Timeline
15:44
Grab a strong espresso at Caffe Trieste. This North Beach landmark is where Jack Kerouac was a regular, so you are drinking exactly what the Beat writers drank. The cafe opens at 06:30, so it is wide open well before sunset.
16:14
Walk nine minutes north up Telegraph Hill to the base of the tower. Climb to the observation deck at Coit Tower. The walk is short and steep. You will have the whole bay spread out before you.
17:14
Watch the sunset. On 15 January the sun sets at 17:14 toward the WSW. The golden light starts around 16:34, so you will have about an hour of warm, fading light before the final moment. Coit Tower is visible from much of the city and offers an excellent view of the bay.
17:59
Head down to Vesuvio's for a drink. This quirky historic bar was founded in 1948 and is famous for its association with jazz, poetry, and the Beat Generation. Neal Cassidy made a pit stop here in the mid-1950s. It is open until 02:00, so it is the perfect place to end the night and reflect on the evening.
Local tip
The walk up Telegraph Hill is steep. Wear comfortable shoes. Vesuvio's is just one minute from the anchor, making it a very easy end to the walk.
Check before you go
- Caffe Trieste is open 06:30-23:00 on weekdays and Sundays, and until 24:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Coit Tower is a viewpoint; check current access hours if visiting outside of daylight.
- Vesuvio's is open daily from 06:00 to 02:00.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to San Francisco (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).