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Attraction >Landmark
| Lombard Street |
Address:
| San Francisco |
Region:
San Francisco
Rating:
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Description and Basic Information ::
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Lombard Street is one of San Francisco’s most enjoyable attractions. Lovingly referred to as 'The Crookedest Street in the World,' it is actually crooked for a very good reason. It’s incredibly steep! If not for the byzantine curves, easing out this treacherous slope, people would be killed rolling down. For an idea of how steep this street really is, go two blocks up, to Filbert Street and peer down over the ridge. Lombard is even steeper.
Amazingly, some of the toniest Real Estate in the city, exists on Lombard Street. This bit of whimsy, perched upon Russian Hill, somehow possesses stately mansions, condos and townhouses, even with the endless array of tourists pouring down the street every day. In the spring and through the entire summer, Lombard Street is alive with color, as the chrysanthemums, and other well tended flowers are in full bloom.
The best place to photograph the street, is from Leavenworth Street, at the bottom - looking up. You will see cars snaking down slowly, daring souls walking up, and down the sides, while the flowers and buildings provide dazzling color. It is truly a marvelous sight.
To get to Lombard Street, take the Hyde Street Cable Car line, which stops on the crest. You can’t miss it, as hundreds of tourists get on and off, at this stop. From this beautiful vantage point, you can also see down Hyde Street to Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz and the rest of the Bay. Looking east, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, and the Bay Bridge present a breathtaking sight.
Lombard Street is not only 'The Crooked Street.' It continues in both directions, going all the way east, up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower, and continuing west down through the Marina, where it becomes the major thoroughfare. The road turns north and becomes a conduit to Golden Gate Bridge. A hardy walk in either direction makes for a pleasant hike.
Yet it is the crooked part that keeps the people talking. For a treat, get a cab ride down Lombard late at night - fast! Guaranteed, you’ll remember that ride long after you’ve left San Francisco. |
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