Recently I blogged about one of San Francisco’s best-kept secrets, at least from a tourist perspective: the city’s stairways, which are frequently hidden from view but almost always worth seeking out. I’m back to tell you about another trio of steps, each of which I recommend not only for the exercise and the views but because—in a city that does a good job putting a crimp in your budget—they’re free.

The Filbert Steps are well known since they ascend the east side of Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower, the 210-foot-tall Art Deco monument to San Francisco firefighters that’s a distinctive North Beach landmark. I climbed these steps on a Saturday morning that started out overcast, foggy and drizzly but—as often happens in this city—turned gloriously sunny by 10 a.m. The steps begin at the corner of Sansome and Filbert streets, two blocks off the Embarcadero; look for the sign that says “Steps to Coit Tower.”

These stairs rise in three sections. The steps are wood as far up as Montgomery Street. The higher you climb, the better the views of the bay, the San Francisco Bay Bridge and Alcatraz Island get—although the vista is always at least partially obscured by the luxuriant vegetation filling the back yard gardens of houses perched on either side of the steps. I wondered what kind of access their owners had to the outside world, because it felt like I was in some lush, leafy enclave somehow removed from the rest of the city.

As you climb the scenic views are behind you, but that’s okay because you’ll be stopping frequently to admire them while catching your breath. The steps end at Telegraph Hill Boulevard, the road that encircles the base of Coit Tower. My advice at this point is to relax and stroll around the tower grounds, take advantage of the restroom just inside the tower entrance and then give your camera a workout capturing awesome views of the bay from this elevated position.

Now you’ve earned the privilege of walking down the Greenwich Steps, which run parallel to the Filbert Steps. (There’s a sign pointing the way to the head of the steps in the Coit Tower parking area.) The views aren’t quite as impressive from this set of stairs, but the gardens along the way are quite lovely; about halfway down I passed a small grove of Brugmansia trees, more commonly known as angel trumpets, that presented a showy display of pendulous pale orange flowers.

For my money some of the best views of downtown, the bay and North Beach in the entire city are from the Vallejo Street Stairway, built into the side of Russian Hill. The steps begin at a point between Mason and Taylor Streets; from North Beach, just stay on Vallejo and you’ll run into them. There’s a wide central stairway, flanked by two narrower stairways on either side that are lined with handsome residences. I’m guessing, but this may be the only way “out” for these homeowners. Given the scenic location, I could get used to it.

Three separate terraces provide different vistas. The first one offers an unobstructed view of downtown San Francisco. I paused in my upward trek to take several shots. This vantage point also provides a great panorama of North Beach, with Coit Tower sticking up above tree-crowned Telegraph Hill like a small appendage.

The second terrace is my favorite. Not only does it have a landscaped rock garden and a couple of benches, but the views of North Beach and the north and east bay are framed by trees. Even more amazing: Despite perfect weather and the sheer beauty of the setting, not a soul was around for the meditative half hour I spent sitting on a bench, just drinking it all in.

I could have stayed in this spot all afternoon, but I was curious to see what was at the top of the stairs. I continued climbing, crossed Taylor Street and came upon a little postage stamp of a park with a manicured lawn and a tree with gracefully drooping branches. The view of the bay from here is just stunning. I then took the steps a little farther to Jones Street, where they end at a cul-de-sac. By the way, the homes in this neighborhood are gorgeous, and I don’t even want to know how much they cost.

Last but not least are the Chestnut Street steps, a block north and two blocks west of the famous block of Lombard billed as “the crookedest street in the world.” When you stand at the bottom of this short, steep, tree-shaded stairway and look up, the practical obstacles to street construction are obvious. Angling off to the right is Culebra Terrace, one of many charming little alleyways that contribute to San Francisco’s reputation as one of the world’s most picturesque cities. From the top of the steps there’s a nice view of Chestnut Street below.  

I recently found out that Berkeley has its own network of steps and walkways, which I intend to explore on my next trip to San Francisco in November. Stay tuned.  

All photos by Greg Weekes