Steiner St, Western Addition

Steiner runs through a ton of neighborhoods from Cow Hollow to Pacific Heights through Western Addition and ends in Hayes Valley. Depending where you are, it can be beautiful or a little sketchy.
Steiner is super cute in Cow Hollow and Pacific Heights. Lots of parks along the way. Western Addition is a bit sketchy. But then it gets beautiful again in Alamo Square just before it gets sketchy again as it enters into Hayes Valley.

It's most famous for the Painted Ladies - the Victorian Houses painted different colors that sit across from Alamo Square Park (between Grove and Hayes Sts).

It does have some great parks and it's very leafy and beautiful homes. But unless you live in Cow Hollow, you need to get in your car to get around. You can walk, but it can get hilly in some areas, especially near Alamo Square. Alamo Square is great if you have a dog.

For families with children, some great schools nearby.

Steiner Street runs parallel to the louder, busier, flashier Fillmore Street from Dubose Avenue to Chestnut Street. Along the way you'll experience less traffic, fewer buses, and fewer traffic lights. You'll also pass by several parks and some of the finest Victorian architecture in San Francisco.

Of the architectureal highlights, the "painted ladies" bordering Alamo Square are among San Francisco's iconic sights. (Remember the beautiful townhouses in the opening credits of Full House?) But don't overlook some really lovely Victorians around the intersection of Golden Gate and Steiner. They are among my favorite in the city. It is worth noting that one of the large houses at that intersection is actually a quirky, charming, and affordable bed and breakfast.

Steiner is largely residential along most of it's length, but there are a few scattered businesses. At its northernmost end, in the block between Lombard Street and Chestnut in the Marina, it's wall to wall restaurants along both sides of the street. In that one block, there's something to satisfy every taste and every budget. It's a frequent destination for me.

Right next to Fillmore, the street has access to lots of amenities, some urban retail, great food in the Lower Haight, lots of salon services and proximity to parks and public transit. It is admittedly getting a little close to some of the shadier areas and is bordering some of the higher crime areas but still a relatively peaceful street.