Coit Tower

At 210 feet tall, Coit Tower is toy-like compared to the nearby highrises of downtown San Francisco. But its history, the graceful simplicity of its design, the conspicuous location atop Telegraph Hill, the views and the resplendent interior murals all make it a worthy and popular landmark to visit.

Fresco murals that fill the circular hall at the Tower’s base were painted by 26 artists in 1934, just after Coit Tower was erected. The robust, colorful, social realism murals celebrate the lives of Northern California laborers, from factory workers to fruit pickers. There’s a thinly veiled pro-union message, reflecting an era when strikers’ lives were lost in riots.

The panoramic views of the city’s waterfront and beyond from the top of the Tower are excellent. But much of this view can be admired while strolling the path around the base of Coit Tower (officially it’s Pioneer Park), so you may want to skip the five-dollar elevator ride.

Coit Tower was built as a monument to adventurous Lillie Coit, a San Franciscan who traveled the world and famously dressed as a man in order to gamble and smoked cigars in North Beach saloons. Coit bequeathed one-third of her considerable estate to the city she loved, which was used to build the Tower.

There are a couple of ways to get to Coit Tower. First, you can walk up one of the long, outdoor stairways through cypress trees and gardens that climb steep, knobby Telegraph Hill. These include the Greenwich Steps from Greenwich/Grant in North Beach and the Filbert Steps from Sansome/Filbert near the waterfront. Second, you can take the #39 bus ($2) from North Beach, which departs every 20 minutes from Columbus/Union. 

Driving? Oh, you can try, but there’s usually a wait for the 29-space lot and you can’t stay longer than 30 minutes or park at all on summer weekends unless you’re a local resident. Instead, park in the North Beach Garage (735 Vallejo St.) and walk a few blocks to the bus stop or Greenwich Steps.

HelloSanFrancisco tip: Every Saturday at 11 a.m. there’s a free guided tour of the murals, including second-floor murals that are otherwise inaccessible: click here. Reservations are not required.

- by Bob Cooper, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Bob Cooper

Bob Cooper is a full-time freelance writer (www.bob-cooper.com) who writes about travel, outdoor sports and health. He is a monthly contributor to Runner's World and has written recent articles for other national magazines such as Continental, Ladies' Home Journal and Inc.