5 Things to Do at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco

Fisherman's Wharf is a favorite tourist area in San Francisco for good reason. This scenic area offers visitors photo opportunities, recreation, live shows, restaurants, bars, and shopping. The water views are fantastic all along Fisherman's Wharf and it is an ideal place to take a long stroll along the water, with stops in between for a Peet's coffee, sourdough bread bowls with clam chowder, or a glass of California wine. Fisherman's Wharf is a must see area in San Francisco.

Take a Long Walk Along the Wharf
The walk along Fisherman's Wharf is scenic and easy to follow. The path along the way passes by various piers and the public pier provides a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay. There are restaurants, coffee spots, and food booths along the way towards Pier 39. The Pier 39 area often has live entertainment. There is even a giant shark mouth where you can take photos in near the Alcatraz tour information booth.

Visit Alcatraz
Tours headed to the infamous Alcatraz are located at Fisherman's Wharf. The boats leave at various times of the day for tours and tickets can be purchased onsite. A distant view of Alcatraz can be seen from the dock area and the ride over is part of the tour, providing a scenic San Francisco Bay waterviews of the surrounding area and bridges. If you've ever wondered what this infamous prison looked like, don't miss the Alcartaz tour.

Have Lunch at Fisherman's Wharf
Whether you're in the mood for some freshly caught crab or want to try one of the famous San Francisco sourdough breadbowls, lunch at Fisherman's Wharf is a nice way to sit down and enjoy the views. There are a number of seafood stands along the Pier 39 area, all selling fresh seafood. Many of the small take out restaurants have live crabs to see, as well as other fresh seafood catches. Boudin's has the popular sourdough breadbowls with clam chowder, and there are a few other sit down restaurants where you can order a bottle of California wine with lunch.

Make Time for Happy Hour at Joe's Crab Shack
Once you've had a refreshing walk along Fisherman's Wharf and enjoyed a few San Francisco treats, it may be time for Happy Hour at Joe's Crab Shack, located just around the bend from the Pier 39 area of Fisherman's Wharf. The happy hour runs on weekdays from 3-6 pm, offering $1.50 domestic beers, $2.00 well drinks, and $3.00 martinis. The pomegranate martini is out of this world,

Do Some Shopping
There are a number of places to grab some quick souvenirs in the Fisherman's Wharf area, mainly in the shops around the corner from the seafood stands around Pier 39. You can find everything from small San Francisco mementos to the popular discounted t-shirts and sweatshirts. Ghiradelli is the place to go to try some of the famous chocolates and a short walk from the piers.