Nob Hill

About Nob Hill

Cable cars clatter up California Street toward the summit where railroad barons built their mansions, and even though the 1906 earthquake leveled most of those estates, Nob Hill never forgot it was the top.

What to See & Do

The grand hotels took over after the fire. Walk into the Fairmont’s lobby just to gawk at the marble and gilt, or ride the exterior glass elevator at the Mark Hopkins for views that cost nothing but nerve. The Top of the Mark bar has served cocktails with that panorama since 1939. Dress nicely and order something classic.

Grace Cathedral crowns the hill on land the Crocker family donated. Step inside to walk the indoor labyrinth, a meditation practice that draws people of all faiths and none. The Keith Haring altarpiece surprises first-time visitors who expect only stained glass and stone.

Huntington Park sits across from the cathedral, a pocket of green with benches around a replica Roman fountain. The Pacific Union Club occupies the only mansion that survived 1906, and members still guard their privacy behind that brownstone facade.

Where to Eat & Drink

The Tonga Room in the Fairmont basement is where a thunderstorm rolls across an indoor lagoon every thirty minutes while a band floats on a barge. It sounds ridiculous because it is, and you should absolutely experience it once.

The Top of the Mark serves cocktails with views that span the entire bay. Dress code applies. The experience justifies it.

Getting There

The California Street cable car drops you here from downtown, or you can climb the Powell lines from Union Square. Your calves will remember Nob Hill whichever route you choose. The summit rewards the effort.