Looking like a piece of Washington D.C. transplanted to the west coast, San Francisco's city hall is actually taller than the nation's capitol building itself. A must see for architecture buffs and a frequent stop on all city bus tours, the gorgeous Beaux Arts masterpiece sports the fifth largest dome in the world and shimmering gold leaf details on the exterior. Inside, guided tours allow visitors to explore the building's various galleries and peek into the offices of the mayor and other city officials.
Parking and public transportation at San Francisco City Hall
Metered street parking is available but tight in the Civic Center area, and there are also several pay by the hour or day lots close by. But for anyone staying in the Union Square area, City Hall is an easy ten minute walk. The Civic Center station, which is served by BART, Muni Metro and the F Market Streetcar is also just a block away from City Hall.
Best and worst time to go to San Francisco City Hall
San Francisco City Hall is closed on the weekends, meaning that if you want to see the inside it is best to show up on a weekday. Free docent led tours are available to the general public at 10am, 12pm and 2pm Monday through Friday.
Admission to San Francisco City Hall
A government building that is open to the public, San Francisco City Hall has no entrance fee.
Must see/do at San Francisco City Hall
The view of the ornate building from across Civic Center Plaza is one of the most popular backdrops for photo ops for visitors to the city and should not be missed even if you don't go inside. The awe-inspiring rotunda just inside the main doors features a large marble staircase leading to the balcony lined upper chambers and is decorated by a variety of embellishments including a depiction of Father Time on the east wall. Bronze busts of former mayors line the hallways and a permanent art exhibit is open to the public in the South Light Court.
Other places to visit near San Francisco City Hall
The very modern and state of the art main branch of the San Francisco Public Library lies directly across the Civic Center Plaza from City Hall as does the Asian Art Museum, which occupies the library's historic former home.
Insider tip for visiting San Francisco City Hall
City Hall is lit up at night in an impressive array of colors that change according to season and holidays. Night visits are often more magical than day trip to the landmark building.
Authors bio: Ocean Malandra was born and raised in San Francisco. He is a widely published travel writer and journalist that can be followed at @OceanMalandra.