LIST: San Francisco's Most "Instagram-Worthy" Holiday Picture Spots

Dion Lim Image
Sunday, December 8, 2019
LIST: Best SF Christmas Instagram spots
ABC7 News sent anchor Dion Lim out armed with three iPhones and two interns, Alisha and Maeve to find some of the most holiday-themed Instagram-worthy spots.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Want to rule your social media feeds this Holiday season? ABC7 News has got you covered with a list of the best Instagram-able spots around San Francisco for holiday cheer! We sent anchor Dion Lim out armed with three iPhones and two interns, Alisha and Maeve to find the best spots.

#1 - Union Square - There's a lot to see around Union Square but the square itself has a ton of great insta-spots. There's the giant tree in the center along with the famous ice rink. Dion donned a pair of skates at the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink presented by Alaska Airlines. The rink remains open until January 20th, 2020 and the season included the popular 10th anniversary of Drag Queens on Ice and will feature a Silent Skate Party and Polar Bear Skate. More information here: https://unionsquareicerink.com/

#2 - Macy's Union Square - Located right on Union square the outside of the store is decked out with tons of lights and declarations. Inside on the top floor, there's a huge Christmas setup, perfect for your Holiday gram shot. Not far away, street musicians filled the air with holiday music and the SPCA and San Francisco Animal Care & Control holiday windows at Macy's where playful kittens, sleeping puppies, and happy bunnies ready for adoption.

#3 - Nieman Marcus Union Square - Also located right on Union Square, the department store features a 4-story Christmas tree with lots of cool angles on the higher floors to get that perfect shot.

#4 - Westfield Union Square Dome - This super popular spot located a few blocks from Union Square on Market Street features an upside tree hanging from the main dome space. Grammers can head to the top floor and take a gander and snap shots of the enormous upside-down tree!

#5 - Fairmont Hotel - The Fairmont is the place for that perfect Instagram holiday photo, especially for families. The giant Christmas tree, that stands right in the middle of the lobby, is second only to the amazing two-story Victorian gingerbread house that sits right behind it. The house has all the smells of the gingerbread and the candy that went into making it. Children of all ages will love the gingerbread house and all the little details that went into it. The lobby also has many different holiday decorations that would be perfect for you holiday photo shoot.

#6 - Westin St Francis - This hotel is instagram-worthy on its own as one of the original old-school hotels of the city. But when it's all decorated for the holidays it just gets even more magical. Highlights to check out include the Sugar Castles created by the hotels head chef. They are on display from November 27, 2019 - January 2, 2020. Check out their website for more details.

#7 - Pier 39 - At Pier 39, families and friends can take photos in front of the Christmas tree and over sized presents. Plus, on a clear day you have views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge and what better way to make your relatives outside California a little bit jealous than snapping some sunny landscape pics!

#8 - Ghiradelli Square - While not apparent from the outside of Ghirardelli Square, a large Christmas tree is the perfect spot for families and couples to take pictures in front of. This quieter location would be the perfect spot of a unique Instagram post for the holidays in the city.

#9 - Deck the Halls Pop Up Bar - The North Beach popup bar features Christmas and Channukah themed décor, drinks and music! The bar's creator, Shaher Misif told ABC7 News they're collecting toys for Toys for Tots. In exchange for bringing in a toy, patrons will receive a free order of tater tots. To learn more about the bar: https://www.deckthehallsbar.com/

#10 Tom & Jerry's House - A secret gem off the beaten path this house is always decorated like crazy for the holidays! The Dolores Heights home at 21st and Church Streets has been nominated for San Francisco landmark status. It features a real Christmas tree that started off as a house plant but got so big they had to plant it outside!