San Francisco walk – China Town to the Ferry Building

San Francisco walk – Dragon’s Gate – Image supplied

Start/Finish	Category	Distance	Estimated Walking Time
Montgomery Station / Ferry Building	Tourism	3.5 km	55 min*

Summary

This hike winds through the heart of San Francisco.  Starting in the financial district it explores Chinatown, before ascending to Coit tower with its fantastic views over the city. From here it winds back down to the Embarcadero before finishing at the Ferry Building.

Note – Just a warning, this walk is quite steep in parts. So you may want to take your water bottle and make a few breaks along the way. But the views from Coit tower are well worth it!

Public transport

Catch the metro to Montgomery station. Ends near the Embarcadero & Ferry Building station.

Directions

Starting point

This walk starts at Montgomery station, which is situated in the financial district. Take the subway entrance onto Samson St and head north.

From Samson St, turn left down Bush St and continue walking until you reach Grant Avenue. Turn right up Grant Ave, through Dragon’s Gate and head north. This will take you into the heart of Chinatown. The history of this part of the city goes way back to the 1850’s when Chinese pioneers began immigrating to San Francisco in large numbers, initially drawn by the California Gold Rush.

Continue north up Grant Ave, through Chinatown and cross over California St. On the corner of California St and Grant Ave you will notice St Mary’s Cathedral, a Gothic revival church originally constructed in 1853. Of interest is its clock face with the inscription “Son, Observe the Time and Fly from Evil”. This sentiment was apparently aimed at the men who frequented the surrounding brothels in the 1850’s.

St Mary’s Cathedral

St Mary’s Cathedral- Image supplied

From St Mary’s continue up Grant Ave, checking out all the Chinese restaurants and speciality shops along the way.  Just before Grant Ave ends you will pass Jack Kerouac Alley, which is named after the famous American author and member of the beat generation.

At the end of Grant Ave turn right onto Broadway and then left onto Kearny St. Continue north walking in the opposite direction to the financial district.  The walk gets quite steep at this point but is well worth it as you make your way towards Coit Tower and its views out to the bay.

At the end of Kearny St turn right up the Filbert St steps, which will take you up to Coit tower on Telegraph Hill. This is a great place to take a rest and enjoy the views out to the bay and city.

Once your done taking in the views of the city, continue back to Filbert St and head east in the direction of the bay. Cross over Montgomery St and continue down Filbert St where you will eventually reach Levi’s plaza.

Finish

Cut through the plaza and turn right down Battery St. From here turn left up Green St, cross over the Embarcadero and walk in a southerly direction along the embankment until you reach the Ferry Building where the walk ends.

The Ferry building is a terminal for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay. Completed in 1898 it was the largest project undertaken in the city up to that time. 

Ferry Building – Image supplied

San Francisco walk – GPX File

To access to the GPX file for this walk click on the download button below.

Information on GPX files and how to import them into Google Maps on your phone can be found here.

San Francisco walk – Map

Start –  Montgomery Station

1. Chinatown – Dragon’s Gate
2. Old Saint Mary’s Cathedral
3. Jack Kerouac Alley
4. Coit Tower
5. Levi’s Plaza
6. Ferry Building

Finish – Ferry Building