Ashbury Heights

Ashbury Heights is the place for residing San Franciscans. Ashbury Heights is a neighborhood where anyone and any family can have a good time residing in. The homes here may not be as modern as other parts in San Francisco, but the 80s-90s feel of the homes is what makes living here a really positive experience. Most homes in the Ashbury Heights also come with a great view of the city. Not only that but this neighborhood is also really quiet, and secluded enough from the busy parts of San Francisco. The neighborhood spirit/friendliness is also great. Raising a family here would be great. Ashbury Height is also surrounded by nature, which for me, is one reason that contributes to the peacefulness of the neighborhood. You have Golden Gate Park to the north, Forrest Knolls to the west and several parks to the east and south. There aren’t any restaurants or shopping centers within the neighborhood and will require a car or public transportation. Public transportation is easily accessible as well in this neighborhood as there are various stops all around. Do not worry though; there are many restaurants as you head towards Market Street, as well as the Castro.

Ashbury Heights is the sophisticated cousin of Noe Valley. Rising up steeply from Haight-Ashbury and Cole Valley, the neighborhood is home to many beautiful and well-maintained Victorian homes. There are also numerous elegant flats and apartment buildings from the 1920’s-40’s. The local public elementary school, Grattan Elementary, is one of the cutest I’ve seen with a large and active garden and cheerful murals everywhere.

This is one of the few places in San Francisco where you can look outside your window and see mostly trees. It has a secluded feeling despite its very close proximity to the bustling Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park. Ashbury Heights is mostly a residential area, however, there are a handful of cozy cafes, restaurants and bars in nearby Cole Valley. Zazie, a local favorite has a neighborhood night where people can meet and mingle and enjoy dinner on the beautiful candle-lit patio out back.

Ashbury Heights is very family friendly. For example, each Halloween a few blocks in the area go all out with spooky decorations and the entire neighborhood dons awesome costumes and trick-or-treats followed by a block party.

Atop the steep slopes of Ashbury Heights is Tank Hill, and a few hikes up the path will really get your assets in great shape. Once you conquer the crest, the view of Downtown San Francisco, Oakland and Mount Diablo is breathtaking.

A couple things to note about this neighborhood are that it can be quite windy in the afternoon and late evening when the fog blows in. Also, street parking is treacherous—there are very few spaces and many of them will only fit tiny compact cars. Great public transportation is plentiful and only 5-10 minutes walk down the hill to Parnassus and Frederick streets.

Parnassus Ashbury Heights is also sometimes referred to as Cole Valley. At least a big portion of this neighborhood is considered Cole Valley. The homes in this community are generally older (early 1900s) and are single-family homes. There are a few condos and a growing number of apartment buildings. Many of the homes here have great views and the streets are quiet (except Parnassus, Stanyan, and a few others).

Shopping is just a stone’s throw away in the Haight and a short jaunt along 17th Street will take you to Castro and the Upper Market area. Restaurants and shopping can be found in the nearby Haight area, and UCSF medical facility is right around the corner as well. Streets are steep and heaven forbid you strain a muscle and need some quick medical attention.

There is a wonderful elementary school in the middle of this district (Grattan Elementary). The streets are kept clean, the weather isn’t that foggy, and the people seem happy. This is a great neighborhood!