Grand View Park
- Good for Kids: Yes
16 reviews
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
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69 Reviews for Grand View Park
We made the trek up here today...have you ever noticed that the hardest part of most "hikes" in San Francisco is getting through the residential area to get to your hiking place?
The view is amazing, and the benches are perfectly placed (great quote on one facing Ocean Beach: "The violets in the mountains have broken through the rocks")- though I am a little sad they are all dedicated to dead people who died young. Debbie Downer!
There were a bunch of kids playing capture the flag, which was really charming considering they were about the age when they really should have been smoking pot in their parents' basement.
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San Francisco, thank you. You're views are amazing and your hills from which i look out from are outstanding.
Grand View Park is pretty much just that... one of the grandest views of SF. Lets see... you get the ENTIRE Sunset and Beach view, the Golden Gate and Richmond areas, of course there's parts of Downtown... i mean really, you can almost see it all.
But gosh, you're telling me now i have to climb back down?!
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Home of the prettiest staircase in SF; the Funston and Moraga mosaic stairs feature bits of glass and ceramic fish, flowers, bats, squirrels, and birds. Families and business names are imprinted on some of the pieces (e.g., Arizmendi Bakery). Flowers have been planted next to the stairs. Towards the top, the tiles and glass form a mosaic picture of a moon and then a sun above that.
Once you climb to the top, veer to the right a bit and go up the concrete steps to reach the wooden steps that take you up to the top of Grand View Park. The park is small and peaceful with sandy patches and trees. It gets very windy up there and you can see (not surprisingly) a grand view. They have problems with people leaving broken glass up there so wear shoes. If you climb down the other side, you'll find another set of concrete stairs.
Caution, the Moraga tiled stairs can be slippery. They're also fairly popular but not as popular as the Lyon Street Steps.
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One of the few things in life that will deliver exactly what it says. It's called Grand View, and you will find very grand views there. Walking up, you'll get a lot of exercise and feel like you've had a bit of an adventure. If I didn't live near Grand View, I don't think I'd ever even know about it. So it's pretty quiet up there. And oh yeah, great views.
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this place is awesome, i went with my girlfriend when it was foggy and the mood was very calm and serene. The hike up is very cool. We took the stairs from kirkham when we should have taken the back side of moraga. There was no one up there, the benches are perfectly placed and it is just very relaxing, i cant wait to take some beers up there or a bottle of wine and just chill out and relax, highly recommended.
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I lived within half a mile of this place for a year somehow without realizing that it even existed. When you are climbing up the HUGE staircase to the top of the hill it gets progressively more and more windy and it totally took me off guard how ridiculously crazy the wind blows up there. Yes the wind really sucks, but the 360 degree view of the city totally makes up for it...you can see all of ocean beach on a clear day as well as the golden gate bridge and pretty much all the rest of San Francisco. Usually there aren't too many tourists up top or anyone in general which makes it a great place to kind of relax and just take in the views while sitting on the single bench they have there. If you live in the sunset and haven't been here, you really have to check it out....one of the few cool things you can do for free in SF that is actually worthwhile in my opinion.
Worth the burn in your quads. This is like Twin Peaks West. The view of the west side of town and the ocean is uparalleled. I recommend approaching from the East, up the stairs at the end of Moraga (start at 13th) for maximum pain. It's really really windy, but on a clear day this place can't be beat.
Even on the foggiest and coldest of days, this place is worth the little hike. I'm sure on a clear day the views of Ocean Beach, GG Park, and Downtown are spectacular, but with the fog rolling in, it feels like you're floating above the city on a cloud. Be forewarned however, this isn't your typical benches everywhere, spread a blanket over green grass and picnic type of park. There are only a couple of actual benches, and some branches that have fallen strategically. And the terrain is more ruffage than grass. Great if you feel like going for a stroll/mini-hike...a wonderful view will be your reward.
Beautiful panoramic views and great memories. I had a first date here in another lifetime with a lovely Irish lass named Dierdre. If you ever read this Dierdre I can still feel the sensuous softness of your lips. Thanks for showing me this jewel of a Park. Sidenote for the haters. If you can't review from the heart dont fucking review at all.
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After reading the reviews and seeing some of the beautiful pictures here, I had to see it myself. Yea, you're right. It's beautiful, a closer view comparing at the Twin Peaks. However, it is very scary walking around the edge. Definitely not a good place for kids. Today was hot, so it wasn't so windy up there.
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Reading reviews of how beautiful the view is or even looking at pictures of it will not compare to what you will see once you get up there. One of the most beautiful views of the city, especially during sunset. The stairs look mean, but they're not too bad. I went here right after the beach, so I had on flip flops, which is not the best idea since there is a lot of broken glass on the ground. Wear shoes, bring a sweater and maybe a camera and be prepared to be blown away!
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BEAUTIFUL!!
Another beautiful side of SF - this time doesn't need to include the golden gate or the tall buildings. I love being able to look at the top of golden gate park. My boyfriend took me here and his parents have been going to this place since their childhood.
It's still San Francisco, if you're afraid of the wind and the cold don't go there when you can even feel a bit of a chill outside, because the chill factor will be magnified 100x.
Wow, nice moves you got there. Grand view is right.
Oh, didn't you know that everyone on Mt. Sutro can see you?
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Without a doubt my favorite view and place for just admiring our fair City from what feels like a birds-eye view. Great for solitary exercise and also romance!
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Please if you go here at night, BRING A JACKET!!! I had a thin jacket on and probably caught a cold, but it might have been worth it! The view is nice but I only wished that I had come here during sunset or sunrise instead of at night.
I find the view here comparable to the one at Twin Peaks, but I think Twin Peaks has the edge. When you're at twin peaks you can see this as a small mound . What can you expect though, its in the middle of sunset so that's about as good of a view as you can get there. I've driven around this area hundreds of times before but never noticed this park until Yelp. It's a nice find and pretty cool to have it situated where it is.
An interesting note - I read a sign while at Grand View that said it was a mound of living organisms covered by dirt. That if I looked closely you can see this. It was night so I couldnt see but I'll come back next time to check it out!
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Grand View Park is chill. I love coming here when I'm heading to the city just to relax and enjoy the scenic view. It is comparable to Twin Peaks, but I like this place better b/c of the beautiful and unique stairs. The effort you put into walking up the stairs makes the experience up there worthwhile. Bring a camera and a heavy jacket b/c it can get pretty windy up there.
one of the top view points in san francisco aside from twin peaks. imagine, from daly city all up the west coast and around to downtown within your imediate eyeline. freaking incredible! the hike up the hill is killer if your out of shape, but most definitely worth it! take a friend, a visitor, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, or just yourself!
also a side note, my friends and i always called this place Dr. Seuss Hill because of the funny shaped trees on top!
Turtle Hill bitches, I piss all over it, hope you will too to.
So that's the name of this place, huh?
The wife and I have spent many a sunset here....
....just us, fresh air, a blanket, couple of glasses, and a bottle 'a vino.
Sprinkle in some good conversation, the occasional passing of
a wagging canine, a smiling face or two from other passers-by, and the feeling is right up there with that post 160 bpm artery-cleansing endorphin high, minus the sweat.
Well I did sweat there once....
...and cried...
...and got one dirty knee...
One crisp, clear Christmas morning...
...its where I got engaged!
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Surely this park has been raved about for its gorgeous views of the entire western section of the city and the Pacific, but I want to be sure it receives proper credit for its kick-ass workout providing abilities. When jogging through the sunset or nearby GG park, Grand View is a short detour that will leave you short of breath. The dozens upon dozens of vertical steps leading to the top end with the spectacular view which is a great excuse to catch your breath. Stairs lead to the top on both the east and west side, which means there is plenty of potential for a serious stair loop / workout.
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It's a little hike, but the view is very rewarding. Be there for a sunset. Watch out for the broken glass.
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Beautiful. This is a park, not a hike (FYI for people who think that this might be a trail). Climb a flight of stairs and you see one of the most magnificent views of the city. A little windy so bring a jacket. Dog owners, please don't bring your pups here. There's so much broken glass mixed into the sand (found AFTER you finish climbing up the steps). If you have a little pup, I guess you can carry him to the bench.
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i went here with my boyfriend..
we went here after looking at the beautiful mural staircase.. after losing calories and breaking a sweat from climbing those stairs (and then even more stair to get to the stop) that's when we saw the pretty view..
hard work pays off.
Wow. What a gem in the middle of suburban Inner Sunset. It is so incredibly random but I think that it is totally awesome and amazing and all the above.
My friend found out abt this place. It's so romantic and beautiful at night. The sky was so clear and I could see so many stars and constellations (Orion's Belt yo) and the view of the city was even better. It is definitely worth going out of the way to look at. I would like to see what the place looks like in the day time.
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Today was absolutely beautiful and two of my friends and I took 40s and fruit tarts up here and had a picnic. There really are 23095824 stairs, but it's worth it, really.
This is on my list of top 5 favorite places, ever. Don't wear sandals, because it's kind of steep, and there is sand and dirt and yeah, kind of a lot of glass at one point, but at the top there is a little bit of grassy area, as well as some neat rocks and a bench looking out over the city. It's really small, but feels very private. Love it.
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I've run around this place since I was a kid hahaha The view of the sunset and richmond districts is spectacular up there! Sitting up there at dawn and watching the sun come up is breath taking, just like when the sun is setting too! At times its sunny up there and then you see a blanket of fog rolling in too. It's quite nice =]
I want to get married here. And to me, it's Turtle Hill.
I have friends who grew up in the Inner Sunset who took me here a year ago, but most importantly it's where my smoosh A grew up. The view is so amazing, you get to see a little bit from all different angles. Very panoramic. There this zen like calm at sunset, and euphoria I feel when I'm there, regardless of my day.
When I use to visit from the East, and A lived up in Sac at the time, it was our tradition on our last night before I fly home to grab some coffee - climb those damn stairs - and sit for a while. He told me before, it's where he goes to think, hangout, fall in love, and apparently almost burn down the hill (but that's his story to tell). I can agree with him about the falling in love. Everytime I had to leave, I fell in love with him more on top of that hill, and just knew I would be back for good.
A year later, a district over in the Richmond, but I'm in SF and we're working on getting back to the Sunset. Still, it's one of my favorite places in this city to fall in love, it's what makes SF home to me.
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omg this IS the best park in the city, I'm so glad everyone agrees on here!!!
I discovered this place randomly. Having seen it off in the distance, my friend and I went on adventure to find it. Its a hike to get all the way up that hill and those stairs, but well worth it. 270 degree view of the city from up here, from the Sunset, to the Ocean, the whole of GG park, the Presidio, the tip of the GG Bridge, Alcatraz, Telegraph Hill, and Downtown. AMAZING.
My suggestions:
1. Stop at Andronico's and grab a beer from their extensive selection and/or
2. Pre-roll a blunt (its windy up there)
3. Take the 6 Parnassus, get off at Moraga, and walk up the hill to the west.
4. Score the bench, fight for it if you must
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I've lived in the sunset almost three years now and never had the guts to climb those stairs above 19th Ave. However, I felt a challenge come on within the last month, perhaps part of my New Year's Resolutions (that and good weather). Last Monday I was off and it was one of those rare, gorgeously warm weather days in February, so the hubby and I took a walk/run up the thousands of steps or whatever to get there. I was huffing and puffing around the halfway point while he was already waiting at the top.
We hiked from below 19th ave, through the mosaic tiled steps, then up another set, and finally to the park itself. A lady at the bottom of the staircase asked if we were going to the top and we said yes. So she asked us to say a prayer for her cat buried up there. We said okay, and then carefully walked through the sand (kind of wondering exactly where she buried the kitty).
Since it was a clear day, the view was just absolutely breathtaking. I think it was the first place I've seen in SF where you can really see everything, probably even more that Sutro if I can remember. You can see the entire line of treetops from Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, North Bay - Sausalito area, downtown, the ocean as far as the Sloat side to where it crosses the Bay on the other end. It was just so amazing and so tranquil.
Once you're up there, you'll totally forget about the thousands of steps you have to walk down.
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I lived in a house right below this park for two years and hands-down this place is fantastic. You can hike up a makeshift trail on the north side of the park (where 14th intersects 15th) -- or you can hike up stairs on the southwest side.
Little known fact: The school bus hijack scene from Dirty Harry was filmed on the section of road on the west side of the park.
There are many great things to do here:
1) Best place to roll a pumpkin down a steep hill
2) Midnight snogging
3) Sunrise
4) Sunset
5) Bury a cat (seriously, I saw a lady burring a cat up there once)
6) Take pictures of all varieties
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On a clear day the view from the park is, hands down, the absolute best in The City. This place beats Dolores Park's view anyday, well it would if it had weather like the Mission does. One of the best features of this park is its relative obscurity to those who don't live in the immediate area. Because of thise it's not overrun with obnoxious tourists or people being carted around in prom/wedding/ghetto limos unlike Twin Peaks.
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This place probably the most spectacular view of the sea. You can sort of see the curvature of the earth when you look westward. So cool that there's 2 kinds of flowers found only on that mound. The wallflowers looks beautiful. Definitely doing a picnic there on that one super awesome bench that sits on top of the hill.
Do you know how much effort it takes to get to this place? It starts a few streets below it, you usually have to hike up, and the stairs seem endless. not only is there one LONG flight of stairs, but that is followed by another hill of wooden stairs. You will also usually see a lot of bees near the base while you're climbing your way up. Not recommended for the faint or those who do not wish to take a long/extravagant hike. The hike demands a few breaks in between. Youre breathless by the end.
Really cool mosaic on the stairs leading up to this place from 16th avenue. Looks like a steep climb, but it's not bad. Great view of the city from the top. Word of advice. Don't go on a foggy day like I did.
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According to the placard, this park sits on a rock formed by some kind of prehistoric single-celled organism. Awesome. I saw this on google maps today and decided to get some fresh air and hike over. It's a testament to my cardiovascular robustness that I didn't keel over and die at the top of this hill. The best view of the city from inside the city (outside, that distinction would belong to the Marina Headlands). Careful with your feets though -- there's broken 40 glass everywhere.
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Even if you are insane and don't like parks with amazing views there is no denying that the mosaic staircase leading up to this park is one of the coolest beautification projects you will ever see!
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How many names?
Turtle Hill
Golden Gate Heights Park (incorrectly)
That hill in the inner sunset
14th and Noriega....
That mural stairway park
Whatever it is, I have seen more PERFECT sunsets, and more serene, maddenenly beautiful moments of my lifetime. 6pm. 11pm. 2:30am. 4am. 7am....
so many moments, thoughts, people.... so many of the most dire moments in my life... those imbued with energy and emotion, and love, and expression.
I love that damn place. Little windy at times, tho.
I am so glad I live a block away!
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a fave of mine , its breathtaking daytime as it is night time , sunset is the most serene ,great photos of the city, so romantic.
Grand View, such a good place to sit and contemplate life. Bring warm clothes and a hat but really cool view and a good place to ponder things for a hour or so. It is a giant sand dune to remind you, since most of the sunset and Richmond districts are, so be prepared for sand in the shoes. Loss of star to the not very good upkeep.
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