The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps are Grandview Park’s premiere attraction, with their spectacular mosaic art and views overlooking the Sunset District.
But don’t stop there. The 666-foot peak to the east remains a time portal to San Francisco’s pre-development days, with jagged red chert outcroppings, blooming wildflowers, the sandy ground that once covered the Outside Lands and panoramic vistas clear to the Pacific.
The tree-lined four-acre park only has a few trails and no playgrounds, bathrooms or barbecues. Instead it’s filled with native plants, lichen-covered wood rails, green park benches and other throwback charms. The views up top are much better than the stairs; only a rocky outcropping due south will block your sightlines to the city’s beaches, downtown, Sutro Tower and the Marin Headlands.
Grandview Park is an underrated triumph, and a park every San Franciscan who can handle the steep climb should visit.