Destination: North Beach, San Francisco
Walk down Lombard Street, explore North Beach, and walk up to Coit Tower
This is part of a series of family-oriented day trip outings around the San Francisco Bay Area I look forward to enjoying with my kids once social distancing and shelter in place isn’t the norm any longer.
Social Isolation — Day 42
Today I find myself impressed with my local government. They are rapidly deploying street closures called ‘safe streets’ to make more room for bikers, runners, and walkers. A month ago, this effort would take 6–12 months of study and community outreach only to develop the first pilot program. Instead, they are rapidly following Oakland’s example making use of lesser-used streets and making more room for people.
One of the few joy’s I have right now is to take my beat-up 20-year-old ex-mountain bike (I put smooth tires on it) to take an hour-long bike ride once or twice a week. It’s something I want to be doing more. And once we start to return to a time where we don’t have to shelter in place, I’d like to keep it up. However, I know it will be harder.
I hope some of us pause to see that cars are not the necessity they make themselves out to be. Maybe more of us will make better decisions about when we really need to drive.
Destination: North Beach
Walk Down Lombard Street
Explore North Beach
Walk Up To Coit Tower
Many people visiting San Francisco will have to make a trip to drive down Lombard Street, and up to Coit Tower. Often there are significant waits (they were recently considering a reservation system) to not only drive down Lombard Street but also up to Coit Tower. What a hassle. Not only are both very walkable, but you can spend a pleasant day walking from one to the next, really earning the view you receive once you get to the top.
Walk Down Lombard Street
Once you make your way to the top of Lombard street, find your way to the pedestrian stairway (to the left as you face down the hill). It will be hard to get a good photo from the top, better to spend your effort at the bottom. The stairway can get crowded too, so try to enjoy what you can as you descend.
Once you hit the bottom, I would suggest to find your way across the street and take a picture from one of the corners, you have the best chance of getting the twisty street in your selfie.
Pro-Tip: Don’t Park near Lombard street. This is a prime location for your car to get broken into. I suggest parking near North Beach, so you have a central location to return to. I like the SFMTA Garage (each parking space comes with a fortune printed on the ground) on Vallejo between Stockton & Powell, and across the street above the police station is another good spot. It’s a bit of a walk to the top of Lombard, but you can do it!
Explore North Beach
Photo by Eduardo Santos on Unsplash
I could spend days wandering around North Beach. In fact, I have. Since we are only taking a quick stop on today’s walk, I might point out a few of my favorite spots to enjoy while I’m there with my kids.
Liguria Bakery — for a sheet of focaccia to enjoy in Washington Park
Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe — if you want a table and something more to eat
Golden Boy Pizza — if you are looking for a quick slice
Cafe Grecco — if you need a quick pick-me-up while you people watch
Cafe Trieste — for a more historical cup of coffee
City Lights Bookstore — Head downstairs for the kids section, or upstairs for the poetry.
There are so many wonderful delights to discover walking through North Beach. Don’t forget to keep your eye out for a good-looking cannoli!
Walk Up To Coit Tower
Photo by Ronan Furuta on Unsplash
You can head up Lombard, Greenwich, or Filbert to intersect with Coit Tower, all are interesting walks up. They are all steep hills, but Lombard is less intense of a climb, and Filbert is more intense. Quite often we stop in Washington Park for a snack or picnic, and I like showing my kids what a real hill is, so we head up Filbert. Lombard offers some benches and some nice views along the way, and it ends with a big stairway.
Getting to the top, it’s a good chance for a rest, there is cement seating around Pioneer Park by the Columbus statue. There is a great view from here, but it’s obscured by the bushes and trees surrounding the park.
Once you’ve had a rest, head up to the tower. Take your time to look at all the WPA frescos inside the base of the tower. They were created at a similar time to the fresco’s at the Beach Chalet at the foot of Golden Gate Park by the Ocean.
If you are so inclined, the fare to take the elevator to the top is worth it (provided you don’t have to wait too long). It is a beautiful view of the city from here. The staff are generally very nice and will offer to help you take a photo too.
Cody Tolmasoff is an author and publisher for Adventuring.in. He is a recovering programmer and a San Francisco native, raising two daughters, and regularly finding new adventures around the SF Bay Area. This article is an excerpt from an upcoming book, 52 San Francisco Bay Area Weekend Adventures, Day Trips With Your Kids!
Find him on Twitter @codyo, and read his most recent title Adventures in Getting Out on Amazon, filled with advice on successfully getting your family out for day trip adventures.
Originally published on Medium on 24 April 2020