So you actually left San Francisco. Congratulations! Now you’ve got to turn around and take a picture of the beloved city you just left.
Joking aside, San Francisco offers a stunning postcard-perfect skyline whether it’s swathed in fog or glowing warmly in the sun’s last rays. You’d be remiss not to turn around and snap a ’gram. Luckily for us, there are a number of vantage points that will give you an Instagram-worthy view of the city. If you’re looking for views that are particularly unique or inspiring, check out the seven spots that top our list.
Hawk Hill (Marin)
Just over the Golden Gate Bridge lies a positively magical vantage point for photographing San Francisco: Hawk Hill. Part of Golden Gate National Park, Hawk Hill offers stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, with the city’s skyline as its backdrop. If you head up the hill on a bike in the morning, you can see the city silhouetted by the morning sun, rising in the east. And when Karl is in town, you can get an ethereal view above the fog from the top of the hill.
Angel Island (San Francisco Bay)
For a less common perspective of the city, Angel Island is just a short ferry ride away. Round-trip adult ferry fare costs $15 per person. Situated just off of Marin’s Tiburon peninsula, from various points around the island you can peep Marin, Alcatraz, Treasure Island, the East Bay and San Francisco. The hours are normally 8:00 a.m. to sunset, but you can book a campsite through the California Parks and Recreation website here for morning, evening or nighttime views. Angel Island also has a rich history you can explore while you’re there.
Twin Peaks (San Francisco)
For a panoramic view of the city’s eastern half, hike, bike or drive up to the top of Twin Peaks. From its lookout point on the summit, you can see the entire length of Market Street stretching toward the bay. Pro tip: this is a great spot for seeing the city illuminated at night.
The Berkeley Hills (East Bay)
Head across the Bay Bridge, and then keep going up. The hills bordering the east side of Oakland and Berkeley offer a sweeping landscape of the city across the bay. Whether you’re hanging out in Tilden Park or hanging out at a friend’s place for a barbecue, you won’t regret dragging yourself across the Bay Bridge once you turn around and gaze back at San Francisco. Try taking the Oakland Zoo’s glass-encased gondolas up to the Landing Cafe, a glass-walled restaurant with an observation deck for gazing out at the East Bay and beyond.
Mount Diablo (East Bay)
If you’ve ever looked eastward and seen a mountain poking up toward the sky, that’s Mount Diablo. At 3,849 feet, it’s not the tallest mountain in the region, but it does offer some remarkable views. On a clear day, you can see up to 200 miles away. According to the California Parks and Recreation website, one of the best times for viewing is the day after a winter storm. There’s a visitor center at the summit, but you can get great views at various points along the twisting, approximately 25-mile road up to its peak. San Francisco will appear toward the edge of the western horizon. While distant, it’s still an impressive view.
The Robin Williams Tunnel (Marin)
Nothing fills my heart with more joy and awe than the moment when I exit the dark of the Robin Williams Tunnel. It’s the only place in the Bay Area where I legitimately hope for bumper-to-bumper traffic each time I drive through. Since you shouldn’t snap photos while driving, you’ll have to rely on a passenger to do the photo-taking for you here.
Flights out of SFO or OAK (The Air)
While my flights skirt to the south of the city, that doesn’t seem to be the case for my friends and Instagram followers, who all get magnificent shots of San Francisco from above. Captain Simon Scholey of British Airways recommends sitting on the left-hand side of the plane for both inbound and outbound San Francisco flights for the best chance of getting city and bridge views. (This is due to the WNW prevailing winds in the area.) From SFO or OAK, northbound flights — particularly flights to the Pacific Northwest — seem most likely to get you a view of the city as you depart.
