Coit Tower & North Beach
Coit Tower
A white memorial tower on Telegraph Hill with 1930s murals on labor themes inside. The top offers 360-degree views of the bay, and the base of the hill is North Beach, with its Italian flavor.
Coit Tower was built in 1933 with funds donated by the wealthy widow Lillie Coit. It stands about 64 meters tall on the summit of Telegraph Hill. Murals from the New Deal era fill the lobby at the base, depicting labor and city life in California during the Great Depression. Admission to the lobby is free. Taking the elevator to the top costs about $10 and gives views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, and downtown. To go down, take the Filbert Steps on the east side, which pass through a leafy garden with cottages, where wild parrots are often seen. At the foot of the hill, North Beach is San Francisco's "Little Italy," with City Lights Bookstore, old-fashioned cafés, and Saints Peter and Paul Church. Parking near the top is very limited, so take Muni Bus 39 or walk.
Opening hours
Daily approx. 10:00–18:00 (until 17:00 in winter)
Nearby sights
- San Francisco Cable Cars
- Exploratorium
- Transamerica Pyramid
- Chinatown, San Francisco
- Fisherman's Wharf & Pier 39
- Lombard Street
- Ferry Building Marketplace
- Union Square