16th Ave Mosaic Steps – A Staircase of Art in San Francisco

16th Avenue Mosaic Steps

One of the charms and quirks of San Francisco is the many “hidden” surprises that you can stumble across throughout the city that you won’t find anywhere else. The 16th Avenue Mosaic Steps also referred to as the tiled stairs and is one of the many San Francisco gems tucked away in residential neighborhoods.

When you get to the very top of the SF tiled steps, you can catch a view of the Pacific Ocean as well as the aptly-named Sunset District in San Francisco.

16 Ave Tiled Steps – What to Expect

• Residential parking
• Open 24-7
• 163 total steps to the top
• Busiest mid to late afternoon

History Of The San Francisco Tiled Steps

The Mosaic Steps came to be as a community project to revitalize the existing staircase.  It took two years to complete with the help of local volunteers and artists and was completed in August 2005.  Inspired by the Selarón Steps in Brazil, the SF tiled steps is comprised of 160 steps, made up of tiny mosaic tiles.

When you begin walking up the tiled steps, you will see that the artwork is comprised of fish and land creatures. As you climb higher up, you will see birds, the moon, and at the very top, you’ll see the sun. Volunteers in the community take great care of the steps.

Getting To San Francisco Tiled Steps

Parking At The Mosaic Steps

Unfortunately, there are no designated parking spaces. Parking for the mosaic steps is easiest at the base of the stairs which is located at the cross streets of 16th Avenue and Moraga Street. The residential area has limited parking spots. Visitors tend to spend a relatively short amount of time going up and down and taking photos.

Getting There By Uber or Lyft

Uber or Lyft is a great option to see the tiled steps. Being at the center of San Francisco, it’s easy to be matched with a ride, and a low cost option to get to anywhere within the city.

Walking Up The Mosaic Steps

The entire staircase is made up of 163 steps to the top. In terms of elevation, its a 93 feet climb to the top for you hikers. You can catch amazing views, especially magical during the sunset, even halfway up the tiled stairs. Don’t be surprised if what you see instead is fog as SF is renowned for its presence of fog.

San Francisco Tiled Stairs at Night

Visiting at night yields a different, yet equally magical experience with amazing night views. When the sun sets and the street lamps light up, the mobs of tourists will also disappear. At night you can see the rolling hills lit up with the street lamps. Check our other article here for a list of other amazing SF views at night.

Nearby Attractions

Grandview Park – If you have time you can continue the walk upward to Grandview Park. There are another set of switchback stairs that leads to a small park with more spectacular views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Twin Peaks – The most famous peak and views of San Francisco can be found at Twin Peaks, which is only about a 5 min. drive away. Beware of the crowds.

Tank Hill – For another quiet park with amazing views, Tank Hill is a quieter spot. It’s also great for a picnic and has similar vibes to the SF Mosaic Steps.

Tips for visiting San Francisco Tiled Steps

Best Time Of The Day To Visit

We love visiting in the evening as you can catch the sunset here. The drawback is the fact that there will be a lot of people here during this time as well. So if taking pictures of the tiled steps is your main goal, the evening would not be the best time unless you do not mind having strangers in the background.

Photography Tips

If taking awesome pictures is your goal, we recommend going early in the morning for pictures of the tiled steps or during “golden hour” for pictures of the sunset over San Francisco. The views at night after the sunset is equally beautiful with the city lit up in the background.

Check out our other article for other amazing views in San Francisco.