Lombard Street

You’ve no doubt seen it in movies, on TV, and on postcards: Lombard Street, otherwise known as “the crookedest street in the world.” The truth is, Lombard Street is a major artery running through San Francisco [1].

So, why bother braving the bumper-to-bumper cars navigating its zigzag turns? For one, you can’t beat the view from the top. With its 27-percent grade, Lombard Street offers unobstructed vistas of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island [2], Fisherman’s Wharf [3], Coit Tower [4], and the city [1].

The part that visitors flock to spans only a block, from Hyde Street at the top to Leavenworth Street at the bottom. Lombard was originally created to keep people from rolling uncontrolled down the treacherously steep grade. Brave travelers can walk up and down the sides of the brick-paved street, enjoying the hydrangeas and Victorian mansions that line the roadway.

For convenience during the peak summer months, take a cable car directly to the top of Lombard Street and walk down the non-curvy stairs on either side.