Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco

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By relache

Experience The City By The Bay

No visit to San Francisco would be complete without a visit to Fisherman's Wharf. The name refers to the waterfront area that runs from Pier 39, where Grant St. hits the Embarcadero, to where Van Ness dead ends down near the Maritime Museum. This whole area is walkable, so be sure to have some good shoes and don't forget to bring along a jacket! Even at the height of summer, it's not uncommon to have breezy temps in the 60s, so be prepared unless you'd rather buy a souvenier SF sweatshirt....

You can stroll along the waterfront, take a historic cable car or hire one of the local pedicabs to give you a bicycle-powered lift from place to place. Tour boats leave this area for Alcatraz Island regularly, and you can see (and hear) the infamous sea lions, who reclaimed a few pier spots for themselves.

A map of SF's Fisherman's Wharf

Guides to Fisherman's Wharf and San Francisco

The Food of Fisherman's Wharf: Cooking and Feasting from San Francisco to Monterey
Amazon Price: $12.24
List Price: $19.95
San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf (CA) (Images of America)
Amazon Price: $17.47
List Price: $26.99

A Fisherman's Wharf Original -> The Bushman!

Stuff I Like To Do At Fisherman's Wharf

  • See the sea lions - the sea lions made the wharf their seasonal home by deciding one year to just move in and stay. Some owners of a few expensive boats complained, but it quickly became apparent that not only did visitors love the sea lions, it's really hard to tell a half-ton sea lion to move along.

  • Eat incredibly fresh seafood - there are wonderful seafood stands that cook up fresh catch daily and it's amazing to eat something that hasn't been frozen or shipped anywhere. In season, the fresh crab just can't be beat!

  • Check out the human freak show - I always found it fun to watch not only the street performers but the tourists who seemed to be stunned and amazed by them. A favorite is the "bush man" or "shrub guy" who just crouches down on the sidewalk, holding a few springs of branches. Seeing him "jump out of his bushes" at people walking by who utterly don't notice him is hysterical.  You will also find human statues along the Wharf and various performers.

  • Take tons of pictures - the waterfront not only offers great views of the SF Bay, the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz, but some wonderful views of San Francisco as well. Shots of Coit Tower and parts of the Nob Hill and Russian Hill areas look great from the waterfront.

San Francisco Skyline

Ride a Cable Car To Fisherman's Wharf!

What's Your Favorite Thing About Fisherman's Wharf?

NeilsHotDeals profile image

NeilsHotDeals Level 1 Commenter 5 weeks ago

I lived in the East Bay for three years. It is just a great place to walk around. I miss it.

healthgoji profile image

healthgoji 2 years ago

Really nice hub and resource for places to go when visiting San Francisco

relache profile image

relache Hub Author 4 years ago

Angela, you're going to be about 40 minutes by car from the Wharf... Oakland is on the other side of SF and across the Bay from the Wharf. You can take public transit into the City to get there if you wish. Take Bart from Oakland to Embarcadero Station, and then take the street car to the Wharf. That will be much less fuss and cheaper than bridge tolls and parking.

Angela 4 years ago

We'll be visiting San Francisco in Nov for the first time and staying in Oakland. The Crowne Plaza to be exact. Wondering how far to get to Fisherman's Wharf and the most economical way.

relache profile image

relache Hub Author 5 years ago

Shopper, if you've got an appetite, I always liked the sourdough bread bowl full of chowder. But you either need to be good and hungry or split one with a friend, or it can be a bit much.

mithun 5 years ago

A nice layout, very well put across. Respect.

shopper profile image

shopper 5 years ago

Thank you for putting this together. I'm planning to hit the wharf this weekend and this is very useful. Any favorites for chowder or oysters?

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