Popular film locations in SF

A view of downtown San Francisco in the distance, while Lombard Street can be seen at the bottom of the photo.

See frequently requested locations

View photo albums for locations that Film SF can issue permits to shoot.

“Aerial view of San Francisco buildings looking down Lombard Street” by Kehn Hermano

Highlights

A metal sculpture of a large bow and arrow on the grass, with a view of San Francisco downtown in the background.

The Embarcadero

See photos of the Embarcadero.

Shooting on Pier 39 requires a separate film permit.

Cars drive slowly down a street with lots of switchbacks. Many colorful flowers bloom between the switchbacks. A "Do not enter" sign is seen in the foreground.

“Lombard Street on a sunny spring day” by Jim Nicholas, CC BY-NC-ND

Lombard (also known as "The Crooked Street")

See photos of Lombard Street.

“Ferry Building at sunrise in landscape” by Kehn Hermano

Ferry Building

See photos of the Ferry Building.

Note that parts of the Ferry Building require a separate film permit, but we can help refer you.

See more

View photo albums of other popular film locations in San Francisco organized by landmark, category and type

Other jurisdictions

Golden Gate Bridge

Shooting the Golden Gate Bridge requires a separate film permit.

Public parks

Contact Rec and Parks to get film permits for any public parks in San Francisco, including:

Golden Gate Park
Twin Peaks (see photos)
Dolores Park
Palace of Fine Arts

North and west coasts of SF

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area requires separate film permits. These areas include:

Alcatraz Island
Baker Beach
Lands End
Ocean Beach
Marin Headlands

Presidio

Filming in the Presidio requires a separate outdoor permit.

Treasure Island

Filming on Treasure Island requires a separate film permit.

Highways

You must get a film permit from Caltrans. See more information about highway filming from the California Film Commission.

Film locations require permits from a variety of agencies. The locations listed are for reference and is not meant to be exhaustive. Contact Film SF to get guidance and find out more info about which permits you will need.