Pier 39 San Francisco and Fishermans Wharf

The best tips for visiting Pier 39 San Francisco and other San Francisco tourist information for Fisherman's Wharf including the San Francisco Aquarium, trips to Angel Island and much, much more.

Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco is one of the most popular tourist's spots in the city. It's located in the north east corner and has a number of San Francisco attractions.

This area started as a fishing community many years ago. There are still several commercial fishermen working from this location. You can sometimes see them in an area just west of Pier 39 San Francisco along Jefferson Street.

Pier 39 San Francisco: Shopping, Restaurants and the San Francisco Bay Aquarium

Pier 39 San Francisco is an old working pier that was transformed into a shopping area. It has a number of popular shops and stores with tourist souvenirs.

It also has a number of popular restaurants such as the Hard Rock Cafe and Bubba Gumps. You could spend hours just on Pier 39 San Francisco walking around, enjoying some shopping and grabbing lunch.

The San Francisco Bay Aquarium, officially called the Aquarium by the Bay, is also located at Pier 39 San Francisco. I've visited this aquarium a couple of times.

It does a great job of telling a full story about the bay and its inhabitants. In the San Francisco Bay Aquarium section, you'll get more details on what to expect when you visit.

Pier 39 San Francisco also has a number of characters both on the street and in the water. Make sure you stop and enjoy the street performers along the way.

Also, don't forget to swing by the sea lions on the west side of Pier 39 San Francisco. They are usually pretty loud (and sometimes a little smelly), but they are fun to watch.

There are around 100 or so all jockeying for a position to catch some sun on the wooden platforms.

Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz is another famous San Francisco attraction. It's located in the middle of the San Francisco bay about a mile and a half from the shore.

It has an interesting history with a number of famous inmates including Al Capone, Robert Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz and many other prisoners of alcatraz. You can also learn more about the infamous escapes from Alcatraz. The prison closed in the 60s when they thought it was no longer inescapable.

The Alcatraz Prison Tours page provides valuable information for you on the different types of trips available and when & how to book your trip. My favorite is the night tour and this section gives you details on how it's different from the day trips.

I've visited Alcatraz a number of times and have a number of tips for you when you visit. The Tips to Visit Alcatraz section gives you the information you need to find your ferry, ensure you are prepared for your trip and some other things to think about before you arrive.

I highly recommend booking a trip and visiting Alcatraz. It's an amazing place with an interesting history. It also has gorgeous views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Angel Island

Another island located in the San Francisco bay is Angel Island. This island is a national park and ferries from Fisherman's Wharf are available to take you over for a visit.

Angel Island is located to the north and east of Alcatraz. It has a few hiking trails and is a fun day trip. The Angel Island San Francisco section gives you some tips on when to visit, what to do while you are there and a little history about this island. You can also learn more about getting to and from the island on the Angel Island Ferry page.

Ghirardelli Square

Another top attraction in Fisherman's Wharf is Ghirardelli Square. This is a cute shopping area that was once a working chocolate factory. It's located on the west side of Fisherman's Wharf about three blocks away from Pier 39.

It's an easy walk over to this historical square that serves a number of wonderful treats. The Ghirardelli Square San Francisco section provides you with some additional history, details on its famous sweet treats and tips on visiting.

Boudin Bakery

San Francisco is famous for its sour dough bread. The leading bakery is Boudin Bakery. Located right on Jefferson Street, between Pier 39 and Ghirardelli, is a Boudin Bakery restaurant and retail shop.

It's a great place to stop for lunch, grab some chowder in a sour dough bread bowl and pick up an afternoon snack. You can sit either outside or inside.

I recommend heading upstairs to the in-door restaurant area. Before you head inside, you should also spend a few minutes watching the bakers do their magic.

One of them usually has a microphone and is talking through the baking process as they work. They make some amazing animals and other figures as the crowd watches on.

Hyde Street Pier

Another popular spot in Fisherman's Wharf is the Hyde Street Pier. The pier is located at the end of Hyde Street near the Hyde-Powell Cable Car turn-around.

The pier has a number of old ships to tour. My favorite is an old car ferry. It's interesting to see how this old ferry ran to get cars from Marin over to San Francisco.

Last time I visited, they also had actors on board that were giving tours and talking about the history of these ships. I don't think they do this very often, but it was fun to hear even more about their history.

Tree Guy or Bush Man in Fisherman's Wharf

Okay, okay, so this isn't really an 'official' attraction, but it's one of my favorites. Right on Jefferson Street there is a guy that likes to scare unsuspecting tourists.

He hides behind a small branch, sits on his box and jumps out at tourists not watching in front of them. It's pretty funny to watch him and how he can scare several people in a short period of time.

If you want to stand and watch him, I recommend crossing the street and watching from afar. This makes the new people on this stretch of the street more unaware of what will happen...and of course it's more fun to fully see their reaction!

I won't tell you exactly where he sits, that would spoil the fun. However, if you happen to see a misplaced tree...watch out!

Other Activities

If you want to visit the city on wheels, you can always rent a bike or motorized cars. There are a number of companies that rent out both in Fisherman's Wharf. The bike shops usually recommend a specific route, over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.

This is quite a long ride with a few major hills on the Sausalito side. It's a beautiful and fun ride if you are up for the challenge.

You don't need to book a bike in advance. You can just walk in and rent one. One of the most popular is the Blazin' Saddles bike rental shop.

Another option is to rent a small motorized car. These are cute little two-seater cars with an open roof that allow you to ride around the city quickly.

A route is pre-programmed in to tell you exactly where to drive. Be careful in these motorized cars, since San Francisco drivers are pretty crazy!

How to Get to Pier 39 San Francisco and Fisherman's Wharf

There are a number of transportation options to get to and out of Pier 39 San Francisco and Fisherman's Wharf. One of the most popular is the cable cars. You can pick up the Hyde-Powell cable car on Powell Street in Union Square or anywhere else along the route. It drops you off on the west end of Fisherman's Wharf.

The cable cars San Francisco history and information section provides more details on the cable cars. You'll find some tips on where to hop on, how much they cost and simple route information for each one.

Another option is to take the F trolley car line from Union Square. This trolley runs about every 15 minutes up and down Market Street.

The cost is only $2 and it drops you off in front of Pier 39. You can also take a cab or drive down to Fisherman's Wharf. You can pick up a cab anywhere in the city.

The cost starts at just over $3 and usually costs between $10 and $15 depending on your pick up location. If you drive, there is a parking garage across the street from Pier 39.

There are also several other smaller lots in Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 San Francisco. All of them are quite pricey, so I would only drive as a last option.