Things to do on Pier 39
Pier 39 is located on the San Francisco waterfront near the Fisherman’s Wharf area of the city and is one of the most popular destinations for visitors to California. The pier is home to many great restaurants offering local seafood as well as other cuisines. If shopping is your thing you will find 90+ stores offering everything from souvenirs to sports memorabilia. Pier 39 is also where you can find fun and exciting attractions such as the Aquarium of the Bay and the 7D experience.
Pier 39 Tourist Information
Located at the entrance of Pier 39 to the left you will find the Pier 39 Information Kiosk (pictured above). The staff there will be able to help you with information and maps related to Pier 39 as well as information about San Francisco. You can also book Bus Tours, Bay Cruises, Napa and Sonoma Wine Country tours and much more.
On level 2 of Pier 39 you will find the Official California Welcome Center where you can get information on San Francisco and the rest of California. You will be book tours, get guidebooks, maps, souvenirs as well as discounts coupons for many of the restaurants and attractions on Pier 39. They provide luggage storage and pushchair and wheelchair rental also.
Click here for a detailed map of Pier 39
The Sealions at Pier 39
If you walk to the end of Pier 39 and visit K-Dock you will find the world famous sealions who have made the pontoons their home. The sealions first appeared after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and began taking over the piers on the Pier 39 marina, much to the annoyance of the marina tenants. After numerous attempts to shoe them away they eventually had to give up and the numbers grew and grew reaching a peak of over 1500 in 2009. Today they have become one of the most popular attractions in San Francisco and have their own area of Pier 39. While there why not pay a visit to the Marine Mammal Center just upstairs from the viewing area where you can learn more about the sealions and pick up some sealion related souvenirs.
Restaurants at Pier 39
Pier 39 is the perfect spot for lunch or dinner. Choose from local restaurants offering locally sourced seafood or visit one of the chain restaurants that have made Pier 39 their home.
Restaurants include:
- Hard Rock Café
- Bubba Gump Shrimp
- Chart House
- Forbes Island
- Hana Zen
- Eagle Café
- Fog Harbor Fish House
- Wipeout Bar and Grill
Shopping at Pier 39
Souvenirs, magnets, T Shirts, Spices, even left handed scissors, you can find it all at one of Pier 39s over 90 stores.
Stores include:
- Under the Golden Gate
- Leftys San Francisco
- The Spice & Tea Exchange
- The Shell Cellar
- Magnetron
- Laline
- San Francisco Salt Company
- Alpaca Fashion
- Sunglass Hut
- NFL/College Store
- Del Sol
Things to do at Pier 39
Pier 39 has a lot of things to do beyond just shopping and eating. There are fun things for children and adults alike.
Attractions include:
- Aquarium of the Bay
- 7D Experience
- Players Arcade
- Magowans Infinite Mirror Maze
- Sealions
- Carousel
- Frequent Flyers
- Open Heart
Outdoor Movie Night at Pier 39
On the last Friday of the month, Pier 39 hosts an outdoor movie night. Bring your blanket or dress up warm and grab a bite to eat at one of the many Pier 39 eateries before sitting down to take in a movie in the fresh San Francisco air. You can go to the link below to see what movie is playing.
