Top of the Mark is the sky lounge on the nineteenth floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel, opened in 1939 and one of San Francisco's classic high-altitude drinking spots. The glass-walled room offers a 360-degree panorama across the city, the bay, and the bridges — a view that made it a sentimental landmark during the Second World War, when servicemen shipping out to the Pacific came for a last drink and their sweethearts watched the boats leave from the windows.
It is a dress-up, splurge sort of place: cocktails are pricey and there is sometimes a cover for live music and dancing, but the view and the history justify a visit. Come at sunset and order something from the long martini list. For the same heights without the tab, Grace Cathedral and Huntington Park are a block away.