Fisherman's Wharf - San Francisco's Essential Tourist Trap

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Parent Category: Travel Info

Category: Travel Feature

Published on Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:08

Written by Eric Lurio

It is said that San Franciscans hate Fisherman’s Wharf. To some extent that’s probably true. The reason is simple. Too many tourists!

San Franciscans, at least those who aren’t in the tourist-hospitality industry, hate tourists. It reminds them that the hospitality-tourist industry is the largest in the city and that it’s possible the city’s best days are behind it.

Granted, gentrification has improved much of the burg, but be that as it may, whether the locals like it or not, Fisherman’s wharf is an essential tourist trap.
 
If it weren't so, then how would you explain the fact that it has three (count ’em, three) national parks, decent food, a sizable percentage of the world’s sea lions, good fishing and really great views of the bay. What more do you want? A cheesy shopping mall? They've got that too.
 
The reason most San Franciscans rarely go there (or admit that they do) is the main reason it’s essential. It’s too famous. People don’t go to their area’s famous attractions. It’s also arrogance. After all, the area stinks with tourists, and unless they work there, the locals are better than that, thumbing their noses at us fat visitors who come to see the city by the bay. This is just something you have to see…
 
Starting with the national parks…
 
The three NPs -- San Francisco Maritime, Golden Gate/Miller Field and Alcatraz, -- aren’t exactly in the Wharf; they frame it. Alcatraz, on Pier 33, is the eastern border of the area, and the other two rim the west.

Maritime has an interesting museum and for a small fee you get to see some interesting old ships. Then there’s a place to rest and look at the bay, which is owned by the US government and is absolutely free. Further to the west, you’ll see a cliff. That’s the Fort Mason Unit of the Golden Gate National Parks, technically part of the Marina district.

As far as Alcatraz goes, the trip is definitely worth it. However you just can’t walk up to the ticket kiosk and get on the next boat. The whole thing takes about a day, which means that Fisherman’s Wharf is a two-day operation. Everything’s booked up for at least a day in advance so get a reservation. To do so go to the website: http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/website/pyt-transportation.aspx

If you forgot to make a reservation for Alcatraz, then find out when the first available boat is and head west to Pier 39, which is where the carousel, aquarium and notorious hoard of sea lions are. This is the little bit of Disneyland that the chi-chi San Franciscans so love to hate.

Unless you’re looking for high culture or a bucolic setting (in which case what the hell are you doing in San Francisco?), this is the best spot for people watching. (Union Square is a close second.) The prices for souvenir tchotchkes are high, but not THAT high, and the street performers are for the most part entertaining. This is San Francisco-the-theme park, and as such is pretty successful.
 
West of Pier 39 is the Wharf proper, bordered by the bay to the north, North Point Street to the south and Hyde Street, where the cable cars and Maritime National Park are, to the west. Here you will find a huge number of souvenir stands and seafood restaurants, just what a tourist wants and a local doesn’t. After all, except for the occasional patriotic T-shirt and baseball caps during the season, who really goes around with stuff festooned with one’s hometown’s logo on it?
 
But behind the all the kitsch, you will discover that Fisherman’s Wharf is a real wharf with real fisherman. Go ahead, have an expensive bowl of chowder or crab cakes. It’s part of the experience.

Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the world's essential tourist traps….and why do you think they call them that?

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