Film locations
San Francisco on screen
San Francisco is one of the most filmed cities in the world — the hills, the bridges, the bay and the fog have provided backdrops for action films, thrillers and romances for nearly a century. Most of the locations are compact, walkable and still immediately recognisable.
About San Francisco as a filming destination
San Francisco's geography is what makes it irresistible to filmmakers. The steep hills give every street a built-in dramatic angle. The Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island provide instantly recognisable landmarks. The fog rolling through the Gate creates atmosphere that no amount of set dressing can replicate. And the city is compact enough that a single car chase can cover half of it.
From Hitchcock's Vertigo to Bullitt's car chase to The Rock's assault on Alcatraz, San Francisco has been used as everything from a romantic backdrop to a war zone. The locations are concentrated — Alcatraz, Coit Tower, Nob Hill, the Marina and the Golden Gate Bridge are all within a few miles of each other. A dedicated film location visitor can cover the major sites in a single day on foot and by cable car.
The best approach is to combine film locations with the city's own attractions — the locations are the attractions. Alcatraz is worth visiting regardless of The Rock. Coit Tower is worth climbing regardless of any car chase. The cable cars are worth riding because they are the last of their kind in the world.