FISHERMAN’S WHARF in San Francisco is a charming tourist enclave located way north of the Bay Area. Founded in the 1800s by Italian fishermen, the place retains many traditional seafood restaurants, along with attractions such as an aquarium and several museums.

Parking is a bitch and expensive, so I’d recommend taking the public transport. Buses and tram services stop here regularly.

It was early evening when we got to the wharf and there was a crowd milling about watching a street dance-off. They scattered once the performers started handing out collection cups.

Fishing is still done at Fisherman’s Wharf. You can even pay a boat to take you out fishing, and the catch is all yours. There are also tour cruises and yachting activities.

Visitors can get a closer view of the infamous prison, Alcatraz, from the pier. It looked super foreboding and gloomy in the distance.

The iconic Fisherman’s Wharf sign is surrounded by seafood restaurants, both the street-kind and bigger, classier establishments.

The main street along the wharf houses souvenir shops, museums and cafes.

We popped into a Ripley’s Believe it Or Not, which I will detail in the next post because there are too many pictures. After emerging from the attraction, it was already dark. All the boats had already retired to their docks for the night.

If you’re coming here in spring (or any time for that matter), bring a thick jacket and a beanie because the wind here doesn’t just scream.. it howls. Especially when you’re walking along the pier. While I enjoy being in a cooling place, the freezing gale was a little too much for my tropical blood lol and I quickly looked for a place of refuge…

Said hiding place was the Boudin Bakery, which specialises in sourdough bread. Downstairs is the cafe and bakery area, while upstairs is the restaurant and mini museum.

The animal-shaped breads are very popular. You can also join their daily baking classes for a fee.

Travel tip: Come during the night if you want to be a scrooge and not pay their museum entrance fee of 3$ – minus the tour guide and crowd. If you’re lucky, you’ll still be able to see some of the staff + machinery churning out bread.

View of factory from the museum on the first floor.

It was packed with people on the inside so we had to huddle under a heater on the patio seats with a bowl of clam chowder in their signature sourdough bowl.

We also drove down Lombard Street, the place where Bruce Lee used to live with the zig-zaggedy stairs. The photos weren’t good because we were inside the car, but it was a good experience anyway.

Night time in SF is charming, with its tall buildings all lit up with lights. It feels like New York (or how I imagine NY to be). But until I earn enough to  go there, I think San Fran is just as fine a city as any I’ve ever been to.

Getting to Fisherman’s Wharf 

By Tram: Powell-Hyde line on Hyde and Beach Streets (Aquatic Park near Ghirardelli Square), and the Powell-Mason line on Taylor and Bay Streets

By F-Line Street car: between the Castro Neighbourhood and Fisherman’s Wharf. It runs the length of Market Street until it reaches the Ferry Terminal Building on the Embarcadero before turning west to the wharf.

More useful info here: http://www.visitfishermanswharf.com/parking