Important Reminder:The Foursquare City Guide app officially sunset on December 15, 2024, with the web version following in early 2025. However, your check-in journey doesn’t end here! Join us on Swarm, where new adventures await.
399 The Embarcadero (btwn Folsom & Harrison St), San Francisco, CA
Seafood Restaurant · Rincon Hill · 199 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: Get there early (ideally around 3:30pm) to snag seats in the lively circular Oyster Bar with its large windows, or on the outside terrace with its more open bridge and bay views.
245 The Embarcadero (at Folsom St), San Francisco, CA
Outdoor Sculpture · Financial District · 39 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: Position yourself at the right beneath it and snap a picture with the sculpture, created by Swedish pop-art pioneer Claes Oldenburg and Dutch artist Coosje van Bruggen, juxtaposed against the bridge.
Fodor's Travel: Hotel Vitale offers a 180-degree panorama of the Ferry Building's distinctive 245-foot clock tower (modeled after the one in Seville, Spain) and sweeping suspension cables of the Bay Bridge.
222 Sansome St (California & Pine), San Francisco, CA
Spa · Financial District · 8 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: Uncork a bottle of Cabernet, put your iPod in the dock, and play Tony Bennett’s "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Sleep with the curtains open to catch the skyline as the morning fog lifts.
1 Telegraph Hill Blvd (btwn Lombard & Union St), San Francisco, CA
Monument · Telegraph Hill · 327 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: Visit just before sunset (it's $7 for the elevator to the top) when the Transamerica Pyramid, framed by the tower's arches, is bathed in a golden glow.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area (San Francisco Bay), San Francisco, CA
Historic and Protected Site · 502 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: Take time to savor a multitude of views: the island itself on your ferry ride, the Golden Gate Bridge from the recreation yard, and the city skyline from the paths surrounding the Cell House.
Lombard St (btwn Hyde & Leavenworth St), San Francisco, CA
Road · Russian Hill · 309 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: Hand your cell phone or camera to your passenger and maneuver the eight tight turns from top to bottom amid the famous manicured hydrangeas. Then look back up: The best photo ops are from the bottom.
Powell & Market to (Hyde & Beach), San Francisco, CA
Cable Car · Nob Hill · 19 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: Ride the entire 2.1-mile route and choose a standing position on the outside runner at the front of the car's left side. Face forward, hold on with your right hand, and line up the perfect shot.
Fort Baker (Golden Gate National Recreation Area), Sausalito, CA
Event Space · 25 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: The perfect place to enjoy San Francisco without actually sleeping in it, Cavallo Point is an atmospheric, dog-friendly resort located across the bay on the grounds of historic Fort Baker.
1504 Pershing Dr (at Lincoln Blvd), San Francisco, CA
Beach · Presidio National Park · 139 tips and reviews
Fodor's Travel: The views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands from this beach are spectacular. These sands are also a recognized nudist spot, so you might catch a game of naked Frisbee on the north end.
Fodor's Travel: Visit Hawk Hill on a clear day in the early afternoon and bring along a picnic lunch (park your car facing the view and enjoy), a windbreaker, and binoculars.