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Stairways of San Francisco: 14 Famous Steps Around SF
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: July 31, 2024
Explore fourteen of the best and most famous stairs in San Francisco. My list includes several colorful and mosaic staircases, including the 16th Avenue Steps, the Hidden Garden Steps, and the painted Sanchez Stairs.
I've also included tips on how to find and visit the Sand Ladder near Baker Beach and the Filbert Street Steps near Coit Tower, plus a few other surprises.
Read on for more details and photos of these hidden gems in SF.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
1. Filbert Street Stairs
The Filbert Street Stairs are a set of stairs in San Francisco that take you to the top of Telegraph Hill from the waterfront near Levi's Plaza. It's a popular route for those wanting to walk from The Embarcadero to Coit Tower.
The first set of stairs is VERY steep. They climb up the side of a hill, which is the toughest part of the journey.
They start on Filbert about a half block west of Sansome Street.
This is where Filbert dead ends and these famous stairs in San Francisco begin. They are hard to miss!
I love the second area of these steps, which features a gorgeous garden area near some wonderful wooden steps. Make sure to take a peek down Napier Lane!
These are two distinct sets of staircases within your first block.
You will then cross Montgomery Street, where you will find your next set of steps. Continue walking uphill until you reach Telegraph Hill Boulevard. This is where you will hit your final staircase, which will take you up to Coit Tower.
As you walk, make sure to stop for a rest, as this walk is quite strenuous. During your stops, turn around a few times to check out the gorgeous views of the SF Bay and the Bay Bridge.
District: Telegraph Hill/North Beach
Location: Filbert between Sansome and Coit Tower
Nearby Staircase: Greenwich Stairs that also take you from Sansome to Coit Tower
More Ways to Explore Coit Tower
2. 16th Avenue Tiled Stairs
At 16th and Moraga, you will find the most famous mosaic stairs in San Francisco, the 16th Avenue Tiled Stairs. This set of stairs is on Moraga between 15th and 16th Avenues.
This 163-step beauty was completed in 2005.
More than 300 neighbors worked on this community project. It was a labor of love, and you can tell in the final design.
The stairway is divided into small sets of stairs. Each one has a different design such as a moon, a sun, and swirling designs with fish, flowers, and shells.
It's impressive to see the entire piece and to walk up and down to get a closer look at each section.
These San Francisco stairs used to be a hidden gem, but on certain days, it gets crowded.
If I show up before around 10 a.m. or after around 4 p.m., I have a better chance of getting a photo of it without anyone on the steps.
Take advantage of the Hidden Garden Steps (mentioned below) on the way!
District: Inner Sunset
Location: 16th Avenue and Moraga
Transit: You can easily get here by car or by public transit. Take the N Judah light rail to Judah and 15th Avenue. Walk to 16th Avenue and head up the hill.
Hidden Stairways of San Francisco Walking Tour
Want to learn more about this famous set of stairs (and those nearby)? Check out this guided tour by a local. Here is a little about what you can expect on this tour:
- 2-hour tour that covers a leisurely 2 miles
- Visit the 16th Avenue Tiled Stairs, the Hidden Garden Stairs, and Grandview Park
- Climb these stairs and enjoy the views from the top
- Learn more about the history of these stairs and San Francisco
- Find out more about this tour here
3. Hidden Garden Stairs
The Hidden Garden Steps offer colorful flowers, butterflies, and other garden images. This is the top of the bottom section before the steps turn to reveal a new set of stairs.Another set of mosaic stairways in San Francisco is the Hidden Garden Stairs, which were completed in 2013.
This one is also divided into several sets of steps. Each section features a design with flowers, butterflies, leaves, and other garden items.
Because of the layout of this set of steps, you cannot see or photograph the entire staircase at once. It turns a corner, so you can see about half of it from any angle.
You will find almost a dozen different sections with unique designs.
District: Inner Sunset
Location: 16th Avenue at Kirkham
Transit: Take the N Judah light rail train to the stop at 15th Avenue and Judah. From there, walk to 16th Avenue and make your way up the hill. Once you check out these San Francisco stairs, walk all the way to the top to continue on 16th Avenue until you reach the 16th Avenue Tiled Stairs (at Moraga).
4. Lyon Street Steps
This is a look from below the beautifully manicured top section of the Lyon Street Steps in San Francisco.One of my favorite views of the San Francisco Bay is from the Lyon Street Steps. This attraction starts on the top at Broadway Street and makes its way from Pacific Heights down to the Marina District.
The first block of steps in San Francisco is beautifully manicured, with one of the Hearts of San Francisco near the bottom.
The second set of stairs is more basic and steep but takes you quickly from one district to the next.
District: Pacific Heights
Location: Lyon Street between Broadway and Green Streets
Transit: Take the #2 Bus to Geary Blvd and Divisadero and then transfer to the 24. Get off the bus at Divisadero and Jackson Streets and then walk four blocks to these steps.
Other Fun Hidden Gems Around SF
5. Lincoln Park Steps
The newest set of mosaic stairs in San Francisco is the Lincoln Park Steps. They are on California Street, which dead-ends into the Lincoln Park Golf Course.
It's a smaller staircase but offers a colorful pattern of bright yellows, greens, blues, and oranges.
District: Outer Richmond
Location: California at Lincoln Golf Course
Transit: Take the #1 Bus to California Street and 32nd Avenue
6. Dragon's Tale Staircase at Miraloma
The beautiful staircase at Miraloma Park and School in San Francisco is called the Dragon's Tale. It includes tiles that the kids can learn as they play on.One of the newer additions to our colorful mosaic stairways is the Dragon's Tales Steps at Miraloma Playground.
I love the colors and creativity on this set of San Francisco steps. They are education-related, as they are next to the Miraloma Elementary School.
They have sayings from famous people such as Albert Einstein, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Mark Twain. They have numbers and other educational elements throughout.
When you step back and see the entire piece, the main stairs are the Dragon's Tail, with the head breathing fire near the top. It's called Dragon's Tale since it's a piece to teach kids at the school each time they use them.
District: Miraloma
Location: Miraloma Playground along Bella Vista Way and Avoca Alley
Transit: This is far away from the heart of San Francisco and it takes a few buses to get here. If you want to see this one, I recommend taking an Uber/Lyft to save you time.
7. Sand Ladder
The Sand Ladder is a set of steps covered in sand. It's part of the Pacific Coast Trail and has become famous as it's one of the more challenging parts of the run during the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.
It takes you to the northern end of Baker Beach.
District: Presidio
Location: Baker Beach
Transit: Take the PresidiGo from the entrance of the Presidio to Baker Beach
8. Tompkins Stairs
You will also find another colorful set of stairways in San Francisco in the Bernal Height District. They feature a wave-type pattern with bright blues, oranges, yellows, and greens.
This one uses tiles and it's a beautiful pattern and worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood.
You will find them heading up the hill between Putnam and Nevada Streets.
District: Bernal Heights
Location: Tompkins Street between Putnam and Nevada
Transit: Take the 24 to either Bronte or Nevada Streets. Walk one block to Putnam Street and then south to Tompkins Street.
9. Esmerelda Stairs & Slide Park
While visiting the Tompkins Stairs in the Bernal Heights District, head over to the western side of the district to check out two other fun places.
Along Esmerelda Avenue, you will find a beautiful set of stairs and a slide park.
The stairs are made of concrete but offer sweeping views of the city from the top. These San Francisco stairs are lined with a gorgeous garden making the entire experience magical.
You will also find the Esmerelda Slide just one block up the hill. This park has a slide for two that you can enjoy during your visit.
Location: The stairs are along Esmerelda Avenue between Coleridge Street and Lundys Lane. The slide park is between Prospect Avenue and Winfield Street.
Transit: Take the 49 and exit at Mission and Valencia Streets. Make your way up Fair Avenue and take a right at Coleridge. The steps are about a block and a half down the street.
10. Athens-Avalon Green Space Tiled Steps
The gorgeous colors of the Athens-Avalon Green Space steps are in the Excelsior District of San Francisco.If you really want an off-the-beaten-path adventure, head to the Athens-Avalon Green Space to check out its colorful, tiled staircase. Located in the Excelsior District, this set of San Francisco stairs blends in perfectly with the surrounding green space.
The tiles are a combination of green, yellow, white, blue, and other pretty colors.
There isn't much around these steps, so you won't find much traffic most of the time. However, I still like visiting them during the week as the weekends do draw in some locals.
You could combine a visit to this set of steps in San Francisco with the next one on my list, Kenny Alley. It takes about 20 minutes to walk between them.
Location: 743 Avalon Avenue at Athens Street in the Excelsior District
Transit: I recommend taking either the 8 or 14 Bus or the J Streetcar to get out here, although both will require a bit of walking to get to the steps. There are two buses closer to the stairs, the 52 and the 54, but you will need to transfer to these once you get close.
It takes about 40 minutes on transit, so if you are short on time, I recommend taking an Uber or Lyft.
11. Kenny Alley
Kenny Alley is a wonderful, artistic set of hidden steps on Mission Street, at the edge of the Excelsior District.
This set features a variety of blue mosaic pieces mixed in with a little white and a few pieces of mirror. It's a gorgeous flowing design set between two hours.
I love visiting this alleyway because of these colorful steps and the cool mural. The artists also did an amazing job with the entrance, so you know you are headed in the right direction.
This archway leads into Kenny Alley from Mission Street. The steps are at the far end near London Street.Location: Between Mission and London Streets in the Excelsior District.
Transit: The best way to get here is to take the 8 or the 14 from Union Square.
12. Sanchez Street Stairs
The Sanchez Street Steps are my list's only painted steps in San Francisco. This section of stairs was painted in 2022, and because they are used frequently, the paint is already showing some wear.
However, from below, they are beautiful! It's a lovely addition to the Castro District and a fun way to celebrate this LGBTQIA+ neighborhood.
This set of San Francisco stairs is easy to get to, and there are a ton of great restaurants and bars nearby.
Even though the paint is worn a bit, it's a fun one to check out.
Location: Sanchez Street at 19th Street
Transit: The best way to get here is to take one of the light rail trains to the Castro Street Station and then walk up to 19th Street and over to Sanchez.
13. Unity Plaza, Ocean Avenue History Staircase
This set of steps is quite different from the rest on my list. It includes only 14 stairs and is designed to teach visitors about important moments in San Francisco history in and around the City College area.
The steps are lined with panels of photos featuring little pieces of history. A sign explains each picture and its importance.
While it doesn't take long to visit, it's a perfect stop for those wanting a deeper dive into SF's history of this area.
Location: Unity Plaza near City College, the stairs are in the plaza behind the fire station near 1002 Ocean Ave.
Transit: If you come from downtown, the K light rail train is your best option. It will drop you off right across the street from Unity Plaza. Head north into the plaza to find these stairs in San Francisco.
14. Flights of Fancy Staircase
The last set of famous stairs in San Francisco is the Flights of Fancy Staircase in the Bayview District. This set of mosaic stairs was completed in July 2014.
It's a dedication to Dr. Arelious Walker, a former pastor and advocate for the Bayview District.
The design combines patterns from various cultures including Adinkra cloth from Ghana, Native American painted pottery, and woven patterns from Central America and the Middle East.
The 87-step staircase connects Northridge Road and Innes Avenue.
District: Bayview
Location: Arelious Walker at Innes Avenue
Transit: Take the #19 Bus to the stairs, you will be dropped off right at the bottom of the staircase. There isn't anything else around this area, so hop right back on the #19 after it turns around a few blocks away. It takes the bus less than 15 minutes to return, so I recommend taking a quick look, getting some pictures, and hopping right back on.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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