Telegraph Hill is one of the most rewarding walks in the city. The Filbert and Greenwich Steps wind up the eastern face of the hill through lush, almost tropical gardens, with glimpses of the Bay and the city between the trees. Wild parrots -- a flock of red-masked parakeets made famous by the documentary The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill -- chatter in the treetops.
At the top, Coit Tower offers panoramic views. The walk up is steep but manageable, and the hidden stairway gardens make it feel like a different world from the streets below.