When you’re in The Bay, it really does feel like that no matter where you turn, you’re bound to see a lovely view of the city. But for the adventure-seekers that really want to soak in every part of our city, you’ll want to take a look at our favorite lookout points and scenic views in San Francisco!
Scenic Views in San Francisco
At a height of 925 feet above sea level, Twin Peaks is one of the most scenic views in San Francisco and the Bay Area on a clear day. Twin Peaks, known individually as Eureka and Noe, sit in the center of San Francisco proper, looking down on the Castro at Market Street as it makes its way northeast towards Downtown The looping approach up the hills affords great views of the Mission, Haight Ashbury, and even the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges on a clear day. The Twin Peaks lookout can be accessed via the #37 Corbett and a short hike, or by renting a GoCar for a Painted Ladies All Day Tour.
A favorite spot for bicyclists, motorists, and hikers, the summit has limited parking, so park your GoCars two to a stall to leave room for other guests!
- Twin Peaks
- Crissy Field
- Mission Dolores Park
- Bernal Hill
- Alamo Square
- Sutro Heights Park
1. Twin Peaks
At a height of 925 feet above sea level, Twin Peaks is one of the most scenic views in San Francisco and the Bay Area on a clear day. Twin Peaks, known individually as Eureka and Noe, sit in the center of San Francisco proper, looking down on the Castro at Market Street as it makes its way northeast towards Downtown The looping approach up the hills affords great views of the Mission, Haight Ashbury and even the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges on a clear day. The Twin Peaks lookout can be accessed via the #37 Corbett and a short hike, or by renting a GoCar for a Painted Ladies All Day Tour.
A favorite spot for bicyclists, motorists, and hikers, the summit has limited parking, so park your GoCars two to a stall to leave room for other guests!
2. Crissy Field
Stretching along the northern edge of the Bay, Crissy Field is a popular beach and picnic spot for locals, and one of the most scenic views in San Francisco. The former salt marsh and estuary were filled in during the 1870s and used for both the Pan Pacific Exposition and as a Trans-Pacific airfield, before being cleared again to become an open space for tourists and locals alike.
The field has ample parking along both the eastern and western edges and offers amazing views of the Palace of Fine Arts and Downtown from the western edge, and great views of the Golden Gate Bridge along the shore. Book a GoCar Tour during the middle of the day for the most unobstructed views of the bridge during the summer months – the structure is often covered by morning and afternoon fog that rolls in from the Pacific Ocean when the sun is not hot enough to burn it off.
3. Mission Dolores Park
Protected from the coastal fog by nearby Twin Peaks, and just a short walk from the bustling neighborhoods of the Castro and Valencia Street, Dolores Park is a mecca for San Franciscans. The park has tennis courts, a children’s playground, and a slope that peaks at the southwestern corner, resulting in spectacular views of Downtown over the California Churrigueresque-style spires of Mission High School.
Locals often congregate in the park on weekends along the “Gay Beach” at the southwestern end, to enjoy some of the warmest temperatures in the city and the best views (and people watching) in San Francisco.
4. Bernal Hill
In the quiet, quirky neighborhood of Bernal Heights, grassy Bernal Hill rises above the Mission District to offer sweeping views of Downtown, the Bay Bridge, and the Southeastern parts of the city. Protected from coastal fog by the hills to the west, Bernal is one of the most consistently warm and fog-free spots, making it one of the best places for scenic views in San Francisco.
A popular swing sits near the top of the park facing east and has become such an instagrammable photo opportunity, that visitors often line up to take photos with the San Francisco skyline or the view over the bay as a background.
5. Alamo Square
Best known for its scenic view of the Painted Ladies with San Francisco’s Downtown in the background, the park has been featured in many postcards and was made famous when it was featured in the opening credits of the TGIF television series “Full House.” The park sits within the Alamo Square neighborhood, which has some of the best-preserved and most elaborate Victorian homes in the city.
A walk around the park provides a 360-degree view of the few Victorian buildings that escaped the 1906 earthquake and fire. The eastern edge of the park, along Steiner Street, is featured on the GoCar Painted Ladies Tour, and provides one of the best scenic views in San Francisco of both the Painted ladies and the city behind it. The best time to go is during Golden Hour, as the sun reflects off the windows of the buildings downtown in the distance.
6. Sutro Heights Park
Sutro Heights Park was the site of the Sutro Baths bathing and swimming complex that burned down to their concrete foundation in 1966, in what is widely considered a case of insurance fraud. Abandoned Gazebos, crumbling walls, and Greco-Roman statues are all that remain of the bathing complex along the hill, and the natatorium complex that existed on the cliff below is visible to the north. A camera obscura overlooking Seal Rock, and the recently closed Cliff House sit directly below the park.
The fog that often hangs over this part of the city on summer mornings and afternoons adds a moody ambiance to the area. Midday visitors are treated to sweeping views of Highway 1 as it runs south along the coast and the western entrance to Golden Gate Park. Sutro Heights Park is accessible from Point Lobos Avenue, which is featured on the All Day GoCar Tours.