Visit
San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, and experience this
exciting historic landmark. From fresh seafood and themed
restaurants to tourist attractions and street performers,
there is something for everybody on The Wharf. The entertainment
spans from Pier 39
to Ghirardelli
Square. Don't miss Alcatraz
Island, Musee
Mecanique, The
San Francisco Maritime Museum, and The
Cannery.
San Francisco Tours
FISHERMAN'S WHARF HISTORY
The
Wharf began back in the Gold Rush days when Chinese
immigrants in "junks" fished offshore and
provided shrimp, oysters, and salmon to feed the hordes
of Gold Rushers. Italian fishermen came next, and they
set up stands along the beach to sell crab, shrimp,
oysters, and other seafood. Seafood restaurants bearing
Italian names still dominate the seafood business along
the Wharf, and the fishing boats still occupy some of
the waterfront at the Wharf. But the popularity of the
seafood, the views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge,
and the location turned the Fisherman's Wharf area in
to an area filled with tourist attractions of all types
-- shopping, sightseeing, museums, amusement places
of various types, and fine restaurants. Pier 39 is perhaps
the best-known area for shops and restaurants along
the waterfront. Ferries to Alcatraz leave from Pier
41. Pier 45 is the home of Musee Mecanique and its wonderful
collection of vintage arcade games and toys, the Museum
of the City of San Francisco, and the USS Pampanito
submarine museum. Popular areas nearby are The Cannery,
Ghirardelli Square, and Anchorage Center.
THINGS TO DO AROUND FISHERMAN'S
WHARF
Visit the U.S.S. Pampanito, a fully restored World War
II submarine that offers visitors an inside perspective
on torpedoes, compact crew quarters, and a super-efficient
control room. A self-guided audio tour narrated by WWII
submarine Captain Edward Beach is included with admission.
Open daily 9am-6pm (Summer till 8pm) Fri-Sat (8pm year
round)
Located at Pier 45. Tel. (415) 775-1943.
The
Maritime Museum is housed in an historic art deco
structure resembling a cruise ship. The museum features
ship models, authentic figureheads, paintings, and artifacts
from life at sea. Permanent exhibits include a history
of West Coast steam navigation, unique WPA murals, and
WPA murals depicting an artistic interpretation of Atlantis.
The museum is located at the intersection of Beach and
Polk Street. The museum is open daily from 10am-5pm.
Admission is free. (415) 556-3002.
Alcatraz
Island tours are often sold out over a week in advance
so book early! The tour of Alcatraz departs daily from
Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Alcatraz was used
as a federal maximum security prison from 1934 until
1963, when it was closed due to high costs and security
issues. Allowing tourists to visit Alcatraz has proven
far more popular and much more profitable. Alcatraz
tours are available daily in combination with either
the Deluxe City Tour or the Muir Woods / Sausalito Tour.
Please click
here to make reservations online.
Bay
Cruise Tickets are available online. Don't forget
your camera because the views of San Francisco are amazing
from the deck of a cruise boat on The Bay. Cruise under
the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz Island. Travel
to Angel Island, Sausalito, and Tiburon. Cruise to Oakland
or even Vallejo, to visit Six Flags Marine World.
DINING
ON THE WHARF
For a memorable experience, take a walk down Jefferson
Street and order some fresh seafood from one the vendors
with the big steaming cauldrons. Don't worry when the
vendor cracks your crab with his mallet and opens it
on the counter as it is a tradition that began at the
turn of the century when fisherman Tomaso Castagnola
offered fresh catches to the tourists who came down
to see the colorful fishing fleet. Folks have enjoyed
the "show" ever since. No utensils necessary.
At
the time of the San Francisco Gold Rush, French baker
Isidore Boudin created a tart and tasty loaf of bread
that had a distinctive crust with a chewy, soft heart.
150 years later, his recipe lives on at Boudin Bakery.
Instead of yeast, it is the bacteria from yogurt that
makes sourdough rise. Boudin's first sourdough was made
with the same strain of bacteria used in the Boudin
bakeries today. All sourdough bakers use a bit of the
previous day's mother dough, keeping the distinctive
flavor of San Francisco's sourdough bread consistent
throughout the decades. Boudin Bakery has three locations
on the Wharf.
TRANSPORTATION
& PARKING ON THE WHARF
No visit to San Francisco is complete without taking
a ride on a cable car. When London-born engineer Andrew
Hallidie invented this form of transportation in 1873,
no one believed the cable car could work, especially
since there is not an engine. The cable car is pulled
by a steel cable embedded in the street. The speed of
the car depends on the speed of the cable, always 9.5
miles an hour, never more, never less. There are three
cable car lines: Powell-Hyde is the most scenic, offering
magnificent panoramic views of the city and bay. It
begins at Aquatic Park and ends up a bit past Union
Square at Powell & Market. Powell-Mason runs over
Nob Hill and turns around in Fisherman's Wharf; this
is the line you want if you're headed for North Beach,
Chinatown or the Cable Car Museum. The California line
runs from California & Market in the Financial District
to Van Ness Avenue. Fares are $2 each way, or MUNI Passports
start at $6. For more information, please call (415)
673-6864.
San
Francisco's newest streetcar line is the F-line. The
F-line stretches 5 miles linking Fisherman's Wharf,
Downtown, The Civic Center, and the vibrant Castro District.
The F-line was dedicated with 17 newly restored PCC
trolleys representing cities from around the U.S. and
several historical trolleys from around the world. Look
for the bright colored cars on the streets of San Francisco.
The F-line operates 365 days a year from 6 a.m. to about
1 a.m. Adult fare is $1.00; Youths (ages 5-17) are 35
cents.
Parking
can be difficult on The Wharf with limited hourly spots
on the street and expensive parking garages. On the
street, pay attention to the signs and curb colors.
Be sure to curb your wheels on hills, which means that
your wheels should turn into the curb when parking downhill
and out for uphill. The least expensive parking lot
is on the corner of Beach and Jones, where the rate
is $12 per day. Remember that pedestrians and cable
cars have the right of way at all times.
The
San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) offers many ways
to get around the city. Buses, streetcars, and Metro
are the options. Adult fare is $1, Cable Car fare is
$2. Lines 19-Polk, 30-Stockton, 42, 15 & F-Line
will deliver you to the Wharf.
MUNI
discount "passports" entitle riders to unlimited
rides on Cable Cars, Buses, & F-Line. The cost is
$6 for one day, $10 for 3 days, or $15 for 7 consecutive
days. These rates include admission discounts. For more
MUNI Information, please call (415) 673-6864.
Dressing
in layers is always a wise decision in San Francisco,
since the 49 square miles that make up San Francisco
contain many different kinds of weather. The Mediterranean
climate means the warmest months are August and September,
though most of the time it is unpredictable. As Mark
Twain once observed, "The coldest winter I ever
spent was a summer in San Francisco."
San Francisco Tours
If
you would like more information, please email tours@alcatraz.us
or call us toll free at 866-268-8729. For local information,
please call 415-461-4608.
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