Discover Mrs. Doubtfire’s San Francisco

To mark the arrival of Mrs. Doubtfire: The New Comedy Musical to London’s West End, San Francisco tourism is showcasing the original film’s iconic locations.

It is inviting visitors to retrace the steps of Mrs. Doubtfire and the Hillard family with things to do and see in the film’s locations across San Francisco.

The Hillard Family Home  in Pacific Heights
First appearing and showcased in what may be every parent’s worst nightmare of a birthday party (a chaotic scene of children, farm animals, noise, and a lot of mess), is the Hillard family’s home in the Pacific Heights neighbourhood. The house highlights the timeless Victorian architecture throughout this area, surrounded by breath-taking views of the city.

What to do and see near Pacific Heights
Nearby in the Marina District, the Palace of Fine Arts is an eye-catching Greco-Roman style rotunda and ‘majestic’ colonnades built over a century ago. Walk from there to the converted military base which is now the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture and home to California’s largest weekly food truck night market, ‘Off the Grid’.

Cycle like Mrs. Doubtfire across Crissy Field in the Presidio of San Francisco 
In addition to housekeeping, Mrs. Doubtfire had heaps of fun with the Hillard children. Mrs. Doubtfire takes the kids on a cycling trip with the perfect view of the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. This famous location, known as Crissy Field, is in the Presidio and remains a popular spot for visitors to take in some of the most impressive views of the city. With Unlimited Biking or Blazing Saddles, fans can partake in bike and e-bike tours.

Other things to do in the Presidio 
The Presidio is an unique part of San Francisco, covering a 2.8 square mile former military base which is now part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area. As well as Crissy Field, its many stunning viewpoints include the ‘Golden Gate overlook’ and the ‘National Cemetery overlook’ which holds a commanding view over the 28-acre military cemetery. Other attractions include the Walt Disney Family Museum, Baker Beach (the birthplace of the Burning Man festival), and San Francisco’s newest park, Presidio Tunnel Tops.

Presidio Tunnel Tops
While not in existence when Mrs. Doubtfire was filmed, the Presidio Tunnel Tops are certainly an attraction worthy of the film. Over 14 acres of parkland, the park has expansive picnic areas fitted with tables and grills, great views, and other activities. The park connects the Main Lawn of the Presidio to the familiar Crissy Field. Kids can enjoy ‘The Outpost’ – a play area with structures made from fallen trees, boulders, and other natural materials. The Tunnel Tops host the ‘Presidio Pop Up Series’ with multiple street vendors offering foods from around the world.

Feel the wind in your face like Mrs. Doubtfire on a Cable Car
Remember Mrs. Doubtfire leaning from the side of one of San Francisco’s fabulous cable cars? Visitors and film fans can do the same riding the Powell Hyde Cable Car, while also exploring the city. Stops along the way include great shopping opportunities at Macy’s, Chinatown, San Francisco’s famously crooked Lombard Street, and the renowned Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience, nicely rounded-off with the Cable Car Museum.

Check out where Mr. Hillard and ‘his sister’ lived in North Beach
Many of the scenes filmed around the city, including the apartment where Daniel Hillard and ‘his sister’ (Mrs. Doubtfire) move to, are in North Beach. Among many things, this lesser-known neighbourhood has a particularly vibrant Italian American community, which following many generations, has fostered a wealth of restaurants and cafés in the area known as ‘Little Italy’.

Other things to do and see in North Beach
As well as a thriving food scene, North Beach’s sites include lines of quaint wooden houses along its ‘Telegraph Hill’ – a hill which is topped by another San Francisco landmark, the mural-decorated (on the inside) Coit Tower. Keen shoppers may enjoy venturing to Grant Avenue for a multitude of one-of-a-kind shops, also a stone’s throw away from the music club scene on Broadway. The neighbourhood is home to the notoriously zig-zagging Lombard Street as well as one of the city’s many wonderful permanent art installations, ‘Language of the Birds’.

For more information go to www.sftravel.com