San Francisco Sightseeing, Mapped Out
San Francisco’s best views mostly cost nothing; the ticket prices below cluster around the handful that do charge.
Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill
The 1933 Art Deco tower sits atop Telegraph Hill, reached by climbing the Filbert Street Steps through private gardens where a flock of wild parrots often gathers. The ground floor’s 1934 WPA murals of California labor are free to view; the elevator to the observation deck runs $10 to $12, with hours posted at sfrecpark.org .
Twin Peaks
At 922 feet, Twin Peaks gives a 360-degree view over downtown, the Bay Bridge and, on a clear day, the Pacific. Reach it on the 37-Corbett Muni bus or by rideshare; wind and fog are common, and parked cars at the summit lot are a known target for break-ins, so leave nothing visible inside.
Lombard Street
Russian Hill’s “crookedest block” runs eight sharp switchbacks between Hyde and Leavenworth, landscaped with hydrangeas. Walking down the concrete stairs on either side is free and faster than the 30- to 45-minute vehicle queue that forms most afternoons.
Palace of Fine Arts
Bernard Maybeck’s Greco-Roman rotunda and colonnade, built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, sits over a lagoon in the Marina District at 3301 Lyon St. The park and lagoon are free and open, and swans and ducks share the water year-round.
Painted Ladies and Alamo Square
The row of pastel Queen Anne Victorians on Steiner Street, with the downtown skyline behind them, is one of the most photographed blocks in the city. Muni bus 5-Fulton or 21-Hayes reaches Alamo Square directly.
The cable car between stops
Riding the Powell-Hyde line between these sights costs $9 a ride through early January 2027, after which SFMTA raises the fare to $12 with an $18 all-day pass; sfmta.com has the current fare and route map. Board a few blocks up from the Powell Street turnaround to avoid the worst of the queue, or ride the quieter California Street line over Nob Hill.
The verdict
None of these five needs a booking; the only real constraint is timing Twin Peaks or Lombard Street for a clear afternoon rather than a foggy one. Compare San Francisco tours covering several of these sights on GetYourGuide if a guided half-day suits your schedule better than self-directed stops. For attractions with real tickets and lines, see the attraction tours guide .
Before you go
Check the fog before setting a Twin Peaks or Lombard Street visit; September and October, not summer, are San Francisco’s clearest months. Compare hotels near Nob Hill and Russian Hill on Booking.com to stay within walking distance of most of the above.