Best Bay Area Views Readers helped us pick the most stunning local vistas, including several off the beaten path Contribute Your Favorite View

Update #1: Chronicle readers sent more than 200 new nominations since the project launch on March 29, 2019. Our first update includes views from two Bay Area museums, an observatory and the outer reaches of Contra Costa County. True, the Bay Area is an infuriatingly expensive place to live. But the biggest-ticket item will always be free. Beautiful views are a true constant in the Bay Area, unaffected by the passage of time, often coming as a surprise, and belonging to all of us. To live in the Bay Area is a lifelong discovery of new spectacular views — whether your nose is pressed against the glass of a station wagon as a child, or you’ve embarked on a 100th hike in a favorite spot and discover a multicolored sky that never looked quite that way before. Read more

San Francisco De Young Museum observation deck Timothy Innes responded to our initial round of best Bay Area views: "The view from Sutro Tower gave me vertigo. I prefer lower venues, like the observation deck at the de Young Museum. The tower offers a lovely view of the park and the Richmond District." The de Young museum was on several "you missed a big one" lists. It's a wonderful choice, with a periscope-like view from the middle of Golden Gate Park that feels especially voyeuristic on a busy weekend day when the bikers and roller skaters are out in force. The de Young (and also Kezar Stadium) has our favorite view of Sutro Tower. And the best features: The observation deck view has always been free, even when other parts of the museum are ticketed.

San Francisco Mount Davidson Mount Davidson in San Francisco received several nominations, most notably from the @MtDavidson_SF Twitter account. We searched through our archives and found that the lookout had a more blue collar vibe than the similarly stunning Twin Peaks and Diamond Heights views in San Francisco. Bonus points for the 49ers logo painted on a concrete hatch used as a bench.

Oakland Middle Harbor Shoreline Park The first round of Best Bay Views choices — and call for readers to nominate more — resulted in hundreds of choices from every corner of the Bay Area and beyond. But by far the most comprehensive list came from within the San Francisco Chronicle building. Business reporter Roland Li strung together scores of view photos he's taken in the Bay Area, proving in a Twitter thread he assembled in about 15 minutes that he was as qualified as anyone to shepherd the entire project. We've included three of his choices, starting with this stunning view of San Francisco from Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland.

Santa Clara County Mount Hamilton When the first round of best Bay Area views was announced, we heard from South Bay residents, who nominated everything from the San Mateo County portion of Interstate 280 to the view from an airplane above the salt and chemical pools in Newark. (Underrated!) M.R. Pimida of San Jose wrote, "How come you didn’t include any sights in the South Bay and the Peninsula?" Pimida made specific suggestions, including Mount Hamilton, with its landmark observatory and wonderful views of the South Bay and the southern end of Alameda County on a clear day.

San Francisco Cable car California Street line The California Street cable car line was a popular nominee, with Lisa Church (who lives near the cable car barn) and Chronicle San Francisco columnist Heather Knight both praising the views from high on the hill looking down toward the Transamerica Pyramid. Roland Li has taken several photos on California, proving that there's seemingly a beautiful view from every intersection. This electricity-filled stylized photo shows off the moving lights on the street — and on the Bay Bridge western span.

Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science The Lawrence Hall of Science has plenty going on inside the museum, which has been providing both cutting-edge science and foundational concepts in its perch up in the Berkeley Hills. But the back patio is its own attaction, with some interactive exhibits built into the landscaping, and an incredible view, with U.C. Berkeley in the foreground and the San Francisco Bay and beyond stretching into the horizon. Several readers suggested adding Lawrence Hall of Science to the list — along with the view from the top of the upper bowl and Tightwad Hill seats at Cal football games.

Sausalito Battery Spencer Battery Spencer in Sausalito is another Roland Li pick, offering a south-looking perspective of San Francisco that is similar to Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands — but with a much closer view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Contra Costa County Marsh Creek Reservoir Even with the inclusion of Mount Diablo, the original Best Bay Views list was lacking representation in the very underrated eastern Contra Costa County, with lovely views in Concord, Clayton, Martinez and Brentwood. Flying Colors Comics owner Joe Field wrote in on Twitter (@flycojoe) and attached this stunning photo, taken near the historic John Marsh house. Marsh Creek Reservoir is in the foreground, with a unique and beautiful view of Mount Diablo in the background. Your reminder that Contra Costa County remains a fun place to explore — especially after a long rainy season.

Berkeley Grizzly Peak Boulevard lookouts The best views in the Bay Area, with the least amount of effort and expense, are available on the Grizzly Peak Boulevard road that winds through the Oakland Hills and Berkeley. With steep cliffs and high vantage point, it’s the closest you can feel to looking out of an airplane over the Bay Area with your feet still on firm ground. Make this the first place you take a friend or family member during an initial visit to the Bay Area. They’ll fall in love instantly, and every restaurant meal, tourist-trap visit and highway journey afterward will be seen with respect to the vantage point of this stunning vista.

Oakland Mountain View Cemetery Many an Oakland resident has planned a hike, picnic or jog through the stunningly beautiful Mountain View Cemetery. (The latter exercise was a plot point in the movie "Blindspotting.") The wonderful views of San Francisco Bay, coupled with the lovely weather and urban accessibility, make this a popular destination for Oakland residents. If the cemetery doesn’t take reservations for weddings or children’s birthday parties, it should.

Alameda Alameda Main Street ferry terminal Alameda has some fantastic views. Looking from the northwest corners of the island at San Francisco and the Peninsula (Hunters Point crane FTW) is beautiful on a clear day, and views of the San Francisco skyline from the former naval base are tremendous. But the best view is from a parking lot. Walking back to your car along the water at the Alameda Main Street terminal, with the San Francisco skyline on the left and Oakland port cranes on the right, is a great argument for the beauty of both communities.

Oakland Oakland Zoo The Oakland Zoo recently added a new California Trail addition, with grizzly bears, jaguars and California condors. But like so many other destinations in the Bay Area — from the back patio of the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley to the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland — the biggest takeaway is the stunning views from San Francisco to the San Mateo Bridge on the gondola ride up the hill. The view overlooking the bison pasture is exceptional as well.

San Francisco Top of Golden Gate Bridge The first of three spectacular San Francisco vantage points that require knowing the right people or a little luck to get there. There have never been public tours of Golden Gate Bridge. But a few journalists, city officials and other dignitaries have enjoyed the view from the top of the span. The Chronicle has photos from the top of the bridge from almost every decade, starting the day it opened in 1937.

San Francisco Top of Sutro Tower Sutro Tower offers the highest viewpoint of the city, and a vantage point where (barring a marine layer intervention) every square mile of San Francisco is visible. It’s a harrowing and claustrophobic nine-minute journey on a tiny elevator to the top of Sutro tower; with less than 8 square feet of floor space. There are no public tours. But if you reach Level 6, on the top of the 977-foot antenna, you’ll have a story to tell for the rest of your life.

San Francisco Salesforce Tower, 61st floor When Salesforce Tower opened in 2018, there were no plans for public tours of the top floor of the second-tallest building on the West Coast. But in February officials announced limited public tours on Saturdays with reservations at www.salesforcetowertour.com. The 61st floor, the so-called Ohana Floor, is also open to nonprofits and foundations that give back to the community. With just a couple hundred people a week getting access to the public tours, Salesforce won’t become the new Empire State Building. The visit is free, but there are no waiting lists. The next registration period should be announced later this spring.

Marin Headlands Hike to Hawk Hill, Marin Headlands Marin Headlands looking toward San Francisco is the Bay Area view that received the most reader nominations when we reached out on Twitter. Nick Yatsko (@soccercoachdad on Twitter) got the most specific, making a case for Hawk Hill, a 923-foot peak that looks over rolling hills and has a more distant view of the bridge. Lands End was another popular nominee, acting as sort of a bookend to the Marin Headlands view. There’s something extra welcoming, seeing the side of the Golden Gate Bridge that faces the ocean. It’s the greatest construction project in the city’s history, and also the greatest ambassador.

Marin County Peak of Mount Tamalpais The Mount Tamalpais crowd is vocal and adamant, to the point where we might fear for our safety a little if it weren't included. Chris Labarthe contributes on Twitter: "NOTHING beats the view from atop Mt. Tam, especially when Karl the Fog is rolling." If we had two local hikes left in our lives, Mount Tamalpais and Mount Diablo would be the easy picks. From those two vantage points, you have a view of pretty much everything you need to see in the Bay Area.

Contra Costa County Peak of Mount Diablo Assuming you don’t have a key to the Sutro Tower elevator, the best view above the cloud line in the Bay Area is the peak of Mount Diablo. If you’re making a marriage proposal, the top of Mount Diablo is the location in the Bay Area most likely to result in the answer “yes.” It’s the place you want next of kin to dump your ashes, if you want them to scatter in the wind the farthest. It's visible from Livermore, San Francisco and parts of Sonoma County. This is less of a hike than an answer to an existential question.

San Francisco Oracle Park, right field upper deck The secret of the San Francisco Giants’ ballpark (we still call it Pac Bell Park) is that the less money you spend on seats, the better your view gets. The seats high above right field, looking toward the Bay Bridge and Oakland, are the most stunning. @TheCaptainLou on Twitter was the first to nominate the 19-year-old ballpark for this list. “Top row, first base side, AT&T, err, Oracle Park,” he directed, taking a jab at the recent name change. With a rebuilding year or two or three looking inevitable, we recommend investing in enjoyment of the bay views over the field seats more than ever.

Pacifica Pacifica Taco Bell With apologies to the Cliff House and Beach Chalet, the best view of the ocean is at an establishment that sells a Beefy Fritos Burrito on its Dollar Cravings Menu. The Pacifica Taco Bell along Highway 1, easily the greatest fast-food establishment in human history, offers a wonderful view of the ocean and a sandy beach, filled with surfers, the occasional pod of whales and a new sunset daily.

San Francisco Treasure Island Even though it’s technically within the city (and county) limits, there’s something voyeuristic about the view of San Francisco from Treasure Island. All of the beauty of the city, without the stress of being inside it. Troy Petersen was the first to respond to our call for #BestBayViews on Twitter, sending an image of his 2005 wedding photo — Troy and his bride staring toward the west from Treasure Island, with the lights of the city just beginning to shine after sunset.

San Francisco Twin Peaks When tourists, locals and movie producers think of views in San Francisco, Twin Peaks immediately comes to mind. Mount Davidson (928 feet) is technically 8 feet higher, but Twin Peaks is near the geographic center of the city, offering a particularly excellent view of downtown. If there was a Mount Rushmore of Bay Area view spots, Twin Peaks would be a lock, joining Mount Diablo, Mount Tamalpais and one of the Oakland/Berkeley hills vantage points.

San Francisco Bernal Heights With apologies to Twin Peaks and Diamond Heights, our choice for the neighborhood with the most reliably extraordinary views in San Francisco is Bernal Heights. Charles Cadiz (@csix on Twitter) made this argument with a stunning photo of a child on a rope swing at Bernal Heights Park, seemingly ready to jump into Mission Bay. While Twin Peaks and Diamond Heights offer a better view of the lights of downtown, the Bernal views are a reminder that San Francisco is still a city of neighborhoods. And as much as the city has changed, more things have stayed the same.

San Francisco Bay Bay Area ferry service The only public transit in the Bay Area that serves beer and wine during the journey also offers some of the most memorable views of San Francisco. The close-up view of San Francisco is always stirring, as is that moment when you look upward, and the Bay Bridge is directly above. But there are so many other wonderful views throughout the ferry network, from the close passes of Angel Island on the Richmond ferry, San Quentin on the Larkspur ferry, and the glorious entry into the bay on the Vallejo ferry. With prices as low as $5 (with a Clipper Card discount), the ferry is the greatest transit bargain in the Bay Area – combining a reliable commute with consistently stellar views.

San Francisco Muni 43 Masonic bus line When we asked readers to share their favorite views, the Muni bus system was well-represented. Jon Anderson on Twitter suggested the view looking down Larkin Street toward Alcatraz on the 30 Stockton. The corner of the California cable car line, looking east toward the Transamerica Pyramid, is stunning during sunrise. The 25 Treasure Island features a glorious view of the Embarcadero as it returns to the city over the Bay Bridge. But the best views on a bus in San Francisco are on the 43 Masonic, which passes Mount Davidson and winds through the Presidio and Fort Mason. Mc Allen (@that_mc on Twitter), who rode every Muni line end-to-end during his Total Muni Summer, sings the praises of the 43 and its lovely path through the city.

Oakland Lake Merritt Most of the views submitted by readers featured either 1) Being on top of a spectacular hill; or 2) Looking out at the Pacific Ocean. Lake Merritt is neither of those things, but in a way much bigger than both. The lake links communities, from the classic storybook-themed amusement park Children's Fairyland to the Art Deco Grand Lake Theatre, and all the playgrounds, restuarants and residences in between. It's stunning in the morning and even more beautiful at night, lit up with stringed lighting, so all the joggers, parents with baby strollers and elderly lifetime Oakland residents know the way.

Sonoma Sonoma County wineries Any winery on a rolling hill in the Bay Area is going to provide a lovely and serene view. But the most unforgettable views can be found in the higher degrees of viticulture difficulty, where vines are grown on the side of a mountain. The most beautiful views we've seen are at the Kamen Estate Wines vineyard in the Moon Mountain area, with a steep drop into a rocky valley, a half-moon of trees surrounding the vineyard like a halo, and a sliver of the San Francisco Bay in the distance.

San Francisco Cliff House, Ocean Beach The Twitter personality @RevDaveW, a self-proclaimed “bi-vocational pastor and business owner,” sent a photo with one of the most consistently spiritual views: Looking north from Ocean Beach toward the Cliff House. “I love San Francisco when the sun is out and the people are out in Golden Gate Park and this beach near the Cliff House,” he said. “The best views are the people.” Chronicle photographers have been capturing images of the Cliff House (and from the Cliff House looking down toward Ocean Beach) since the 1800s. While the rest of the city is in a state of constant reinvention, this view is basically the same in 2019 as it was in 1869.

San Francisco UCSF Parnassus Campus Lisa McElroy (@captiveww on Twitter) offered several suggestions that made our list. But her most creative nomination was the corner of 2nd Avenue and Parnassus on the UCSF campus. “Best view from a parking lot, as my dad always said on our visits there,” McElroy said. It is indeed a stunning view of San Francisco, showing off how much greenery the city still has in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio and beyond. @MamaAilene and @GlenParkCat on Twitter also showed support for the UCSF view. The latter Twitter personality sent in the photo we decided to use — with the top of the Golden Gate Bridge peaking above the tree line. "You can credit @GlenParkCat, my cat is more interesting than I am!"

San Bruno San Bruno Mountains Readers picking their favorite views were fond of grand moments on the highway, when you turn a corner and the beauty of the Bay Area comes into spectacular relief. Our favorite is the moment on Interstate 280 when you curl around Junipero Serra Park, and the San Francisco Bay, San Francisco International Airport and San Bruno Mountains come into view. The "SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO: THE INDUSTRIAL CITY" letters are an underrated landmark in the Bay Area – a sign that San Francisco is just a few exits away.