Location 01Brocklebank Apartments
California, San Francisco Outside only
Filmed here: Madeleine and Gavin Elster's apartment building; Scottie tails Madeleine
This Nob Hill building played the home of Madeleine and Gavin Elster, and it is where Scottie waits outside while tailing Madeleine in his car. The building remains a private apartment block, so there is no interior access, but the exterior is easily viewed from the street. Fans of the film will recognize the distinctive facade immediately. It sits close to the Fairmont Hotel, another filming site, which makes pairing the two simple on foot.
Location 02Mission Dolores
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: Madeleine visits Carlotta Valdes' grave in the cemetery
The cemetery scene, in which Madeleine visits the grave of Carlotta Valdes, was shot here at San Francisco's oldest surviving structure. The mission and its cemetery are open to the public, though admission may apply. The Carlotta gravestone was a prop and was removed after filming, so do not go hunting for it among the real headstones. The adobe architecture and quiet graveyard otherwise look much as they did in 1958.
Location 03Palace of the Legion of Honor
California, San Francisco Ticketed
Filmed here: Art gallery scene with portrait of Carlotta Valdes in Gallery 6
The art gallery sequence, where Madeleine lingers before the portrait of Carlotta Valdes, was filmed in Gallery 6 of this museum in Lincoln Park. The building is a public art museum open daily with an admission fee, and Gallery 6 still hosts similar exhibits. Beyond its Hitchcock connection, the museum holds a notable collection of European art and offers views over the Golden Gate. Budget an hour or two if combining it with Fort Point.
Location 04Fort Point National Historic Site
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: Scottie rescues Madeleine from the bay
This Civil War era brick fort beneath the Golden Gate Bridge is where Scottie rescues Madeleine from the bay. Entry is free as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and tours are available. Even without the film connection it ranks among the best viewpoints of the bridge's underside. Visitors tracing Vertigo locations often pair it with the Palace of the Legion of Honor and the Palace of Fine Arts, both a short drive away.
Location 05900 Lombard Street
California, San Francisco Outside only
Filmed here: Scottie's apartment exterior
Scottie's apartment exterior was filmed at this address near the Crookedest Street, the famous winding block of Lombard Street often mistaken for the filming site. The building is a private residence, so access is exterior only. The facade has changed since filming, which surprises some visitors expecting a perfect match with the movie. It is still worth a brief stop for completists already in the Russian Hill neighborhood.
Location 06Mission San Juan Bautista
California, San Juan Bautista Free to see
Filmed here: Bell tower climax and inquest scenes (tower added via matte painting)
The mission south of the Bay Area stands in for the film's climactic bell tower sequence and the inquest scenes. One twist: the real bell tower had been removed decades earlier because of dry rot, so Hitchcock added it with a matte painting and a studio set. The historic mission is open to the public, and a state park sits adjacent. Visitors will find no tower to climb, but the church and colonnade are authentic.
Location 07Big Basin Redwoods State Park
California, Boulder Creek Free to see
Filmed here: Redwood forest scenes standing in for Muir Woods
The misty redwood forest scenes, where Scottie and Madeleine wander among ancient trees, were shot here rather than at Muir Woods, despite the dialogue naming Muir Woods. Big Basin is California's oldest state park, located near Boulder Creek, with hiking and camping available. An entry fee or pass is required. The towering redwoods make it one of the most atmospheric locations in the film and a rewarding half day trip from San Francisco.
Location 08Cypress Point
California, Pebble Beach Ticketed
Filmed here: Scottie and Madeleine's first kiss on 17-Mile Drive
The couple's first kiss takes place at Cypress Point on the 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach. The drive is a toll road within Pebble Beach Resorts, so access is ticketed. The route delivers some of the California coast's most photographed scenery, including cypress trees clinging to windswept rocks. It is a considerable distance from San Francisco, roughly two hours south by car, so most visitors fold it into a broader Monterey or Carmel itinerary.
Location 09Fairmont Hotel
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: Hotel scenes and Nob Hill exteriors
The Fairmont supplied hotel interiors and Nob Hill exteriors for the film. This luxury hotel is a historic landmark, and its public areas, including the grand lobby, are accessible to anyone, not just guests. Given its position atop Nob Hill, it pairs naturally with the Brocklebank Apartments a few blocks away. Even a short walk through the lobby conveys the old San Francisco grandeur that attracted Hitchcock's location scouts.
Location 10Palace of Fine Arts
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: Scottie and Judy walking scenes
The Palace of Fine Arts served as a backdrop for scenes of Scottie and Judy walking together. Today it is a free public park and rotunda in the Marina District and one of the city's most visited spots, popular for photographs of its classical colonnade and lagoon. No ticket is needed and visits take as little as twenty minutes. It sits near Fort Point, making it easy to combine the two on a single loop.
