Our 25 Best Photography Spots In San Francisco From A Local
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Being San Francisco, California residents for several years we have explored tons of the best photo spots of San Francisco.
We have photographed the Golden Gate Bridge from probably every angle possible, because the bridge never gets old, even as a resident. Never!
From the Painted Ladies and colorful tiled street steps to the secret swings located around San Francisco, we have seen them all.
So here’s a guide to our best photography spots in San Francisco including where to take the best photos of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Best Photography Spots In San Francisco
Table of Contents
- View Of San Francisco And The Golden Gate Bridge From Up Close
- Painted Ladies At Alamo Square
- Sunset Over Golden Gate Bridge
- Golden Gate Bridge Up Close From San Francisco Side
- View Of Alcatraz From Lyon Street Steps
- Sunset Photography Spot At Sutro Baths
- Hippie Tree Swing With View Of The San Francisco Bay
- Beautiful Sunset Colors At San Francisco’s Ocean Beach
- Hidden View Of Golden Gate Bridge From Golden Gate Overlook
- The Palace Hotel On Market Street In San Francisco
- San Francisco Bay Bridge At Night
- Bridge At Dolores Park In San Francisco’s Mission Neighborhood
- Sunset Over San Francisco From Oakland
- View Of San Francisco Skyline From Treasure Island
- View Of Bay Bridge From Pier 14
- View Of Crissy Fields And San Francisco Skyline
- View Of Transamerica Pyramid From Pier 7 And Embarcadero Skyline At Night
- Birds Eye View Of Transamerica Pyramid, Coit Tower, Alcatraz And Golden Gate Bridge
- Incredible Sunset At Ocean Beach
- Photograph Symmetry From Pier 7
- Panorama Of Golden Gate Bridge At Sunrise
- View Of San Francisco From Twin Peaks
- View Of Huntington Hotel And Mark Hopkins Hotel On Nob Hill
- View Of Golden Gate Bridge From Baker Beach
View Of San Francisco And The Golden Gate Bridge To Take Photos From Up Close
The best spots to take photos of the Golden Gate Bridge AND San Francisco at the same time is from one of the vista points at Marin Headlands.
Marin Headlands Golden Gate Bride Photo Spots
There are several spots with Battery Spencer being the closest one to the Golden Gate Bridge and Hawk Hill the furthest one way. There are spots in between where you can make a stop and park your car to take in the view.
From all vista points, you can take a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco in the backdrop, they will just be a little different as the road winds further up the Marin Headlands.
Best Time To Photograph The Golden Gate Bridge
The best time to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge is during non-touristy times, as it can get incredibly crowded on the weekends, to the point where traffic comes to a stop.
Pro tip: Capture the best photos of the Golden Gate Bridge during sunrise or at night when the bridge is lit up and the San Francisco skyline glistens in the background.
Painted Ladies – One Of The Most Famous Photography Spots In San Francisco
The Painted Ladies, probably the most instagrammable photo spot in San Francisco. Next to Golden Gate Bridge taking a photo of the Painted Ladies is the second must photograph when in San Francisco. The famous painted houses are located at Alamo Square with the SF skyline in the back.
Sunset Photo Over Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco has one of the most incredible sunsets in this world. With the sun setting behind the Golden Gate Bridge you have this amazing photography opportunity that you need to capture.
Golden Gate Bridge Photo Spots Up Close From San Francisco & Marin Sides
See the Golden Gate Bridge from up close from both of the vista points directly by the ends of the bridge.
You can get there either by walking from Crissy Fields (it’s gonna be quite a walk but a nice one) or with a tour bus or by renting a bike or taking a car and making stops on each side.
Photo View Of Alcatraz From Lyon Street Steps
You can take photographs of the San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz from the hilltops of the neighborhoods of Russian Hill or Nob Hill.
The picture above is taken from the famous Lyon Street steps at the edge of the Presidio neighborhood.
Dreamy Sunset Photography Spot At Sutro Baths
Capture incredible sunsets photos and explore Sutro Baths from here.
Hippie Tree Swing With Instagrammable Views Of The San Francisco Bay And Golden Gate Bridge
A swing with an amazing view of San Francisco to take a photo of. The Hippie Tree swing is located across the Golden Gate Bridge in Tiburon.
Read More
Jaw-dropping Bay Views From Tiburon’s Hippie Swing
Capture Beautiful Sunset Colors At San Francisco’s Ocean Beach
Capture the most incredible sunsets photos at Ocean Beach. The N line brings you directly to the beach from the city center.
Hidden View Of Golden Gate Bridge From Golden Gate Overlook
The Golden Gate Overlook is yet another location to take cool photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. See, taking photos of the Golden Gate Bridge never gets old! 🙂
The Palace Hotel – A San Francisco Instagram Spot To Capture Elegance And Luxury
This incredible glass ceiling of The Palace Hotel is worth taking a photo of. The hotel is a historical San Francisco landmark and a great place to stay if you like to treat yourself to some fancy luxury.
Night Photography Spot At San Francisco Bay Bridge
Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge’s little sister connecting San Francisco with Treasure Island and Oakland. What the Bay Bridge lacks in red color it makes up with its pretty cool light installation.
You can take the best photos of the Bay Bridge at night from the Embarcadero along San Francisco’s Financial District.
Dolores Park In San Francisco’s Mission Neighborhood
Symmetrical perfection at the pedestrian train crossing at Dolores Park.
Read More
Travel Photography Gear Guide – What’s In Our Camera Bag?
The Best Sunset Photography Spot In San Francisco
The most beautiful photo location in San Francisco is actually not in San Francisco. The best photo spot of San Francisco is over on the other side in Oakland.
From there you have the absolute best view of San Francisco, hands down. The sunset over the city’s skyline will leave you speechless.
San Francisco Skyline Photography Spot From Treasure Island
One other cool spot to take a photo of San Francisco is located on Treasure Island. From there you can take photos of San Francisco with pretty palm trees in front of it.
(The Buring Man Statue is unfortunately not on Treasure Island anymore.)
Photo Spot With Panoramic View Of Bay Bridge From Pier 14
Especially sunset is a great time to take photos of San Francisco. Taken it is not foggy. The sky turns into this pinkish-orange color and make photos so much more interesting and pretty.
Another great spot to take a photo of the Bay Bridge is from Pier 14 along the Embarcadero. A great place on the Embarcadero for a drink outside and to spend the night with an amazing view of the Bay Bridge is the Hotel Vitale with its Americano restaurant & bar.
View Of Crissy Fields, The Palace Of Fine Arts And San Francisco Skyline
Capture the beach vibe with palm trees and the San Francisco skyline from Crissy Field Overlook.
Yes, San Francisco has a beach! And yes, the water is cold!
View Of Transamerica Pyramid From Pier 7 And Embarcadero Skyline At Night
A great San Francisco photo spot to capture the glistening skyline of the Embarcadero Center and the Transamerica Pyramid is located at Pier 7 at the Embarcadero.
The Top San Francisco Photography Spot With A Birds Eye View Of Transamerica Pyramid, Alcatraz, Coit Tower And Golden Gate Bridge
From the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero you have this amazing view of the Transamerica Pyramid, Coit Tower, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge. All at the same time! It’s definitely one of the best San Francisco photography spots to capture multiple famous sights all at once. However, staying at the Four Seasons might be a bit pricy. But this view though!
Booking.comCapture Incredible Pacific Sunsets At Ocean Beach
Capture incredible sunsets over the Pacific Ocean at Ocean Beach.
Pier 7 – One Of The Top Instagram Photo Spots Of San Francisco
Pier 7 is a loved photo spot in San Francisco to capture picture-perfect symmetry with the Embarcadero and Transamerica Pyramid in the background.
Panorama Of Golden Gate Bridge At Sunrise
The best spot to take a panorama of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco and Twin Peaks in the background is from one of the higher vista points at Marin Headlands.
Pro tip: Capture the best photos of the Golden Gate Bridge during sunrise or at night when the bridge is lit up and the San Francisco skyline glistens in the background.
Twin Peaks Photo Spot To Capture San Francisco From Above
Drive up to Twin Peaks to have a 360 degrees view of San Francisco, the Bay and the ocean towards the West.
Downtown San Francisco Photography Spot To Capture Famous Nob Hill Luxury Hotels
The Marriott Hotel at Union Square is a great San Francisco photography spot. From here you can capture Nob Hill and its famous Mark Hopkins Hotel and Huntington Hotel on top of Nob Hill right next to the Fairmont Hotel.
Fun fact and the most important reason why this is a great San Francisco photo spot, it captures our apartment building as well. A must-see! 🙂
Baker Beach – The Most Famous Golden Gate Bridge Photo Spot
Probably the most famous photo location of San Francisco. From Baker Beach, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge up close while enjoying time at the beach. What better beach view can there be?!
HIP & COOL HOTELS TO STAY IN SAN FRANCISCO
SAN FRANCISCO’S COOLEST HOTELS
Hotel Kabuki, Japan Town
Blending traditional Japanese style decor with modern amenities
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San Francisco Proper Hotel, Downtown
Located in the historic flatiron building offers a hip urban hotel experience.
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W San Francisco, Downtown/SoMa
The W is an essential part of San Francisco’s hip SoMa district
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Phoenix Hotel, Tenderloin
San Francisco’s rock n’ roll hotel is famous for its pool parties and Chambers eat + drink restaurant
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Hotel Del Sol, Marina District
A summer vibe inspired hotel at trendy Marina District
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FOUND Hotel San Francisco, Union Square
Stylish boutique hotel in the heart of San Francisco
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Hotel Emblem San Francisco, Union Square
Beat Generation-inspired boutique hotel located in the Theater District
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Hotel Via, South Beach District
Famous for its rooftop bar next to Oracle Park
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Hotel Zetta San Francisco, SoMa
Sleek and stylish hotel rooms in hip SoMa District
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Hotel Zeppelin, Union Square
Boutique hotel nestled in San Francisco’s Theater District
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Hotel Zephyr, Fisherman’s Warf
Nautical-themed rooms perfectly fit into SF’s nautical neighborhood
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Argonaut Hotel, Fisherman’s Warf
With its rich blue and white furniture, the Argonaut is another stylish nautical-themed hotel in the area
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Yotel San Francisco, Civic Center
A futuristic smart hotel on Market Street
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Good Hotel, Civic Center
Eco-friendly hip budget hotel
Best Photography Spots In San Francisco
We hope you found this San Franciso Photography Guide with our best photography spots in San Francisco useful and got some inspiration for your trip to the city by the bay.
Happy photographing and exploring our favorite city in the Golden State of California!
Julia & Felipe
Follow our adventures on Instagram! @piscoandbier
