Coit Tower — Attraction in San Francisco

Watched Judy Irving’s award-winning documentary “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill”? A homeless musician feeding a flock of cherry-headed parrots and singing all the day? If you, then you must have spotted the place!

Every metropolis has a proud emblem of its city skyline. New York has the 102-story Empire State Building. Paris has the Eiffel Tower. Likewise, San Francisco has got its civic pride at COIT TOWER. Set high atop the historic Telegraph Hill, the tower gives 360-degree sweeping views of the city and the bay, including the inescapable Alcatraz, the Golden Gate and Bay bridges. The views aside, you're really here for fresco murals painted by a group of artists back in 1930s. Most of the murals depict working class American citizens and their struggle during that period. The simple fluted tower looks like a firehose nozzle and was built at the bequest of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a patron of the city’s fire fighters, to beautify the city. It's free to get inside, but if you wanna rise 210 feet high, it's $8 for non-residents. Well, if you’re finished with Chinatown, take an uphill stroll from there and get to the base of the tower. View the murals, tour the gift shop, ride on the elevator to the top and watch the city from a unique perspective. It's absolutely amazing! Nothing short of spectacular! And as you come downstairs, be ready to hear the raucous chatter of parrots flying back and forth...

I visited Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill on a crisp, clear afternoon—and what a treat it was. After climbing the charming Filbert Steps winding through lush greenery of Pioneer Park, I reached the Art Deco tower built in 1933 thanks to Lillie Hitchcock Coit’s generous bequest to beautify San Francisco .

The highlight? Rising to the observation deck via elevator (now occasionally quirky but still safe) for breathtaking 360° panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Aquatic Park, and the downtown skyline stretching toward Twin Peaks and Nob Hill  . It truly offers one of the best vantage points in the city  .

Inside the base, I admired vibrant New Deal-era murals painted by WPA artists depicting California’s industry, labor and daily life. They’re richly detailed and fascinating pieces of American Social Realism   . The rotunda feels intimate yet full of history.

Pros: • Stunning sweeping views across bay and city • Beautiful 1930s murals inside • Characterful walk via Telegraph Hill steps

Cons: • Elevator occasionally shudders or stalls during busy times    • A bit crowded during peak hours and weekends

Tip: Go on a clear day for the epic vistas—early morning brings fewer crowds. Don’t miss the Filbert Steps for a lively local ascent. Perfect for history lovers, architecture fans, and anyone craving a top‑tier photo spot in...

It's a totally self-cleaning porta-potty. It still smells like a porta-potty, but it's automated. You press the open button, and the door slides open, and after you enter and press the lock button, it closes and locks. There's toilet paper, an automatic sink that, with motion, starts the water to wash your hands and then a little hand dryer all together. It has a hook to hang your purse or whatever on and a mirror. There is no need to flush the toilet because it will do that for you. A word of caution that if you're inside for 20 minutes, it will unlock and open the door, but it does give you a warning about 15 minutes in. When you're finished, you can either press the open button or, with your foot, you can touch the lower open button. After exiting (and make sure you don't leave anything inside), the door will close and lock to begin the sanitizing process and looking at the toilet while I was inside it looks like that it folds up to empty the bowl and get cleaned. Yes, it's still a little wet when you go inside, but knowing that it's from the cleaning process makes it seem better than thinking someone else peed on the toilet seat. They do give instructions, and young children need to be accompanied by an adult. I would just make one suggestion for the company that built these is to put in an automatic freshener spray to spray after...