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.

People confuse this staircase with the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, and they are certainly similar as…read morethey both feature lovely colorful artwork created by the same artists. But they are not the same thing. The Hidden Garden Steps are located a little further away from Grandview Park (the bottom of the stairway along Kirkham Street) and presents a slightly different theme, the focus of its design more on flowers and plants rather than sealife. It's a unique and beautiful work of art, in good condition (as of January 2026), and located in a nice neighborhood in SF. It's also free to visit with free street parking nearby too. I couldn't find a reason to give it anything less than 5 stars.

After visiting the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, I was just on my way out of Golden Gate Heights, when I…read morenoticed a sign that said, "Hidden Garden Steps." The sun was almost down, but I decided to check it out. With 148 steps designed by the same artists as the 16th Avenue steps, this really almost felt like a continuation of the same staircase. The Hidden Garden steps have more of a garden theme, with lots of flowers, bugs, mushrooms, birds, etc. The plants around the steps are similar to those found around the 16th Avenue steps. Succulents are interspersed with California native plants chosen to attract butterflies, including the locally endangered green hairstreak butterfly. My favorite design on the staircase is the snail near the bottom. The shell swirls up several stairs, with patches of mushrooms sprouting from the head. The snail is surrounded by mosaics of California native plants such as hibiscus flowers and buckeye sprouts. The Hidden Garden steps are about 10 years newer than the 16th Avenue steps. In my opinion, the artists improved their skills over time, and, while one flight smaller, these steps are actually more impressive than their sister stairs. The design feels more imaginative and detailed. While the 16th Avenue steps were a bit slippery, the Hidden Garden steps were even more slippery. Because the sun was setting, I really had to watch my step. This must be why the steps are "closed" after dark. Overall, this is such a beautiful community art project, and I'm so glad I happened to stumble across it. My only regret is not having visited earlier so that I could compare the sunset views with the views from a block away.

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

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

What's not to love about the Haight-Ashbury area!! It's historic, eccentric, hippie, and vibrant!!…read more I remember as a kid, my mother and her friends would pack us all up and make a day of it. Remember the wagons??? The adults up front. The kids wayyyyy back in the luggage area!! We would walk all around and have a nice lunch out. Go to our friend's home to play games. This area is so colorful! The old Victorian architecture, the upbeat streets, vintage shops, unique finds, fusion of cafes, the music, and great thrifting. Parking can be a bear!! There's street parking, but that's a hit and miss! Lucky for us, we parked a few blocks away and walked. There's free parking near Golden Gate Park. Some folks used the parking apps and pay to be closer. Overall, this area is nostalgic! We love it even though we aren't here as often as we would like.

Haight-Ashbury, the Haight, some people just call it "Hashbury. " A fun funky psychedelic…read moreneighborhood that has seen it all. The Neighbourhood has become gentrified a bit, and there are a couple of corporate places, (there's a Ben & Jerry's right on the main corner!) but there were lots of other great shops. Vintage clothing, shops, smoke shops, and a good amount of great restaurants. Lots to see, do, and buy. Definitely check out the counterculture museum. It's not expensive to get into, and it tells an interesting story about the "hippie movement", and what it was all about. The museum also have a great bookstore. It's always fun coming back to this neighborhood to see what has changed.

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.

This was an interesting find in Tiburon, it looked like a small castle…read more A short walk up a small hill from the downtown area, Lyford's Stone Tower sits right on the coast with a direct view of Angel Island. Inside the Tower, there is a plaque explaining it's history, which is actually quite interesting. In front of the Tower, there are some benches if you want to enjoy the scenery for a bit , which is what we did while we were here.

Well worth a visit! A 10 minute walk from Main Street and the plaque shares its fascinating…read morehistory. Check it out when you are in the area!

This is a very nice neighborhood in Oakland. There are many…read morerestaurants, cafes and shops to visit. The homes in this neighborhood are beautiful. If you are having dinner here or shopping, parking can be hard to find.

Rockridge is one of the early Oakland neighborhoods that drew unique upscale eateries, shops,…read morecafes, boutique retail. there's a built in customer base in the area to support them. one can live here and be content never to venture beyond these boundaries to pursue essential servies. it's possible but not realistic. the grass is always greener on the other side or so it seems. rockridge hasn't change much physically over the decades. the rockridge shopping center was a change awhile back. there's been more commercial developments in recently in nearby blocks. residential areas haven't experienced major changes.

This is a place that isn't the most conspicuous landmark by any means. This is a stretch of…read morewalkway along the bay in the midst of the Fisherman's Wharf area. That this area has the air of historic preservation is a function of what makes SF what it is. This spot sits between a few Pier footings. Taking in the San Francisco Bay is an experience in and of itself. Great views here for Alcatraz and The Bridge.