The Best Mosaic Stairs in San Francisco & More Hidden Steps – A Local’s Guide (2026)
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Have you heard about the mosaic stairs in San Francisco, but don’t know how to find them? I’ve got you covered!
Whether you’re a first time visitor or a local like me, you may have been too busy to notice some of San Francisco’s mosaic stairs. The hidden stairs of San Francisco are sprinkled all over the city, some tucked away in popular areas and some in quiet residential neighborhoods.
I’m on a mission to hike up and down as many of these fabulous staircases as I can, so I can share all the deets, and inspire you to climb!
The mosaic stairs of San Francisco are both a part of the artistic flare of the city, and are also threads in the daily fabric of how people walk through their day.
There are public steps and staircases everywhere you go – it’s a lot easier to climb stairs than it is to traverse a sidewalk so steep your nose is practically touching the pavement!
Quick SnapshotMosaic Stairs in San Francisco & More Hidden Steps
- 16th Avenue Tiled Steps – Inner Sunset/Golden Gate Heights
- 15th Avenue Hidden Garden Tiled Steps – Inner Sunset
- Grandview Park Steps – Inner Sunset/Turtle Hill
- Lincoln Park Tiled Steps – Lands End
- Esmeralda Street Steps & Slide Park – Bernal Heights
- Greenwich Street & Filbert Street Steps – Telegraph Hill
- Lyon Street Steps – Pacific Heights
- Saturn Street & Vulcan Street Steps – Corona Heights
- Macondray Lane Steps – Russian Hill
- Fillmore Street Steps – Pacific Heights
- Baker Street Steps – Pacific Heights
→ Click the Map for
San Francisco Mosaic Stairs Locations ←
Top 11 Hidden Steps of San Francisco
San Francisco has over 50 different hills, but is known as the city with 7 hills – Telegraph Hill, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Twin Peaks, Rincon Hill, Mount Davidson, and Mount Sutro.
The hills require ingenious architecture forcing San Franciscans to exercise every time they step out of the house! Be prepared for a lot of walking on hills when you visit SF!
Some neighborhoods are so hilly that there are steps instead of sidewalks and many have stairs leading to hidden homes. With the hills also come views, so the rewards of climbing the steps of San Francisco are the breathtaking scenes of the city, the Bay, and the Pacific Ocean.
Here are my top 11 picks for the San Francisco mosaic staircases and other steps you shouldn’t miss. (I promise to add more, as I climb more!)
#1 – 16th Avenue Tiled Steps –
Inner Sunset/Golden Gate Heights
The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps might be the city’s most famous colorful mosaic staircase.
The steps opened in 2005 after two years of coordinating and designing by the local community. Artists Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher designed the mosaic.
Neighborhood members helped to fund the project and make tiles dedicated to family and loved ones.
The gardens on either side of the stairway were donated by local families and plant societies. Special butterfly plants are included to support the endangered green hairstreak butterfly.
The whole experience is such a delight! The steps themselves are so beautiful and the design is perfectly crafted, and when you turn around to see the views – well, breathtaking doesn’t quite cover it.
Visit SF rain or shine! The gardens are full all year round, but the Springtime is outta this world!
How to find them:
Located at the intersection of Moraga Street and 16th Avenue.
What to do nearby:
- Walk to the 15th Avenue Hidden Garden Steps (see below).
- Walk to the Grandview Park Steps (see below).
- Drive to some great food choices on Irving Street.
- Drive to Ocean Beach.
- Drive to Golden Gate Park.
- Drive to Mount Sutro Forest Trails.
#2 – 15th Avenue Hidden Garden Tiled Steps –
Inner Sunset
These steps may be slightly less known than their sister stairs on 16th St. While the concrete steps were built in 1927, the tile project was completed in 2013.
The mosaic mural artists, Barr and Crutcher created this whimsical design of flowers and insects. There are 148 steps in total and each section has its own sweet design filled with butterflies and flowers, and surprise creatures popping in and out.
Community donations made the project possible and the gardens along the sides of the stairs reflect all the love and care that continues to flow into maintaining this gem of San Francisco.
How to find them:
Located at 15th Avenue and Kirkham Street.
What to do nearby:
- Walk to the 15th Avenue Hidden Garden Steps (see above).
- Walk to the Grandview Park Steps (see below).
- Drive to some great food choices on Irving Street.
- Drive to Ocean Beach.
- Drive to Golden Gate Park.
- Drive to Mount Sutro Forest Trails.
#3 – Grandview Park Steps – Inner Sunset/Turtle Hill
The steps leading up to Grandview Park are right above 16th Ave and Hidden Garden Tiled Steps. So, if you’re up for the climb, I insist you add this to your adventure. Its absolutely worth visiting!
Grandview Park is also known as Turtle Hill and offers one of the highest viewpoints in all of San Francisco. This hill contains 140 million year old rock!
There are lovely benches and trees to sit under while you soak in the views and rest after all the climbing.
How to find them:
Located at Moraga Street between 14th and 15th Avenue.
What to do nearby:
- Walk to the 15th Avenue Hidden Garden Steps (see above).
- Walk to the 16th Avenue Steps (see above).
- Drive to some great food choices on Irving Street.
- Drive to Ocean Beach.
- Drive to Golden Gate Park.
- Drive to Mount Sutro Forest Trails.
#4 – Lincoln Park Tiled Steps – Lands End
The original concrete steps from the early 1900’s linked the neighborhood to Lincoln Park, the Legion of Honor Museum, and the Lands End Trail.
The stairs and benches were sorely neglected until 2007 when community members began the restoration project, completed in 2010.
Aileen Barr was hired to create the mosaic that has now become famous for its beauty and how it has transformed the entrance to the park and to the Katherine Delmar Burke School that is adjacent to the steps.
How to find them:
Located at the end of California Street near 32nd Avenue.
What to do nearby:
- Walk to the Legion of Honor Museum.
- Walk on the Lands End Trail in the park.
- Play golf at the public golf course at Lincoln Park.
- Drive to a cafe or restaurant on nearby Clement Street.
#5 – Esmeralda Street Steps & Slide Park – Bernal Heights
One of Bernal Heights most charming streets is the Esmeralda corridor. The Esmeralda stairs climb up two blocks with cross streets in between. What makes these steps famous is the middle section which has a pair of 40 foot slides!
The Bernal Heights neighborhood is one of the highest parts of the city and Bernal Hill Park has breathtaking panoramic views of the entire city.
The final set of stairs leads up to the Bernal Hill Park with dirt trails to the summit. (The summit has an equipment building and a cell phone tower – there used to be a famous swing, but it’s not currently there).
In the 1970’s neighbors began the stairs renovation project and worked with the city to create a public park.
Mayor Diane Fienstein was at the 1979 ribbon cutting ceremony for the park and slid down the slides on opening day!
The steps, the compass mosaic, and the gardens have been an ongoing labor of love by local residents working with the city to maintain the Esmeralda steps and park.
How to find them:
Located at Esmeralda Avenue and Coleridge Avenue.
What to do nearby:
- Drive to see the Mission District Murals.
- Drive to eat excellent Mexican food in The Mission.
#6 – Greenwich Street Steps & The Filbert Street Steps – Telegraph Hill
The Greenwich and Filbert Steps both lead to the iconic Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill. The walk up these steps and down the other side to North Beach is possibly my most favorite SF adventure!
These stairs, just 500 feet apart from each other, wind up from the Embarcadero alongside some of the most beautiful and fairytale homes in all of San Francisco.
You’ll find hidden walkways, lush gardens, benches to rest on, sculptures, and the famous parakeets of Telegraph Hill. And if all of that isn’t enough, you’ll see spectacular views of the city below and the Bay in all its glory.
Each staircase has almost 400 steps, and if you choose to climb to the top of Coit Tower, add another 234!
How to find them:
The Greenwich Street Stairs are located across from the Embarcadero at the corner of Greenwich St. & Sansome St. in the cul de sac.
The Filbert Street Stairs are located across from the Embarcadero on Filbert St. across from Levi Plaza.
What to do nearby:
- Visit Coit Tower and learn its history, see the famous mural paintings, and climb to the top, if it’s open.
- Walk down the other side of the Tower which will lead you right into North Beach.
- Dine & wander in SF’s famous Italian neighborhood.
- Visit the famous City Lights Bookstore, the Beat Generation hangouts, Cafe Vesuvio and more.
- You’ll also be a stone’s throw from Chinatown.
- Take a cable car ride from Market & Powell Streets all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf. A quintessential San Francisco adventure!
#7 – Lyon Street Steps – Pacific Heights
The pristine Lyon Street Steps, emerging from the Presidio Park, link the Cow Hollow district down below to the luxurious Pacific Heights above.
These 332 steps offer glimpses into the views, gardens, and the mansions of San Francisco’s most prestigious neighborhood.
Built in the beaux-arts style in 1916 by Louis M. Upton, the steps are a staple for San Francisco’s runners and climbers and lead down to the Palace of Fine Arts.
The Lyon Street steps are part of what is called Billionaire’s Row which includes homes built by Upton such as that of the late Diane Feinstein and other renowned business moguls.
Close to the bottom of the perfectly manicured staircase is one of the city hearts from a 2004 public art campaign.
How to find them:
Located at Lyon Street and Green Street below, and at the entrance to the Presidio at Lyon Street and Boadway above.
What to do nearby:
- Wander and gawk at the mansions of Billionaire Row.
- Walk in the Presidio to enjoy one of the trails overlooking the Bay.
- Visit the Walt Disney Museum in the Presidio.
- Have lunch at one of the Presidio restaurants.
- Walk to the Palace of Fine Arts for a stroll around the gardens and the 1915 palace.
- Walk to great restaurants and shops at nearby Chestnut Street.
#8 – Saturn & Vulcan Street Steps – Corona Heights
The Saturn and Vulcan Steps, built in 1925, are near and dear to my heart because when I first moved to SF a million years ago, I lived in this beautiful neighborhood.
These two stairways are unique in that the gardens along them are cared for by the resident home owners and reflect the creativity of the houses on the path.
Like many of these hidden staircases, the only access to the houses is via the stairs. Imagine hauling not just your groceries, but everything else as well! I sure it’s absolutely worth it, however, because living in these corridors must be magical.
Take a rest on one of the benches along the way and be sure to climb up or down both sets of stairs.
These stairs connect the Castro to the Corona Heights neighborhood which leads down to the Haight. It’s a great walk with awesome views that I used to soak in daily when I lived on Roosevelt Way.
How to find them:
Located on Ord Street off of 17th Street.
What to do nearby:
- Walk the one mile trail in Corona Heights Park.
- Visit the FREE Randall Museum – A very sweet science and nature museum.
- Walk down the beautiful streets to The Haight.
- See the spectacular views, the Victorian architecture along the way.
- Eat, shop, and explore the Haight/Ashbury district.
- Walk in Golden Gate Park from the entrance at Haight Street and Stanyon Street.
#9 – Macondray Lane Steps – Russian Hill
The Russian Hill neighborhood, named for graves of Russian sailors who were buried here in the 1800’s, is by far one of San Francisco’s most beautiful and unique neighborhoods.
The Macondray Lane Steps have added to Russian Hill’s hidden gem appeal.
I’m not exagerating when I say this spot takes my breath away!
The steps are tucked into a lush forest adjacent to magnificent homes with views of the city and the Bay. The homes along the steps are barely visible through the gardens and part of the path is charming brick.
This is the lane that inspired famous author Armistead Maupin’s “Tales of the City.”
How to find them:
Located at Macondray Lane and Taylor Street.
What to do nearby:
- Stroll around Russian Hill’s quiet and historic streets.
- Walk or drive to see the crooked Lombard Street.
- Walk to North Beach to dine along Columbus Avenue.
#10 – Fillmore Street Steps – Pacific Heights
In 1915, as part of the city’s prep for the Pan Pacific International Exhibition, the Fillmore Steps were built into the sidewalks connecting the Marina all the way up to Pacific Heights.
These steps help you to climb some of the city’s most steep sidewalks. Totally worth it because the steps take you through the vibrant and chic areas of Union Street and the views at the top are magnificent.
How to find them:
Located at Fillmore Street and Vallejo Street.
What to do nearby:
- Walk up and over the hill to the Fillmore neighborhood filled with cafes, and hip stores and the remains of a happening San Francisco music scene.
- Walk down to Union Street and Chestnut Street for exciting dining and boutique shopping.
- Walk on Fillmore all the way to the Marina Green by the water.
- Walk along the Marina to access paths leading to the Golden Gate Bridge.
#11 – Baker Street Steps – Pacific Heights
Surprise! There is another entire set of steps that connects Vallejo St. to Broadway and they are just one block from the Lyon Street Steps. They are actually two parallel staircases, one either side of overgrown gardens, making the steps even more hidden.
These steps climb alongside the Getty Mansion known for being owned by the famous family and for hosting many fundraisers for political figures.
While the Lyon St. Stairs get all the attention, and are pristinely groomed, the Baker St.steps seem tucked away and have a neglected charm. Warning -They are very steep!
How to find them:
Located at Baker Street and Vallejo Street.
What to do nearby:
- Check out the mansions of Billionaire Row.
- Hike in the Presidio on one of the trails overlooking the Bay.
- Walk down to the Palace of Fine Arts.
- Enjoy the restaurants and shops on Chestnut Street.
More steps to come! I can’t wait to explore these too –
- Athens Avalon Green Space – Excelsior
- Flights of Fancy -Bayview
- Kenney Alley Stairs – Excelsior
- Miraloma Mosaic Steps – Portola
- Oakhurst Lane – Forest Knolls
- Queseda Gardens Tile Steps – Bayview
- Tompkins – Bernal Heights
- Unity Plaza – City College
How many tiled steps are in San Francisco?
So far, I know about 10 of the hundreds of hidden steps that have tiles and mosaics on them – Let me know what I’m missing!
- 15th Avenue Hidden Garden Steps
- 16th Avenue Tiled Steps
- Athens Avenue Greenspace Stairway
- Flights of Fancy Tiled Steps
- Kenny Alley Stairway
- Lincoln Tiled Steps
- Miroloma Mosaic DragonSteps
- Queseda Gardens Tiled Steps
- Tompkins Tiled Steps
- Unity Plaza
Tips for Climbing the San Francisco Mosaic Stairs
- .Wear very comfortable shoes or sneakers.
- Wear layers – because it’s San Francisco.
- Bring water
- If driving, allow time for looking for parking and pay attention to street cleaning signs!
- Bring your Camera!
- Obviously, weekdays will be easier to find parking spots, if you can swing it.
- Do not leave any valuables in your car.
- Be respectful as these are public spaces shared with private properties and peoples’ homes.
Where is the best and safest place to stay in
San Francisco?
I’ve done a lot of research about the best boutique hotels to stay at in San Francisco and the best neighborhoods to help you really enjoy the city. Here is a list of my top 6 choices:
- The Best Hotel in Union Square – The Hotel Triton 342 Grant
- The Best Bargain – The Warwick Hotel 490 Geary St.
- The Best Luxury Hotel not in Nob Hill – The St. Regis 125 3rd St.
- The Best Cozy Hotel – White Swan 845 Bush St.
- The Best Mansion Hotel – Mansion on Sutter 1409 Sutter Ave.
- The Best Hotel in a Quiet Neighborhood – Hotel Drisco 2901 Pacific Ave.
Carrie’s Quick & Easy Links
🌍 Flights & Hotels: I recommend Expedia
🏠 Vacation rentals: I recommend VRBO
🚘 Car Rental: I recommend Hertz
🌐 Tours: I recommend Viator
🛍 Gear: Check out my Travel Stuff
📷 Create Your Travel Memory Books with MILK
Don’t miss the magic of the
Mosaic Stairs in San Francisco!
In a nutshell…
If true hidden gems are your thing, then enjoy the mosaic steps of San Francisco. These architectural treasures are more than just a route to get from place to place. The iconic Mosaic Stairs are each a unique piece of art, reflecting the culture and creativity that San Francisco is known for.
The mosaic staircases and the other hidden steps of the city not only provide stunning views and great exercise, but they’re also a real testament to the community spirit and artistic endeavors that flourish in San Francisco.
Climbing the staircases of the hilly City by the Bay are a great adventure for first time visitors and veterans. It’s a perfect activity for any time of year.
What a fun way to explore different neighborhoods, grab some photo ops, and take a break from the usual tourist spots!
xx,
Carrie
