The 49-Mile Scenic Drive is a designated scenic road tour highlighting much of San Francisco, California. It was created in 1938 by the San Francisco Down Town Association to showcase the city's major attractions and natural beauty during the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.
Originally beginning at San Francisco City Hall and ending on Treasure Island, the route has been modified several times since. Today the route forms a loop proceeding counterclockwise from Civic Center Plaza, and its length is closer to . Owing variously to its length, its labyrinthine route, and the difficulty of driving through a bustling city, the drive remains relatively unpopular with tourists and locals alike.
In 2019, the San Francisco Chronicle proposed a non-driving alternative that it called the 49-Mile Scenic Route.
Route description
The drive begins on Polk St. opposite San Francisco City Hall. Circling Civic Center Plaza and passing Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, the San Francisco Public Library's main branch, and the Asian Art Museum, the route continues north along Larkin Street through Little Saigon before turning onto Geary Boulevard and proceeding west up Cathedral Hill. After entering Japantown, the drive turns north onto Webster Street before immediately returning east along Post Street, where it continues past Japan Center, Lower Nob Hill, and Union Square.
At Grant Avenue, the route again turns north and enters Chinatown through its Dragon Gate. Drivers are soon directed onto California Street and up Nob Hill, passing its landmark hotels. Turning north at Grace Cathedral, the route then directs drivers east onto Washington Street, passing the San Francisco Cable Car Museum, then south onto Powell Street for one block before descending east along Clay Street, back into Chinatown. At Portsmouth Square, the route proceeds north along Kearny Street for two blocks and turns northwest onto Columbus Avenue, entering North Beach. After passing City Lights Bookstore and turning onto Grant Avenue once more, the route travels for six blocks up Telegraph Hill before turning west onto Lombard Street near Coit Tower. Passing the Joe DiMaggio Playground, the route turns north toward Fisherman's Wharf on Mason Street.
At Jefferson Street, the route proceeds alongside the bustling waterfront—passing Aquatic Park and the San Francisco Maritime Museum with several quick turns heading into the Marina District near Fort Mason. Over the next few miles, the route passes nearly all of San Francisco's Golden Gate National Recreation Area locations. The route detours through the Marina Green parking lot and takes a path of residential streets to the Palace of Fine Arts, the most prominent remaining structure from the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition. Continuing for a few blocks each on Baker, Bay, Broderick, Chestnut, and Lyon streets, the route enters the Presidio at Lombard Street.
At , the route passes the Letterman Digital Arts Center, proceeds onto Presidio Boulevard, and continues onto Lincoln Boulevard. The route detours through the Presidio's Main Post before returning to Lincoln Boulevard near San Francisco National Cemetery. Passing above Crissy Field and Fort Point, under the U.S. Highway 101 (US 101) approach to the Golden Gate Bridge, and above Baker Beach, the route exits the Presidio into Sea Cliff. Continuing along El Camino del Mar into Lincoln Park, the route passes the Legion of Honor and exits the park into the Richmond District. Turning westward onto Geary Boulevard, drivers proceed several blocks and continue onto Point Lobos Avenue, soon reaching the Sutro Baths and Cliff House.
At , the route proceeds due south along the city's Pacific coast on Great Highway, passing Ocean Beach, the edge of Golden Gate Park, the San Francisco Zoo, and skirting Lake Merced before returning north on Lake Merced Boulevard past San Francisco State University and continuing through the Sunset District along Sunset Boulevard. The route then enters Golden Gate Park and winds through it for about —circling Stow Lake; passing the Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco Botanical Garden, and California Academy of Sciences; turning at the AIDS Memorial Grove; and exiting the park's East Portal at Stanyan Street.
