6 Awesome Things to Do in San Francisco if You Have One Day
The Pier 39 sea lions and Alcatraz Island, seen in the distance, are two of the top things to see at the Fisherman's Wharf and Embarcadero areas in San Francisco.
We arrived in San Francisco with just 24 hours to enjoy the city. That's not nearly enough, but we had a cruise ship to catch the next afternoon. With that in mind and so much available to see, we made sure we snagged a hotel by the Bay so we could take in all the Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf area neighborhoods offer.
Plus, it was Colleen’s and we had to pick an appropriate spot to celebrate. What better for a woman who loves seafood than to give her a prime pick from all the fabulous eateries stocked with fresh catches from the nearby waters.
We had a good time, eating, exploring, snapping pictures of all the sights, and we even got in a long run on the pedestrian and runner-friendly Embarcadero along the water. We've outlined the best destinations if you're going to be passing through for one day in San Francisco at the waterfront.
1. Visit Alcatraz Island
The famous now-closed prison for hardened criminals sits 1.5 miles offshore on Alcatraz Island, which can be viewed along the Embarcadero. Ferries by Alcatraz Cruises operate at Pier 33. Tours during the day are always crowded. Try a night tour instead. The 2.5-hour outings depart at 5:50 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. These slots are less crowded, allowing the guides to give more personal attention and detailed info to visitors.
2. Dive Into the City’s Great Seafood
Head over to Fisherman's Wharf for fresh lobster, mussels, fish and crab pots. Colleen loved her cioppino (a seafood stew) for her birthday dinner at Alioto's, which has a wonderful view of the sunset from its spot near the harbor.
3. Explore San Francisco’s Famous Wharf
Someone's excited for her birthday dinner.
The area is full of shops, bars and eateries along the wide boardwalk in constant view of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. Check out Ghirardelli Square, the original home of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Co., and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, which displays a fleet of historic vessels.
4. Run Along the Embarcadero
A morning run along the Embarcadero passes by amazing sights that make you want to pause to take them in, like the Bay Bridge and all sorts of boats.
You know how we love to stay active on our travels. The Embarcadero is a delight for runners, bikers and walkers. And we saw plenty in the early hours the morning we were there. The wide pathway follows the Bay for about five miles, heading south from Fisherman's Wharf to just past AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants major league baseball team. It's a pleasant route, and you'll pass a variety of historic pier buildings, restaurants, the fun and wacky Exploratorium science and art museum and my favorite spot: Pier 39.
5. Visit the Famous Seals of San Fran’s Pier 39
Sea lions are the stars of the show at Pier 39 in San Francisco.
This is a waterfront facility that's home to restaurants, shops, live music and street performers. But it's most famously home to a large colony of sea lions who now reign as the top attractions. Sea lions began showing up to the protected bay waters at the marina after the massive 1989 San Francisco earthquake. Now, the colony boasts more than 1,000 sea lions. Wander out along the pier to enjoy a good laugh and plenty of cool pictures as you see them barking and wrestling and flopping into the water or pulling themselves back out to rest amid the blubbery horde on the floating docks.
6. Go to a San Francisco Giants Game
Baseball fan? If the Giants are in town, you can enjoy the day with a stroll over to the park to take in the game. Or rent a kayak and paddle the waters in the Bay area that encircles the park. Linger beyond the right-field wall and you might be one of the lucky paddlers who retrieves a souvenir baseball when a homer is launched into the cove.
Thanks for reading,
JR