San Francisco / 10 photo spots
10 Instagram spots in San Francisco worth stopping for
Fog, hills and a red bridge: San Francisco changes its look by the hour. These 10 spots cover the bridge views, the parks and the painted streets.
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Photo spots on the map
4 of 10 photo ideas have sourced location coordinates. The initial view is for orientation. An area marker does not indicate an exact photo position.
Select a highlighted number to show its sourced location on the map. Every name links to the photo spot.
If the map does not load, use the OpenStreetMap link or the photo spot list.
All photo spots
- Golden Gate BridgeSourced place
- Palace of Fine ArtsSourced place
- Painted LadiesApproximate area
- Treasure IslandApproximate area
Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Destination reference: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Spot coordinates: Wikidata, CC0. Selection, association and some calculations by You, Me, Away.
Conservatory of flowers & Golden Gate park
A white glasshouse of tropical plants inside Golden Gate Park. Shoot the glass exterior from the lawn, then the tall palms inside.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Golden Gate Bridge
The 2,737-meter span reads best from a distance. Battery Spencer gives the bridge with the city behind; Baker Beach puts the surf in the foreground.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Land’s end
Coastal paths run along the cliffs at the city's western edge. The trail overlooks give the bridge framed by cypress trees.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (1)
Mosaic Stairway
A tiled staircase of sea-to-sky scenes climbs Grandview Park. Shoot from the base looking up, and check the sunset timing for the lit tiles.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (1)
Outer Sunset Homes
Fog-gray blocks of stucco houses with small patterned facades. The even rows and corner shops give calm street shots away from downtown.
Open in Google MapsPalace of Fine Arts
A 1915 rotunda and colonnade in Greco-Roman style beside a lagoon. Shoot the dome reflected in the water from the far shore.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (1)
Painted Ladies
A row of 19th-century Victorian houses in contrasting colors faces Alamo Square. The park slope across the street gives the full row with downtown behind.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Treasure Island
The artificial island in the bay looks back at the San Francisco skyline. The western shore gives the straight-on city panorama.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
James Turrell Sky Space
A viewing chamber in Golden Gate Park frames a cut-out of sky. Sit inside and shoot upward; the opening crops the sky into a flat plane.
Open in Google MapsDutch Windmills
Two early-1900s windmills stand at the western end of Golden Gate Park. The northern mill pairs with the tulip beds when they bloom.
Open in Google Maps