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Fisherman's Wharf

Fisherman's Wharf

Fisherman's Wharf
4
NeighborhoodsPiers & BoardwalksScenic Walking Areas
About
The historic Fisherman’s Wharf is one of San Francisco’s must-visit spots. Even getting there is an experience in itself—you can hop on a classic cable car from downtown. Dine at a scenic waterfront restaurant (try the famous sourdough bread bowl), explore the area’s shops and art galleries, check out the street performances and don’t miss the historic WWII submarine—the USS Pampanito. You can catch all these highlights on a walking, bike or big bus tour. Stay for the magnificent sunset views and if you’re lucky, you might even spot the mischievous sea lions at Pier 39. – Tripadvisor
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area

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Neighborhood: Fisherman’s Wharf
Packed with family-friendly entertainment, quality hotels, and good food, there's something for everyone at Fisherman's Wharf. From street performers and historic cable cars to art galleries and museums, a postcard-worthy photo is available on every corner. Bring your appetite: seafood lovers will be rewarded with Dungeness crab and sourdough bread bowls, while Ghirardelli Square will satiate anyone's sweet tooth after a day at Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Don't forget to say hello to the adorable sea lions that make this neighborhood a true San Francisco treat.
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See what travelers are saying

  • Janis Y
    Palo Alto, California110 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Can give it a try!
    Used to love this place! But after the pandemic, everything changed. Many stores closed, but few new places open. Will go to another attraction instead. SF tourism is slowly picking up, maybe soon the international tourists come back, and this famous place will awake again. :) Best wishes!
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written October 3, 2023
  • Joanne
    Lake Mary, Florida2,132 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    fun walking around
    It is a bit on the touristy side. But there is a lot to do with a free machine museum and the USS Pampanito. They are worth a visit. The views of the bay and bridges are fantastic, pictures can't get the visual effect. Some street performers do set up quickly and are a bit on the loud side with their music.
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written November 22, 2023
  • AMohsen
    Port Said, Egypt718 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Vibrant and must spend high quality time there
    It is quite a vibrant and joyful region that allows spending high-quality time. It is cheerful and full of tourists. The region includes popular and picturesque piers, malls, shopping outlets, driving small race cars, and several activities. It is one of the best locations to reside and reserve the accommodation.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 26, 2024
  • Nico Samneil Sy Salado
    Newport, Vermont2,001 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Yeah cool
    This place became iconic since the sign for the wharf is here. Whole wharf has been changed into a tourist spot so it’s cool looking with lots of activities. Modern cable car has also a stop here. See images further reference.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 11, 2024
  • Rachel & Andy
    392 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice Area but a Tourist Trap
    Visited: 10/06/2023 Fisherman's Wharf could be another tourist trap for sure. It was well worth the visit, but be wary of prices on food and things to do. The streets are lined with stalls of food and craft vendors so the walkways can be really crowded, and worse when people are not aware of surroundings and suddenly stop in front of you. It is a nice are to walk around, but prices are hiked up. What I will recommend is an old style gaming arcade called Musee Mechanique where they have retro-fitted lots of centuries old arcade games to take modern coins to still be played. It's like a museum but with games. Fabulous. And seeing the USS Pampanito was fabulous as well.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 25, 2024
  • Cara Lee
    Tokomaru Bay, New Zealand14 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Room with a view
    Enjoyed the dining experience and many options available. Spent the whole day there. Best to shop around for sales as some souvenir shops are expensive again alot of options. The sea lions were a must see and we enjoyed watching them for a time. Some very good street entertainers. Easy access to tour boats and buses etc. On a downside a couple of rest rooms we used were filthy and reeked of urine and Marijuana which was not nice so didn't use. They need more restrooms that have attendants to keep clean.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 5, 2024
  • DesertTrips
    Morocco381 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unforgettable Experience at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco
    We had an amazing time at Fisherman's Wharf! The lively atmosphere and beautiful waterfront views made it perfect for walking around. Our seafood lunch was delicious, with fresh clam chowder and bay crab. There’s so much to see and do, from street performers and historic ships to the Aquarium of the Bay and the bustling Pier 39. Fisherman's Wharf is a must-visit for anyone in San Francisco. Highly recommend!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written June 7, 2024
  • Lucas A
    Daly City, California13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Relaxing and fun day at Fisherman's Wharf !
    Went there at lunch time to just see the new wheel installed there and it was amazing! We walked on Jefferson street and there was a lot of performances on the road. There are small stores selling cotton candies, hot dog, drinks and souvenirs. There were a few guys dancing and singing too! we stopped there for a good 30 mins to enjoy our show and we dropped some tips for them for the good show. It's really hot in SF today and I really admire their determination. We got on the wheel and enjoy the view from the top of the wheel and it's so relaxing. We were slowly travelling up to the top and the whole process is simply enjoyment. I highly recommend the Ferris wheel trip if anyone is in SF. I heard they change places once in a while so I'm not sure will the wheel still be here next time if anyone is visiting the Wharf. We visited the Boudin Bakery & cafe on our way back and it was huge. You can see the process of the bread making, all the dough and smell the bread a miles far. This is a really good experience and relaxing meal after the wheel just under the sun and enjoy. Anyway, I enjoyed my trip to the Wharf today and it's simply amazing.
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written July 4, 2024
  • paws0810
    Mesa, Arizona3,067 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Weekend
    It’s been a few years since we’ve been at the wharf. We’ve been here four times and 40 years. It’s still fun beautiful weather, breezy, sunny, cool wind enjoyed everything it was clean and not a lot of crazy people
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 17, 2024
  • Randy F
    Pinckney, Michigan981 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice going Gavin.
    It’s been two years since we were last here. All of the oldest establishments are out of business. A lot of smaller businesses are closed. There were a lot of people walking around, still there are restaurants just not as much choice. Same thing in Oakland. Jack London square has been destroyed, 80% of businesses have closed. Keep up the good work gov.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 3, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles19,667 reviews
Excellent
8,143
Very good
6,695
Average
3,397
Poor
975
Terrible
457

Maggie
California376 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
We live about an hour away so on the weekends we often go to Fisherman's Wharf. My kids love going there because there is so much to see and do and so much good food. There's always something going on whether it's a show or a parade or live music. I've seen another reviews where they mentioned that there are homeless people but like any big city there will be some. But I have never felt unsafe or threatened in any way and I always go with my young kids. Overall I would recommend Fisherman's Wharf as there is again so much to do and see as a family or on a date because there are so many nice restaurants in area.
Written January 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

steve
phoenix, Arizona, USA111 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
This place is a plethora of visual stimulation and oddities. Vendors, beggars and foreign visitors all in one covenient location. Though I have never had a problem, I would watch my wallet and go with a friend if possible. Most pan handlers have always been very polite and appreciative. We usually make a point to spend a few daylight hours there everytime we visit the city. Yes it is tacky and touristy, but always something new to see and experience. Lots of delicious food choices. Leave the car if practical as parking can get pricey. Plenty of fresh air, water views, ferry boat excursions and souvenir shopping if you absolutely need a trinket.
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sunnee R
10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
SO many things to see and do in this area. Boudin bakery, restaurant, bakery, cafe, the Crab House, and te Fish Market for food. Tons of shirt and sweats to buy, it may be cooler and windier thant you expected. Take a cruise on the bay to get the true effect that San Francisco is on a peninsula surrounded on three isde by cool water. There are street performers, kiosks with stuff to buy and this is the area where you can pick up and retron from the Big Red Bus that takes you all around town, well worth the time and price IMHO. Hop on Hop off.
Written June 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mini
Fremont, CA212,215 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Although this place is very touristy, we like Fisherman Wharf There is the variety of old time seafood restaurants, There is the Museee Mechanique. There is the wonderful bakers to see at Boudin. There are the small street vendors selling fresh fish and other things.

Views of the San Francisco Bay are amazing.
Written August 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lengtan67
Kuala Lumpur1,177 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 • Solo
My visit was in early February, and found it rather quiet probably due to lack of tourists attributed by Covid.

Many shops and restaurants were also not in operations, as such the entire place was even quieter by 7pm.

Nevertheless, was still an interesting place to explore minus the crowd and managed to find some good eats like deep fried calamari or prawns and clam chowder from any of the 2 corner shops nearest to the Fisherman's Wharf iconic signage - something not to be missed if we love deep fried items.

Fisherman's Wharf is easily accessible by Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde cable car line and also the tram or streetcar Line F.
Written March 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

duck8to
Montville, NJ6,814 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
It is an iconic landmark in San Francisco. It's beginnings go back to the Gold Rush days in the 1800s and the Italian immigrants who sailed their "feluccas", lateen-rigged sailboats in pursuit of the days catch. Their mostly green vessels were constructed in Old world fashion with hulls carved in the image of their patron saints. Little if any on these vessels can be seen at Fisherman's Wharf today. Gasoline engine driven Monterey Hulls came next followed by diesel powered craft fully equipped with state of the art technology. While there are plenty of marinas and boats today, the old charm has long past. Even the fishermen who offered their Dungeness crabs from boiling urns in paper cups is now history and folktales.

The cable car invented by Andrew Hallidle in August 2, 1873 still runs along the Wharf. The Bayside History Walk marks the iconic history of Fisherman's Wharf with period landmarks and history plaques. Such landmarks include: the Italian Harbor Pier 9, Shipbuilding at Steamboat Point Pier 40, and Whaling on the West coast Pier 52, to name a few.

The 49 Mile Scenic Drive which was created in 1938 includes Fisherman's Wharf. It starts at City Hall and passes by many historic and iconic landmarks in San Francisco.

There are great views of Alcatraz on Pier 33 and boisterous seals rest on docks waiting for more tourists to photograph them. The main attraction today is the !.000 foot long Pier 39 the heart of Fisherman's Wharf. Shops and restaurants abound. Bubba Gump, Hard Rock , Houdinis Magic Shop, Aquarium by the Bay and the Alcatraz Gift Shop are the attractions of today's Fisherman's Wharf. The day's of Joe DiMaggio and his ancestors can no longer be seen.
Written December 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jmcn80
Washington100 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
This place is a tourist destination but we felt a little uneasy about being there with our kids. It was okay during the mid-day hours but once it started to get late afternoon toward dusk, the crowd changed. It's not a place for kids. There was a lot of open drug use and panhandling. It was very dirty and we saw fights among the homeless. We had to keep the kids close by and tell them to just ignore what they saw/heard. We didn't spend much time here. We just took the kids back to the hotel.
A real shame too. When I was a kid and visited, it was completely different. It was clean and safe.
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

markandsian
Chester, UK190 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
This was the only let down of our entire trip to San Francisco. It smelled of marijuana and urine. Birds dive bombing you for food and if you found a bench that didn't smell and wasn't next to an overflowing bin, you were surrounded by sparrows. We were accosted by a couple of people asking for donations for CDs and a sticker with happy SF face on it. Beware. Shops (apart from the chocolate shop at Ghiradelli) were tacky. Food was well over-priced and the hotels just off the front were not very well presented. I'm glad they were all booked up when I booked as I think I would have been very disappointed if I'd ended up staying here. Needs some attention. Has no charm.
Written February 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

travellerLyn_Canada
Lyn, Canada31 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We enjoyed seeing the sea lions but found the rest very very touristy and over priced. Had clam chowder in a sour dough bowl. Not the tastiest we have ever had.Two orders and a small coke were $30!!!!!!!
Written February 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mahea M
Pomona, California, United States7 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Friends
Enjoyed everything there except these 2 street performers. Be aware of 2 male break dancers claiming to represent a help children charity. Hi dollar, hi pressure scam. They even get volunteers from the crowd to build up the act. I was one of the volunteers. Then they turn on the pressure and start collecting money. They request $10 - $20+ and ridicule you if you only give a couple of dollars. Stay away, just keep walking.
Written October 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Fisherman's Wharf - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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