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Coit Tower, San Francisco, CA

Photo: Ryan Schwark, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory BuffDate Night

Coit Tower

1 Telegraph Hill Blvd · San Francisco, CA

Why you should go…

Coit Tower is a 210-foot Art Deco column on top of Telegraph Hill, built in 1932 and 1933 and designed by Arthur Brown Jr. and Henry Temple Howard. An elevator takes you to the observation deck for views over the city and bay, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Inside, murals painted in 1934 by more than 20 artists depict aspects of life in California. If the nearly 90-year-old elevator is out of service, the way up is 13 flights of stairs.

  • #observation deck
  • #city views
  • #murals
  • #art deco
  • #landmark

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Coit Tower, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Exploratorium

    $25–$50

    Hands-on science, art and human-perception museum on San Francisco's waterfront with hundreds of interactive exhibits.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    San Francisco Cable Cars

    Under $25

    Ride an open-sided cable car up and over the hills on three historic lines pulled by underground cables.

    0.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    San Francisco Whale Tours

    $50+

    Narrated whale-watching boat trips through the Golden Gate to the waters off the Farallon Islands.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Blue & Gold Fleet

    $25–$50

    San Francisco Bay sightseeing cruises past Alcatraz, the sea lions, and under the Golden Gate Bridge.

    0.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Pier 39

    Free

    A waterfront pier at Fisherman's Wharf with shops, restaurants, and a resident colony of sea lions.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Chinatown

    Free

    Walk through the Dragon's Gate onto Grant Avenue for lantern-lined streets, temples, markets and dim sum parlors.

    0.6 mi awayMore like this