Camera Obscura

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Camera Obscura is a mysterious and fun location for those visiting San Francisco. It is right by the Cliff House restaurant overlooking Ocean Beach and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. A camera obscura projects an image of what is around it onto a surface by using a light. The first one in San Francisco was located at Woodward's Garden and years later, when the Cliff House restaurant re-opened another was built on the cliffs nearby. The attraction is a fascinating engineering creation and people travel from San Francisco to enjoy the experience, or they simply stop by before or after their meal at Cliff House. Guests are treated to an explanation of the camera obscura by the operator during their experience. The attraction is reasonably priced at $5 and under and is considered a San Francisco icon. Considering the technology creating the picture projection, the images are amazingly clear and high-quality. The camera moves around Ocean Beach, Cliff House, and the Great Highway, providing views of each scene. Guests are welcome to stay as long as they want, enjoying the view and experiencing the fascinating effect of the camera obscura.