Sunroof Sunday: A Drive Down Vermont Street
As mentioned in this week’s Cable Car Tour, Lombard Street is NOT the crookedest street in San Francisco. That honor goes to Vermont Street. As you drive down Vermont, you’ll noticed there’s no vibrant flowers, no manicured hedges, and no brick road. However, the fact that all these things are missing results in one of my favorite parts about this crooked span of asphalt…NO TOURISTS!!! I visited Vermont Street on a Sunday afternoon and, at the most, 5 cars drove down this winding road during my 30+ minutes there.
Even though Vermont Street might not have the esteem of Lombard Street, it has its great perks. Before you make you way down the road, you can park and visit McKinley Square, a small but wonderful park. It’s kid friendly, with the play structure and swings. It has a nice grass area, great for throwing down a blanket on a sunny day for an impromptu picnic or a place to walk with your dog. Also, down below is not so obvious path, which I would consider ‘off the beaten,’ so to speak. The path allows you a few minutes to feel like you’ve escaped the city. However, look to your side and you will be reminded that you are in San Francisco, as you will have a great view of the bustling city. This view can even been seen as you curve down the zigzagging street. And once you hit the bottom…maybe park your car and walk to the base, as you’ll see a beautiful mural (which you might see in an upcoming Mural Monday).
In this week’s Sunroof Sunday, we take a drive down this Vermont Street, the REAL Crookedest Street.