This place has a bunch of shops: purses, jewelry, clothing, shoes, etc.. It also has a TON of food places. It is a great 1st or 2nd day vist. The worst part is the seals; they smelled like a field of cows. more

I am not a fan of tourist traps where I have to push through a crowd to get anywhere and everything is overrpriced. Pier 39 is no exception. The one restaurant that looked good for less that $20 per plate was closed for some reason. If you want to see sea lions in their natural environment, go to Alaska. It... more

The only good thing about this location are the sea lions that live there on the barges. All it is a collection of chain eateries and nik-nak shops. Not a place for a real traveler. more

The crowds weren't too bad when I went in November. There are plenty of restaurants and shops to go to. I actually liked Pier 39 a lot more than the surrounding Fisherman's Wharf area. There is a nice spot to take picture sthat has a good view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. The sea lion area is pretty... more

After having read the reviews of how lame this place was for being a tourist trap...I knew I had to visit it! It does stink...probably because of the sea lions and there was a lot of people...probably because it is a tourist trap. But they do have the Hard Rock cafe right there which was kind of nice to eat... more

The Shops are great and lots to do at and around Pier 39. more

Didn't like this place at all. It was crowded, tacky and full of junk. The only redeeming feature is the view of the sea lions - if you can get near them for the crowds. more

Pier 39 is a tourist trap. It's extremely crowded! We ate at Fog Harbor Fish House and were very happy with service and the food. We did not spend much time on the pier because the crowds were so bad. more

I guess if you're in San Francisco you might as well go to Pier 39 just to tell friends you did. Like others have mentioned it is a very typical tourist trap with a lot of what I call "junk tourist shops", nothing I would consider as real novelty shops. Beware the crowds are huge and on a hot day... more