15 Instagrammable Photo Spots in San Francisco *Spoiler Alert* Hidden/ Easily Missable Locations

If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to take lots of pictures!

There are plenty of Instagrammable Photo Spots in San Francisco, and whether you’re capturing the sunrise in the Marina District or snapping an interesting picture of one of the city’s many colorful bougainvilleas, it’s all worth sharing with your friends online.

Today we’ll be taking you on a photo tour of some of the hidden and missable locations in San Francisco. Here are some of our favorite spots!

Alcazar Theatre

Our first stop was really special for us.  It felt like we had been transported back to Morocco.  We parked a couple of blocks away and walked over to the Alcazar Theatre.

The Alcazar Theatre is an architectural gem, and it has undergone a number of renovations over its long history. What used to be a mosque officially became a theatre in 1976. The interior design of this theatre is beautiful but due to it being closed, we only enjoyed the outside.

Address: 650 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Lombard Street

This next location falls under one of the most instagrammable places in SF.

Lombard street was constructed in 1922.  And Contrary to popular belief, Lombard Street isn’t actually the crookedest street in the world.  But it’s  still hands-down one of the most iconic streets in the city, and one of the most popular San Francisco photography spots.

The Blue House adorned with magenta bougainvillea is a great highlight of the block and the most beautiful house on

Address: Lombard Street, San Francisco

Our next stop took us to the marina by Chrissy Fields. 

Bougainvillea House #1

We found this beautiful gated house lined with bougainvillea.  The wooden door and the design of the entrance reminded us so much of Bali.  So we decided to stop here and take a few photos.

Address: Marina Boulevard, San Francisco

Bougainvillea House #2

We then headed down the street to a well-known fairytale bougainvillea house which did not disappoint.  The bougainvillea spreads across the white and teal house while the rose bush creeps up to the tiny balcony.

Address: Marina Boulevard & Scott Street, San Francisco

Magical Courtyard

Walking down the street, we found a magical courtyard that felt much like a Riad courtyard in Morocco.  

This location is an apartment complex with a photogenic courtyard and we couldn’t resist taking a few photos here.  We made sure to be very quiet and respectful for the few minutes that we were there.

Address: Marina Street & Scott Street, San Francisco

Bougainvillea House #3

While we were headed to our next location,  we saw a corner house with such a pretty balcony with bougainvillea hanging from it.  Luckily we found parking and took some photos here as well.

Address: Alhambra Street & Avila Street, San Francisco

Bougainvillea House #4

Just around the corner on Avila Street, we saw another bougainvillea house worth stopping for.  This house is on the inside streets and can be easily missed.  Lush bright red and fuchsia bougainvillea spread across the garage doors showing off to whoever passes by.

Address: Avila Street & Alhambra Street, San Francisco

Bougainvillea House #5

Upon leaving,  we spotted another bougainvillea garage door that desperately needed our attention.  While taking photos we met one of the residents and thankfully they were very welcoming.  

Address: Scott Street & Francisco Street, San Francisco

Moroccan Inspired Building

Our next stop happened to be a realty company which caught our eye.  This building also reminded us of Morocco.  The color of the building with the mosaic tiles and lantern screamed Morocco to us.

It was so interesting to see how other parts of the world came alive in different parts of the city.  

Address: Chestnut Street & Richardson Avenue, San Francisco

Bougainvillea House #6

The next stop is not a secret among locals but may not have been on your radar.  The famous bougainvillea house.  This is the most stunning showcase of bougainvillea we’d seen in our lives and finally getting the chance to visit was incredible.  

We met one of the owners and they were kind enough to welcome us and take our photos as well.

Address: Union Street & Lyon Street | San Francisco, CA

Panama Pacific International Exposition Building

If you’re looking for one of the hidden gems and one of the best places to take pictures in San Francisco, then this is it. This location was insta-worthy!  It was full of various foliage and again, bougainvillea.  The garage door on the other side was painted black and rose gold with bougainvillea beautifully decorated above.  

A brief history about this location. The Panama Pacific Exposition was a world’s fair held in San Francisco, California, between February 20 and December 4 in 1915, commemorating the opening of the Panama Canal and building on the area’s history of American participation in world’s fairs.

At the time of the exhibition, it was referred to as The Greatest Event in History. The Exposition drew nearly 19 million visitors from around the world and displayed over fourteen thousand exhibits from over thirty-seven countries.

Address: Lyon Street & Broadway Street | San Francisco, CA

Lyon Street Steps

We then made our way down to the Lyon street steps and enjoyed our first time in this area of San Francisco.  This has to be one of the best photo spots in San Francisco that’s not frequently talked about.

The Lyon Street Steps connect two neighborhoods in San Francisco, the Marina District and Russian Hill. From the top of the steps, you get beautiful views of the city and can go to either the east or west side of Russian Hill. The steps were built in 1915 as a shortcut connecting these two areas and today are used by residents and tourists alike.

The area is well kept and has benches for resting if you get tired walking up and down the steps.  We saw plenty of people working out here when we went around midday.  

All the way to the bottom of the steps you’ll find the Public Heart, one of 130 sculptures on display throughout San Francisco.

While you’re there, you can take a lot of photos while the taking in the views of the marina.  You can also see the Palace of Fine Arts which is one of the remaining structures of the Panama pacific exposition.  

Bougainvillea House #7

We found another hidden gem in the residential area with the entrance beautifully designed with bougainvillea and multicolored roses.  Instagram Photo? Yes, please.

Address: Washington Street & Locust Street, San Francisco

Bougainvillea House #8

On another street we found another garage decorated with bougainvillea.  There’s clearly a pattern here and we were here for it!  These blooms were bright fuschia purple and stood out beautifully contrasting the white garage door.  

We were careful to stay on the sidewalk and take all our photos.

Address: 14th Avenue & California Street, San Francisco

Bougainvillea House #9

Our last stop was unplanned.  On our way home,  we couldn’t help but notice this tall bougainvillea giving off rapunzel vibes.  This stunning fuschia bougainvillea climbed all the way to the roof of the house.  We had to take some photos here to show the length of the blooms.

Address: 15th Avenue & California Street, San Francisco

We hope this photo tour helped you get some more inspiration for the next time you visit San Francisco!

Stay Adventurous Friends,

Wherever You Go, Don’t Forget to Wander!

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