It's been said that San Francisco is the place where someone is always pulling you away from a great view to show you an even more sensational one around the corner.

That's true. But even when we live in the shadow of an awesome overlook, we don't always muster the energy to go see them.

Well the time is now. You've had enough turkey, the conversation with the relatives is starting to flag, and don't pretend you're interested in those college basketball games. It's time to get up and get out of the house.

Here are some suggestions:

Twin Peaks

The gold standard. Way, way up on the hill with a steep slope, it almost looks like you could take one big step off the overlook and topple right into Castro Street. From the parking lot at the top you're looking straight down Market Street to the Ferry Building, with all of downtown spread out before you. Raise your eyes and you can see the Golden Gate and Bay bridges, the East Bay ridge, and - off to the east - the summit of Mount Diablo. Unless you are in a hot air balloon, you can't beat this. In fact, you may get a little dizzy.

Get there: West on Market. It turns into Portola, then right on Twin Peaks.Grade: A

Coit Tower

Every day tourists from all over the world take the winding road up the side of Telegraph Hill, find parking in the crowded lot, and exclaim - "Seven dollars for a freaking trip on an elevator?" There is virtually no view from the overlook unless you spring for a ticket to the top of the tower. The raging debate about whether to trim the trees is currently in a "let 'em grow" phase. Save your money to buy a "Head coach: Alcatraz Swim Team" beanie in the gift shop and go elsewhere.

Get there: North on Columbus to Lombard. Turn right. Lombard turns into Telegraph Hill Boulevard. Grade: D

Sutro Heights Park

An awesome, largely unused vantage point high above Ocean Beach. Forget the Cliff House. Go around the corner, park in the lot, and step into the former estate of Adolph Sutro, a mutton-chopped millionaire and former mayor of San Francisco. There's room on the lawn for a little light soccer or Frisbee, but you'll want to stroll up to the elevated stone platform on the ocean side. Look south, and the Great Highway and breakers on Ocean Beach stretch out for miles. You don't realize how high you are until you notice that the surfers look 3-inches tall.

Get there: Take your favorite route to Great Highway, then up to the Cliff House. Grade: A-

Russian Hill Place

A little hidden gem that lets you picture what it would be like to live in a view home on Russian Hill. This is tiny, and parking is not easy, but you'll enjoy the two-way views - the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, and North Beach to the east, and the cruise ship and Pier 39 to the north. This is, however, a residential spot, so hold it down. And don't forget your climbing rope if you have to park on one of the hills. They're steep.

Get there: Broadway to Jones, turn right, park near Vallejo. Grade: B

The tee box on the 17th tee at Lincoln Park Golf Club

Lincoln is an OK golf course, short, scruffy and hilly. But everyone who plays it wants to talk about the view on the long par three. Perched on the edge of a sheer cliff, it isn't until you look over the side that you realize you are actually outside the Golden Gate. There's the verdant fairway, the trees, the water and - framing it all - the Golden Gate Bridge. However, do not, under any circumstances, drive a ball off the cliff and into the ocean far below just to see how far it goes. OK, now what did I just say?

Get there: West on Geary to 34th Avenue. Turn right, enter the golf course, and drive past the Legion of Honor. Turn right, down the hill and find the parking spots along the ocean side. Grade: A -

The corner of Fillmore and Vallejo

There are several north-facing streets that look down from Pacific Heights to the bay below, and to be honest an intersection like Union and Jones is probably a little more attractive. But I can't resist the lure of the site of the ski jump that was set up on the hill in the summer of 2005. Olympic gold medalist, and Bay Area native, Jonny Moseley celebrated his 30th birthday with 200 tons of imported snow and a ski ramp on the street. There was talk of making it an annual affair, but after a snowboarder flew into the crowd, once was enough.

Get there: West on Broadway, right on Fillmore to Vallejo. Grade: view B, nostalgia B+

The top of Lombard Street

This tourist stop is better than you might think. There is the winding street in the foreground, with landscaping and blooms, and then a view out to the bay. You can even see the new Bay Bridge from the north side. And once you are done go ahead and drive down the brick-lined serpentine street. You know you want to.

Get there: West on Broadway, right on Hyde to Lombard. Grade: B

Now, before I even finished this people were asking me if I'd mentioned Grand View Park in the Sunset, or the corner of 20th street and Pennsylvania on Potrero Hill. Which just proves the point. This place is lousy with views.

In fact, I left out one of my favorites. When baseball season rolls around I'm partial to the upper deck at AT&T Park on the third base side. You're high enough to look over the outfield wall and see the bay. Some nights there are sailboat races or tankers cruising by. And as a bonus, they throw in a ballgame. It's quite a sight.