The post covers how to find the Tanner's house from the show Full House, set in San Francisco.
If you were an American kid in the late 80s and early 90s, you likely remember TGIF television, a block of Friday night shows run on the ABC television channel.
DC Tour Guide Canden on a Trip to San Francisco
Part of this lineup of shows included Full House, a sitcom described online as a “G-rated dysfunctional family”.
The family, The Tanners, lived in San Francisco. It was here that the widower father, his best friend, and his brother-in-law joined forces to raise three precocious little girls.
This show, with its simple one-liners and audience laugh track, struck a chord with American kids, allowing the makers to churn out hundreds of episodes before it was canceled in the mid-90s.
In recent years, new episodes have been taped for Netflix under the name Fuller House.
These have drawn huge ratings due to now-adults nostalgic longing for these simple childhood characters and storylines.
THE PAINTED LADIES
One of the most memorable images from the show comes from the opening credits.
Here you see the members of the household driving across the Golden Gate Bridge, then posing at various San Francisco landmarks, before ending on a shot of them picnicking in a park across from some pastel-colored hillside homes.
It is these homes, in real life known as the Painted Ladies, that folks most remember from the credits.
These 7 houses are set on what is referred to as Postcard Row.
While well known in the past, these homes have likely become the most famous in San Francisco due to their appearance on the show.
Many folks believe the characters of Full House lived in one of the Painted Ladies, but they were merely the backdrop for the credits.
For directions on how to visit Postcard Row and the Painted Ladies, read our post here.
THE ACTUAL TANNER HOME
In some versions of the credits, a camera shot pulls out from a red door and a large home. This is where the Tanner’s actually live, at the made-up address of 1822 Gerard.
The real-life location of the home pictured in the credits is 1709 Broadrick Street. This house is in the Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood, about a mile from the Painted Ladies.
One of the creators of Full House recently purchased and renovated the home, listing it for sale with one of the most prestigious real estate firms in California.
Sadly for fans, the interior of the home does not look like that of the one on Full House, pre or post-renovation.
Lest you think this dwelling is a step down from one of the Painted Ladies, the most recent listing for the “Tanner Home” had a price tag of $5.99 million (€4,640,000).
San Francisco is arguably the most expensive housing markets in the United States.
It’s unlikely that the adult characters in the show, (a local morning talk show host, a some-time musician, and a stand-up comedian) could afford it in the real world today.
How to Get Here
If you’d like to visit 1709 Broadrick Street and snap a picture of her no-longer red front door (from a respectful distance, of course), there are a number of options.
The closest stations are Geary Boulevard and Masonic Avenue, a 12-minute walk from the home.
- By Bus, there are five lines that pass nearby: 1, 24, 28, 28R, and 42
- By Bart, you would take lines RD and YL
- Street parking is available although it can be hard to find a spot. You may have to park a few blocks away and walk.
TIPS FOR VISITING THE TANNER HOME
You will likely not be alone as the neighborhood can often be full of tourists trying to snap a picture. There can be between 1000-1500 visitors stopping by every day!
Neighbors do tend to get upset with those who don’t remember that private individuals live in the surrounding homes.
They have convinced the city to ban tourist busses altogether in an attempt to cut down on traffic.
Because parking enforcement or police patrols can often be found standing by, it’s best to get in and out with as little fuss as possible.
Some tips of things to avoid are:
- Blocking the sidewalks
- Double parking
- Parking in neighbors driveways
- Attempting to gain access to any of the homes/ringing the bell
- Making a lot of noise
If you can avoid those, you should be able to snap a golden picture, one that takes you back to your childhood every time you look at it!
