History of Fisherman’s Wharf
In the late 1800s, Italian fishermen settled along the fishing port of San Francisco and built small wooden docks along the waterfront to dock their boats and unload fresh catches from the San Francisco Bay. They brought their unique fishing techniques with them and caught a variety of seafood. Among these, Dungeness crab became their specialty.
Over time, the area became home to seafood stalls selling fish, shrimp, and crab, and small restaurants serving fresh seafood to locals. Clam chowder eventually became one of the area’s most popular dishes and remains a bestseller at Boudin Bakery today.
By the early 20th century, the area became known for its lively fishing community and waterfront markets. Gradually, the fishing industry declined, but the district evolved into a major tourist destination. Today, Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 blend historic maritime heritage with vibrant tourism, making them some of the most iconic areas of San Francisco.
Since we stayed near Fisherman’s Wharf, we visited the area three times during our six-day trip.
Read more about our stay near Fisherman’s Wharf…
Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 are the most lively in the evening, while during the daytime, there are comparatively fewer visitors. The area becomes a hub for nightlife, good food, cruise docks, sunset and bay tours, and souvenir shopping.
Things to Do at Fisherman’s Wharf & Pier 39
Pier 39
Pier 39 opened in 1978 and was developed as a waterfront marketplace that combines shopping, dining, and entertainment with beautiful views of the San Francisco Bay.
After watching the sea lions, we explored the pier. The entire complex becomes very vibrant in the evening. With food joints, stores, street performances, and entertainment options, it is definitely worth spending an evening here.
We didn’t try any meals here but enjoyed a pistachio ice cream at Lappert’s.
There are also multiple boat operators at Pier 39, such as Blue & Gold Fleet, Bay Voyager, and San Francisco Whale Tours, offering sunset cruises, bay tours, and whale watching experiences.
Watching the Sea Lions
One of the highlights of visiting Pier 39 is watching the sea lions.
When Mihir visited earlier, there were plenty of sea lions fighting, resting, and making different sounds. However, when we visited in the morning this time, there were only a few of them, and we could easily count them. There was hardly any activity, which was disappointing for Yuven.
We assumed it might be because of the morning timing and hoped they would return later in the day. So, on another day, we visited in the evening. This time we saw them more active, though still not in very large numbers—just a few more than in the morning.
Based on our research, the best time to see sea lions is between March–May and August–October. We are not sure why the numbers were lower during our visit, but it was still fun watching them in action during the evening.
SkyStar Wheel
One evening while exploring the pier, we also stopped by the SkyStar Wheel.
This giant observation wheel offers panoramic views of the San Francisco waterfront and famous landmarks from about 150 feet above the ground.
However, we decided not to ride it because we felt the ticket price ($19 for adults and $13 for kids) wasn’t worth it for us, especially since we were planning to visit Coit Tower later for city views.
Boudin Bakery
Boudin Bakery needs no introduction when visiting Fisherman’s Wharf.
Founded in 1849, it is famous for its traditional San Francisco sourdough bread, made using a unique “mother dough” starter that has been maintained for generations.
At the flagship bakery and store at Fisherman’s Wharf, there is a dedicated section on the first floor showcasing the history of San Francisco and the bakery. Visitors can watch bakers preparing fresh bread through large viewing windows and also see creative sourdough shapes like crabs, turtles, and alligators. The entire area smells wonderful with the aroma of freshly baked sourdough bread.
We ate here twice during our trip—once for brunch and once for dinner.
During our first visit, we sat at Baker’s Hall and had
- California Veggie Sandwich
- Rustic Tomato Soup in a bread bowl
- Cheese garlic toast
We also ordered hot cocoa and coffee from Peet’s Coffee & Tea.
For dinner, we sat at Boudin Bistro (first floor) and ordered
- Vegetarian pizza
- Butter noodles
- Red wine
- Blondie sundae for dessert
We truly enjoyed both meals.
Aquarium of the Bay
The Aquarium of the Bay focuses on marine life found in and around the San Francisco Bay and is home to over 20,000 marine animals.
We had kept this on our list in case of a rainy day, when visiting outdoor attractions might not be possible. However, since we had already visited the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, we didn’t feel the need to spend time at another aquarium during this trip.
There is always a next time.
USS Pampanito Museum and Memorial
The USS Pampanito is a historic submarine museum located near Fisherman’s Wharf.
This submarine served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and completed six patrols in the Pacific Ocean, earning several battle honors for its service.
Visitors can step inside the submarine to experience what life was like for submariners during the war. Guests can explore narrow corridors, the control room, torpedo rooms, and crew quarters while listening to an audio tour explaining the submarine’s history.
Due to physical limitations, we skipped this attraction, but I’m sure it would be a unique and memorable experience.
Ghirardelli Square
Ghirardelli chocolates are very special to us. Since our first visit to Los Angeles in 2019, we have always made sure to stock up on them. We never forget to ask friends or family visiting the U.S. to bring some back for us. We especially love their dark chocolates.
So visiting Ghirardelli Square had been on our list for a long time, and during this trip, we got to visit it twice—once on our own and once with my college friends.
We met after almost a decade, and after dinner, the kids insisted on getting desserts from here.
Ghirardelli Square is a historic landmark that was originally home to the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company factory, founded by Italian chocolatier Domenico Ghirardelli in the 19th century. After the factory closed in the 1960s, the complex was renovated and transformed into a lively destination featuring boutique shops, restaurants, cafés, and the famous Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop, where visitors can enjoy chocolate sundaes and desserts or buy their wide range of chocolates.
The square also offers beautiful views of the San Francisco Bay.
During our first visit, we explored the entire square, which was getting decorated for Halloween. We had amazing desserts, hot cocoa, and bought assorted chocolates to take back home.
Afterward, we strolled through the nearby Aquatic Park area (Aquatic Park Bleachers and Maritime Garden) and enjoyed the sunset.
During our second visit with friends, we tried their famous sundaes, which turned out to be super delicious.
This place is a must-visit for chocolate lovers or anyone looking for a special dinner followed by dessert. The nearby beach area is also a wonderful place to spend a relaxing evening.
Wrapping Up Our Fisherman’s Wharf Experience
This covers everything we planned and explored around Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39.
If there are any other places in this area that you think we should visit, do let me know—I’d love to add them to our list for the future.
Stay tuned for the next post in this San Francisco travel series, where I’ll share the next set of places we explored in the city by the Bay.