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I’ve seen some stairways in San Francisco, but never realized they were a key to exploring the fantastic neighborhoods. One day at Shakespeare & Co. bookstore in Berkeley I spotted a book called Stairway Walks in San Francisco. Oh how I wish I had found this book sooner! I live in a hip part of Oakland (yes, they do exist) and I value supporting the local businesses, so I stick close to home a lot. This book has given me the inspiration and opportunity to explore San Francisco neighborhoods in manageable sections… on foot! Who could pass up the walk on the cover that featured this glorious stairway?:

The only thing missing from this book is the inclusion of mileage in the descriptions of the walks (or should I say “urban hikes?”). It’s sort of difficult to tell if the walks are short or long. However, there are detailed maps and descriptions of each walk.

This weekend, we went on the Land’s End & Sutro Baths walk:

What a beautiful sunny day it was!!