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    PIER 39

    4.0 (1.6k reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 9:00 pm

    PIER 39 Photos

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    Michelle F.

    Pier 39 is one of those places that is part amusement center surrounded by some "cool" shops and great places to eat. The wooden dock area had a variety of restaurants serving everything from the infamous clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl to tacos and then the usual amusements center foods. When you walk to the end of the pier, there is a great view of Alcatraz island and down below is floating docks with sea lions and seals. This is the type of place that you could stop in for a great meal or stay and play the day away.

    Pier 39 is always fun
    Mary Lou S.

    Always a fun stop when in SF. Had lunch at nearby Cioppino's and there's an In n Out burger across the street! Guess I haven't been to SF in a while. lol. There was parking nearby, but it was pricey. Lots of shops and restaurants. Great spots for taking pictures.

    Alyssa A.

    Popular stop for anyone's visit to San Francisco, we stop by here on each visit to seal the seals. Walk to the back of the pier, enjoy the bay, take a look at Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, and take a look at (and listen to) all the seals lazing around. One of my favorite stops in SF. There's also a bunch of shops and restaurants on the pier. I've tried a few of the restaurants, and they're good - definitely overpriced as the pier is a tourist destination. But they have good views of the bay. So dependent on what you're looking for. Good spot to look for souvenirs. So many different shop options to pick from. Centrally located to so many different SF destinations. Easy walk from the Ferry Building, Ghirardelli Square, and the Embarcadero. It gets BUSY during high tourist season, so just be aware. Parking is expensive here. We just ubered to the area and then walked around to all the nearby areas from there to avoid having to park our car. Good stop to get in some of the classic SF vibes.

    Robert L.

    I haven't been back here since my parents were alive, and walking onto the pier brought a wave that hit deeper than the ocean breeze. This was their spot. My dad would light up over those mini donuts, powdered sugar everywhere and not a care in the world. My mom loved her clam chowder, the kind that warmed her hands first and her heart right after. As kids we ran around this place like it was our personal amusement park--games, crowds, seagulls stealing fries, all of it was magic. Coming back, it still felt the same... the sounds, the food, the energy. But their laughter wasn't there this time, and that absence echoed in a way only memory can. Even so, it reminded me why this place will always matter to me. Pier 39 holds pieces of my childhood, of my family, of moments you can't recreate but you can revisit when you need to feel close to where you came from. It's still fun, still full of life, and still that special place my parents turned into a tradition. And for that, it will always be a part of me.

    Mona A.

    Pier 39 is the famous touristy pier that I used to love going as a kid. Over the years it's been a hit or a miss depending on how I am feeling and the purpose of the visit. I do love the million shops it has, and the sea lions that you can see from the pier and some good seafood restaurants (touristy) along with coffee shops. There is a hot sauce spot that I like as well I love it when they have fireworks here along with a big Christmas tree lighting. It's been around 5 years since I have been, but I have been here plenty of times before and it hasn't really changed that much over the years. Overall a good spot

    Super Bowl sign. A good picture spot.
    Ja'Nelle S.

    Pier 39 was a fun spot for my children and I while visiting San Francisco. We watched the sea otters and walked around the Pier. I loved the view of Alcatraz in the background. A bottle of water cost me $4.50 at a stand. Be prepared to pay the prices or bring your own drinks and food.

    Shelby G.

    Pier 39 never disappoints. There is always things to do, places to eat, attractions, lots of art, street performers, vendors and all kinds of parking, nice paved paths to walk plus electric, manual bike rentals and scooters. Things are spendy but I believe this area is consistently priced with other spots. Restrooms are clean, dog friendly, kid friendly.

    Brandon T.

    Absolutely Go to Pier 39! Every time my family and I come to San Francisco this is a must stop. Obviously it's kind of a tourist trap, but just great food and snacks and a fun, safe environment for the family here. Parking during the daytime is a real bummer. Anywhere you go, and can be extremely difficult. But once you're here, just so much to do and taste and take in. My mom had never been to San Francisco before so this was top on her list and it did not disappoint. We had some amazing seafood and snacks when walking around. Definitely visited the left-handed store since there are a couple of lefties in the family, including myself. Walk through the arcade and got some great coffee and just enjoyed the view of the bay.

    Christmas Tree in front of Pier 39
    Michael L.

    I personally have taken for granted the awesome place, Pier 39. Being born a raised in SF and having lived for close to half a century here, not until I did a staycation in Fisherman's Wharf did I come to realize I have lived my whole life near a special place. The vibe and crowds enjoying themselves during the holidays. The seals, the food, the games, the entertainment, and so much to see and do. Pier 39 is a must. Sometimes it's good to stop and smell the sourdough, ocean, seafood, and Trish's Donuts...

    Kay M.

    There's a paid parking garage across the pier. There's also street parking a block away that cost from $1 per hour to $10.25 per hour. Came on a weekend. There were a lot of people on the pier. Lots of shops and restaurants. Great place to bring families.

    Pier 39
    Cisco L.

    Accident place to try the local flavors like the clam chowder and the bread bowl, would definitely go around and get something hot to check out the local sea lions

    Alan C.

    I remember when the pier opened in 1978, it was such a big event. Dianne Feinstein opened the pier wearing a "Sutro baths" swimsuit, after losing a bet with the developers that the pier wouldn't open in time.. This is such a fun place to come. A lot of people just call it a tourist trap, but it is so much more. Sure, there's the chain restaurants, and the chain stores, but then there's a lot of local restaurants, souvenir, shops, there's a magic store, there's a knife store, there's just so much to see and do They have rides, including the two-story carousel, and the "flying over San Francisco" ride. They also have street performers that do their thing. They have a special stage set up for them.. The star of the pier is the sea lions. It was the middle of December, and there were less than they usually are. Maybe they went home for the holidays :) Where the sea lions are now at used to be boat docks, and then when the sea lions started taking over the docks, , eventually they won out, and the boats left. You can read this to get more information about the sea lions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pier_39 I had a lot of fun. Thanks.

    Bernice C.

    I visited in December and was surprised by how few sea lions there were compared to my previous visit. I remember seeing many more before, so it may have been seasonal. Many of the shops sell typical tourist items, but I loved Lola's shop. It had a great selection of fun cards, San Francisco themed children's books, puzzles, and artistic gifts. Aside from that, there wasn't much to see at Pier 39.

    It could be Fire but where does the Ice come in ?

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    PIER 39 Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - PIER 39

    Ci sono parcheggi sicuri dove lasciare l'auto per una giornata?

    Non ho parcheggiato personalmente lì, ma in base alle recensioni sembra che il garage principale del Pier 39, che si trova direttamente dall'altra parte della strada rispetto al Pier 39 tra l'Embarcadero e Beach Street, sia sicuro e le persone… Read more

    Is there a Nordstrom store in Pier 39?

    No!

    What stores are there?

    Many stores & shops of all types. There are many signs throughout Pier 39 listing location and store type. Pier 39 is also a great lookout spot at various locations: LOOK for the PHOTO-SPOT signs! In the Spring, the street flower beds are blooming… Read more

    Is there a Bath and Body works?

    There is no Bath and Body works

    What places on the pier are dog friendly?

    The public sidewalks perpendicular of the pier would be acceptable. There is still plenty to see and do with a pooch. However, --… Read more

    Is parking available?

    We were just there, parking cost about $15/hr some places will validate up to 3hr depending on how much you spend at there location. parking is very limited and its not easy to move from one place to another. For $5 ($12 if you include cable… Read more

    Is it possible to buy a replica "Van Ness Ave" Street sign at a gift shop?

    No, there isn't anything like that available at Pier 39. San Francisco Street signs aren't for sale at any shop in the City.

    Is the pier 39 attraction pass valid only for one day?

    It's a free place no need for pass if you have a car for parking you to pay or might be free parking is available.

    What time does it open? Or can you just go see the seals early in the am?

    Is open when the animals are

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    Review Highlights - PIER 39

    Much to my surprise, you can see Alcatraz at the end of the pier without having to pay for a cruise trip.

    Mentioned in 252 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Embarcadero Center - Embarcadero

    Embarcadero Center

    3.6(97 reviews)
    1.2 miFinancial District
    $$

    Came for a few hours for a meeting. Flew in from out of town. Very minimal instructions were given…read moreto me to get here. Luckily it's all pretty straight forward when you arrive. If you're walking. That's easy. Just pop it into your GPS. If you're taking a cab then I would suggest putting as your destination "Devil Teeth Baking" as getting dropped off at other locations around the area is pretty chaotic (I mean it's already pretty chaotic as it is since you're in the financial district of San Fran). There are many businesses in here. But I came for a business meeting. So if youre going for something like that, you'll want to enter the cement building (no doors just opened entry) and go up one flight of stairs / escalators and head to the lobby. From there, you let them know that you have a meeting and on what floor and give them your name. They'll check in the database for it and then let you into the elevators. You hit the button and off you go. Some of my colleagues found parking around the area but they live here so much more familiar. They suggested to me to not have a car. The meeting space I was in was on the 12th floor and it was a few large meeting spots and some smaller offices that are rented out to different businesses. There's a wellness room and a business center with stationeries. I'm assuming every floor is different. Mine had some color to it. Plants, paintings, art etc. It felt a bit homier than what a generic office would look like. The people were chill too. Good spot. Decent value. Would host a meeting here again!

    Based upon these criteria, I give this event 5 stars based upon :…read more- the ability to meetup & network , - service (mobile bar &Happy Hour) , - site/location (Embarcadero Center) , - value Embarcadero Center Presents Summer Happy Hour Wednesday, July 31 | 4-6pm Urban Patio, Three Embarcadero Center 1) https://embarcaderocenter.com/bar-car-at-embarcadero-center/ 2) https://dothebay.com/events/2024/7/31/summer-happy-hour-at-embarcadero-center-tickets-7-31?fbclid=IwY2xjawEXbtBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQgCExw7wiM5iKRdS0l0itlSr2cAOUW1NDf1kh8GpXP6fZO-iJtpKmDRcA_aem_Rzn27kTXStVBBRFJUEJoLQ

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    Embarcadero Center - Embarcadero

    Embarcadero

    Embarcadero Center
    Embarcadero Center - Where's the elevator

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    Where's the elevator

    San Francisco Centre - Psychedelic escalators

    San Francisco Centre

    3.7(1.1k reviews)
    1.7 miUnion Square, SoMa
    $$

    Oh man! So I use to perform the Fire Alarm Inspection at the Nordstrom for about 7 years straight…read moretill they closed. Went back to do a job walk foe the entire center and boy was i shocked! I cannot believe how empty this place got. Super sad really. I remember the mall to be packed! One of the most iconic and beautiful Nordstroms. Bloomingdales. The most amazing dome. The upside down Christmas tree under the dome. Man, they use to go all out! And now it's all gone. A literal ghost town inside with scary homeless people running around. Well, at least, Panda is still open and we didn't have to wait in line at all, so that's a plus. I sincerely hope they can salvage this mall and that it would eventually come back to life! I really do hope so!!

    Everything went downhill drastically after the iconic four-story Nordstrom and two-story…read moreBloomingdale's were gone. Even 90% of the food court is gone. The remaining eateries are Panda Express and Shake Shack. The movie theater is gone. Walgreens is gone. One entrance to BART/MUNI remained locked. It's so sad to see what happened post-pandemic. The memories of walking around the spiral escalators to Nordstrom, having frozen yogurt while waiting for my grandmother to arrive, sitting next to a Mexican family while eating food court sushi, and shopping for cute clothes at American Eagle Outfitters as a teen. Long live the past of shopping in the 2010s. The entrances on Market Street still smell like urine, though. The majority of SF residents blame the city officials for letting criminals and homelessness go free, which made most retail stores shut down due to robberies. Less than 28 stores remained in business. The best part is that the public restrooms are still open, and there's access to BART/MUNI near the GNC Store. The best shopping mall in SF is Stonestown Galleria, next to San Francisco State University, where you can take the MUNI train M.

    Photos
    San Francisco Centre - (c) SFGate

    (c) SFGate

    San Francisco Centre - (c) SFGate

    (c) SFGate

    San Francisco Centre - (c) SFGate

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    (c) SFGate

    Wharf Central - USA is my favorite country

    Wharf Central

    3.2(25 reviews)
    0.3 miFisherman's Wharf, North Beach/Telegraph Hill
    $$

    The holidays in San Francisco is a tourist attraction . One place everyone likes to go when they…read morevisit San Francisco is the tourist trap named Fisherman's Wharf. Being a designated tour guide during the holiday season and being a San Francisco native I have to school people from all over the world what to do and where to eat and drink in SF. I know they want to try the Dungeness Crab , Clam Chowder sourdough bread and Buena Vista Irish Coffee. Tourist like shopping and one place on Jefferson and Taylor street you will find lots of things San Francisco is a place called Wharf Central. Inside you will find everything San Francisco related souvenirs. They also have lots of clothing like hoodies and hats that have San Francisco on it. One thing I know is people like to leave San Francisco with some gear which has San Francisco on it. Even some sport front runners who keep saying the Bay from the East Bay and North Bay want to wear San Francisco 49ers and Giants gear in SF ( former Oakland Raiders and A's fans). It's a good thing to see people from around the region, country and world visiting San Francisco in 2025. The year 2026 would even be more people visiting the city and Wharf Central is a place which will have lots items to fulfill the tourist trap needs in SF. San Francisco is my place of "birth"on planet "earth" where you can grab some crab, fish, shrimp and and steak also known as "surf and "turf "at the Tourist Trap called "Fishermans Wharf" Come take a 2026 "San Francisco stroll"where they will play at Moscone Center the NFL "Pro Bowl "and a few miles away is Levi's Stadium home of the Forty Niners and the "2026 Super Bowl" and also 2026 home the FIFA World Cup matches where you will hear a crowd yell" Goooooooal"

    On Saturday evening my boyfriend stopped in with me to help me try on some shoes since…read moreunfortunately the ones I had on from a previous store were painfully tight. Looking at their selection they had a lot beach shoes for woman, but it would be nice to see a larger section for men's shoes. Especially since their shoes run on the smaller side in my opinion. I did manage to find a very comfortable pair of Roxy slide sandals that fit me perfectly and were very comfortable walking around SF in! I would recommend this souvenir/beach shop and could see myself returning when in need of something specific, our cashier was friendly and it's conveniently located in the Fisherman's Wharf!

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    Wharf Central
    Wharf Central - I keep seeing this mouthy person on my social media feed in SF showing off food dishes

    I keep seeing this mouthy person on my social media feed in SF showing off food dishes

    Wharf Central

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    PIER 39 - shoppingcenters - Updated May 2026

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