Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39

Fisherman's Wharf runs along the northern waterfront from Pier 39 west to Aquatic Park. Locals tend to avoid it and plenty of visitors love it anyway. The sea lions bark on the docks, the cable cars turn around by hand, bakers shape sourdough behind glass and boats leave every hour for the bay and Alcatraz. Fishing boats still tie up in the inner lagoon off Jefferson Street.

From Palo Alto it is an easy train and Muni trip. This page covers getting there, the 2026 situation at the historic ships, what is worth your time and where to eat. Our San Francisco day trip guide fits the wharf into a wider day. For the island itself, see our Alcatraz page.

Getting there from Palo Alto

By Caltrain and Muni

Ride Caltrain to 4th and King, 39 minutes on a weekday express or about 50 on a local. The three-zone fare is $8.50 through 2026 and $9.00 from January 1, 2027. From there:

• 30 Stockton bus. Starts at Townsend and 4th streets beside the station and runs up Stockton Street through Chinatown, along Columbus Avenue through North Beach and onto North Point Street a block above the wharf. It is the simplest one-seat ride and a good sightseeing route.
• N Judah plus F line. Take the N Judah to Embarcadero station, then the F Market and Wharves historic streetcar north along the waterfront. It stops at Pier 39 at Stockton Street and at Jefferson and Powell, Jefferson and Taylor and Jones and Beach.
• Cable car. From Powell and Market, the Powell-Mason line ends at Taylor and Bay streets and the Powell-Hyde line ends at Hyde and Beach by Aquatic Park. A single ride costs $9.

SFMTA lists a regular adult Muni fare of $2.85 with Clipper or contactless. A 1-day Visitor Passport for $15 covers Muni and cable cars and pays off with two cable car rides. Riders 18 and under ride regular Muni free. See the SFMTA fares page. Allow about an hour and a half each way from Palo Alto.

By car

Take US 101 north and follow signs to the Embarcadero or Van Ness Avenue toward the waterfront. The drive is about 35 miles. The Pier 39 garage sits across the Embarcadero from the pier entrance, is open 24 hours and has a 6 foot 8 inch clearance. Diners at participating full-service restaurants on the pier get one hour validated. Rates change, so check the posted board. Dozens of private lots around Beach and Jefferson streets fill the gaps.

Pier 39 and the sea lions

California sea lions began hauling out on K-Dock at the west side of Pier 39 shortly after the October 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. By January 1990 they had taken it over. Pier 39 says the herd reached more than 300 within months and set a record of more than 2,100 in May and June 2024. Numbers swing with the seasons, so some days the docks are crowded and some days nearly empty. Viewing is free from the railing.

The pier posted these hours in late 2026: shops 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., full-service restaurants 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., attractions 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some restaurants open earlier and close later. Aquarium of the Bay sits at the pier's entrance and has its own hours.

The historic ships in 2026

This is the biggest change for repeat visitors. The National Park Service closed Hyde Street Pier and its fleet to the public on November 4, 2024. The pier is more than 60 years old and no longer strong enough for the ships or the crowds. As of August 2025, the Balclutha, Eureka, C.A. Thayer, Hercules and Eppleton Hall had all moved to Mare Island in Vallejo while the pier is rebuilt. The park says it will open one ship or more there on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., staffing permitting. The old $15 entrance fee is suspended. Municipal Pier, the curving pier at Aquatic Park, is closed permanently after damage in a 2022 earthquake.

What remains open near the wharf:

• San Francisco Maritime Visitor Center in the 1907 Haslett Warehouse at Hyde and Jefferson streets. Free.
• Maritime Museum in the Streamline Moderne Aquatic Park Bathhouse, with its 1930s murals. Free.
• USS Pampanito, a WWII submarine run by the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association at Pier 45. Its site listed daily hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., last boarding 5:30 p.m. Admission is charged.
• SS Jeremiah O'Brien, the last unaltered Liberty ship, now moored at Pier 35. Its site listed daily hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with tickets from $10 and free entry under 5.

Check the park's FAQ page before planning around the ships.

A walking route

About 1.5 miles, flat, two to three hours with stops.

1. Pier 39. Sea lions at K-Dock, then the view of Alcatraz from the end of the pier.
2. Pier 35. Walk back east a few minutes to tour the Jeremiah O'Brien if you like ships.
3. Jefferson Street. Head west past the crab stands and the fishing boat lagoon.
4. Pier 45. The USS Pampanito.
5. Boudin at the Wharf. Watch the bakers through the windows at the sourdough flagship.
6. Aquatic Park. The Maritime Visitor Center, the Bathhouse museum and the cove where swimmers train year round.
7. Ghirardelli Square. End at the old chocolate factory on the hill above the park, then catch the Powell-Hyde cable car from Hyde and Beach.

Where to eat

• Boudin at the Wharf, the sourdough company's flagship, has a casual cafe and Bistro Boudin upstairs. It lists breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. Clam chowder in a bread bowl is the classic order.
• Scoma's has served seafood on its working pier off Jefferson Street since 1965. It listed hours from noon and offers complimentary valet parking.
• Pier 39 has a long list of sit-down restaurants and fast food counters, useful with kids.
• North Beach is a 10 to 15 minute walk uphill and has better food at better prices. See our North Beach guide.

What it costs

Walking the wharf and seeing the sea lions is free, as are the maritime visitor center and museum. Round-trip Caltrain fare for one adult is $17 in late 2026. Add about $6 for Muni, or $15 for a Visitor Passport if you want cable car rides. Ship tours, a bay cruise and lunch can easily bring the day to $100 a person. Prices change, so treat these as estimates.

A one-hour bay cruise is the best paid extra here, especially while Alcatraz is closed. You can compare bay cruises from the wharf that pass Alcatraz and sail under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Safety and car break-ins

The wharf is busy and well patrolled by day. It is also the city's best-known spot for car break-ins and pickpockets, so a few habits help:

• Empty the car completely. Move bags to the trunk before you arrive, take valuables with you and leave nothing on the seats, not even a jacket or charging cable. Pier 39 itself recommends locking up and taking valuables.
• Prefer the train. Arriving by Caltrain and Muni removes the problem entirely.
• Watch your phone and bag in the crowds at the sea lion railing and the cable car line.
• Skip the street hustles. Ignore anyone offering cheap tours or asking you to hold something.

A sample half day and full day

Half day with kids

1. 9 a.m. Caltrain to 4th and King, then the 30 Stockton.
2. 10:30 a.m. Pier 39 sea lions and the end of the pier.
3. 11:30 a.m. USS Pampanito at Pier 45.
4. 12:30 p.m. Chowder at Boudin, then the cable car to Powell and Market and Muni back to the train.

Full day

Do the half day, then add a bay cruise in the early afternoon and walk up through North Beach and Chinatown for dinner. If you want an evening by the water, compare hotels near Fisherman's Wharf and catch the morning train home.

Frequently asked questions