View Deck at UCSF San Francisco

Best view in Western SF

Byron from San Francisco

"When I want to know if the fog is coming in under the GG bridge in SF, I walk over to the public deck at UCSF's Helen Diller Medical Center..."

When I want to know if the fog is coming in under the GG bridge, or if Marin is sunny, or just want to see every neighbourhood, I walk over to the public deck at UCSF's Helen Diller Medical Center. Never crowded, the large deck wraps around three sides of the Medial office building at UCSF, with each side providing an unhindered view of SF. I will often stop here on a walk in the neighbourhood to check out the overhead view of Golden Gate Park from the Haight to the beach or see if the GG Bridge is clear or foggy.

When the University of California built its medical school, UCSF, in 1898, it was on a remote hill far away from most of the city, possibly to give students a chance to study, or maybe the land was cheap. But what they also gave was the best view in SF, which is still unobstructed by trees or tall buildings. It is a great place to see some iconic buildings and get a better idea of how close everything is in SF.

Art & culture

Relaxing

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San Francisco Spotter Byron

About me The quote “It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious” by Oscar Wilde works for me. I grew up on the central coast and have always valued the California virtues of connecting with people and their stories - there is a reason Hollywood and Silicon Valley started here. Everyone has a story, but so few tell it well. For the last 30 years, I have lived in SF with my charming husband and a series of cats who all have a story to tell. For better or worse, my story is that history is never boring, if you ask enoug...

About this spot

400 Parnassus Avenue

US$

no-price

Oct 31, 2025

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