Lombard Street (San Francisco)

Lombard Street in San Francisco is the steep, famously crooked one-block section on Russian Hill, noted for its tight hairpin turns and brick paving. It is a short urban street that has become a major tourist photo stop and driving attraction.

The signature stretch contains eight hairpin turns between Hyde and Leavenworth and is lined with planted flowerbeds and private residences. From the top and bottom of the block there are views down Russian Hill and across portions of the city and bay.

Originally created to reduce the hill’s steep grade for horse-drawn carriages, the switchback design and brick surfacing remain its defining features. The street sits within the dense urban fabric of northern San Francisco and is easily reached from nearby cable car lines and major tourist routes.

Located in the Russian Hill neighborhood, the crooked block is inside San Francisco proper and a short drive or walk from Fisherman’s Wharf and North Beach.

• Curvy section: The famous zigzag section has eight sharp hairpin turns and is paved with red bricks; it occupies one steep, one-block stretch between Hyde and Leavenworth streets.
• When to visit: Best experienced early morning or late evening to avoid heavy tourist foot traffic and visitor coach congestion on the narrow roadway.