Haight-Ashbury
One of the most photographed scenes in San Francisco, Alamo Square's famous "postcard row" at Hayes and Steiner streets is a tight formation of Victorian houses back-dropped by downtown skyscrapers, providing a stunning contrast. The corner of Haight and Ashbury streets still has its tie-dyed roots; vintage clothing, books and records are abundant here and along lower Haight Street. Locals will point out Buena Vista Park, with its city views; and, for architectural highlights, Masonic, Piedmont and Delmar Streets. Cole Valley is also view endowed; head for Tank Hill. Parnassus Heights is home to San Francisco’s second largest employer: the University of California, San Francisco.
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Haight Ashbury Flower Power Walking TourThe tour is approximately 60% hippy history and 40% general neighborhood history and architecture, but it’s always 100% ‘far-out’ fun! Saunter along the same streets that Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell and countless others etched their marks into the collective alternative culture and creativity of the 20th century! The tour covers approximately 12 blocks with the final destination 2 blocks from the point of origin. A poetic and symbolic act of retracing the footsteps of so many, returning with greater understanding and heightened consciousness. Tours are every Tuesday and Saturday at 9:30 am;, Thursday at 2:00 pm or Friday at 11:00 am!. $20 per person, except children age 9 and under are free.Advance purchase is strongly recommended, as tours often sell out quickly. Walkups are welcome – but a bit of a gamble! P.O. Box 170106, San Francisco, 94117
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The Painted Ladies and Alamo SquareOne of the more upscale sights in The Haight is a steep trek uphill on Steiner Street to Alamo Square. This small park is unremarkable in itself but its hilltop affords an unobstructed view of a row of postcard perfect painted Victorians with San Francisco’s modern skyline as its backdrop. Timing the photo is not easy with the best light coming late in the afternoon when red hues should bask the pastel painted beauties. But it’s also when the late afternoon fog rolls in like clockwork. Alamo Square Park consists of six city blocks at the top of a hill overlooking much of San Francisco, with a number of large and architecturally distinctive mansions along the perimeter. 712–720 Steiner St,
San Francisco, CA 94117
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Buena Vista Parkis the oldest official park in San Francisco, established in 1867 as Hill Park and renamed Buena Vista in 1894. It is bounded by Haight Street to the north, and by Buena Vista Avenue West and Buena Vista Avenue East. The park is on a steep hill that peaks at 575 feet (175 m), and covers 37 acres (150,000 m2). The layout of the park uses the steepness of the hill to good advantage, offering good views of the city (particularly to the north) as well as impressive natural beauty. 498 Buena Vista Avenue East
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