Back in the day, when we could travel without worry, my husband and I spent part of our Christmas holiday in the beautiful city by the bay: San Francisco. One of our favorite things to do in San Francisco is to walk and, if you’ve been there you already know, that means hills… lots of hills. In fact, I read that San Francisco is considered the second hilliest city in the world, next to La Paz, Bolivia.
The wonderful thing about hills, besides the great cardio workout you get, are the views they often provide when you arrive at the top:
With its sweeping views, vibrant downtown, bustling waterfront, historical neighborhoods, and eclectic architecture, as long as you are in decent shape, the city is best observed on your feet (preferably shod in sturdy walking shoes). By walking rather than driving, you will also be better able to appreciate the Victorian beauties, especially when their doors are dressed up for the holidays. No blow-up plastic Santas here; the decorations are elegant and understated. It just takes a bit of bling to make a grand impression.
It has been a couple of years since we’ve been to San Francisco, but it’s a city that will always call us back. Even though we’ve been there many times, there is always more to see.
Thursday Doors is a weekly celebration of doors hosted by Dan Antion at No Facilities. Head on over to see his collection and to see what others have shared from around the world.
Wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday and a wonderful year ahead!
Retirementally Challenged 
Janis, A beautiful collection of doors and wreaths. San Francisco is one of my favourite cities. It will always call me back, too. Merry Christmas and happy New Year!
With your love of walking, I’m not at all surprised that SF is one of your favorite cities!
These are great get-you-in-the-spirit doors, Janis. Merry Christmas. I love visiting San Francisco.
I’ve had these doors in my files for a while and felt they needed to be set free this year.
Very cool doors!
Thank you… it’s such a beautiful city, especially at Christmastime.
A Merry Christmas greeting from The (City’s) Doors…love it.
Happiness always, Janis!
Thank you, Laura. I hope you had a fabulous Christmas!
It has been awhile since we visited San Francisco, Janis! Beautiful doors!
We try to get back every few years. There is so much to see… something new each time.
Beautiful doors in a beautiful city. I was in San Francisco in the month of October, so no Christmas decor but I like the concept of less is more too. Merry Christmas Janis.
I imagine October was a nice month to visit also. It can get pretty cold there in the fall and winter (and sometimes in the spring and summer) but at least there isn’t any snow.
Yes, it was beautiful when I went Janis. I took a 10-day bus tour down the coast of California and it originated in San Francisco and ended up in L.A. I enjoyed it very much. We stayed in Burlingame. We were lucky and it was not cold, but I recall a blogging friend telling me that it was so cold all year around in her workplace that she had to keep a space heater in her office to stay warm.
A quote often (mis)attributed to Mark Twain is, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” With the winds coming off the bay from multiple sides, it can get pretty chilly there.
Interesting – I like Mark Twain and have never heard that quote before … that info is never in the travel brochures!
We live so close yet rarely go. Maybe that’s something I can put on my adventure list for next year! Thanks for sharing to remind me.
I guess it’s not unusual to rarely visit what is close by (we don’t go to a lot of the nearby locals/attractions either) but it’s also fun to play tourist in your local area. We found that the hotel prices in downtown SF were pretty reasonable around the holiday.
Hi, Janis – As always, your photography is beautiful! I LOVE San Francisco and completely agree that it is best seen on foot.
Wishing you and Paul a very merry Christmas and a wonderful year ahead!
Thank you, Donna. Between the traffic and vistas, SF is the perfect town in which to ditch your car and just walk.
Merry Christas! Beautiful shots from a wonderful city. I’ve been there a couple of times in the past, have wonderful memories, so thank you for the smiles I enjoyed while reading this post.
It is truly a unique city. I’m glad that you were able to visit it and enjoy its charms.
We’ve only been to San Francisco once and that was during the summer. I’ll bet the city is especially enjoyable during the holidays. The doors you shared are all elegant and welcoming – nicely done. Best wishes for a lovely and merry Christmas to you and your husband, Janis!
Thank you, Mary. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your family. If you ever get to SF again, I’d definitely recommend parking your RV outside of town and walking everywhere 🙂
Beautiful shots, Janis! I remember driving down Lombardo Street…eek! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Lombard Street is unique, that’s for sure. I always wondered why someone would want to live on it because so many people are either walking or driving on it at all hours… but I guess its because the views are spectacular.
It occurs to me as I compose my comment: whenever a movie is set in San Francisco, I usually pay more attention to the landscape than I do to the story. A magnificent town. One I don’t imagine that I’ll ever visit, so I do appreciate this album of gorgeous images.
Take care, Janis. Merry Christmas.
I hope you do get to visit at some point. As beautiful as it is in the movies, it’s even more spectacular in person. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Very stylish! Happy Christmas.
Happy Christmas to you also, Anabel!
Ornate doors and doorways are fun to observe on foot, especially at Christmastime. Happy Holidays 🎄
Cars are convenient, but you see so much more on foot. Happy holidays to you also!
These are lovely. Merry Christmas to you. Tonight we are going non-traditional (for us) and having a Southwestern Christmas dinner: Pork Posole and sopaipillas for dessert!
That sounds wonderful! I hope you’ll share the recipes. We had a traditional roast and side dishes… good, but not nearly as interesting as yours.
Tastefully decorating one’s home for Christmas has become a lost art in many places. Thank you for giving us a glimpse of your beloved city of San Francisco, Janis! Merry Christmas!
I hope you had a fabulous Christmas, Peter. As much as I enjoy this season, I’ll be happy when the inflatable Santas are put away 🙂
San Francisco is indeed a lovely city and, you’re right, best seen by walking.
We haven’t been in years but we both remember the time spent there very well and would love to go back and walk it again.
Thank you for the beautiful door pictures.
Merry Christmas to you both!
Just driving into the city to our hotel was enough for me. Between walking and using the cable cars, there really isn’t a need for a car once there. I hope you are able to get back to SF one of these days.
It’s been decades since we’ve been to San Francisco. Such an interesting city it is. Love the door photos!
Every time we go there, we see something new… or something old from a different angle.
Beautiful, Janis! I love San Francisco too – such a lovely city. Merry Christmas!
Deb
Now that you are living on the left coast, maybe you’ll have a better chance of going to SF again!
🤞
I’ve been to SF once and was enchanted. Beautiful doorways. My favorite is the arched wrought iron with all the holly. Have a very Merry Christmas!
I think “enchanted” is a great description of San Francisco! I love the wrought iron door best too.
Peace, health and happiness to you.
Thank you! I wish the same for you.
Oh, how I miss that city. I was fortunate enough to get there at least every other year because that’s where my HQ was located. A really nice remembrance from days when we could travel; which I hope won’t be too long in the future either. Thanks, Janis. – Marty
I applied for a job in San Francisco many years ago and often wonder how different my life would have been had I gotten it. After my interview, I walked around the city thinking how it would be to live there. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I wasn’t hired and my life turned out as it has… which is great.
The doors are very festive and even a bit Spanish like with the wrought iron. San Francisco is one place I would like to visit – one day. Hope you enjoyed your Christmas Janis.
I think San Francisco is on a lot of people’s bucket lists. I hope that you will be able to go there sometime. We had a quiet but lovely Christmas. I hope you did also.
We had a quiet one too and lovely in the fact it was a no fuss no stress day. I think it’s a city with character from what I have learned though not sure it is as interesting as New York which was amazing to experience. Not sure I could handle living in such a huge city it’s a pleasure to visit.
Nice photos! What I remember about San Francisco is the first time I was there, late 1970s, driving my 5-speed manual transmission VW up and down those hills. I was a pro after that. Haven’t been there since, let’s see, it must have been 2005. Time for another visit!
Yikes! I think I’d freak out if I had to drive a manual there. I am very impressed that you mastered those hills (I assume without backing into anyone). It’s definitely time for another visit… but either take a car with an automatic transmission or plan on walking.
Oh, thank you for taking me on a trip to the City by the Bay! San Francisco is absolutely one of my favorite cities. One of my kids used to live in Berkeley, so I had the perfect excuse to fly into SFO several times a year. I still haven’t quite forgiven him for moving! 🙂
The nerve of him! I hope he at least moved to another interesting area. Maybe, one of these days, you can make it back to SF even without the motivation of visiting your son.
He moved to Corvallis, Oregon, another beautiful place. SF is definitely on my list once travel resumes again.
So pretty! And those views are fabulous. Merry Christmas!
The great thing about the hills of San Francisco, in addition to the fabulous views from the top, is that you have plenty of excuses to stop and look around (as you catch your breath) on your way up. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Ann!
By the way Ann, in case you didn’t know, your blog was mentioned on SMART Living 365. If you don’t follow Kathy’s blog, just click on the logo on my sidebar and it will take you to her post. Congrats!
Wow, Janis! You held on to all those doors and Christmas decorations for years without posting them on your blog? Now, is the perfect time. Love SF! I’ve got some history there. It’s where Chapter One in Plunge begins… But that’s all I’m giving away. 🙂
You are such a tease! I took those door photos in 2017, thinking I’d post them the following year. One year late isn’t so bad…
One year late?? 🙂
OK, math may not be my strongest subject. I was last in San Francisco in 2018, but took these pictures when we were there in 2017. 🙂
I have many fond memories of exploring San Francisco, although it is many years since I was last there.
Jude
Sounds like it might be time for a return trip 🙂
Oh my goodness those hills are steep! But the doors are fabulous…
The hills are steep, but the views on each side and at the top are well worth it. Oh, and the pubs and cafes along the way are nice too 🙂
You had me at doors. I’m obsessed with them and collect photos of European ones. But San Francisco is wonderful too.
I was looking through my photos from my first European trip 30+ years ago, and it appears I loved them way back then too. You should join in on the Thursday Doors posts now and then to share your door photos! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
San Fran is a place I would love to visit
I hope you get the opportunity!
I’ve never been to S.F. during Christmas, but I can imagine how charming it would be. No blow up Santas–I love it! It’s been ages since I’ve been there. You’ve reminded me of how much I love that city.
It was a lot of fun. They even had an ice rink set up downtown in Union Square.
What a lovely collection of doors in a beautiful plsce Janis. I’ve not been there and at this rate I never will but I did enjoy your post and the memories you’ve shared with us.
Well, I’ve never been to Australia… but I sure hope to make it there one day. I hope you get the chance to visit San Francisco.
These doors are amazing! The curved, blue door is especially interesting. It appears curved only at the top. Is this true, do you remember?
I think so, but it was several years ago.
Almost visited last year. Looks beautiful!
I hope you can visit SF soon!
Hi Janis, just browsing your blog posts and always love Thursday doors. That bright red one with the black trim is gorgeous! So are many others. Hey, as far as I’m concerned – hang a Christmas wreath on anything and it makes me happy. Fun post.
When I see gorgeous doors like there, I really want to knock on them and ask if I can see inside the home. I figure the interior must be as beautiful as the exterior.