First time in SanFrancisco.....what to do? Explorer OTS is staying overnight.

Thank you!

Walking tour sounds fabulous but I'm afraid I'd get lost without a good walking map. Do you know how I can get one? I would like to go to Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square for sure. We'd love to ride a cable car but sounds like that might be challenging to catch one.

Walking tour sounds fabulous but I'm afraid I'd get lost without a good walking map. Do you know how I can get one? I would like to go to Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square for sure. We'd love to ride a cable car but sounds like that might be challenging to catch one.

Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli are all in the same area; Pier 39 on the east and Ghirardelli at the west side, the Wharf sandwiched in the middle.

Walking maps are free, should be able to get them at some of the souvenir shops or at the information booths at the Ferry Building and Pier 39.

If you are tech savvy, you could go to google maps, enter San Francisco, zoom into the fisherman's wharf area and print it out.

but it's not that challenging to get around. From the cruise terminal, turn right (west) and walk. You'll pass Pier 39, Fisherman's wharf, the cable car turnaround and Ghiradelli square. Eat Dungeness crab and sourdough bread from an outdoor vendor. If you have a sweet tooth, ice cream and chocolate at ghiradelli square is a highlight. The SF National Maritime Museum visitor center at Hyde and Jefferson street is free ( and tip- it has clean free bathrooms that not many people know about.) if you continue along the waterfront at Aquatic Park you'll walk on a wide walking path to Aquatic Pier and Ft Mason, where you will have fantastic views of the GG Bridge and Alcatraz Island. You can turn around here and walk back, if the walk is getting too long or walk on through Crissy Field to the GG Bridge South Vista Point. Lots of tourists will have rented bicycles to get there, you can too at marina and Laguna street, if you're able to ride.

I was there in the area last sunday for an all day event, In the early morning (up to 10:00 am) the line for the Hyde cable cars was very short.11:00 to around 5 pm, the line was long. In the evening after 6 pm, the line was short. After 8 pm, there was no line. Riding the cable cars are the quintessential thing to do in SF, so I think the wait is worth it.. If the wait is long and you have extra people to stand in line for you. go across the street to the Buena Vista and get an Irish Coffee. (that's what their known for.) I don't think they have take out on the irish coffee, though.

If you take the Cable Car from Hyde Street, get on the left side, sit outside, front. the cable car will pass Lombard street (advertised as the crookedest street in SF). The cable car will continue up and down the steep hills (Hang on tight!) on towards Union Square (with lots of expensive shops around the square) and then end at market street, where you can take an F street trolley back to the cruise wharf. Stop off at the ferry building and visit the shops inside (I like the Hog Island Oyster co. and Cowgirl creamery (for cheese), Acme Bread (for sourdough bread) and Blue bottle coffee.) and then walk the easy, scenic, flat, one mile distance from the ferry building along the embarcadero waterfront back to the cruise wharf. Or from the Ferry Building, take a ferry to Sausalito and back for $12.00 each way (wander the artists shops before heading back) or the Red and white tourist ferry (at Fisherman's wharf) for a 1 hour bay cruise for $32. Same fantastic views either way.

If you want an mid-expensive, non-touristy dinner within walking distance of the cruise wharf, I recommend Water Bar further East on the Embarcadero. Reservations required. Walk past the bow and arrow sculpture and wonder why. At dusk, either from your ship or anywhere on the Embarcadero as you walk back to the ship, look at the Bay Bridge and watch the light show and changing shapes on the suspension wires on the West side of the Bay Bridge. Marvelous!

good luck and enjoy SF.

Awesome info that I will print and follow thanks

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