From Betsy Malloy,
Your Guide to California Travel.
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• Hours: Any time, but please respect the residents and be quiet at night
• Reservations: Not required
• Cost: Free
• Location: A few blocks uphill from Ghirardelli Square, directions below
• How Long: Allow a half hour at most to watch the people and take a few photos, longer if you want to drive down on a busy day
• Best Time to Visit: The flowers are nicest in spring and summer, and morning is the best time for photographs

Lombard Street

Often billed as the "crookedest street," San Francisco's Lombard Street is, in fact, neither the crookedest nor the steepest street in the city, let alone the world. Oddly, that fact doesn't deter the hordes of tourists who come every year to see this famous street, built with eight switchbacks on a 40-degree slope.

The main attraction of Lombard Street is watching people drive down the crooked, one-block section, or driving down it yourself. On a busy day, a seemingly-endless stream of automobiles and scooters buzz down, their passengers squealing in mock fear at every turn. If you're on foot, you can walk down (or up) the sidewalks and watch the show.

The best place to photograph Lombard Street is from the bottom, looking up.

Review

We rate Lombard Street 3 stars out of 5. This "crookedest street" is often among visitors' must-sees, and I've had out-of-town passengers squealing in delight as we drove down it, but delays are often too long to justify the short ride.

Others may disagree. You can see what other people just like you think about it, then bookmark this page and after you've been there, come back and tell us what you think.

What do you think of Lombard Street as a tourist attraction???

• 0 = Yuck! Just say no to this flea-bitten hole of a tourist trap
• 1 = So-So More fun than a night in jail, but you might enjoy a good nap more
• 2 = OK Some people find it interesting, but I didn't
• 3 = Good Go if you have time, but it's not a big deal if you miss it
• 4 = Great I really liked it, and I think you will, too
• 5 = Awesome! It's a must-see sight that I recommend to everyone

Getting to Lombard Street

Between Hyde and Leavenworth
San Francisco, CA

The "crooked" section of Lombard is between Hyde and Leavenworth, just a few blocks above Ghirardelli Square.

The Powell-Hyde cable car stops at the top of Lombard Street. You can also get there by walking up Hyde (very steep) from Ghirardelli Square, up Leavenworth (one block east, less steep) or by walking west from North Beach on Lombard Street, but the best way to get here depends on where you're coming from. Check out all the other options.

If you plan on driving, approach from Hyde Street. Lombard Street is one-way, and you can't drive up from Leavenworth.

San Francisco's Real Crookedest Street

If you want to find the street that's really San Francisco's most crooked, try Vermont Avenue at 20th Street.