Lombard Street in SF

[Muumuu]

Planning a trip there in March prior to our cruise. Heard that this is the curviest street in the world. Okay, if we want to see it how would we do it. I can't walk it. Is there a tour that drives it? How long is it? Any suggestions?

[Coreopsis]

Planning a trip there in March prior to our cruise. Heard that this is the curviest street in the world. Okay, if we want to see it how would we do it. I can't walk it. Is there a tour that drives it? How long is it? Any suggestions?

It is a block long . .. but adorable (of course everything in our city is compact)

 

http://www.visitingdc.com/images/lombard-street-picture.jpg

 

Yes, you can walk it . .. but do know it is called stairs, so start at the top if you want it to be easier.

 

http://www.sftravel.com/lomabardcrookedstreet.html

[Putterdude]

I always enjoy a visit to Lombard St. but no they can not but a tour bus down it as the curves are far to tight. When we were there early this month the tour guide we were with said that one time a rookie bus driver had tried to drive his bus down the hill and it got caught up so they ended up having to cut the bus in 3 pieces and lift them off by helecopter.;) There are great photo oportunities at both the top and the bottom of the hill.

[Splinter]

 

You can walk it (best downhill) or take a cab or rental car. Some small van-based tours do this also.

[skandls]

We lived at the bottom of the straight side on Lombard and Van Ness. Check for tours that may take you 'down' the curvy side. If you take a taxi make sure you go in the morning - afternoons can have traffic backups during the summer. If you can walk down steps - one of the cable cars stops at the top of Lombard and you can walk down.

 

PS - I read there is another street in San Francisco that is really the crookedest but its not a tourist attraction and its a bit farther from the center of the city.

[nna]

lombard is the prettiest street--it is right next to north beach and a few blocks from fisherman's wharf. you could walk down it. not a big deal in my mind.

 

the curviest street in sf is Vermont Street on the west/south side of potrero hill. there are no pretty gardens or tourists there. but if you do get a ride over to that neighborhood (about 10 minutes from downtown), you see the view (to the north )of SF that all the movies feature--including the famous Bullitt movie.

[kenish]

lombard is the prettiest street--it is right next to north beach and a few blocks from fisherman's wharf.

 

Lombard is planted with gardens and flowers. There's a very old Bill Cosby recording where he talks about San Francisco and says the flowers are for all the people who died trying to drive down. :D

[Omphalos]

Vermont Street The Crookedest Street in San Francisco

 

The Steepest Street in San Francisco/the world

 

(I used to live between 24th and Vicksburg!)

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

I have read somewhere that you can't drive down Lombard st anymore. We are renting a car and wanted to do this with our children. Can anyone confirm whether or not we can drive down Lombard St.,?

 

Thanks

[azdmelani]

I was there in Feb and people were driving down the curves (slowly!) :)

[figgy3]

The City decided some time ago that it would be illegal to bar traffic entirely. It is open to eastbound (downhill) traffic only BUT it is closed on holidays and parking in the area is either banned or very expensive. There is apparently a tourist shuttle that goes to the base so you can take pictures, but kind of defeats the whole purpose.

[pyrogy]

One of the cable car lines runs right past the top of Lombard Street. Since riding a cable car is also a great tourist thing to do in SF, I recommend combining them. Get on near the start of the line at Union Square, stand outside in the back with the brakeman (they don't mind, unless you have kids with you), and enjoy the amazing views as you go up up up the hills. Tell him you want off at the top of Lombard. They announce it anyway.

 

I can't remember which line you need. Check the trolley map on line. Easy to figure out.

[kenish]

Can anyone confirm whether or not we can drive down Lombard St.,?

 

Thanks

 

I know you can't legally or sanely drive *UP* Lombard! Sorry, couldn't resist! :)

[Putterdude]

I haven't read or seen where it has been closed to traffic. Last year in May there was certainly traffic on it. We went by it on one of the Grayline trolley tours that start and end in the Fishermens Wharf area.

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

Thanks everyone! Glad to know that we can drive it one way!

[mk-ultra]

For anyone wanting to take a cable car to get to the top of Lombard Street, the line you want is called the "Powell-Hyde".

 

It runs between downtown (Market & Powell) to the Fisherman's Wharf area, ending at the intersection of Bay & Hyde streets.

 

If you want to get to Lombard street from the Fisherman's Wharf area, I'd definitely recommend trying out the cable car... it's a REALLY steep four block walk uphill.

 

It's a lot easier to get on at Fisherman's Wharf and ride toward downtown than it is to get on at Market & Powell and go the opposite way (long lines there).

[April-in-NC]

For anyone wanting to take a cable car to get to the top of Lombard Street, the line you want is called the "Powell-Hyde".

 

It runs between downtown (Market & Powell) to the Fisherman's Wharf area, ending at the intersection of Bay & Hyde streets.

 

If you want to get to Lombard street from the Fisherman's Wharf area, I'd definitely recommend trying out the cable car... it's a REALLY steep four block walk uphill.

 

It's a lot easier to get on at Fisherman's Wharf and ride toward downtown than it is to get on at Market & Powell and go the opposite way (long lines there).

 

One tip if you want to get on at Market & Powell... Walk up the block and wait at the next stop. You will have to hang on to the pole, but you can avoid standing in line for an hour or two. :)

[Duck Duck Cruise]

In High School we used to go to the City and drive UP Lombard Street at night. We would post someone at the top to stop traffic and would drive up the crookedest street in the world the wrong way.:D

 

Yeah, the late 60's when you wouldn't be considered a terrorist for having a little fun.;)

 

Of course, if my son did that when he was a teenager I would whoop his butt (if I knew about it).

[ggarlene]

When I was in SF 30-odd years ago, I walked down Lombard St. There had been an accident. I don't know if anyone was hurt because there was no one there at the time, but there was a stack of 6 cars. One on top of the other! I've never seen anything like it since.

[sultan_sfo]

Back Up all the way up so one's car is technically facing the right direction in case one were stopped!

But too many cars now a days 24x7.

 

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We would post someone at the top to stop traffic and would drive up the crookedest street in the world the wrong way.:D

 

Yeah, the late 60's when you wouldn't be considered a terrorist for having a little fun.;)

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