Lombard Street in San Francisco is a residential street on Russian Hill with just one famous block: the one that zigzags down through eight tight hairpin turns lined with hydrangea gardens, between Hyde Street and Leavenworth Street. It's free, open around the clock, and you can walk down the stairs on either side or drive it at a crawl. What almost nobody tells you is how long you'll actually spend there (twenty minutes is plenty) and the easiest way to get there, which isn't by car. Information checked on November 11, 2026.
The basics of the crookedest street
- Where. The 1000 block of Lombard Street, between Hyde and Leavenworth, in Russian Hill.
- Price. No admission or toll. It's a public street.
- Getting there. The Powell-Hyde cable car stops right at the top, at Hyde and Lombard.
- Direction. Cars only go downhill, west to east, at about 5 mph.
- Time. 15 to 30 minutes to walk down, take photos and look back from the bottom.
Why it's so famous
The natural slope of that block is a 27 percent grade, too steep for early 20th-century cars. In 1922 the city redesigned it with curves to lengthen the route and ease the descent: the winding section is about 180 meters (600 feet) long, although in a straight line it's 125. Residents planted flowers in the bends, photos began to circulate, and movies and postcards did the rest.
Today it gets around two million visitors a year, and on summer weekends as many as 17,000 people can pass through in a day, according to figures cited by Wikipedia. That explains why neighbors have spent years asking the city to control car traffic, and why it pays to go early.
A surprising fact: it isn't San Francisco's most crooked street. Vermont Street, in Potrero Hill, has seven turns on a steeper slope, and some argue it's twistier. What it lacks are the flowers and the bay view, which is why almost nobody goes.
Can you walk down Lombard Street?
Yes. On both sides of the roadway there are pedestrian staircases running beside the houses, and that's the best way to see it: you go at your own pace, stop wherever you like and don't have a car honking behind you. There are about 250 steps in total, so going down is easy and coming up takes a bit more effort. If you arrive by cable car, the natural move is to walk down to Leavenworth and continue toward North Beach or the waterfront.
What you can't do is walk in the middle of the roadway or sit in the gardens: they belong to the residents. Nor should you block driveways, something that happens a lot when people stop for photos.
Driving down: how it works
If you're driving, you enter from Hyde Street and head down toward Leavenworth. The sign at the top recommends 5 mph, and the turns force you to go slowly anyway. In high season the line of cars waiting to get in stretches several blocks west along Lombard and can take half an hour or more just to reach the start.
Two warnings. First, leave nothing visible in your car when you park in the area; car break-ins targeting tourists are a known problem in San Francisco, and photo spots are among the worst hit. Second, parking on Russian Hill is nearly impossible, with many blocks reserved for residents. If you rent a car, drive down on a day you're passing through anyway rather than coming specially.
How to get to Lombard Street without a car
The option that turns the visit into an outing is the Powell-Hyde cable car. It leaves from Powell and Market, near Union Square, climbs Nob Hill and Russian Hill and drops you at Hyde and Lombard, at the top of the crooked block. The ride alone is worth it, with climbs and dips that feel like a roller coaster.
Other ways:
- On foot from Fisherman's Wharf. About 15 minutes uphill via Hyde or Leavenworth. It's steep; better to do it the other way, walking down from Lombard to the wharf.
- By bus. Several Muni lines run nearby along Columbus Avenue and Van Ness. With a Clipper card or the app you can pay for all city transit.
- Uber or Lyft. Ask to be dropped at Hyde and Lombard, not at the bottom, so you start from the top.
Best time and angle for photos
The classic shot is taken from the bottom, on Leavenworth, looking up: you see all eight turns stacked with flowers and, if you shift a little, Coit Tower in the background. From the top, on Hyde, you get the opposite view: the street falling away toward the bay, with Coit Tower on the horizon.
Go before 9 a.m. if you want the street without crowds or car lines. Spring and early summer are when the hydrangeas bloom. Overcast days, very common in summer thanks to San Francisco's fog, give an even light that flatters photos of the houses.
What's nearby to round out the morning
Lombard is in a very walkable area. Heading north down Hyde, you reach Ghirardelli Square and Fisherman's Wharf in 15 minutes, with Pier 39 and its sea lions a little farther on, and boats to Alcatraz leave from Pier 33. Heading east down Lombard, you cross into North Beach, the Italian neighborhood, and climb to Coit Tower.
A neat morning loop: cable car from Union Square to Lombard, walk down, stroll to North Beach for coffee and have lunch at the wharf.
Russian Hill beyond the curves
If you like walking, the neighborhood has quiet spots almost no tourists find. Macondray Lane, a pedestrian lane with wooden stairs and gardens between Jones and Taylor, feels like another city. Ina Coolbrith Park, at Vallejo and Taylor, is a terraced park with views of the bay and the Bay Bridge. Both are less than ten minutes from Lombard and free.
A warning so you don't get confused when booking a hotel: Lombard Street continues west, crosses Van Ness and becomes a wide avenue that's part of US Highway 101, lined with motels, through Cow Hollow and the Marina. A hotel "on Lombard Street" is almost never on the crooked block but on that stretch, about a 20-minute walk away.
Is it still open in 2026?
Yes. It's one of the questions that comes up most on Google, because of news in recent years about possible fees or reservations for cars. As of November 11, 2026 the street remains open to pedestrians and vehicles, free of charge. In past years the city has closed it to cars on some busy holiday weekends, so if you're going on those dates, have a plan B. On foot, the descent remains available.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Lombard Street?
On Russian Hill, San Francisco. The crooked section is the 1000 block of Lombard Street, between Hyde Street and Leavenworth Street.
How many turns does Lombard Street have?
Eight hairpin turns over about 180 meters. It was built that way in 1922 to tame a 27 percent grade.
Does it cost money to visit Lombard Street?
No. It's a public street, free on foot and by car, open all day.
What's the best way to get to Lombard Street?
The Powell-Hyde cable car from Union Square, which stops right at the top of the street. Then walk down the side stairs.
Is Lombard Street the steepest street in San Francisco?
No. It's the most famous for its curves, but streets such as Vermont Street have steeper grades and zigzags too.