadero or Treasure Island. read more

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Coit Tower is definitely a San Francisco landmark that ought to be on everyone's to do/to see list. I came on a weekday, and the wait to get to the top of the tower with a gorgeous 360 view of the city was only 20 minutes. Admission is $8 for adults, with some discounts I cannot recall for children and seniors. Parking at the base of the tower is only 30-minute parking, but I found 2-hour street parking a couple blocks away. Otherwise, the tower is on a Muni route, if you prefer public transportation. Bathrooms are in the park and in the tower. An 80-something year-old elevator complete with a metal grate door with get you to the top, so if you're claustrophobic, it maybe a little scary. Thankfully, the elevator guide was a hilarious man who put everyone at ease. The view was spectacular. The paintings on the ground floor are beautiful. The tower itself is gorgeous. Do yourself a favor, come with a camera, some patience for the lines, and visit! read more

Cool. A the head of Lombard Street this baby rises from the hilltop like, well, you know, well, jeesch, I don't know, whatever, maybe it's symbolism. Anyway, the murals inside the main floor are pretty cool. The views from the grounds in nearly every direction are very cool. You can see Alcatraz, Pacific Heights, the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge from this vantage point. Yes, if you are a first-timer to SF then you should not miss this sight. read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Coit Tower was completed in 1933, it's shaped like a tall smoke stack or lighthouse, and it's situated on the very top of scenic Telegraph Hill. I never even heard of this landmark when I arrived in San Francisco. Once I entered the tower, there were some simple but beautifully painted historic paintings of San Francisco life back in the Great Depression which were displayed on the walls. Inside, it was quite dim and I believe the lighting used in the buildings was original, but there was an area with big French style windows that brought in some natural lighting. Washrooms were also available on the main floor. In order to go to the top of the tower, you will need to take an elevator. It was an old small elevator take takes about 10 passengers. A Coit Tower staff controlled the elevator and it took about one minute to the top. Once I got off the elevator, I still had to take some stairs to get to the very top, so this attraction isn't wheelchair friendly, but it only took about 10 seconds of stair climbing to get the viewing platform. The views from the top were absolutely amazing, especially on a sunny day with blue skies! I had a 360 degree view of ocean and Downtown San Francisco. It didn't feel stuffy at all as the roof was opened, so there was plenty of fresh air. Although there were plenty of glass windows, not every window could be opened, so there were some lineups to use the windows that could be opened, which are great for taking photos! On the same day, while walking through the Fisherman's Wharf, I noticed the Blue Angels F-18s were performing and it flew about the same height as the Coit Tower, so it would be awesome to watch fighter jets performances on top of the tower too! If you're new to San Francisco, Coit Tower is a must! read more

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My family has lived in the city for years. It has evolved into a Mecca of culture, a food haven, a "must see" U.S. City, but most importantly... It's Home! I was happy to bring my boo home with me to visit the bay for the first time in May and lucky for me that meant I got to put my tourist hat on. I got to remember how cool it was to drive over the bay bridge for the first time, how awesome was to see a big park in the middle of the city, and that beautiful cotton like belt of fog that wraps the city like a baby in a blanket. One stop on the list was Coit Tower. I had never been before. Most of my city trips consisted of taking Bart over with some friends, getting drunk and acting stupid! But this was something else! At first we figured we would just drive to the top and look at the view but once we were there we had to go up! As we hopped note elevator the attendant, and adorable little old lady cracked jokes all the way up (probably to distract us from the fact that the elevator was super old and could have snapped at any moment, haha... But not really). Once to the top, I can honestly say I was blown away! I've seen many beautiful views but the experience of being in the tower with nothing above you but sky on a brisk day was really spectacular. If you are visiting the city or even a native that hasn't taken the trek up to Coit Tower in a while... Do it! You will not be disappointed. read more

Coit Tower - Elevator ride up to the top! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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360 degree view at the top. Better than the view from the DeYoung in my opinion. The frescoes are beautifully done. Buy a pamphlet guide for a $1.50 in the gift shop, to learn who the artists were and an explanation of each scene. You can hike up to the tower (an invigorating walk) or drive. Tourists might want to combine Coit Tower with North Beach. read more

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Why 3 stars? Because it was the tale of two experiences. --- --- --- The trip from the pier to the entrance of Coit Tower? STUNNING. Absolutely breathtaking views of the city. I was so glad that I chose to walk up the 500 steps or so that it took reach the top. For the record, this was the only time that I broke a sweat in my five days away from the Florida humidity. I felt like I was stopping every 30 seconds to take more and more photos. I highly recommend making this walk instead of driving, if you are physically able. I was blown away with the housing that existed upon this extremely slanted hill. It was a neighborhood on a slope, and that's fascinating to someone who has lived in the flat lands of Houston and Tampa most of his life. The part of my experience that I could have done without, was Coit Tower itself. I expected the top to be an open lookout deck. Unfortunately, you found yourself in the middle of a cement block with some segmented older dirty and scratched up windows. Definitely not ideal for picture taking and quite frankly, a waste of money. The trip to the top is cash only, FYI. There is an ATM, but as you'd expect, it comes with an inconvenient $2.50 convenience fee. So all in all, take the steps up from the pier to base of the tower and be prepared to take a lot of pictures along the way. Avoid the old school elevator ride to the top of the tower and save your ten bucks. read more

Coit Tower is an iconic part of San Francisco. That being said, don't waste your time or money on going to the top. It's disappointing. The windows at the top are tiny and your view is obstructed. Go in the bottom, check out the murals. Go around back and check out the view. The view is also not bad from the parking lot. There can be a line to get to the parking lot on weekends. It's better to walk up then drive. It's worth a visit because the building itself is interesting, but go to Twin Peaks for a better view. read more

Had a stunning view of Coit tower while touring San Fran. Too bad, we didn't have enough time to go into the tower. read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

Randomly stumbled upon the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the Coit Tower. It was a big free, community celebration with distinguished speakers (SF Mayor Gavin Newsom, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, descendants of the Coit family, etc.), live ragtime music, a 65 foot ladder raise demo by the SF firefighters, free elevator rides to the top of the tower, food, arts & crafts, and a chocolate white ivory tower by Joseph Schmidt. I learned 3 things that day: *Lillie Hitchcock-Coit had an affinity for cigars, gambling, and firefighters. *10 people were needed to lift a 65 foot ladder in the 1930s. *Mayor Newsom is even hotter in person. The view was amazing from Pioneer Park - from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge . I would even save the $5 and the possible wait in line going to the top of the Tower. You essentially see the exact same view as the park, except several feet higher. The 27 murals inside the main entrance of the Tower are worth scoping out - largely depicting the social and cultural landscape of the Bay Area during the Depression era. It's a great place for hanging out, enjoying the beautiful view of the City, and learning a bit of San Francisco culture. read more

Coit Tower - View from Coit - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The views at the Coit Tower are spectacular. It is the perfect place to see the entire city and a great stop for tourists. Plenty of photo ops and if you go on a clear day (like my boyfriend and I did), you can see for miles. It's truly beautiful. The building itself is equally beautiful - love the architecture and the murals inside are really impressive. There is also a small, trinket-filled gift shop inside. The cost is $7 dollars per person to go to the top of the tower. I found this price a little steep. But it wasn't until we stood in an incredibly LONG line to ride the elevator up and then stood in an incredibly LONG line to ride the elevator back down that I really questioned the price. It's one thing to stand in a line to get to the top, but it kind of sucked being stuck up at the top waiting to ride the elevator back down - we were essentially trapped in the tower. Aren't there stairs in this place?? Also, parking is a nightmare. We walked from Pier 39, but saw the number of cars trying to get into the lot. Definitely avoid driving here if you can. Overall, I enjoyed my visit to Coit Tower and I would say that this is a must-see stop, especially for non-locals. However, be prepared to spend a long time at the tower due to the fact that you are required to take the elevator. We almost missed our train because this stop took much longer than we had anticipated. read more

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I wish it wasn't so expensive to go up ($7) because the view from the top was rather disappointing. While the top is open air, the view is not. You're surrounded by concrete and glass pane, so no fresh sea winds in your face, and no unobstructed view :( Go up if you must, but I rather enjoyed the walk up to the tower itself, and next time will skip taking the cramped elevator to the mediocre views. read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's a tough walk/climb, but has beautiful views that I would say makes it worth the hike. Murals fill the inside and Christopher Columbus greets you in the parking lot. (Which I might add, might be completely irrelevant to the tower, but I'm no history expert, it was Columbus Day when we visited) The lines were too long for my husband and I to be able to go to the top, but just walking around the tower and getting different views and angles of the bay and piers were amazing enough for us. I'm not going to lie, the tower itself isn't as impressive as say other tourist sites, but the houses, gardens, and stairways leading to and from the tower were interesting. There were many places to sit and take in all the nature around it, and if I were in better shape I'd definitely come again! haha read more

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For my 800th review I figured I would marry my love for yelp with my love for movies and tell you a little bit about the movie Vertigo. Vertigo is Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece (I'm willing to concede top 3 for those with some A-game explanations for why it's not his best) and is as much a showcasing of SF as a character in the film as it is a gem of cinematography and storytelling. If you are coming to SF for the first time, or if you've lived here your whole life, watching this movie will give you a different angle from which to appreciate this amazing city. The places they go - from the Legion of Honor to an old Spanish Mission miles outside of town - are a great "to-see" list in themselves. Coit Tower features prominently in the cityscape behind Jimmy Stewart's character's home. There is a symbolism to the tower that relates to other elements of the movie, but I'm going to leave my opining to the side for now. This is all to say that you should see Coit Tower because there's some great film history behind it (you'll appreciate it more if you see the movie) Apart from that, some cool murals, great views, and a worthwhile walk (although everything is, really, in SF). PS I saw a complaint about parking. Um, if you're visiting SF, why are you driving a car? If you live in SF, why are you driving a car? You have an amazingly walkable city with a great public transportation system. Lose the car and save yourself some money. You can always Zipcar when you need to. I live in a city where I *have* to own a car. I can only dream of living in a place like SF where I wouldn't. read more

A touristy but still a must-go at least once in your lifetime. An amazing and breathtaking view of the city and the bay! It's windy up there so bring extra jackets. Someone told me that if you threw a coin out the open panels on the top and it lands in the window or comes back through the panel, your wish will come true. All three of my attempts failed. Gave up hope that I'll hit the jackpot.. Sigh. A smart person would be at the bottom picking up all the broken wishes. :( read more

Coit Tower - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - San Francisco, California

From down at the bottom of the hill, I looked up and thought, man. How many stairs are we talking about to reach the top of coit tower? So what felt like roughly 200 to 300 steps of stairs later, we made it. Entering coit tower, we were greeted very friendly by two staff members who instructed us where we would by our tickets at $8USD. The bottom of the coit tower was decorated with paintings that were behind a rail so that people couldn't touch it. No one was lining up when we bought our tickets and we were able to take the elevator without waiting. Going up, we had to take a few more stairs after the elevator before we reached the top which had many windows, each with a different viewof San Francisco (the downtown city, the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge). When we went, there was plenty of space for us to view everything and the sun was just coming out after the morning fog slash clouds. At the bottom of the coit tower, where you bought the tickets, there is a mini souvenir shop where you can purchase cute little cards, books, magnets and other merchandise. It took a while to pay because people were lining up on the other side to buy tickets and go up the elevator. read more

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Coit Tower is a great destination for a little urban hike - up and down the stairs and hills around it, exploring the neighborhoods and finally - you get there, having taken hundreds of photos of parrots, stairs, the bay, the bridges, the buildings, the pavement - and you take MORE pictures. The 360 views from the top of the tower are worth the price of admission - and the WPA era paintings in the lobby are exquisite. This is an easy "win" for bringing active teenagers on a walking tour - it doesn't take long to get up here and the payoff is fantastic - and then you can drop back down into North Beach to explore bakeries and bead stores, or head toward the Embarcadero to the Ferry Plaza. Highly recommended - take BART or a bus and walk the neighborhood - parking can be challenging in the neighborhood and the lot is usually crowded. Walking gives you way more freedom and flexibility anyway! read more