Top Best views of San Francisco

San Francisco is the United States' second-most photographed metropolis, next to New York City. Exposed on the tip of a peninsula, San Francisco is inherently photogenic, standing still for adoring tourists to shoot from all angles.

Last time, I introduced the different views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the landmark of SF.

Today, I will introduce another top best views of SF except the Golden Gate Bridge.

Here we go!!

1. Treasure Island, the best skyline of SF





Treasure island is an artificial island in the San Francisco Bay between San Francisco and Oakland, and an emerging neighborhood of San Francisco. The island now serves as one of the popular tourist destinations and is a favorite scenic view of locals. A popular location for photographers, Treasure Island also serves as a popular spot to watch the sunset. If you are a traveler or local who wants to keep a photo saying "Look at me!! I'm in SAN FRANCISCO here", then, you should go to the Treasure Island.




**Different attractiveness of the Treasure Island

Sunset at the Treasure Island

 Alcatraz and Golden Gate bridge

Night View

Play to take a magazine photo:)

The flaw of the Treasure Island is that it doesn't have many cafes and restaurants here. But, there is a super small market for a coffee and snack at the main gate and recently, a new market just came out near the main gate.

Plus, if you have a car and go to the Yerba Buena Island right next to the Treasure Island, you can capture a photo right above the Bay Bridge with a whole city view in a single image.

This is the picture I took with my friend on the Yerba Buena Island at night.

on the Yerba Buena Island, photographed by Choi

** HOW TO GO : Muni bus 108(Catch the bus at the Transbay Terminal) or a Taxi, Car

2. Bernal Heights, one romantic day with a lover

Bernal Hill

Bernal Heights lies to the south of San Francisco's Mission District. Its most prominent feature is the open parkland and radio tower on its large rocky hill, Bernal Heights Summit.

 If you are looking for the place to feel like "I'm on the top of the world!!", go to the Bernal Heights. Especially, If you go there right before the sunset and compare the different views before and after the sunset, you will experience  360* INCREDIBLE sceneries!!! Personally, I like the view from Bernal Heights more than the one from the Twin Peaks even though this hill is smaller than the Twin Peaks. But, you need a sportswear shoes or any comfortable shoes because you should do a short hiking to climb a small hill. Don't wear a pair of flip-flops if you don't wanna get dirty from the dirt.

North view from the Bernal Heights Park

Southeast view from Bernal Hill, including the bay and Candlestick park

Provable Shot 1

Provable Shot 2

3. Twin Peaks, best view of panoramic view of SF

Great panoramic views of San Francisco and beyond! This is another spot to view sunrise over the city of SF. Really good place to take your visiting friend. Especially if you have a clear day, the entire city is below you and you can see across the Bay to Berkeley. 

The Twin Peaks are two hills with an elevation of about 922 feet (281m) near the geographic center of San Francisco. They are the highest points in the city! The peaks each have their own names: Eureka Peak/North Peak and Noe Peak/South Peak.

Be prepared with your blanket or heavy clothes!! I went there at the night time(I didn't know where I was going;; I just followed with my friend) and it was really clear but still super windy. Usually, It's really windy up the peaks that you might catch a cold after a visit. So, Be prepared!

Twin Peaks

The brightest street is the Market St, the main street in SF

Provable shot ^^; The black feature on the right is ME;;

4. Dolores Park, Feel a freedom

When I went to Mission District, I just stopped by this park with no background of this park. However!! There was a hidden place located near the neighborhood of the Mission and Castro neighborhood with a different city view as a city park(Originally known as Mission Park). I was a little bit surprised to see a lot of people wearing bikinis or only underwear. They looked so laid-back and enjoying their freedom as much as they can. I'm pretty sure here is near Mission District and Castro, haha:)

The southern half of the park is also notable for its views of the Mission district, downtown, the San Francisco Bay and the East Bay. Also, notable is the routing of the Muni Metro J-Church streetcar line through the park. The park lies east of Twin Peaks in the warm and sunny microclimate of the Mission neighborhood. The park is popular among San Franciscans looking for outdoor relaxation and recreation. 

* Features: Several tennis courts, Basketball court, Soccer field, Children's playground, and a dog play area

Streetcar Line

Statue of this park

Provable shot!

Go to the Dolores park for reading a book or organizing your thoughts. Or plan a picnic with your friend or family on a sunny day. BUT, if you wanna sunbathe and enjoy the grass fully, plz bring your own blanket(Bikini is another fun experience^^) because the grass might be wet enough.

5. Alamo Square, Best for a picnic

Right! It's the view you can often see on the postcard which is a row of Victorian houses with the financial district skyline in the background. Perfect place for a picnic!

I visited this park before going to San Diego and after coming back to San Francisco, I wanted to visit again for photogenic photos with my friend from Chile and feel a great vibe there with a red balloon from the Dragon festival on the Treasure Island. 

Noteworthily, a row of Victorian houses facing the park on Steiner Street, known as the "Painted Ladies", are often shown in the foreground of panoramic pictures of the city's downtown area. I checked a number of movies, television shows and commercials have been filmed in or around Alamo Square. A lot of architecturally significant mansions on the perimeter of the park, including the residences of the Russian and German Imperial consuls in the early 1900s, and the mansions on the block diagonally across from the Painted Ladies.

At this point, What is the "Painted Ladies"?

The Painted Ladies on Steiner and Hayes Street in San Francisco are a row of Queen Anne era Victorian houses, painted in multiple colors to draw attention to their element of design. The Painted Ladies appear very frequently in photographs of the city and are a huge tourist attraction. Many of these houses were lost in the great fire that followed the 1906 earthquake, and others were torn down over the years to make way for new development.

photographed with the Instagram

Flying a balloon in the air and making a wish**

I made a wish flying that balloon in the pictures and saw until it disappeared from my view. My wish was going to the sky further and further in San Francisco. It was a little bit weird feeling to try it.


In my opinion, it's such a good experience to try and experience different and new things you have never done before in your life. It is a little bit hard to start a new one but that could make your life more lively, get wisdom of your life you don't know before, broaden your knowledge and background of your life so that you are closer to your real life. This is our once life we take responsibility for. Anything could happen if you try something different. BUT, you should have at least your own basic principle. Not accepting everything like bad stuffs just for being a show-off, trying anything to be wiser and not to regret what you have done before.


That's why MY HOBBY is to try and challenge what I have never done in my life;)





6. Coit Tower, Another sunny day







Another sunny day, I was strolling near Financial District and passed by the Coit Tower. Until then, I had saved the experience to go up to the Coit Tower because I guess, I wanted to keep that memory at the Coit Tower with an important person. But, I couldn't resist going there on that day when I just passed by and looked up the white tower on the sunny day. I just followed the path without google map(Most of time, I use a google map with my iphone) looking up at the Tower. I didn't plan it at all in advance, just a spontaneous trip in San Francisco.


Thanks to this spontaneous trip, I found a hidden path to the top of the Coit Tower by myself. I was so proud of myself, haha! Good job, Min:)

panoramic view from the top of the Coit Tower 

The intersection of Filbert Street and Napier Lane on Telegraph Hill

** This hidden path is found by myself!!!!

The picture with blooming flowers

A picture of Coit Tower at sunset

Tower at Night

Stairs to the Tower with a lot of devoted people

Provable photo in front of the Tower

Other way to go down the way connecting to North Beach 

The path from North Beach

7. Lombard Street, the crookedest road in the world

Actually, I have been to the Lombard Street a bunch of times. It was the first time to find the view from the Lombard St when I was on the Cable car. The cable car "Powell-Hyde"line stop at the top of the Lombard Street so I got off from the cable car due to this irresistible view on the top of the hill. It is well-known for the crookedest road in the world so lots of tourists visit here by a cable car, by foot, by a car or bicycle etc. Isn't it amazing?

View from the top of the Lombard st

Provable shot, I'm here!

Powell-Hyde Cable car stop

WOW, long itinerary for introducing the best views in San Francisco. Actually much more than this! If you know about San Francisco's numberless destinations and attractiveness more and more, further and further, you won't escape from the attractiveness of San Francisco. You will leave your heart in San Francisco(The famous song, Tony Bennett- I left my heart in San Francisco). San Francisco is like a more city which has kept a memorable history, its scent and atmosphere in the city itself with a variety of characteristics of California. 



For me, San Francisco is like a motivating teacher to teach me how to be stronger more and more with amazing experiences every single moment. Eat, Explore, Enjoy with food, views, culture, people, events, music, shopping.. Understand, Try, Challenge, Share, Feel it ! I cannot even make a whole list. Therefore, It's a big deal for me to keep these memories for the rest of my life. I'm gonna post as many as I can in order to share all my stories, feelings, tips, everything with u all.


See U soon, and Time to move your ass to go all of them, Everybody!!!!!
Don't miss out on all the fun in San Francisco! Make the most of your opportunities!!!!!





Thank you all <3

- Refer to the Wikipedia