15 minutes on foot
A Local's Guide to Nob Hill, San Francisco
About 15 minutes on foot from the club
Nob Hill is San Francisco's most stately neighborhood — the hill where the railroad barons built their mansions, and where the city's grandest hotels still stand. It's quieter and more formal than Russian Hill, but the views are just as good and the history is richer.
From Russian Hill Cannabis Club at 2424 Polk Street, it's an easy 15-minute walk south — up California Street, which is itself part of the experience.
What to see & do
Grace Cathedral
The Gothic landmark at the top of California Street, with stained glass, bronze doors cast from Ghiberti's originals, and two labyrinths — one inside, one outside — open to walkers of any faith.
Cable Car Museum
Free admission, and genuinely fascinating: the working powerhouse that drives all of the city's cable car lines, with the giant winding wheels turning right in front of you. At Mason and Washington.
Huntington Park
The green square in front of Grace Cathedral — fountains, benches, and the best people-watching on the hill, flanked by the Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins.
Top of the Mark
The 19th-floor lounge at the Mark Hopkins hotel, famous since 1939 for its 360-degree views. Even if you just ride up for a look, the panorama is one of the best in the city.
The Fairmont San Francisco
The 1907 grand dame at Mason and California. Walk the lobby, and if you're feeling kitschy, visit the Tonga Room — the tiki bar in the basement where it rains indoors every half hour.
Where to eat & drink
- Top of the Mark — cocktails with a 360-degree view at sunset.
- Tonga Room — tropical drinks, a lagoon, and indoor thunderstorms in the Fairmont basement.
- Swan Oyster Depot — technically on the Polk Street edge between the two hills, and a must.
- The Big 4 — classic San Francisco dining in the Huntington Hotel, named for the railroad barons.
Getting there
From the club, walk south on Polk and up California Street — about 15 minutes with one real climb. The California Street cable car line crosses the neighborhood if you'd rather ride.
The Powell–Hyde and Powell–Mason cable car lines pass the western edge of Nob Hill, so you can combine both hills in one ride.
Local tips
- The Cable Car Museum is free and takes under an hour — the best-value stop on the hill.
- California Street is steep; if the climb looks daunting, ride the cable car up and walk down.
- Grace Cathedral's outdoor labyrinth is open around the clock and free.
- Hotel lobby bars here are destinations in themselves — dress codes are relaxed, but the atmosphere is old-school.
