Top 10 Views in San Francisco

It's no secret that Stanford Court - atop Nob Hill - offers some of the best views in the city. San Francisco is a gorgeous city with countless viewing spots to enjoy the skyline, our famous landmarks, the bay, and everything that makes the city one-of-a-kind. How do you choose the best view? Here is a list of our top viewing spots in San Francisco.

1. Bernal Heights Park – This spot on the western side of the city is one of the best to catch the sun rising over the city. It offers a similar view to that of Twin Peaks but is typically less crowded.

2. Golden Gate Bridge Overlook – The Golden Gate Bridge is likely the most photographed structure in San Francisco and one the Overlook offers a vantage point from above that is unparalleled.

3. Twin Peaks – Located in a residential neighborhood, this popular hiking spot offers 360-degree views of the entire city.

4. View from a View room at Stanford Court –We dare you to book one of these spectacular rooms and tell us it’s not one of the best views in the city.

5. Alcatraz – The infamous prison is one of the top tourist attractions in San Francisco, and we do recommend visiting the island for first-time visitors. But the trip to the island also affords a really great photo-op of the city from across the Bay.

6. Coit Tower – The tower offers unobstructed panoramic views of both the skyline and the Bay from atop its 210-foot perch.

7. Corner of California and Powell just outside the entrance to Stanford Court – Thousands of amateur photographers queue up at this corner annually to take a photo from the top of Nob Hill, down towards the Financial District, with the Bay Bridge in the background, while capturing an iconic cable car ascending the hill. (And really you can get a great shot from 3 directions at this corner!)

8. Hawk Hill at Golden Gate National Recreation Area – technically the lookout is NOT in San Francisco. In fact, it’s across the Golden Gate Bridge but affords sweeping views of the Bay and the city from above.

9. Lands End – This fabulous hiking spot affords a unique vantage point of the Golden Gate bridge as well as several shipwrecks dating back hundreds of years.

10. Alamo Square Park – Nowhere else in San Francisco can you capture a photo of the Painted Ladies in the foreground with the skyline looming above.