Coit Tower

The grounds of Pioneer Park surrounding this iconic, fluted tower on Telegraph Hill provide 360-degree views, some of the most impressive in the city.  Leashed dogs are allowed in the park but not inside the tower (which at any rate is closed for renovation through April 2014). As you wander the trails that wind around the tower and down the hill, you may hear the raucous chatter of the neighborhood’s most famous (and noisiest) residents, the flock of parrots featured in the 2005 film “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.”

Parking at the tower is very limited. For a scenic hike, climb Telegraph Hill's eastern slope via the Filbert Street Steps, which pass through the Grace Marchant Garden, or via the Greenwich Street Stairs traversing a beautiful residential area.