How To Ride The San Francisco Cable Cars In One Day To All The Top Sites (Map)

Riding the San Francisco cable cars are undeniably a must do in the city. But did you know you can take them around the city to all the main attractions too?

The cable cars are well connected, taking you from Fisherman’s Wharf to Union Square. They pass must-sees like Lombard Street, Nob Hill, and Chinatown on the way. This is my recommended route for how to ride the cable cars in one day to all the top sites!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

How To Ride The San Francisco Cable Cars In One Day

Here are some things to consider for how to ride the San Francisco cable cars in one day…

Buy A One Day Cable Car Pass for Unlimited Access

For the easiest and most cost effective way to ride the cable cars in one day in San Francisco, buy a one day pass. These are easy to buy through the Muni Mobile App, and you don’t risk losing your ticket.

It’s important to note that your ticket doesn’t just work for one day, but rather 24 hours. So if you activate your ticket at 11:30 A.M., it will work until the following day at 11:30 A.M.. This gives you a bit more flexibility on when you start. You can even split it up into two days if you’d prefer.

a screenshot from a phone from the muni app. It's a one day muni pass for muni and cable car pass.

Where to Start San Francisco Cable Car Route

You want to start your one day Cable Car route where it’s most convenient for you. So if you’re staying in Fisherman’s Wharf, start your cable car journey in Fisherman’s Wharf.

Although, depending on what time you start, I recommend avoiding the Powell Hyde cable car turnaround. This is the busiest cable car route, and for good reason, but you might have to wait in a long just to get on the cable car. Instead, I recommend walking a few blocks to Bay and Taylor street to jump on the Powell Mason cable car.

If you’re staying in Union Square, like I was, then start your route in Union Square. P.S. Need a place to stay in Union Square? I recommend the Beacon Grand Hotel.

But feel free to jump on this route at any point, depending on what’s most convenient for you.

a google maps view of the streets of San Francisco city. The streets are white on a light great background. Highlighted on three streets are the cable car routes, these are in purple, yellow, green and blue. There are black pin drops to show where the attractions are. The one day cable car route is symbolized by a line with arrows inside the cable car lines.

One Day San Francisco Cable Car Route

Stop 1: Market Street & Union Square

Before actually getting on the cable car, check out Union Square (do some window shopping) and Market street.

Then once you’re ready to start your journey, jump on a cable car from either Union Square or the Market street turnaround. You might notice that there are three different cable car directions on Powell street, but you don’t have to worry which one you get on. All three cable cars go to where you’re headed, you’re getting off before the switch happens.

Stop 2: Nob Hill

Get off the cable car at California St & Powell St to walk up to Nob Hill. You can wait for the California Street cable car if you want, but it might not come for another 15 minutes. Although the walk will be uphill, it’s only for one block.

a san francisco cable car at the start of an intersection. Old style buildings are on either side of the street, the sun is hitting the buildings on the right. The street the cable car is on is painted bright red. People are walking on the sidewalks. The sky is bright blue with a few white whispy clouds.

There are a few things to see at the top of Nob Hill, like the first Fairmont hotel. The Fairmont San Francisco was the first hotel to start the chain (it’s far from the oldest Fairmont hotel building today though). The hotel is open to the public, and I urge you to go inside. In fact, the concierge even made an audio tour explaining the history and taking you to the best spots in the hotel.

Across the street from the Fairmont San Francisco is the Pacific-Union Club. You don’t need to go inside here, but take note of the building as you walk by. This is the only original brownstone on Nob Hill that wasn’t destroyed in the 1906 earthquake.

Continue walking another block to the steepest streets in San Francisco, Taylor and Jones. Attempt to walk down a bit (because remember you have to walk back up!), and admire the view from the top.

Then you can jump on the California cable car heading to Van Ness Avenue. As you’re driving by, notice all the beautiful architecture in Nob Hill, the wealthiest part of San Francisco.

The outside of the Fairmont San Francisco. The architecture is very unique, adding a grand entrance to the hotel. On top of the entrance are the flags from around the world.

Stop 3: Polk Street (California Cable Car)

Next stop is California St & Polk St. Polk street is one of my favourite streets in San Francisco, I personally like this area better than North Beach.

Your first stop on Polk Street is Bob’s Donut & Pastry Shop, a historical institution from the 1960s. They’re famous for their apple fritter, but everything they serve is delicious. If you’re feeling up to it, opt for their giant donut challenge. You’ll also be completely shocked at their prices, I think they’re still from the 1960s too!

If you want, walk farther up Polk street, it’s home to more cafes, restaurants, and local shopping. Iconic spots are the Russian Hill Bookstore and Saint Frank Coffee.

To get to your next stop, you have a few options depending on where you are. You can either walk or jump back on the cable car to get to the next stop.

From Bob’s Donut, it’s easy to walk back to California street to get back on the cable car heading up Nob Hill. You’ll get off at California St & Mason St. where you’ll have six minute walk (downhill).

Or, you can walk directly to the next stop (from Bob’s it’s only about a 10 minute walk, and it’s all downhill).

It will depend on how long you have to wait for the California cable car, because again, it can be 15 minutes, see the California cable car schedule.

A bag of Bob's Donuts with the location addresses. Behind the bag are their donuts on display, including two GIANt donuts with chocolate glaze, below are their apple fritters.

Stop 4: The Cable Car Museum

Your next stop is The Cable Car Museum of San Francisco. It’s so much more than a museum though, and it’s completely free.

Not only will you get more information about how the San Francisco cable cars work, but you’ll actually get to see the live cable wires that are pulling the cars along. You can see what’s happening both underground and above ground. And you’ll also get to see some original cable cars that used to ride on the streets of San Francisco.

I recommend watching the video at the back of the museum for the most well rounded, and easy to follow guide on cable cars. I will warn you, it looks out of date, but the information is still very relevant (it is still 100 year old technology after all!).

From the Cable Car Museum, you’ll have to walk one block up to Jackson St and Mason St.. Watch out though, you have to pay attention which cable car you get on now… you want the Powell Hyde Cable Car. If you want to avoid getting on the wrong route, you can always walk an additional block to Jackson and Taylor.

And p.s. the cable car on Washington st. goes in the wrong direction, so you don’t want to get on that one otherwise you’ll end up back in Union Square.

>> Nearby find: Not too far from the Cable Car Museum is the Coffee Movement. Not only do they have amazing coffee, but it’s on the cable car line. So as you’re sitting sipping your coffee, you get to watch as the cable cars drive by! Plus, this is a must for any coffee lover as they have tasting flights!

inside the cable car museum seeing all the cables from the cable cars being pulled by giant wheels and going across what looks like a warehouse. There's a beam above the wheels with signs for Hyde, California, Mason, and Powell, it shows which cables are going to which route.

Stop 5: Lombard Street (Powell Hyde Cable Car)

Once you’re on the Powell Hyde cable car, take it all the way to Lombard Street. Lombard Street is home to the crookedest street in San Francisco (and a top thing to see in the city!). Watch as cars struggle with the tight turns, and take in the views from the top of the street.

Once you’re ready to head back, jump on the same cable car you got off. Now get ready for the steepest hill in San Francisco on the cable car line. Going downhill seriously felt like a roller coaster, and I’m surprised this is even legal! Try to get a spot at the front because you’ll also get one of the best view of Alcatraz.

A vertical image of lombard street. The street has red bricks, and two cars are going down. People are walking up the steps next to this crooked street. The cars are driving down towards the rest of the city below. The homes are different soft pastel colours, you can see the bay. Rising above the city are some trees with coit tower at the top. The sky is a big foggy and it's an overcast day.

Stop 6: Fisherman’s Wharf (& More!)

Now you’ve made it to the Powell / Hyde turnaround. As I mentioned, this is the busiest station on the San Francisco cable car routes, so there’s probably going to be a crowd. If you can get a spot, stay to watch as they turn the cable car around to get ready for it’s next voyage (if not, you’ll get another chance to see the turnaround with hopefully a better view!).

Once you’re on Hyde Street, there’s no shortage of things to do. Head to Buena Vista for an Irish coffee, Ghirardelli Square for a chocolate dessert, or walk to Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39.

When you’re ready to head back on a cable car, make your way to Taylor & Bay Street for the Powell / Mason turnaround. Hopefully, it’s a lot less crowded here and you can see the turnaround and even get on the next cable car without waiting.

two cable car drivers are in the middle of turning the Powell & Mason cable car around. It's on a wooden turn style on the ground.

Stop 7: Optional Coit Tower (Powell Mason Cable Car)

If you’re interested in heading up to Coit Tower, get off at Mason St & Filbert St, otherwise jump ahead to the next stop.

Passing by Washington Square, it’s about a 10 minute walk to the Filbert Stairs leading you up to the tower. I will warn you though, it is all uphill!

I wasn’t all that impressed by the view, or the tower. You get similar views from all around San Francisco so this wasn’t really a new view. If you’re interested in the artwork inside Coit Tower, then it’s a worthwhile trek.

The not so beautiful concrete coit tower in the sky. There are some green trees lining the bottom of it. And an American flag blowing in the wind at the base.

Stop 8: Chinatown

Get off the cable car at Powell St & Clay St and walk down to Chinatown (Grant Avenue). Grant Ave has all the dragon lights, traditional Chinese architecture, and shops and restaurants. It’s two blocks downhill from the cable car stop.

Main points of interest in Chinatown are the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, Eastern Bakery for moon cakes, and Golden Gate Bakery for Egg tarts (yes, they’re all food related!).

If you want to see the Dragon Gate, you’ll have to pass California street by two blocks (still on Grant Ave.).

Once you’re satisfied with your Chinatown experience, go back to California street to get on the cable car to your final destination (it doesn’t matter where you get on on California Street, it will depend where you are in Chinatown!).

a cable car drives by Chinatown in San francisco. You know it's chinatown because the building in the background is a traditional chinese architecture roof. It's painted a soft yellow, teal, and red highlights. The cable car only has a few people sitting on the benches facing outwards.

Stop 9: Ferry Building (California Cable Car)

This is an easy stop to get off at because it’s the last stop on the California cable car. Notice how they don’t need to turn this car around? The California cable car is a double header with breaks on both sides. So the conductor just needs to change sides.

Now you’re in the financial District of San Francisco. Walk about 2 blocks to the Ferry Building for some local shopping and snacks. You can even watch as the ferries head to Sausalito.

Optional: once you’re at the Ferry Building, you can take the street car along the Embarcado all the way back to Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s included in your one day Muni pass, and these are vintage street cars on this route.

Tip: If you didn’t experience traditional tea in Chinatown, I recommend the Imperial Tea Court in the Ferry Building. They’ll even show you how to brew tea the traditional way in a Gaiwan.

The view of the Ferry Building from across the street. It's a long building with a clock tower in the center.

How To Visit Alcatraz Island: What They Don’t Tell You

San Francisco Hotel Recommendations

I’ve stayed in three hotels in San Francisco and would really only recommend one: the Marriott in Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s by no means a luxury hotel but it gets the job done and the location could not have been better (my room actually had a view onto the In & Out Burger offering entertainment all day long!). Aside from the In & Out it was walking distance to everything, from Ghirardelli Square to Pier 39. See room rates and availability on Booking.com.

Another good area to stay in while in San Francisco is Union Square. It’s a safer, less touristy neighbourhood. But it still has a cable car running through it to bring you to Fisherman’s Wharf and all the . I stayed in both Cornell Hotel de France and the Marine’s Memorial Club Hotel… and wouldn’t recommend either other than their locations. I regret cancelling my reservation to save some money at the Beacon Grand in the same location! Looking back I think the extra cost is worth it. See room rates and availability on Booking.com.

Or see more hotel options in San Francisco.