1Twin Peaks — the king
You can see the entire Bay from one spot: the Golden Gate to your right, the Bay Bridge to your left, downtown dead center. Drive or hike. Free, open until midnight. Go at sunset. Bring a jacket — the wind is cold even in July. Our Twin Peaks audio guide explains the geology that made these hills.
2Battery Spencer (Marin Headlands) — the postcard shot
This is the angle on every Golden Gate Bridge postcard. Drive across the bridge, take the first exit, turn left up Conzelman Road. Park at the lot and walk 2 minutes to the old gun battery. Morning has the best light. Free. Nobody is ever there at 7am. Our Golden Gate Bridge guide covers the bridge from every angle.
3Coit Tower — the 360° view with a story
The view from the parking lot is free and covers downtown, both bridges, and Alcatraz. The elevator to the top costs $10 and adds a 360° view. The WPA murals on the ground floor are free. Walk up via the Filbert Steps for a bonus view through a secret garden. Our Coit Tower audio guide tells Lillie Coit's story.
4Ina Coolbrith Park — the hidden one
Tucked on Russian Hill, this tiny park has a bench with a straight-on view of the Bay Bridge, the Transamerica Pyramid, and Alcatraz — all in one frame. Almost nobody knows about it. Go at sunset. It is on the walking route uphill from North Beach to Nob Hill.
5Bernal Heights Park — the locals' Twin Peaks
Same pan-as-you-can-see view as Twin Peaks, but a quarter of the crowd. The swing at the top is unofficial and occasionally removed. If it is there, it makes a good photo. Our Bernal Heights guide explains why this hill was never developed.
6Lands End — the coastal one
The stone labyrinth at the Lands End overlook gives you the Golden Gate Bridge framed by cypress trees. Halfway up the trail, Mile Rock Beach has a head-on bridge view from sea level. Free. Our Lands End audio guide covers the shipwrecks visible at low tide.
7Dolores Park — the social view
Lie on the grass at the top of Dolores Park and the view takes in downtown, the Bay, and the East Bay hills beyond. On a sunny Saturday it is a scene. On a weekday morning it is quiet. Bring a burrito from La Taqueria two blocks away. Our Mission District guide covers the neighborhood below.
8Yerba Buena Island (Bay Bridge halfway)
Take the Treasure Island exit on the Bay Bridge and follow the road up to Yerba Buena Island. The view is downtown SF from the middle of the Bay — better at night when the buildings are lit. Free parking at the top.
9Baker Beach — bridge from the sand
The northwest end of Baker Beach gives you the Golden Gate Bridge from below, with waves in the foreground. Sunset is best. Free. Cold water — do not swim. Our Baker Beach guide explains the WWII gun battery still standing at the north end.
10Sutro Baths — ruins with a view
Stand on the concrete foundations of a burned-down 1896 swimming palace with the Pacific Ocean crashing through the gaps. It is more dramatic than any viewpoint has a right to be. Our Sutro Baths audio guide tells the full story of Adolph Sutro.
Hear the stories behind the views
Each viewpoint has an audio guide — the history, the geology, the thing the plaque doesn't say. Free 60-second previews.