Pacific Heights

Pac Heights is the Hollywood version of San Francisco: neat rows of giant Victorians and quiet streets paired with expansive views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge.

Pacific Heights is San Francisco’s star neighborhood, where the streets are lined with a collection of French Chateau and Spanish-style mansions. Pacific Heights is a place where life is lived to the fullest, by people who’ve worked hard to get here. It’s not a loud neighborhood, but one that values elegance and grace above all else. While it is not a nightlife destination, the streets of the neighborhood are lined with eight-figure mansions and prominent residents who enjoy the exclusivity and tranquility of their homes.

Residents of Pacific Heights can escape their hectic schedules and seek solace in the superb hiking trails and spectacular views of Presidio National Park.

This neighborhood contains the city’s grandest mansions. It also has a large collection of restored Victorian homes, and several tasteful Edwardian apartment buildings, most now condo-converted. Nothing is inexpensive; rents here often soar into five figures and sale prices routinely top eight.

Perched a few hundred feet above sea level, San Francisco's magnificent Pacific Heights neighborhood is known for its multi-million dollar homes and sweeping views that extend out to the Marin Headlands, located across the Golden Gate Bridge. But there are also plenty of other things to see and do in Pac Heights which include dining at some of the city's top restaurants, catching a movie at a historic theater, and shopping.

The neighborhood's two parks—Lafayette Park and Alta Plaza Park—both served as refugee camps when the 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed much of San Francisco, and they've been safe havens since. With its stunning views of San Francisco Bay (including Alcatraz and downtown), Alta Plaza has a particular draw. Watch a game of pick-up basketball, play a round of tennis, or catch some afternoon sun on the southern-facing terraced lawn of this 12-acre park. There's even an off-leash area for pooches and a playground for kids. The park's grand staircase has its bit of lore: It was used, without permission, in a car chase scene from the 1972 Barbra Streisand film "What's Up, Doc?" The damage to the stairs is still visible.

Get ready to spend (or do some killer window-browsing) in Pacific Heights, a neighborhood known for its high-end designer shops and independent boutiques. Fillmore Street is Pac Heights' main shopping hub, a stretch of storefronts devoted to trendy names like Athleta and Rag & Bone. There's also prime shopping along Sacramento Street, stretching into Presidio Heights with a more family-oriented (though still high-end) selection. Fashionable consignment shops are also the norm.