Grand View Park

A few days ago I shared a post about our visit to the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps (you can see it here). After we climbed to the top of that beautiful staircase we found ourselves in front of yet another staircase. This particular stair case wasn't pretty, but I knew that when we reached the top the view would be spectacular.

And it was!

Grand View Park sits atop a hill in San Francisco's Sunset district and affords 360 degree views over the city. There was a fair amount of fog the day that we climbed to the top, but the views were still amazing. Plus the fog adds to the atmosphere - literally. Ha!

Grand View Park is relatively small and there are no amenities (apart from one bench) but the views are what you make the trek up the hill for. The girls enjoyed looking out over the city trying to spot places they recognize. They also had fun pointing out pink houses!

One of the things I really liked about the view from the top was how it put into perspective just how big Golden Gate Park is. That park is huge!

San Francisco is a city of micro climates with the weather varying greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood. The 360 degree views from Grand View Park made this very clear to us. In one direction we had bright blue skies and sunshine. In another direction the city was being swallowed by fog. These photos look like they could have been taken on two different days in very different weather conditions.

Grand View Park is a fantastic spot to visit for views over San Francisco yet it's not crowded with tourists. The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps may have been busy with tourists making their way up and down while we were there, but relatively few people went the little extra distance to take in the views from the top of the hill. They have no idea what they were missing! It really only takes an extra 5 minutes from the top of the tiled steps and you're at the very top of the hill with sweeping views over the city.

From now on I'll be making sure to add a visit to the tiled staircases and Grand View Park to all itineraries for when we have visitors from home. So if you're planning to come visit, start warming up those knees. I have a lots of steps for you to climb! But trust me, it's totally worth it.