Coit Tower is one of the most striking sights in San Francisco: 210 feet tall and erected in honour of the firefighters who defended the city after the 1906 earthquake, San Francisco’s own Art Deco pillar perched on top of Telegraph Hill. The design, said to be reminiscent of an, uh, fire hose nozzle, was controversial during its construction in 1933. The tower was commissioned by Lillie Coit, a flamboyant fan of the volunteer fire crews.

Inside, it is decorated with Works Progress Administration murals in the style of Diego Rivera. The murals in the rotunda are open to the public, while those in the stairway can be seen on Saturdays at 11am with a San Francisco City tour guide. The top offers unobstructed views in every direction and can be reached by elevator; tickets can be purchased in the gift shop. Feeling jaunty? Walk down the Greenwich steps to Montgomery Street, turn right, and take the Filbert Steps past a multitude of gardens all the way to Sansome Street.