One of my favorite places to visit in San Francisco is the ‘Mrs Doubtfire House’; I’m a huge fan of the 1993 movie and the late Robin Williams – who plays Mrs Doubtfire in the movie. The house is located at 2640 Steiner Street, near Pacific Heights. It looks a little different from the movie, what you’d expect after almost 30 years, but it’s still a must-see for any movie fans.
It is worth noting that the interior scenes weren’t filmed in the house, as it was considered too small, so the interior scenes were shot in a movie studio. When Robin Williams died in 2014, the house became a memorial of sorts for fans, with hundreds of flowers, letters, and cards being left on the doorstep after his death.
Visiting the Mrs Doubtfire House was a must for me during my 5 days in San Francisco recently; having watched the movie hundreds of times in my lifetime, it was very nostalgic for me to see the home from the movie right in front of me.
I walked to the Mrs Doubtfire House from Union Square, and it took me 45 minutes. I took the route via Post Street and Van Ness Avenue and stopped for a takeaway snack at Bob’s Donut and Pastry Shop on 1621 Polk Street to fuel up for the walk.
READ NEXT: If you’re a movie buff, you may also be interested in reading my guide on how to find Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment in New York or the apartment from Friends also in NYC!
Where is the Mrs Doubtfire House located?
The Mrs Doubtfire House, where the Hillard family lived in the movie is located at 2640 Steiner Street, on the junction with Broadway Street, and is in the Pacific Heights district in San Francisco. It’s got a lovely view down Steiner Street to San Francisco Bay. At this location, you can stand outside the same house that Robin Williams, Sally Field, and Pierce Brosnan did in the movie.
Can you tour Mrs Doubtfire’s House?
No, you cannot view inside the house as it is privately owned, in fact, it sold back in 2016 for $4.5 million! As such, be mindful when taking photos outside the house as people do live in the house.
You can book on a movie sights tour that passes some of the most iconic filming locations in San Francisco, including the high school from The Princess Diaries, the Tanner home from Full House, and, of course, the Mrs Doubtfire house. In fact, this popular tour visits around 55 filming locations in the city. It starts from Fisherman’s Wharf and costs $67 USD per person. I have to admit, it’s one of my favorite tours I’ve done in San Francisco!
BOOK your San Francisco Movie Sights Tour here!
Who owns Mrs Doubtfire’s House?
Currently, the Bijur family owns the Mrs Doubtfire House. They purchased it in 2016 for $4.15 million. This five-bedroom, four-bathroom house is spread across 3,300 square feet. And dare I say, it’s one of the most famous homes in the Bay area, with many tourists stopping by daily to see where the Academy Award-winning movie was filmed
Can you get public transport to Mrs Doubtfire’s House?
Yes, you can catch public transport to Mrs Doubtfire’s House from downtown San Francisco!
The easiest way to get to Mrs Doubtfire House is to catch the 30 bus (towards Crissy Field) from either Chinatown or Fisherman’s Wharf to Chestnut Street and Fillmore Street. Then catch the 22 bus and ride it for 6 stops to Broadway & Steiner Street. This journey will take about 25 minutes in total.
- From Union Square: hop on the 38 or 38R bus from the bus stop on the corner of Geary Street and Stockton Street and ride it for 5 stops to Geary Blvd and Fillmore Street. When you get off here, you can choose to hop on the 22 bus and ride it for 6 stops to Broadway & Steiner Street, Mrs Doubtfire House will be 1-minute walk from when you get off here.
- From Fishermans Wharf: walk to the bus stop at Columbus Avenue & Northpoint Street and, hop on the 30 bus and ride it for 9 stops to Chestnut Street & Fillmore Street. Then catch the 22 bus and ride it for 6 stops to Broadway & Steiner Street, Mrs Doubtfire House will be 1-minute walk from when you get off here.
- From Chinatown: catch the 30 bus from the corner of Stockton Street & Clay Street and ride it for 16 stops to Chestnut Street and Fillmore Street. Then catch the 22 bus and ride it for 6 stops to Broadway & Steiner Street, Mrs Doubtfire House will be 1-minute walk from when you get off here.
Can you walk to Mrs Doubtfire’s House from downtown San Francisco?
Yes, you can walk to Mrs Doubtfires House from downtown San Francisco and depending on where in the city you start your journey it should take approximately an hour. I walked here from Union Square, which took me 45 minutes.
From Union Square, head South towards Post Street, turn left on Post Street (passing by Chase Bank on your right), stay on Post Street for 800 meters, then turn right onto Van Ness Avenue, stay on Van Ness Avenue for 600 meters and then turn left onto Pacific Avenue. Walk along Pacific Avenue for 700 meters, then turn right onto Steiner Street – the Mrs Doubtfire House will be 280 feet along Steiner on your right.
Here are the Google map directions for walking to Mrs Doubtfire House from Union Square.
READ NEXT: Even if you only have one day in San Francisco, I highly recommend trying to squeeze in a visit to the Mrs Doubtfire House!
Best things to do near Mrs Doubtfires House
If you’re not in a rush, i.e., you have 3 days to spend in San Francisco (or longer), then be sure to make the time to visit the below awesome spots close to Mrs Doubtfires House!
Japantown
The largest Japantown in the United States, it’s, in fact, one of only 3 remaining in the country. Filled with Japanese restaurants and stores and even some street performers. Known to locals as ‘Jtown,’ some of the best restaurants in the city can be found here, including Kui Shin Bo at 22 Peace Plaza and Udon Mugizo at 1581 Webster Street.
If you want to pick up some unique souvenirs, this is the place to do it with the many stores here selling everything Japanese, from Hello Kitty to fresh Mochi!
In spring, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival is a huge celebration in the area which ends with a big parade.
Lombard Street
Known as the most crooked street in the world because of its 8 hairpin bends, Lombard Street is definitely a must-visit in San Francisco CBD. In fact, it’s one of the most photographed streets in the world.
At busy times, drivers need to wait up to 30 minutes to drive down this narrow winding street. Personally, I’m not a confident enough driver to drive the world’s most crooked street, so, I prefer to walk it and take lots of photos. The center sections of the street are filled with bright and colorful flowers, making the street uber-photogenic in Summer and Spring especially.
From Mrs Doubtfires House, it’s a 30-minute walk away via Vallejo Street.
The Painted Ladies
Just a 27-minute walk away via Steiner Street is one of the most photographed spots in all of San Francisco – the colorful Painted Ladies are a San Francisco icon. They are essentially a row of pretty Victorian houses with one of the most spectacular city backdrops. The exact location of the Painted Ladies is 710–720 Steiner Street. This area is, in fact, one of just 11 historic districts in the city of San Francisco and includes several bed and breakfasts.
Golden Gate Bridge
Definitely one of the most famous sights in San Francisco, if not all of California – the Golden Gate Bridge is iconic.
And one of the most-booked tours in San Francisco is this Golden Gate Cruise, which gets you up close to the iconic bridge from the water! From the water, you’ll get the best view of the bridge! The cruise is one hour long and costs just $38 USD. You’ll also pass by other iconic sights, such as Alcatraz, Sausalito (one of the cutest towns near San Francisco), the Marin Headlands, and Angel Island State Park. What’s handy, too, is it’s an open ticket, meaning you can pick the departure time that best suits your schedule.
BOOK your Golden Gate Cruise here!
Lincoln Park Steps
A tad further from Mrs Doubtfire House but one of my favorite quirky finds in the city – the Lincoln Park Steps are over an hour’s walk away via California Street.
One of the most recent art projects in the city, the Lincoln Park Steps, is located very close to Lincoln Park Golf Course. They are so bright and colorful, and typically quiet, especially if you visit in the morning like we did.
READ NEXT: Check out my guide to visiting the Sleepless in Seattle filming locations (they’re all in Seattle, which is such a cool city for a getaway!)
Best Hotels in San Francisco
The Westin St Francis – conveniently located at Union Square, all rooms have great city views, and there’s a number of on-site dining options as well as a fitness center.
Fairmont San Francisco – a 5-star hotel located at the top of Nob Hill, the Fairmont is renowned for luxury, and many of the hotel rooms offer views of Coit Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge. The on-site restaurant is famous; the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar serves Polynesian food and has live entertainment nightly.
Hotel Zephyr – is located just 300 meters from Fishermans Wharf, plus the rooms are all nautically themed! There’s an on-site mini-mart as well as a shared lounge and a games room.
Phoenix Hotel – this 1950s motor lodge has had a stylish makeover recently. This is one of the only affordable, indie boutique hotels in San Francisco!
Thanks for reading!
P.S. I’ve also written a very detailed blog post on the best things to do in Seattle and the best day trips from San Francisco. I’d love it if you could check them out! Another favorite blog post of mine is awesome things to do in San Francisco with kids!
Last Updated on September 6, 2024 by snaphappytravel
One thought on “How to find Mrs Doubtfire’s House in San Francisco”
What a fun house to get a photo outside of! I used to love watching that movie so it would be so cool to see the house in person.