This waterfront tour in San Francisco takes you from the Bay Bridge to Pier 39, a distance of approximately two miles. If that sounds too far for you, don’t worry. If you get tired, the historic F-Line tram runs the length of your path, and you can hop on at any station along the way.
San Francisco waterfront views
Begin your hike at or near Pier 24, under the Bay Bridge, then walk northwest towards the Ferry Building and Pier 39.
The Bay Bridge once suffered in comparison to the Golden Gate Bridge across the Bay, but with the addition of a graceful eastern span and the western span becoming a work of art, all of that changed. The nighttime display called Bay Lights is an art installation of flickering LEDs that create an almost hypnotic effect. To find out where to view them from, get all the details in the Bay Bridge and Bay Lights guide.
Waterfront Dining: You will find two beautiful restaurants near the Bay Bridge, tempting with their views and with magnificent interiors by designer Pat Kuleto. Sadly, their cuisine doesn’t match the scene, and the prices are quite high. Go for lunch to enjoy the atmosphere and the view without going into debt to do so.
Rincon Park – This small park is home to an outdoor sculpture that looks like a bow and arrow called Cupid’s Span. It’s located next to the fireboat dock, and when the boats vent their hoses, the arched water jet adds even more to admire.
Pier 14 – In the early 1900s, hundreds of thousands of ferry passengers traveled each day past Pier 14 to the nearby Ferry Building. Today, the rebuilt version is the best place in town to have a view of the Bay Bridge.
Ferry Building – All the ferry passengers of the past are now replaced by hungry shoppers and visitors who come to shop and dine in artisan food shops and restaurants. Shops are open every day, and on weekends, everything is surrounded by a lively farmers market. Get all the details in the Ferry Building Guide.
Herb Caen Way… The sidewalk between Pier 1 and Pier 42 is called Herb Caen Way… in honor of Herb Caen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist who wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle for more than 50 years. The three dots after the word “Path” are part of the name due to Caen’s writing style, which included many – you guessed it -… (otherwise known as ellipses). Historical exhibits, poems, and quotes are on the sidewalk, it’s worth looking down to find and taking a moment to read.
The glass blocks placed on the walkway are called the Embarcadero Ribbon, linking the front of the pier with a continuous line of glass blocks surrounded by a concrete walkway.
Did it look like this ?: If you detour through The Embarcadero on Washington Street, to see the screen showing what the area looked like before 1989 when a towering highway overshadowed the shoreline area, you will appreciate today’s shoreline even more. The 1989 earthquake damaged the unsightly highway beyond repair, setting off a chain of events that resulted in ongoing improvements.
Pier 7 – This public pier stretches 900 feet out into the bay, lined by Victorian-style lamps and benches. It is the second longest fishing pier in San Francisco. If you bring your fishing pole, you can catch starfish, sea bass, halibut, or striped bass. Or just grab your camera and snap an Instagram-worthy photo.
The Exploratorium – San Francisco’s justifiably famous hands-on science museum is on Pier 15. It’s so much fun that you don’t even realize you’re learning something, and in the unlikely event that you get bored, its panoramic bay San Francisco The views are some of the best on the boardwalk. It’s worth stopping by even if you don’t think you like science very much. You can find more information about this in the Exploratory Guide.
Pier 27: This pier houses the San Francisco cruise terminal.
Continue to the Golden Gate Bridge – The boardwalk passes Pier 27 and it is possible to walk from there to the Golden Gate Bridge. Continue your walk using the Pier 39 guide, then continue from there to Fisherman’s Wharf to Ghirardelli Square. Pass Aquatic Park, follow the waterfront path past Fort Mason, and finish your walk to the Golden Gate Bridge with a scenic drive through Crissy Field.
If you get to Fort Point from the Ferry Building, congratulations. You will have walked more than five miles.
