degas

Who needs a stairmaster when you have such steep, high hills!

I read that these are famous landmarks and should be used (if you are in shape)when visiting Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower - one to ascend and the other stairway to descend the hill. Thought it would be a good way to get a peek at local homes and gardens.

How do I get to them from the North Beach area? Are they easy to find and perhaps well marked by signs when near the hill?
My city map doesn't show them.

Are there any other stairs, parks or gardens nearby that are worth checking out?

bardo

Degas,
Make sure you pass by Liguria Bakery (1700 Stockton Street) - it's on your way over to Telegraph Hill. World class Italan bakery at rock-bttom prices serving the local community. A great way to get a little sustenance before your climb.

Here's an area map - I believe it might even be possible to approach from the east via steps that cut through some houses and apts. It's not THAT large a neigborhood so even getting slightly turned around isn't necessarily a bad thing.

http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/acrob...999/nb_map.pdf

degas

Thanks bardo. I sure don't want to wimp out on those hills. Since stairs and climbing are involved, I'll be sure to grab a dozen doughnuts to keep my energy levels high.

MonicaRichards

I believe the thing to buy at Liguria is their oh-so-yummy foccacia. They have raisin if you like the sweet.

johncharles

degas, the tops of both flights of Steps can be found on the east side of the Coit Tower parking lot at the top of Telegraph Hill (accessed from the west, via Lombard St.), and many people make a quick trip down one and then back up the other while parked in that lot (but watch out for the parking time limits!)

If you're up for a longer but interesting walk, it's much more enjoyable to incorporate them in a walking tour of North Beach and start at the bottom.

From Stockton Street, where the bakery recommended above is located, walk three blocks east on Green Street (a great North Beach street) to Montgomery Street. Turn left and walk north a block, across Union Street, and continue on the left side of Montgomery. Filbert Street and Greenwich Streets are the next two cross streets to the north, and you'll find to the West (left) of Montgomery, each of them continues up the Hill as the famous Steps. I think that one or both of them may even continue as steps another block to the east of Montgomery, down to Sansome Street, but I don't remember this for sure

arb

I had read about the famous steps too when I was planning our trip to S. F. We walked down them from Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill then crossed the street at the bottom to walk around Levi Plaza. As stated above, we did get somewhat turned around trying to find our way back to North Beach. I was somewhat dissapointed in the steps. There were only a few small homes and the gardens are the very small front yard of the homes. If I could do it again, I would have passed on the steps and spent more time walking around North Beach. It was one of my favorite SF neighborhoods.

SAB

degas-- if you are interested in "step" streets you might want to explore the numerous ones in the Castro. Here is a website that describes them which includes a walking map.
www/offbeat.8m.net/Stairwalk.html

johncharles

I meant to add to my post above that I think the steps are well worth it. It's the smallness of the homes and gardens, which arb complains about, which give them much of their charm for me. Not only to see what people have done with very little space to work with, but to see picturesque little homes which have survived, perhaps in part because of their unusual, difficult to access vertical location, in the midst of some of the most expensive real estate in the world. Some of the houses are very modest and old and the owners have hung on to them despite intense efforts to have them sell, probably for multistory units. The gardens are a tradition and however small, are a source of great pride to their residents. It's like a little, shut off, fairytale realm. And then there are the views....Some of the houses seem to be a big picture window with a little living area tacked on for those rare moments you wouldn't be looking through it. One does wonder about the practicalities, like getting furniture and groceries up there. See much more of North Beach too, but include the Steps for something very uniquely San Francisco.

Michael

The Grace Marchand (sp?) Gardens are quite extensive given the lay of the land. These are on the Filbert side.

degas

Thanks everyone for the feedback and directions. I'll do my best not to get turned around too badly. But getting lost might not be such a bad thing.

We will spend plenty of time in North Beach and I'll have to check out the Castro Area as well.

April

I loved the steps! We only walked down the Filbert Steps (and then had a lovely lunch at the Fog City Diner), but I must say we didn't find them very well marked at the top.

It would be fun to hear from someone who lives there and find out how they deal with things like getting in groceries and furniture.

dovima

Re: Stair streets in the Castro and environs. There is a little series of streets named after planets: Neptune, Jupiter and Uranus. I think it's Neptune which turns into a flight of stairs. This is on the hill above Castro and Market - 17th Street, which is a monster hill in itself. Very interesting neighborhood, cool houses and views.

We all have great glutes and calves here from the hills, you know.

degas

dovima, people always say they can pick out my glutes in any crowd.

That reminds me, how wide are these stairs, me and the "little wife" may not be able to stroll hand and hand beside each other. Her glutes are also very remarkable!

TopMan

I suggest you be prepared for those "snippy waiters" you hate so much if you are brave, and MAN, enough, to go there...(bring the Vespa..the guys will go crazy over you)!

TopMan

That's the Castro, of course!!

bardo

Degas,
The Castro movie theater is the coolest I've ever seen. Show up 20 min. early and check out the organ that plays before the show - watching it rise from the large stage is very impressive (good music too)!

http://www.thecastrotheatre.com/

SAB

degas--In case you didn't get Topman's thinly veiled and juvenile reference, the Castro has a large gay population. I'm sure that for you as a sophisticated traveler this is irrelevant. My recollection is that most of the stairway streets are wide enough for a little hand in hand climb.

dovima

I second bardo's suggestion of checking out the Castro movie theatre while in the hood. Love when the organist plays "San Francisco Here I Come" as his finale and the whole house starts singing and clapping. That's my town for you!

FainaAgain

I walked down Fibert steps once. It's like walking down a street peeking into people's windows. OK, gardens, not windows. I think the homeowners get quite irritated having no privacy.

But it was a great work-out!

arb

johncharles: I didn't realize I was complaining. I thought I was just giving my opinion like everyone else.