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The Lyon Street Steps are a great off the beaten path San Francisco attraction. They cover two blocks on the side of a steep hill with gorgeous views from the top.
There are several things to love about these stairs. From the top, you will get amazing views of the Palace of Fine Arts, the blue waters of the SF Bay, and parts of Marin.
This staircase is popular with the locals since it will get your heart pounding. With more than 300 steps within the two blocks, you will quickly see why trainers bring their clients here for a workout.
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The Lyon Street Steps run north and south along Lyon Street in the Pacific Heights neighborhood. The street is too steep for a road, so instead they added stairs.
The top of the stairs start at Broadway and Lyon Streets. The bottom of the staircase is at Vallejo Street. This section of the stairs offers the best views. It's also gorgeously maintained with plants, flowers, and one of the hearts of San Francisco at the bottom.
This is a view looking up the stairs from Lyon and Vallejo.
This section has eight flights of stairs, so you will have some room for a little rest in between flights.
The top of the second section starts at Vallejo and runs about a half block south toward Green Street. This section offers greenery on both sides, but the stairs are smaller, not as wide and the garden is not as ornate as the first set at the top.
The second section is also quite a bit steeper than that first. This is a photo of me looking down at this set of stairs.
The bottom set of the Lyon Street Stairs has 2 flights of stairs. In total, you will find 332 steps.
The Lyon Street Steps are open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are free to visit and are a fun hidden gem in SF.The best time to visit if you plan to work out is early morning.
This should allow you to arrive before the trainers and their clients get here for their morning workout.
It's also less crowded in the mid-afternoon. This is when everyone is usually at work and not running up and down the stairs.
If you visit when it's crowded, make sure to walk down on the right and up on the left. If you are with a group, walk down single file to allow those running and jogging the stairs to easily get around you. Make sure you and your group are all either on the inside or the outside of the stairs. This will also allow those working out to easily get by your group.
There are several cool places to check out near the Lyon Street Steps. These are just a few of my recommendations.
Here are a few more fun activities around San Francisco.
The top of the Lyon Street Steps is at the end of Broadway at Lyon Street. Once you see this sign, you know you are in the right place.
Filbert Street Stairs: One of the most famous sets of staircases in SF is the Filbert Street Stairs. They take you from the flat area near the waterfront to the top of Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower. Find pictures and more about climbing these stairs.
Greenwich Stairs: One block away from the Filbert Street Stairs are the Greenwich Stairs. These aren't as popular or as busy, but I love exploring them. They also take you to the top of Telegraph Hill, so you can visit Coit Tower. See pictures and learn more about them here.
My 8 Favorite Staircases: In addition to these wonderful steps, you will find other great staircases all around town. These are just 8 of my favorites.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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