Fisherman's Wharf san francisco tourist destination. If there is one neighborhood that many associate with San Francisco, whether it's their first visit or not, it's Fisherman's Wharf. The joyous sound of the two lines of cable cars in the area, the attractions, the sounds and smells along the busy Jefferson Street, renovated red brick factories, steaming pots of crabs Dungeness on the sidewalk: all this Helps make Fisherman's Wharf one of the city's most prominent tourist attractions year after year. The waves of San Francisco Bay, the noble Golden Gate Bridge and the island of Alcatraz, nicknamed "The Rock" also participate.
There is still commercial fishing activity at the historic headquarters of the San Francisco fishing fleet. With fewer fish and more visitors today, Fisherman's Wharf is now more of a tourist destination than a fishing spot. Pier 39 is a perfect illustration of this evolution with its renovated wharf now full of restaurants with views, souvenir shops, street performers and fun attractions like the Aquarium of the Bay.
The Blue & Gold Fleet organizes guided tours from Pier 39. The Red & White Fleet departs from Pier 43 1/2. Visits to Alcatraz and Angel Island (home to a very moving museum of Asia-Pacific immigration) are very popular, as are ships docked near Hyde Street Pier. Water taxis are also available on demand and serve various locations throughout the bay. For those who do not have the sea legs, Boudin Bakery displays on the menu its famous lam chowder, chowder of clams served in a fresh leavened bread bowl.
The former chocolate factory of Ghirardelli Square is today a superb complex dedicated to shopping and catering, as is The Cannery, a converted cannery and the Argonaut Hotel, nestled in a historic building. In total, a dozen hotels are located in or around Fisherman's Wharf and are connected to the city center by buses, cable cars and the historic F line of the tram.
A little thirst? Head to the cable car turntable at the corner of Hyde and Beach Streets and enter the Buena Vista Cafe. It is this very lively bar-restaurant that introduced the Irish Coffee to the United States in 1952.