At Pier 39 San Francisco, you will find shops, an arcade, ferry boat booths, bike rental stations, restaurants, diving pools, 3D rides, street performances, sea animals, and many more. Best of all, you can enjoy scenic views of The Golden Gate Bridge, The Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, and Angel Island.
There was a great deal of activity all around the Pier area when we visited. There are all types of shops – just about any type of tourist-y type shopping that you can imagine.
We ate lunch at Chowders, one of the sidewalk cafe seafood restaurants while we were there. The food was pretty good, but a little on the expensive side (for tourists from Tennessee anyway), but not any more expensive than any other restaurant in San Francisco. The kids say that the Clam Chowder was GREAT!
The shops at Pier39 were fun to stroll through, and the view of the bay from the pier was absolutely beautiful… but, I did not want to spend a great deal of time there because the shops that we saw were mostly shops that you see at any large mall in any large city….. and I would rather spend my limited time in San Francisco seeing all of the unique sites.
Now, this is just my humble opinion…. my teenage girls would have stayed there all day long!!!!
A Bit of History
Pier 39’s construction began in August of 1977. Due to it’s money-making potential, commercial business owners showed interest. Therefore, stores of all sorts were built.
As years went by, the number of visitors started to increase and Pier 39’s popularity increased. It now boasts the title: one of the most visited tourist attractions in the US.
Famous Sights At The Pier
- The “Open Heart” (a sculpture symbolizing the openness of the city’s heart)
- Carousels
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
- Think Out of the Box play areas
- Infinite Mirror Maze
- Musical staircases
The Sea Lion Pier
Because sea lions frequent the area, Pier 39 is also known as The Sea Lion Pier. Since the first sighting in 1989 was reported, these adorable sea animals have considered the pier as their home.
Pier 39 San Francisco Reviews
Additional reviews of Pier 39 in San Francisco
Pier 39 Attraction Pass
The Pier 39 Attraction Pass – Your all-in-one PIER 39 Attraction Pass includes admission to Aquarium of the Bay, Magowan’s Infinite Mirror Maze, 7D Experience, a one-hour San Francisco Bay Cruise, and a ticket on the San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off Tour good for 48-hours. Save even more with additional coupons and discounts for many of the pier’s restaurants and stores in the PIER 39 Fun Pack.
Pier 39 San Francisco Fun Facts
- Pier 39 is home to a 60’ Christmas tree every holiday season.
- In the winter, you can see close to 900 sea lions at the Pier.
- Sword swallowing, unique tightrope, juggling, balancing, and magic are among the one-of-a-kind performances that you can see at the pier.
So, what do you have to say?