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Pacific Heights

San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood is a very popular spot for filming movies and television shows, and it’s easy to see why. This neighborhood features grand Victorian homes from the early 1900s, spectacular views of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge and some of the city’s best shopping and dining spots. The city’s captains of industry, finance and commerce built stately mansions here in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, and many of these architectural gems that survived the 1906 earthquake still remain.

The neighborhood’s borders are roughly Pine Street on the south, Vallejo on the north, Van Ness on the east and Presidio Avenue on the west. For shoppers with discriminating tastes, the best shopping can be found right in the middle of the neighborhood on Fillmore Street and on the side streets just off Fillmore. Some of the city’s trendiest and most luxurious retailers have flagship stores here, selling upscale furniture, designer clothing, custom-crafted jewelry, tasteful home furnishings and many more items. When you need a break from shopping and want to relax with an agreeable lunch or dinner, you’ll find plenty of dining options here, from tiny bistros to white-linen restaurants offering some of San Francisco’s best cuisine. If the weather is forgiving and you have an extra layer or two to wear, the al fresco dining tables outside many of these establishments offer some of the best views of the neighborhood and are great spots for people watching.

If you head to Pacific heights, make sure to check out the following:

• Alta Plaza Park just a block west of Fillmore and Clay Street for the sweeping views of the city below
• The steps at Broadway and Lyon for the hedge garden and another terrific view of the Bay
• The Haas-Lilienthal House at 2007 Franklin (between Jackson and Washington Streets), a fully furnished and remarkably well preserved Queen Anne Victorian, home to the San Francisco Architectural Heritage, which offers tours led by docents

If you’re visiting and want to conduct your own walking tour of a great San Francisco neighborhood or you’re hosting friends and family from out of town and want to provide an authentic Bay Area experience for your guests, it’s difficult to beat Pacific Heights. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a sunny day with a light breeze, ideal conditions to take in this iconic slice of the city.