Everyone knows about the Coit Tower here in San Francisco. It’s one of the most recognizable buildings on the skyline & it’s been there since 1932.
Confession: I actually still have to make it to the Coit Tower. Despite living here for 5 years, I haven’t climbed it yet! Oops.
But, I have been to the new mini rainbow Coit Tower art installation on the Embarcadero! Dubbed the “Welcome Tower” this super-fun version of the Coit Tower is right next to the Ferry Building and totally worth a visit.
I saw the Welcome Tower on Instagram and immediately canceled our evening plans so Robin and I could go visit that day. (There’s a lot of rain in the forecast and I didn’t want to have to wait!)
I live on the other side of the city from the Embarcadero and since I work from home, that means I’m not near the Ferry Building on a day to day basis. The Welcome Tower was installed back in November but I missed the news! I love how the Instagram community can bring people together, like myself, over art.
So, we took the train downtown. We actually got out at the stadium and walked up to the Welcome Tower along the water since it was such a beautiful day. In the winter, the Bay Area can either be super rainy or we get that classic California sunshine. No in-between!
San Francisco’s Welcome Tower Information
Near Pier 14 San Francisco and standing at over 30 feet tall, this rainbow Coit Tower looks simply stunning with the Bay Bridge backdrop. It’s a public art piece by artist Sean Orlando, but only a temporary installation according to the plaque, though I can’t find a confirmed date on when it’ll be taken down. Hence a bit of our urgency to beeline over there the day I found it.
The doors are apparently made from actual houses from around the city to pay homage to the local history and culture, while also addressing the housing crisis that everyone who lives here faces (heck, I understand that, rent cost is out of control here!)
The installation doesn’t stop at the outside of the tower -apparently, each door on the ground level has fisheye peepholes for visitors to look into and see more art. Well – that’s how it’s supposed to work, though Robin and I couldn’t see anything when we looked into it. Maybe that’s because we went in the evening when the direct light wasn’t on the tower and thus the inside was too dark?
If you’re in San Francisco or visiting, I highly recommend you stop by the Welcome Tower! Robin and I turned the whole evening into a date night. As we mentioned, we got out at the baseball stadium and walked up along the water to the tower.
And then we kept walking North, ending at Pier 23 Cafe which is our go-to affordable divey dinner spot on the water. They have a great back patio with a fantastic view of the Bay which makes for a fun spot to grab drinks and dinner.
While sunny out, it was a bit windy that day so I bundled up in my new rainbow scarf (to match the rainbow coit tower!!) It’s under $30 and has quickly become a staple in my wardrobe.
Shop my whole outfit here:
