THE VISTAS OF SAN FRANCISCO: Going to the Top of Places and Looking at Stuff (and what to drink while you’re doing it)

This is the first part in a series in which I will catalog some bitchin’ views of San Francisco while “pairing” said vista with what I feel to be the appropriate beverage. It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.

LOCATION: CORONA HEIGHTS PARK

BEVERAGE: RADEBERGER PILSNER

Just because the place has a popular Mexican lager embedded in its namesake, it doesn’t mean you have to grab the low-hanging fruit when deciding what to drink when you get there. Corona Heights Park is one of the unsung heroes of the Vista Scene in SF, and I wanted to do this crystal-clear vantage point some justice by choosing a crisp and refreshing German beer. Furthermore, they sell these pint-size bottles all over the city for about $2.50, so you really get some bang for your buck while taking in the epic view. Here it is again, without the jug of hooch stealing the show:

A former rock quarry run by the infamous Gray Brothers until the early 1900’s, the park is most easily accessible by heading west on 14th and Castro and veering left onto Roosevelt Way. After that, you can’t miss it. When you get there, follow the steps to the top and, boom, you’re there. This is what I call a “high yield/low effort” hike, because the payoff in the end is vastly greater than the legwork it takes to get there.  It’s urban mountaineering at its finest and, most importantly, your beer will still be cold when you arrive at the top. Here are the steps to look for:

Enjoy! And stay tuned for more slacker, beer-forward hiking tips throughout the summer.

Corona Heights Park

Roosevelt & Museum Way [Corona Heights]

Cartoon and photos courtesy of the author