Cow Hollow Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Cow Hollow showing signage and street scenes
Cow Hollow showing signage and street scenes
Cow Hollow showing signage, a city and central business district
Cow Hollow featuring markets, food and street scenes
Cow Hollow featuring signage, street scenes and a city

Take in picturesque views of the Golden Gate Bridge and visit other well-known San Francisco attractions in this affluent neighbourhood.

Cow Hollow is a youthful, lively district with exceptional restaurants and cosy wine bars. Enjoy delicious French and Italian food and shop for specialty coffee and teas. Inspect local sights and walk to many nearby attractions, including a museum that celebrates the life of American entrepreneur and animator Walt Disney.

Wander around Cow Hollow to come across a few of the neighbourhood’s most notable buildings. Among them is the sky-blue McElroy Octagon House, a prime example of the octagon-shaped residences that became popular in the 1850s. Don’t miss the Vedanta Society Old Temple, an exuberant Hindu temple with red onion domes.

Go shopping along the main commercial stretch of Union Street, which is lined with clothing stores and restaurants. Return to Cow Hollow after dark to experience its animated nightlife scene. Bars and nightclubs can be found on Filmore Street as well as nearby Union Street.

Crissy Park is less than 2 miles (3 kilometres) from the centre of Cow Hollow. This wide grassy area is known for its sandy beaches, picnic areas and great views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Pick a walking trail to trek along and spend a day outside in this pretty recreational zone.

Find the Walt Disney Family MuseumOpens in a new window next to Crissy Park. This remarkable museum features exhibits on the life of the famous animator. See original illustrations from Walt Disney’s early career and learn more about Disney’s feature-length animated films. This museum also has a gift shop and runs educational programmes for children.

The classical-style Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, which hosts music, dance and other performances, is also less than 15 minutes from Cow Hollow on foot.

Cow Hollow is located between the Marina DistrictOpens in a new window and Pacific Heights. Revel in the vibrant atmosphere of this neighbourhood. Its proximity to top city attractions make it a great jumping-off point for exploring the city.


Popular places to visit

Activities


Our pick of the best Cow Hollow Hotel Deals

Comfort Inn by the Bay

Comfort Inn by the Bay

2.5 out of 5
2775 Van Ness Ave San Francisco CA
The price is NZ$250 per night from 15 Mar to 16 Mar
NZ$250
15 Mar - 16 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,345 reviews)
Photos are misleading. Despite showing newer hotel rooms in the photos, the hotel is very old. The rooms are outdated and very small. Daily room cleaning service is not provided. The location is great and the hotel is overall decently clean, but I would never have stayed there if I had seen photos ...

Reviewed on 8 Mar 2026

Comfort Inn by the Bay
Star Motel

Star Motel

2 out of 5
1727 lombard street San Francisco CA
The price is NZ$188 per night from 15 Mar to 16 Mar
NZ$188
15 Mar - 16 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and daily housekeeping. Popular attractions Lombard Street and Pier 39 are located ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (384 reviews)
Restaurants and shops were nearby, A/C worked well.

Reviewed on 8 Mar 2026

Star Motel
Holiday Inn Golden Gateway by IHG

Holiday Inn Golden Gateway by IHG

3.5 out of 5
1500 Van Ness Ave San Francisco CA
The price is NZ$270 per night from 29 Mar to 30 Mar
NZ$270
29 Mar - 30 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and a 24-hour fitness centre. Our guests praise the pool and the ...
9/10 Wonderful! (5,379 reviews)
Very clean

Reviewed on 8 Mar 2026

Holiday Inn Golden Gateway by IHG
Handlery Union Square Hotel

Handlery Union Square Hotel

3.5 out of 5
351 Geary St San Francisco CA
The price is NZ$298 per night from 1 Apr to 2 Apr
NZ$298
1 Apr - 2 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a fitness centre and valet parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the pool and the helpful ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (2,921 reviews)
Stayed in one of the premier rooms. It was older and needed updating. Beds were comfy tho. Walking distance to Union Square lots of places to eat nearby.

Reviewed on 9 Mar 2026

Handlery Union Square Hotel
Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf

Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf

4 out of 5
2500 Mason St San Francisco CA
The price is NZ$364 per night from 18 Mar to 19 Mar
NZ$364
18 Mar - 19 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour fitness centre. Our guests praise the breakfast and the ...
9/10 Wonderful! (7,403 reviews)
The location is amazing, breakfast was good but boring. Our room was in front of the bus terminal we had so much noise and car lights and buses beeping the whole night. Hotel staff were not cooperative regarding the matter.

Reviewed on 9 Mar 2026

Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf
YOTEL San Francisco

YOTEL San Francisco

3 out of 5
1095 Market St San Francisco CA
The price is NZ$214 per night from 31 Mar to 1 Apr
NZ$214
31 Mar - 1 Apr
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in San Francisco. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and a fitness centre. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,024 reviews)
Room was tiny. Nice to have a towel warmer, but accessible from shower so towel got cold before it could be used.

Reviewed on 6 Mar 2026

YOTEL San Francisco
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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Other neighbourhoods around Cow Hollow

Pacific Heights showing a park

Pacific Heights

4/5(8 area reviews)

Take time in Pacific Heights to visit attractions like Van Ness Avenue and Mrs. Doubtfire House. You might also appreciate the abundant dining options, and you can hop on the metro at California St & Van Ness Ave Stop to see more of the city.

Pacific Heights
Marina District featuring heritage architecture as well as a small group of people

Marina District

4/5(76 area reviews)

The beautiful waterfront views and popular shops are just a few highlights of Marina District. Make a stop by Chestnut Street or Fort Mason while you're exploring the area.

Marina District
Lombard Street featuring flowers, a sunset and a house

Russian Hill

4/5(1 area review)

Travellers choose Russian Hill for its pristine beaches. Hop aboard the metro at Hyde St & Filbert St Stop or Hyde St & Union St Stop and check out top sights like Van Ness Avenue.

Russian Hill
Nob Hill which includes a city and street scenes

Nob Hill

4/5(59 area reviews)

Gourmet restaurants Chinatown and top sights from SF Masonic Auditorium to Cable Car Museum – discover Nob Hill, a destination also famous for its shopping.

Nob Hill
Alamo Square showing heritage architecture, a house and a coastal town

Western Addition

4.5/5(20 area reviews)

Alamo Square and Painted Ladies are top sights in Western Addition, and you should be sure to explore the popular shops. Hop aboard the metro at Duboce Avenue & Noe Street Station or Duboce Ave & Church St Stop to see more sights in the area.

Western Addition
Fisherman\'s Wharf showing a bay or harbour

Fisherman's Wharf

4.5/5(7 area reviews)

Travellers love Fisherman's Wharf for its popular shops, and you can see more of San Francisco by jumping on the metro at Jones St and Beach St Stop or Jefferson St & Taylor St Stop. You might spend time checking out top sights like Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square.

Fisherman's Wharf


Cow Hollow Travel Guide

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