Pier 39, San Francisco

In late 1989, a few California sea lions began hauling out on the floating docks of Pier 39’s K-Dock marina. By February 1990, there were more than 300. Popular accounts attribute the arrival to the Loma Prieta earthquake, but the first sea lions appeared at the pier in September 1989, a month before the earthquake struck in October. The actual draw was a large herring run in San Francisco Bay that autumn, combined with the protected harbour and dock space that the marina offered. The earthquake brought the media attention; the herring brought the sea lions. The colony has been there for more than thirty-five years now.

Pier 39 opened in 1978 as a retail and dining development on a former cargo pier at the northern end of The Embarcadero. It is probably the most photographed spot in San Francisco after the Golden Gate Bridge, and one of the most commercially dense. Whether you find it appealing or overwhelming depends largely on your tolerance for tourist-district density. The views of the bay, Alcatraz, and the Marin Headlands from the pier’s outer deck are genuinely excellent, and those are free. Most of the rest comes with a queue and a ticket.

The Sea Lions

The K-Dock viewing area at the western end of the pier is free to access and open all day. The Sea Lion Center, which provides interpretation about California sea lion biology and behaviour, is open Sunday through Thursday 10am to 4pm and Friday and Saturday to 5pm. The sea lions are noisiest and most active in the morning before the crowds arrive; if the weather is clear, early morning also gives better light for photography. Numbers at the dock fluctuate seasonally: summer sees a large portion of the colony move north to breeding grounds off the California coast, so the docks are typically fullest in autumn and winter.

Aquarium of the Bay

The Aquarium of the Bay sits at the entrance to the pier and focuses on species from the San Francisco Bay ecosystem rather than trying to represent global marine life. Adult admission is around USD 33, with reduced rates for children (USD 23 for ages 4 to 12). Opening hours are 10am to 5pm daily, with last entry at 4:30pm. The walk-through acrylic tunnels allow you to look up at bat rays and sharks overhead, and the touch pool section works well for younger visitors. It is a decent aquarium without being an exceptional one; the local focus is the distinguishing feature.

Musée Mécanique

On Pier 45, a short walk along the waterfront from Pier 39, the Musée Mécanique houses one of the largest privately-owned collections of antique coin-operated arcade machines in the world, many in working order. You drop coins into nineteenth and early twentieth-century machines and they do things: play music, animate mechanical figures, tell fortunes, simulate a hanging. Entry is free; the machines cost a few cents each to operate. It is consistently one of the most interesting and least crowded things to do in the Fisherman’s Wharf area.

Where to Eat

Fog Harbor Fish House, on the pier itself, serves sustainable Dungeness crab and Pacific seafood with bay views. It is reliably good for the format, with prices to match the location; expect around USD 30 to USD 45 per main. Scoma’s, on Pier 47 a few minutes’ walk west, has been operating since 1965 and is the most established seafood restaurant in the area, direct-sourcing from local fishing boats. It is considerably less chaotic than eating on Pier 39 itself.

Boudin Bakery on Jefferson Street, a few blocks from the pier, is where to go for San Francisco sourdough. The bread here is made to a starter that the Boudin family has maintained since 1849, and the observation window above the bakery lets you watch production. A sourdough bowl of clam chowder is the obvious order and is entirely reasonable.

Where to Stay

The Argonaut Hotel, on Jefferson Street at Ghirardelli Square, is the best hotel in the immediate Fisherman’s Wharf neighbourhood: a converted 1907 warehouse with exposed brick and timber, bay views from upper-floor rooms, and complimentary bike rentals. Rates run USD 200 to USD 350 per night. The Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf on North Point Street has a heated outdoor pool, which is uncommon in San Francisco, and mid-range room rates typically between USD 180 and USD 280.

For something more central to the broader city while remaining within easy reach of the waterfront, the Hyatt Regency at the Embarcadero Center sits next to the Ferry Building, walkable to Pier 39 along the waterfront promenade in about twenty minutes.

Getting There

The F-Market and Wharves historic streetcar line runs from the Castro along Market Street and the Embarcadero all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf. The ride from Union Square takes about fifteen minutes and runs on vintage trams collected from cities around the world. BART’s Embarcadero station is about twenty minutes’ walk south along the waterfront. Driving to Pier 39 is possible but parking in the area is expensive; an all-day parking garage on The Embarcadero near Pier 39 runs around USD 30 to USD 50 depending on time of arrival.

Practical Notes

San Francisco’s characteristic summer fog is not a myth, and Pier 39 sits directly in it on many June and July mornings. The marine layer typically burns off by late morning, but the wind off the bay is cold regardless of season. A jacket is always justified here, even in August. The pier itself is open until 9pm daily, giving you the option of returning in the evening for lower crowds and, in clear weather, a view of the bay lights and the lit towers of the Golden Gate Bridge to the west.