Nob Hill refers to a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, centered on the intersection of California and Powell streets. It is one of San Francisco's 44 hills, and one of its original "Seven Hills."
Before the 1906 earthquake, Nob Hill was the neighborhood club for those with mansion-worthy wealth. After the earthquake, it became the site for hotels bearing the mansion-owners' names (Hopkins, Huntington, Stanford). The Flood Mansion, housing the Pacific-Union Club, was built in 1886, and (along with the Fairmont Hotel, across the street), survived the 1906 earthquake and fire. Grace Cathedral was completed in 1964.

Nob Hill is a neighborhood of many hotels, big, old, famous, ritzy, looming over the streets. The California Street Cable Car line crosses the top of Nob Hill, past the hotels and Grace Cathedral. It travels east-west from Embarcadero and ends up at Van Ness Avenue. The Cable Car Museum, at Mason and Washington, lets you look into the operating barn and powerhouse, and see the giant gears pulling the underground cables that drive the Cable Cars.


An easy walk from Union Square up to California Street, the Cable Car also comes directly through. The 1-California Muni bus also travels through Sacramento Street.