| Fisherman's Wharf tips and photos posted by real travelers and San Francisco locals. • 49 Photos
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 The very touristy Fisherman's
Grotto by pigletsmom
While in Fisherman's wharf do look for good deals on whole crabs, and excellent clam chowder served in a sourdough bowl. Very inexpensive and good! The Musee Macanique, (off the beaten path tip) is highly unusual and free. Walk west towards Ghiradellii Square and you'll run into the Maritime National Historical Park. (off the beaten path tip) Much more authentic and less touristy.
The SF public library offers free walking tours at all the major attractions and neighborhoods in the city. Check out http://www.sfcityguides.org/r /> and then click on schedule.
Tours are about 2 hours and absolutely free. They ask for a donation at the end of the tour. Guides are knowledgeable and personable. Leave a Comment
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Most all of Fisherman's Wharf is a tourist trap. It has that Times Square feeling of a place you really just want to run away from.
You get the ferries here for Alcatraz and a few other places. And like nearly all tourist traps, you should see it once so you know what everyone is talking about. Leave a Comment
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This area tends to be the most expensive and the least interesting place in San Francisco. It is designed to take your money. You can find much more interesting things to do than spend your time here.
Go to Pier 39 and look at the Sea Lions. It's free!! Take a walk down the street and watch everybody spend their money. There are street performers that do their acts, but again, they expect money especially if you stayed and watched their show. You must board the ferry to Alcatraz from this area.
Just about every other location in San Francisco is better than this area! If you want to see the flavor of this city, you won't find it here. Look at my things to do tips for other alternatives.
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 Bye Bye, bucks..... by davequ
I guess have to be experienced once, and please enjoy them if you do.
don't waste a lot of money on the food
Scoma's is ok for seafood on the wharf (view is good)..
Or get one of those sourdough bread "bowl-loaves" with chowder in it for lunch at Boudin Bakery
Hey, lots of people do fisherman's wharf the first time they goto sf and I hope they have a good time, but 4 me once was enough. Leave a Comment
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This seems to be on every tourist's To Do list, but it's an area of San Francisco that makes me wince. There are far too many people, few of them local, and a multitude of shops selling tasteless souvenirs and T-shirts, e.g. I Got Crabs at Fisherman's Wharf.
If you absolutely must go to the Wharf, buy a shrimp cocktail to eat as you walk. It will make the tackiness bearable.
Just beyond the Wharf, near Aquatic Park (marked by long lines of tourists waiting for cable cars), there are two shopping complexes that are still touristy but of passable merit.
The Cannery - This red brick complex really was a cannery and has now been converted to shops and restaurants. There's often live entertainment in the courtyard.
Ghirardelli Square - Former chocolate factory. It used to be all shops and restaurants, but the new Fairmont Hotel now takes up much of the Square. The Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop is still there -- treat yourself to an ice cream concoction and buy bars of San Francisco chocolate to take home. Unless, of course, you're from Belgium. :) Leave a Comment
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 FunnyBeee at Fisherman's BARF. by funnybeee
I am sure some people have a blast going down here, but boy I sure couldn't wait to get the hell out of there.
Option 1:
Hail a cab and get away from that place as fast as you can.
Option 2:
Find Jones Street and hike up it, way way up untill you end up at the top (Russian Hill). You will see some beautiful views of the Bay Bridge.
Option 3:
Go to pier 41 and see when is the next available day you can get to Alcatraz. You need to buy tickets in advance.
Option 4:
Give the finger to the Bone Man and the Bush Man cuz they are so frikkin' annoying.
Option 5:
Have dinner at Scoma's.
See above mentioned Option 2 and 3. Leave a Comment
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 by cwest03
For the most part Fisherman's Wharf is a mix of expensive restaurants and some tourist shops selling things that you don't need with the Golden Gate Bridge on it. During the holidays it's jam packed full of people all doing the tourist thing so you won't be alone.
During my last trip to SF I was in the area and in a "tourist" mood so I thought I'd go check it out. It had been some time since I had headed to that part of town for a bread bowl of clam chowder. My advice to you would be to save your money. I was embarrassed at the quality of the chowder that I was served. You're much better off eating away from that area and you'll save yourself some money too.
If you do want to eat while you're there the fried shrimp and the crab sandwiches are a fairly good deal. You can find them at the various outdoor stands just outside of the restaurants.
For a good deal on lunch you can head over to Boudin Bakery. You'll see it right in the middle of the wharf area as well as Pier 39. Here you'll find good quality SF sourdough sandwiches at a reasonable price. They have clam chowder bread bowls too.
If money is no object treat yourself to a seafood meal at one of the many restaurants lining the wharf. Keep in mind that you're paying a premium for location. For a better meal check out Crustacean on California Street.
There's not much of an alternative here. but my suggestion is to do it early or in the off season. If not, expect lots of crowds. Leave a Comment
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Fisherman's wharf used to be a vital hub for sf fisherman, but is now a tourist trap of grand proportions, nothing but cheap tchotchkes, sweatshirts, street performers and hustlers and hordes of tourists. The cable cars end up here, so you'll likely end up here if you ride them, but you don't have to stay. There are so many better things to do with your time and money. Whatever you do, do not under any circumstances go to Bubba Gump's. Get dungeoness crab from a sidewalk vendor instead.
If you must see it, there are some good things. This is what I do when I can't get out of taking visitors.
The sea lions-yes there will be a huge crowd, but it's a wild herd(?) of sea lions that squatted on the floating docks and decided to stay. They're wonderful.
The hyde street pier-there are a couple cool old ships you can go on and pretend you've been shanghai'd
In-n-Out- the ultimate california fast food burger. Double Double animal style.
There also used to be a medieval torture chamber wax museum that was kitschy and fun. Not sure if it's still around.
Get off the cable car at lombard street and walk down it. Continue into North beach and have a coffee and snack. Then explore some chinatown alleys.
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Be very aware if you decide to shop for cameras along the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. One particular shop I went to was a good example. It was about 160 Jefferson St opposite Boudin Cafe (the latter has great Chowder and Sourbread by the way). I wanted a specific camera lens and was told they don't have stock and to come back tomorrow (CLUE #1: as described by altizachen in 2004). They gave a fake low price to bait you (CLUE#2). After I wasted my time and effort getting back there the next day at their specified time, I found they never had the stock. They said they had it at the warehouse (CLUE#3), even though they said they would have it at the store that day. Anyway, as I was also looking for a polarizing lens filter and was leaving San Fran that day, I decided to check out the filter and just get that - yes, stupid in hindsight. When I was about to purchase it, suddenly the price was more than double (they said the lower price they quoted the night before was for another filter) - bait and switch (CLUE#4). Then at the checkout they still tried to squeeze a bit more from you, specifically, increasing the price by another dollar and then not give you the change you should get. When I queried about it, they get all fired up and abusive (totally unprofessional) and accuse you of being scummy. It's not the amount, but the principle, and they certainly had been cheating through the whole process. Lastly, the last warning sign (CLUE #5) I should have paid more attention to was them arguing and then bad mouthing another customer.
As for districts to avoid : Tenderloin region, and Market St between 8th and 5th street at night. It was rather scary walking through there with all the dodgy characters milling around (and I'm not talking about the harmless beggers). It's may be fine during the day but a different picture at night. Surprising how scenary can change suddenly from one section of Market St to the nicer, more touristy area of 4th St and Market St for example (all within a 5-10 min walk).
Don't buy your camera equipment from the dodgy shops near Fisherman's Wharf (particularly the one opposite Boudin Cafe). If you do, be very wary of their techniques and their poor quality gears they try to sell you. Always ask for a receipt because they will not give one you otherwise. Even that is probably worthless. I will always buy my equipment from a big reputable camera shop in the future, even if I have to pay more.
Avoid certain districts at night, ask your concierge if you are staying at a hotel; they should be able to map out the district for you.
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Pier 39 is exspensive. The small aquarium is short and not worth the price. Often there is a street performer or show in the square or along the streets which is fun to see. There is an arcade their to. Just down the way off pier 39 is a Rainforest Cafe, Ripley's Believe it or Not museum and The Wax Museum. Along side streets away from the main street around there are very cheap places to buy a bundle of t-shirts and loads of cheap keychains and souveniers to get for friends back home. (A lot of Alcatraz T-shirts) I often buy San Francisco gifts for people there who want something with the word San Francisco on it. It's a good stop to get gifts. Some of the locals (my friends) are typically snobby and don't like tourist places but I still enjoy the area and love getting clam chowder in a breadbowl. Its my favorite thing!
I would avoid buying anything off pier 39 unless you really really want it. The other shops down the way have the same stuff cheaper. I would forget about parking their to it's exspensive. Go somewhere else and take the bus or cable car. I saw they recently raised thier prices to 5 bucks for the short ride. It used to be nice to go on them and pay a little more than the bus, but its to much for that now if you're local.
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