Coit Tower

What you need to know

An Art Deco column rising 210 feet above Telegraph Hill, completed in 1933 with a bequest from Lillie Hitchcock Coit, who died in 1929 and left $100,000 for the beautification of San Francisco.

What to Expect

The lobby and ground-floor murals are free; the elevator to the observation deck has a separate fee. On clear days the views stretch from the Golden Gate to the Bay Bridge. The murals were painted in 1934 by 25 artists under the Public Works of Art Project, with a theme of “Aspects of Life in California, 1934”; some imagery drew accusations of Communist sympathies and the tower briefly closed during the controversy. Early morning has the lightest crowds, and sunset draws photographers.

Getting There

Drive up to the small lot (often full), take the 39-Coit bus from Washington Square, or walk up the Filbert Steps or Greenwich Steps from the Embarcadero, through gardens and the wild parrot flock.