Skyline Views, Mansion Spotting, and Zero Hill-Climbing

Pacific Heights is where San Francisco goes full “wow.” Think iconic architecture, quiet leafy streets, and peek-a-boo Bay views that make your camera work overtime.

Perched high above the fog line, Pacific Heights is San Francisco’s most prestigious neighborhood—packed with beautifully restored Victorian and Edwardian mansions, polished parks, and some of the city’s best “how is this real?” scenery.

On a private tour, this is the fun part: we can keep it flexible. Want to cruise Broadway’s legendary mansions, swing by the steps for photos, or linger for skyline views? Your stops are customized, and photo stops are always included.

Quick Overview: Pacific Heights & Billionaire’s Row

• What it is: A hilltop neighborhood famous for grand homes, quiet streets, and big Bay-and-skyline views.
• Vibe: Classic San Francisco elegance with modern Silicon Valley influence.
• Signature stretch: Billionaire’s Row—Broadway between Lyon and Divisadero.
• Architecture highlights: Restored Victorian and Edwardian mansions.
• Local life: Dog walkers, neighborhood strolls, and a calm “top of the city” feel.
• Best views: City skyline + Bay sparkle; great vantage points near the hills and steps.
• Must-see spot: Lyon Street Steps—a scenic staircase with manicured landscaping and standout photo angles.
• Famous mansion: The 55-room Spreckels Mansion (a true “entire city block” moment).
• Why it’s perfect on a private tour: It’s steep—so you get the views and stories without the punishing incline.

Explore This Page: Intro | Quick Overview | History | Fun Facts | Why Visit / What You’ll Do | Highlights / Don’t Miss | Why a Private Tuk Tuk Tour Works Here | Plan Your Visit | FAQ | Related Guides | Nearby Points of Interest

History of Pacific Heights & Billionaire’s Row

Pacific Heights has long been one of San Francisco’s most sought-after addresses—where the city’s wealth, architecture, and views all pile into one stunning hillside neighborhood. The area is famous for its beautifully preserved homes and its reputation as a top-tier “power address.”

One reason it became so desirable: the neighborhood is built on solid bedrock, which helped it suffer less damage during the 1906 earthquake compared with landfill-based parts of the city.

• Early prestige: The neighborhood earned the nickname “Gold Coast”—a nod to the 19th-century timber and gold rush barons who built here first.
• 1906 impact: Built on bedrock, Pacific Heights saw significantly less damage than landfill neighborhoods.
• Modern-era status: The Broadway stretch known as Billionaire’s Row remains one of the highest-valued blocks of real estate in the U.S.

Fun Facts About Pacific Heights

• Safety First: Because the neighborhood is built on solid bedrock, it suffered significantly less damage in 1906 than the landfill-based areas of the city.
• Consulate Row: Many massive estates now house foreign consulates for countries like Italy, Germany, Greece, South Korea, and China.
• The School of Royalty: In the movie The Princess Diaries, the “Anthony R. Travenia High School” is actually a private home at 2598 Lyon Street.
• A “Heart” of Gold: The “Migrant Heart” sculpture on the Lyon Street Steps is part of the Hearts in San Francisco project benefiting the local hospital foundation.
• The “Gold Coast”: Long before it was Billionaire’s Row, it was known as the “Gold Coast,” named for the 19th-century timber and gold rush barons who first built here.

Why Visit / What You’ll Do

Pacific Heights is one of those places that feels like a different version of San Francisco: quieter, greener, and wildly photogenic. You’ll cruise streets lined with restored mansions, spot locals heading toward Alta Plaza Park, and catch those “oh wow” angles where the skyline and Bay show off at the same time.

The headline experience is Billionaire’s Row—a three-block stretch of Broadway where the houses (and the gates) are just as dramatic as the views. Then there’s the Lyon Street Steps, where the landscaping is pristine, the climb is legendary, and the photo opportunities are basically nonstop.

Highlights / Don’t Miss

• Billionaire’s Row on Broadway: Cruise the famous stretch between Lyon and Divisadero—a small strip of pavement with some of the highest-valued real estate in the United States.
• The “Who’s Who” home-spotting: This neighborhood has long been a magnet for major names in tech, business, and public life—part of what makes the drive-through stories so fun.
• Spreckels Mansion: A massive 55-room landmark residence that occupies an entire city block—one of the area’s most iconic “only in Pacific Heights” sights.
• Lyon Street Steps: A destination in itself—perfectly manicured hedges, seasonal blooms, and a top-of-the-steps view that frames the Palace of Fine Arts dome and the Bay.
• Pacific Heights streetscape: Tree-lined blocks + beautifully restored Victorian and Edwardian mansions that feel like a living museum of SF architecture.

The Current Titans

• Laurene Powell Jobs: The widow of Steve Jobs lives in the neighborhood’s most expensive residence. In 2024, she purchased 2840 Broadway for $70 million, setting a city record.
• Jony Ive: The legendary former Apple design chief responsible for the look of the iPhone and iMac resides nearby.
• Mimi Haas: The billionaire Levi Strauss heir and philanthropist lives on this prestigious block.
• Jeremy Stoppelman: The CEO of Yelp is another prominent tech leader who calls the Row home.
• The Getty Family: Gordon Getty, the billionaire composer and businessman, remains a neighborhood pillar.

Legends & Former Residents

• Larry Ellison: The Oracle founder recently sold his longtime mansion at 2850 Broadway in January 2026 for $45 million.
• Danielle Steel: The world-famous author lives in the massive 55-room Spreckels Mansion, which occupies an entire city block.
• Dianne Feinstein: The late U.S. Senator lived on Lyon Street, right at the landing of the famous Lyon Street Steps.
• Nancy Pelosi: The former Speaker of the House maintains a historic residence in the area.

Why a Private Tuk Tuk Tour Works Here

• Steep streets, zero struggle: Pacific Heights is steep. A tuk tuk lets you enjoy the neighborhood without the 40-minute uphill grind.
• Open-air views: You get unobstructed, open-air sightlines of the mansions, gates, and skyline/Bay moments.
• Photo stops included: Want to pause for the perfect angle? We can do that—photos are part of the experience.
• Guide stories make it click: The neighborhood is gorgeous on its own, but the insider context makes it feel like you’re “in on it,” not just passing through.
• Flexible, custom routing: Your route can adapt in real time—more mansions, more viewpoints, more steps, more scenery. Your call.
• Always private group: It’s just your group—no mixing with strangers.

If Pacific Heights is on your wish list, it’s one of those places that’s simply more fun when you can glide, stop, and soak it in—without budgeting energy for the hills. If you want an easy way to include it, the San Francisco City Tour is a great fit.

Plan Your Visit

Location: Pacific Heights sits high above the north side of San Francisco. Billionaire’s Row is the stretch of Broadway between Lyon and Divisadero. The Lyon Street Steps are at the western edge of the neighborhood.

Hours: Varies—this is a residential neighborhood and public streets/sidewalks. (Parks and steps are typically accessible daily.)

Best time to visit: Clear daytime hours for crisp architecture photos, or later in the day when the light makes the Bay sparkle.

Logistics note: Expect steep grades and limited curb parking. If you want to see more with less hassle, a private tour (with flexible routing and photo stops) keeps it smooth.

Pacific Heights & Billionaire’s Row FAQ

Related Guides (Worth a Click)

• Golden Gate Bridge
• Fisherman’s Wharf
• Presidio

Nearby Points of Interest

• Fort Mason: Once a United States Army post, this 1,200 acre is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Center. The remaining historic buildings are still in use with the military and also rented for civilian uses such as art galleries, dining, music instruction and the Fort Mason Arts and Culture Center.
• Golden Gate Bridge: You’ve seen it in movies, television, books, and postcards – now go ahead and take a walk on it! And don’t forget your camera.
• Union Street Shopping: Amidst chic shops and restaurants, enjoy the brightly painted Victorians and secret courtyards. As much fun at night as it is in the daytime.
• Fisherman’s Wharf: Shops, shops, and a plethora of great seafood restaurants line the Wharf, where you still see vestiges of the old fishing crafts used by the Italian immigrants who brought the Wharf to life after the Gold Rush.
• Presidio: Once a U.S. Army post, today the Presidio is a national park unlike any you have experienced before. Home to museums, restaurants, recreational destinations, art installations, trails, and the best views of the Golden Gate