Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39

Crowded and touristy, but for good reasons. The street musicians are phenomenal and professionally trained. There are awesome seafood restaurants and shops all along the wharf, and the sea lions and the Bush Man are additional positive features. And, of course, the clam chowder is amazing.

Fisherman's Wharf is a nice place to spend a day and get some chowder in a sourdough bowl. However, I find it to be touristy as the Alcatraz sales office is on the Wharf. You can walk around and see all the stinky sea lions lounging, which is cool if you are from Philly and are only familiar with stinking streets! If you don't have much to do stop at the Wharf, because you could just see it and leave. It is mostly shops!

God Bless my mom's heart. Every time she visits she wants to go to the wharf. I always agree even though I don't see the appeal. It's crowded with tourists and full of shops with all the same crap in them. Maybe a bowl of clam chowder at the wharf is worth it, I'm not sure really though. Ok, ok....the sea lions ARE definitely worth it! They smell bad but they are so cute!

Its touristy but there are some nifty places even for locals. There are sea lions at the end of the pier and you can watch them fight over their platforms. There is an aquarium, a great view of Alcatraz and the golden gate bridge.

I would hate to see a tourist to leave SF with Fisherman's Wharf as their main impression of the city, but unfortunately many people do. It's overhyped and expensive, though the Holiday Inn is relatively affordable--yeah, consider $200 a night for that part of the city a steal. The buildings have that run-down look that you find on Santa Cruz's boardwalk, but in Fisherman's Wharf they are not ramshackle in a good way. Food is, however, excellent. I like to shock Bostonians with my opinion that the clam chowder at Fisherman's Wharf is better, but it's true. And who doesn't love the charming sea lions? I would have given this place two stars when I was there, but it gets three as of this writing because I heard that the Musee Mecanique moved there recently--it's a weird historical museum of 19th-century automatons and peep machines that I saw when it was located at the Cliff House.

i love that place i when to it about a coulpe months ago!

Touristy, but obligatory for any City newbies

has a few good "hidden treasures" other than the usual touristy things...

eew...

Great tourist attraction!

This place attracts the tourists, but it's a pretty weak tourist attraction. I would eat and sightsee elsewhere. Good place to catch a boat to Alcatraz, though.

Fun area to go to. Some shops and some cool places to eat. Also has a great view of the bay!

Tourist mecca. Doesn't do much for me, but obviously popular

Muy turista! Still it is worth the visit, once.

Went there last fall and loved it. Wish we could have spend more time there

i lived in san francisco when i was 5 and i remember the the ride that takes through the san francisco earthquake its something ill never forget. i have returned to sanfrancisco many times for different reasons. i know its considered a tourist trap but every time i go to the wharf i always bring home one new memory. this wonderful street artist drew a picture of my boys when they were 4&5 in 10 minutes. it is so awesome and he captured their differences so perfectly . they are only 18 mo apart but seemed more like twins when they were smaller. eating crab on the curb by a crab shack. taking the ride to alcatraz or around alcatraz. tourist trap or not i love the wax museum and i wanted kids to see it at least once

Made up of a million crappy tourist stores with those cheesy gifts. Although Pier 39 is cool and has some decent restaurants and shops.

Tourist trap first hand. So what if it's a tourist trap? Please!! Just plain tacky with cheap tee shirt shops and other tacky shops. Touristy areas across america are all the same. Tacky. I love San Francisco but I stay away from this tacky, fake touristy mess.

So what if it's a tourist trap? If the patrons enjoy themselves and spend money, isn't that the point? Lots to see and do, plenty of food, not too many tacky tourist things, plus all the harbor seals, the view of Alcatraz, and the sharp smell of the ocean breeze. What more do you want?

BEware of Tourist Trap ! MAKE SURE YOU LOOK VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU BUY !!Cruise around and bought a few things from a terrible looking store called EARTHQUAKE SHOPPING, way over priced, dirty and I can easily find the same item or better across the street at a lower price. When you want to return it, there is a NO RETURN policy, and their employee will yell at you ! What a tourist trap. NEVER SHOP THERE AGAIN !! Otherwise, overall FIshermans wharf experience not bad ! Food is wonderful.

The best thing was the view from the end of the pier, watching container ships coming in to port.

We spent a whole afternoon here, what a blast! So much to see and food to indulge in.

SF Fisherman's wharf is a great place for a stroll or take your dates out for a day. Most places are "tourist trap", especially in pier 39. There are a few good shops (must see) on Jefferson Street, one of them is adjacent corner to the famous "shipswheel" called Golden Voyage. This is the most honest, most unique store and the friendiest store in the whole Fisherman's wharf, and definitely not a tourist trap. They have a nice selection of name brand clothing, as well as a unique selection of souvenirs and quality clothing where you cannot find any where else at a very good price. This store is definitely a treasure trove ! The store look expensive on the outside but very reasonable and inexpensive inside. Trust me on this !

Though its very busy, its romantic and just leaves you with a warm feeling. Get the clam chowder in a sourdough bowl, its the best clam chowder you'll ever have.

Great place to go shopping! Beautiful prints, t-shirts, coffee mugs, knick-knacks of SF....there's also stores like "NFL Shop" and "Zero Gravity" that are always fun. Plus, a great arcade, 2 story carousel, and the added attraction of the sea lions and all the food you can eat!

Too many tourist traps and junk souvenir shops. Junk food and overpriced trinkets. Pier 39 is a good-looking shopping mall and a nice place to sit on a bench or lean over a rail and watch the boats on the bay but I've rarely found anything I wanted to actually buy here. Fine if you're a tourist and have plenty of money, I guess.

In my opinion, this is the best attraction in SF. Yes, it is expensive to buy anything there, but everywhere you go that has a lot of tourism is. They have some very good places to eat and the arcades for the kids are great. You can really experience the SF earthquake too. There is also city block where you can eat fresh seafood as well. The sea lions are usually in rare form laying around on the docks behind Pier 39. They usually have some kind of show in the middle of Pier 39 in the summer time.

I thought pier 39 had some great shops! The print stores have some great SF poster shots, and the arcade and family-oriented stores are great too! There is so much to do and see, for kids or adults, and can take you anywhere from one hour to a whole day! It's really a fun (yes, it's crowded!) but a fun place!

Fisherman's Wharf is played out. It's dirty and there isn't much to do except buy cheap sweatshirts. If you want to have fun there, gather up your friends, dress like tourists and bring a camera.

A good place to visit. On the harbor there are seals lying down. It also has a good selection of games. The bay tour is worth taking from there. Alcatraz is visible.

I enjoy very much spending my time in this place. The first time I came to the US this place was the first place I wanted to go to the most and I hope I can go there for the second time. I strongly suggest you visit this place if you have the time and want to see the difference.

Good place to see many faceted people. Enjoyable to watch the artists display and get their crafts. Shops are OK and food is good.

Attracting those of any age, it's one of the largest tourist attractions. From trinkets and keepsakes, to clam chowder and french bread, Fisherman's wharf has it all. Whether you're there all day or just for a minute, you're bound to enjoy your stay.

Fisherman's Wharf is a good attraction. It has a good viewing spot for sea lions. Also it is great for families with children. There are many attractions, stores, and restaurants that one can enjoy.

Can we say lame? Maybe overpriced? The best thing about the wharf next to the sea life is the trampoline/harness thing. It's inexpensive and loads of fun. Otherwise, Pier 39 is only good for people watching.

Everytime I go to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. I enjoy long walks. There is so much to see, from barking sea lions to interesting shops. There are boat tours and romantic dining like Dante's seafood restaurant (I went for my 21st birthday) and Neptune's Kingdom restaraunt (I went for my anniversary with my man). The sunsets are beautiful there. I also got to see the Blue Angels at the pier. I hope to visit there very soon.

If you love to shop and especially like souveniers, Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39 is an excellent place to go! But bring a sweater, it can be chilly right by the bay. Stay for a meal at one of the fine seafood restaurants, or maybe you like Italian or Chinese? They have it and it will satisfy your hunger.

What bothers me about Pier 39 is that it could have so much potential with the location it has. It is right on the water with great views yet it is complete trash. The stores are horrible. They sell cheap SF t-shirts and little metal cable cars. It is really dirty. The positives about Pier 39 is that you can find great cowder bowls in sourdough bread. You can get a ferry to Alcatraz island, or Angel island. But there is nothing beyond that.

Being a tourist, I felt I had to see Fisherman's Wharf. It isn't anything extraordinary, but is interesting to see the sea lions and stroll around. The prices are definitely higher, but we sat down and had some fish and chips after our tour of Alcatraz.

I really like Pier 39. It's a place where you can go relax, shop, see the scenery and things of this nature. It is always crowded, but I like people so it is okay!

It's an entertaining place with lots to do. There's shopping and food. A lot of tourists too! It's kind of fishy at certain places and really crowded. Usually sunny, but sometimes windy.

Of the many pier attractions in Northern California, Pier 39 is the best. Lots of seafood, cheap shopping, locals performing in the streets, the environment is really festive on the weekends. The reason it's not a 5, is because it doesn't have rides (amusement). I think it would attract even more people with rides.

This is a classic tourist attraction as well as a place for locals to go. There is much to do there. You can never get bored or hungry here because there are quality restaurants, stores, and attractions. People of all ages can have fun here.

San Francisco is built around Fisherman's Wharf. When going out on a date, enjoying the day, or just getting away from it all, one should embrace what the Wharf has to offer. Very relaxing, yet exciting.

I'd say for those who have never explored No. Cali-this is one place not to miss, it may be small, but pact with fun things to do. The restaurants are great there-Bubba Gump's! There's plenty of stores to explore and always many people. It's not only filled with the excitement of an Urban area, but there's also coastal, beachy aspects of it too-such as seeing, making fun of! The funny seals!!!

I love this place. The food just oozes San Francisco. It is romantic at night.

Set next to the bay, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the sea lions, the pier offers unique one of a kind restaurant's and shopping. At the end of the pier is an area to watch sail boats and enjoy the day.

What can I say? The clam chowder and the crab cocktails are addicting!!

The Pier is a place to go when there's nothing else to do. It's overrated for tourists but the clam chowder is really good.

I love Pier 39. It gives me such a pleasant feeling just remembering it. I have been there more than once, but wow, I can never get enough of Pier 39. It is so much fun!