The inside local's take
Designed by Joseph Strauss and painted the now-iconic 'International Orange' to complement the natural surroundings and improve visibility in San Francisco's famous fog.
Walking the eastern sidewalk from the Presidio's Battery East to the Marin overlook takes about 40 minutes each way. Bring a windbreaker — the deck is often 15°F cooler than downtown.
For the definitive photograph, drive north across the bridge, exit at Alexander Avenue, and climb to Battery Spencer in the Marin Headlands at sunset.
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Alcatraz Island
The federal penitentiary that held Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. Ferries leave Pier 33; the cellhouse audio tour is one of America's finest.
Painted Ladies of Alamo Square
The famous row of pastel Victorians on Steiner Street, with the downtown skyline framed perfectly behind them from the park's east lawn.
Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill
A 210-foot Art Deco fluted column crowning Telegraph Hill. Ride the elevator up for a 360° panorama and admire the Depression-era WPA murals inside.