COMMUNITIES

Nob Hill

Elegant and historic, Nob Hill is full of prominent hotels bordering Huntington Park and even grander mansions. San Francisco’s early millionaires, railroad barons and Gold Rush tycoons, built their mansions at the top of Nob Hill. Perched on the commanding heights made accessible in the 1870’s by the California Street cable car that runs through the heart of the neighborhood, Nob Hill is home to old San Francisco. The neighborhood, destroyed by the earthquake and subsequent fire of 1906, remains one of the most well-known and desirable neighborhoods in the City. Surrounded by the upscale boutiques of Union Square, the hubbub of Chinatown, and the nightclubs of Polk Street, Nob Hill is walking distance to the Financial and Downtown Districts. There are many boutique, posh restaurants making this district a destination for those who enjoy delicious food in an intimate atmosphere. The Fairmont Hotel, Mark Hopkins Hotel and the Pacific Union Club are well-known, popular Nob Hill institutions and the descendants of San Francisco's founding families still frequent the private clubs found here. Near the center of the neighborhood, the impressive stone edifice of Grace Cathedral represents the soul of the community. The Cathedral upholds a strong social justice program, hosts vocal concerts, and maintains an outdoor labyrinth where locals pace its inlaid stone path in meditative silence.