Grosvenor Lombard Street Hotel in San Francisco

Located in the Russian Hill district, Lombard Street is known as "the crookedest street in the world" because of its eight sharp turns on a 40-degree slope. The turns, known as switchbacks, were built in the 1920s to allow traffic to descend the steep incline. The street zigzags around beautiful flowers and shrubs and offers a nice view of the bay. There are stairways (without curves) on either side of the street for pedestrians. The descent begins at Hyde Street.

The steep, hilly street was created with sharp curves to switchback down the one-way hill past beautiful Victorian mansions. Some of the classiest and most expensive Real Estate in the city, exists on Lombard Street. This Russian Hill neighborhood, somehow possesses stately mansions, condos and townhouses, even with the endless array of tourists pouring down the street every day. In the spring and through the entire summer, Lombard Street is alive with color, as the chrysanthemums, and other well tended flowers are in full bloom.

Directions to Crooked Street

To get to Lombard Street, take the Hyde Street Cable Car line, which stops on the crest. From this beautiful vantage point, you can also see down Hyde Street to Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz and the rest of the Bay. Looking east, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, and the Bay Bridge present a breathtaking sight.
Lombard Street is not only "The Crooked Street." It continues in both directions, going all the way east, up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower, and continuing west down through the Marina, where it becomes the major conduit to Golden Gate Bridge. A walk in either direction makes for a pleasant hike.

Burlington, Iowa
Snake Alley battles San Francisco's Lombard Street for the title of "World's Crookedest Street." It was constructed in 1894 as an experimental street design (and a shortcut to Burlington's business district). Snake Alley is still paved with cobblestones. Scientifically calibrated testing by our team reveals less switchbacks, a more gradual incline, and a much shorter time in queue than Lombard Street.

Downtown San Francisco Map