Vermont Street
The Verdict
"Seven switchbacks between 20th and 22nd Streets on Potrero Hill. Curvier than Lombard Street but with no tourists, no flowers, just cracked asphalt. Free, always open, and you'll probably have it to yourself."
What you need to know
What Makes It Worth It
The appeal is the trivia: this is the street that should be famous but isn’t. Lombard Street has the flowers, the views, and the tour buses. Vermont Street has cracked asphalt, parked cars, and silence. If you’ve already done Lombard and want the real crookedest street, this is it.
Every April, Vermont Street hosts the Bring Your Own Big Wheel race. Adults on children’s plastic tricycles careen down the switchbacks at alarming speed while crowds cheer from the sidewalk. One of the more purely joyful events in San Francisco.
A 2-minute drive-through or walk-up. Combine with a visit to Potrero Hill for its 18th Street views and neighborhood restaurants.
Skip this unless you’re already on Potrero Hill or care about the Lombard Street rivalry. There’s nothing else to “do” here.
Visiting
Address: Vermont Street between 20th and 22nd Streets, Potrero Hill
Hours: Always accessible (public street)
Cost: Free
Best time to go: April for the Big Wheel race. Otherwise, anytime.
What to know: It’s a residential street. No signage, no viewpoints, no parking lot. Just switchbacks.
Getting There
Transit: Muni 10-Townsend or 48-Quintara to 20th and Vermont.
Parking: Street parking at the top or bottom of the block.
Walking: On Potrero Hill, near the 18th Street commercial strip and McKinley Square park.