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The Fisherman's Wharf area of the city (and I'm including everything from Pier 39 in the East to Ghirardelli Square in the West in this area) is without doubt the most popular tourist area in San Francisco. That doesn't mean however that this is the best area of the city to spend your time. The appeal of this part of the city has been growing for many years, helped along greatly by the creation of Pier 39 in the 1970's, but unfortunately as the numbers of tourists visiting has increased so have the numbers of tacky tourist stores, street entertainers, cheesy museums etc. that have (in my mind at least) created an area that I would rather avoid.
Don't get me wrong, there are some good reasons for visiting Fisherman's Wharf - particularly if you're looking for souvenirs or gifts for friends back home. And you absolutely have to come here if you want to visit places like Alcatraz or take a tour of the Bay, but while visiting some of the great places down here you'll have to deal with quite a lot that you might otherwise choose to avoid - including particularly irritating 'smile police' who take you to task if you've not got a beaming cheesy grin on at all times!
Alright, maybe I've been a bit unkind. There's nothing unpleasant down at Fisherman's Wharf and what is less interesting is certainly no worse than you'll find in a thousand places anywhere in the world. But that's just it, there's so much here that isn't really very San Franciscan. Go to Fisherman's wharf like everyone else (Pier 39 is the most popular tourist location in the city, with over 10m visitors every year) but then make sure you visit the more inspiring places - like Twin Peaks, Coit Tower and of course the Golden Gate Bridge.
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Starting at the East and working West, Pier 39 is the first major attraction. Pier 39 was originally just another of the dilapidated wharfs that originally stretched from Aquatic Park all the way round The Embarcadero, under the Oakland Bay Bridge and down to China Basin - the site of . The Pier's are numbered from the Ferry Building at the end of Market Street - odd numbers to the North, evens to the South. Anyway, in the 1970's a local developer, Warren Simmons, came up with the idea of renovating Pier 39 and turning it into a tourist attraction, with shops and restaurants. Warren's vision was realised in 1978, and Pier 39 has for 25 years been drawing visitors in their millions.
You'll find a vast array of places to eat, drink, eat some more, and of course shop. There are a bunch of restaurants on the pier - including a Hard Rock Café, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company (yes, from the film Forrest Gump) and many more. You can also get some of the most indulgent ice-creams around, or tuck into a bowl of Clam Chowder (more on that later) at one of the many 'edibles' spots on the wharf. The best attractions on Pier 39 however are those that are there just because they are! The view from the end is pretty much the closest you can get to Alcatraz without getting on a boat, but even more impressive are the Sea Lions (see above) that gather on the Western side of the pier.
Now you might think that this collection of Sea Lions is here deliberately, or is even caged, but you would be wrong. The Sea Lions started arriving of their own accord in 1990, and have stayed - in increasing numbers - ever since. At times there are estimated to be over 900 of them - making a unique racket that drowns out pretty much everything else! The Sea Lions came to Pier 39 because there was plenty of space for them to laze around, plenty of food in the bay, and it offered a protected environment. Let's just hope they stay for good!
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Moving on from Pier 39, the next stop of interest is Pier 41, featuring the Blue and Gold boats that will take you to Alcatraz or on tours of the Bay. Be warned - if you're coming in high season you should book Alcatraz tickets in advance - and you can do that on line at blueandgoldfleet.com, by phone to (1) 415/705-5555 or by calling in person at the ticket booths at Pier 41.
Moving on along Jefferson Street you'll pass by loads of shops, cafés, a wax-works museum, a branch of Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, a place that does ridiculously sickly caramel apples (with chocolate chips sprinkled all over!) As you reach the start of Taylor street you get to the real food area of Fisherman's Wharf. Bizarrely the signature dish of the area is New England Clam Chowder. Quite how something from thousands of miles away became so popular here is anyone's guess (I suppose there's plenty of clams around….) but anyway, it's a real San Francisco thing. The best way to get Clam Chowder is served in the inside of a hollowed out Sour Dough (another San Francisco thing) roll. The biggest vendor is Boudin's - who also make Sour Dough for supermarkets and home delivery, but any of the other places are just as good. Something that Boudin's doesn't specialise in is Crab - and as you cross Taylor Street you'll find a huge array of places serving crab (see above), clam chowder and other seafood 'to go' - with the crabs simmering away in giant vats just inches from your face!!
Further on to your left is The Anchorage, featuring a branch of Hooters - if you're in to that kind of thing, and then The Cannery (see below for photo). The Cannery, which was originally a peach cannery, opened in 1907 and at one time was the largest fruit and vegetable cannery in the world. Now it is another renovated classic building featuring yet more shops and restaurants.
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Once you pass the Cannery you reach the end of Jefferson Street as it hits Aquatic Park or the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. One block South (away from the Bay) from here you'll reach the turn-around point for the end of the Powell/Hyde Cable Car line. One block along Beach Street and you'll get to Ghirardelli Square.
Ghirardelli Square is yet another classic structure to get the renovation treatment. Construction of the factory began in 1893, and was completed 11 years later. The factory was moved across the bay to San Leandro in the early 1960's and - fortunately - the square was saved from demolition and gradually converted into the form you see today. The best bit of Ghirardelli Square has to be a trip to the Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop and Café and, if you're not already full of Bubba Gump Shrimp, Clam Chowder and Caramel Apples, you should pop in here for an Ice Cream Sundae!
And finally, if you're done with shops, restaurants and tourist shops, there's the Maritime Museum right out in front on the other side of Beach Street, or you can do what I always do to escape the hustle and bustle and take a walk to the end of Municipal Pier at the end of Van Ness Ave. Popular for fishing as well as joggers and walkers you'll get some great views back to Fisherman's Wharf with the city beyond from here, as well as (if you're lucky) some more great views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
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Other Images of Fishermans Wharf, Pier 39 & Ghirardelli Square....
(Just click on the image for a full-size version) |
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