... Pier Market Seafood Restaurant
11. Sea Lion Café - no you don't eat sea lion it's a standard cafe
12. Swiss Louis Italian & Seafood Restaurant
13. Wipeout Bar & Grill
ATTRACTIONS
AQUARIUM OF THE BAY
Brings you face-to-face with San Francisco's fascinating marine life. (Like the ... Read review
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Advantages: cheap if you want, lots for imaginative young uns Disadvantages: lots of people, long waits for food
PIER 39 has a little something for all ages and is one of San Francisco's top attractions. There are more than 110 stores, 13 eating places each view views over the bay, and a whole load of attractions including the famous sea lions, street performers and other live daily entertainment.
STORES
The shops are of a more boutique nature with small independent retailers selling things that you could probably find elsewhere, but not ... .../>
3. Crab House at PIER 39
4. Dante's Seafood Grill
5. Eagle Café - general cafe
6. Forbes Island - seafood/grill not actually on the pier but an island nearby - you are ferried out!!! Posh nosh by all accounts.
7. Hard Rock Café - Guess!!
8. Neptune's Palace Seafood Restaurant
9. North Beach Pizza - again the clue is in the name
10. Pier Market Seafood Restaurant
11. Sea Lion Café - no you ... more
PIER 39 has a little something for all ages and is one of San Francisco's top attractions. There are more than 110 stores, 13 eating places each view views over the bay, and a whole load of attractions including the famous sea lions, street performers and other live daily entertainment.
STORES The shops are of a more boutique nature with small independent retailers selling things that you could probably find elsewhere, but not so conveniently placed together. The bottom line Is that this is a great place to pick up gifts and presents for people back home as well as keepsakes of San Francisco to take home and cherish.
EATERIES Most of the restaurants specialise in seafood (not surprisingly) and it is wise to book where the facility is available as they do get busy at mealtimes but they all have great views over the bay which should not be missed. I have listed the restaurants - I ate at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co and had a great meal. Most of the types of foods the restaurants serve are clearly identifiable by the name bt I have tried to put a note next to the name where I think there is any doubt
1. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant and Market - My favourite see my review on ciao 2. Chic's Seafood Restaurant & Bar 3. Crab House at PIER 39 4. Dante's Seafood Grill 5. Eagle Café - general cafe 6. Forbes Island - seafood/grill not actually on the pier but an island nearby - you are ferried out!!! Posh nosh by all accounts. 7. Hard Rock Café - Guess!! 8. Neptune's Palace Seafood Restaurant 9. North Beach Pizza - again the clue is in the name 10. Pier Market Seafood Restaurant 11. Sea Lion Café - no you don't eat sea lion it's a standard cafe 12. Swiss Louis Italian & Seafood Restaurant 13. Wipeout Bar & Grill
ATTRACTIONS
AQUARIUM OF THE BAY Brings you face-to-face with San Francisco's fascinating marine life. (Like the sea life centres in the uk) Explore the Bay as you walk through 300-feet clear tunnels surrounded by sharks,, octopuses and thousands of marine animals indigenous to its waters. Experts answer questions and opportunities to touch some of the animals are given Admission is $13.95 for adults, $7 for seniors (65+) and $7 for children (3-11).
BLUE & GOLD FLEET The Ferry service departs from the pier and offers 2 services Bay Cruise adventure (which we did) and Angel Island. The Bay Cruise takes one-hour and is a narrated tour of the Bay of San Francisco Bay, within yards of Alcatraz Island, past Angel Island and Sausalito. Blue & Gold Fleet is the only excursion company that carries passengers to Alcatraz during the day, in the evening, and in combination with Angel Island (a historical state park.)
PIER 39 MARINA PIER 39 houses a 300-berth marina with slips available for full-time rental and overnight guest docking. The PIER 39 Marina offers a variety of ways to experience the Bay, including sailboat and powerboat rides.
SEA LIONS The sea lions are located in PIER 39's West Marina. Staff from The Marine Mammal Centre's Kiosk, located next to the sea lions, are happy to inform visitors about these fun, flippered animals. Each weekend the Centre provides volunteers to explain sea lion behaviours and answer visitors' questions.
STREET PERFORMERS PIER 39 is the perfect place to watch San Francisco's world-famous street performers. These multi-talented tricksters, magicians, jugglers, comedians and mimes entertain PIER 39 visitors daily. Shows are free to the public
At the end of the day you can spend all day on pier 39 being entertained without spending a fortune, the entertainers and sea lions are enormously popular with children. But the trip around the bay is well worth doing as is the goldfish bowl experience of the aquarium and made the short stay in San Francisco a trip to remember.
Advantages: On the waterfront Disadvantages: Heaving with people, too many trinket shops
Very similar in fact to the waterfront Piers in Seattle, but larger. Teeming with tourists sporting blue rinses, baseball caps, fanny packs, Japanese tour groups with cameras aplenty. Many shops and concessions all over. Street performers, slow moving traffic and trams to occasionally disrupt the cars.
Not my favourite place in San Francisco it has to be said. Shopping is much easier and cheaper down Market St. And the crowds aren't stop'n'photo ...
boilot 09.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Pier 39
Advantages: Centrally located, good facilities Disadvantages: Slightly pricey, but you pay for the location.
Well, this hotel was my introduction to California. I went on a fly drive in July with family and here was where we stayed on touchdown. I hadn't realised the airport was so far away from San Francisco itself, it was in San Bruno, further south.
When we first got out and about the next morning, I realised we had made an excellent choice in this hotel because if you go to a walking city like San Francisco, you really want to be close to the main attractions, and this hotel is slap bang in the thick of it. It's near enough to walk to Fishermen's Wharf and Pier39.
There was plenty of parking for the guests with cars - we picked ours up the day before travelling down the coast. And all the other things you come to expect of a good hotel were there: wifi (no good for me, I didn't take my laptop); cable tv with HBO channel in ...
I;ve been up Coit Tower twice in the times i've been to SF and i'll go again if i go back. It has great unfettered views of the city in all directions and has an air of antiquity to it with the worn floorboards, the old elevator and attendant. Not too pricey to view, the queue for the elevator usually goes down quite quickly.
Obviously you'll see a lot less if its' foggy (which is often in the Bay), its also quite windy. There's no option to climb stairs to the top - all visitors are made to pay.
Once up the views are fab - if you like that sort of thing. You can see Alcatraz, Pier39, the Bay Bridge, Chinatown, Golden Gate (?)
If you're walking this area you can also descend towards Little Italy at the foot of the hill for great food, cafes and bars. ...
boilot 07.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Coit Tower
Advantages: Location and price! Disadvantages: None - unless you're not looking for a 2* hotel!
This 2* hotel situated within 2 blocks of Union Square is everything it promises to be and more. Whilst a little tired in some public areas, the rooms themselves are clean with more than adequate facilities. The room I stayed in looked like it had been recently refurbished with a full en suite bathroom overhaul. A rarity was to find both a small fridge and microwave in the room.
The hotel has easy access to various MUNI bus routes and is a 5 block downhill walk to Market Street and the F Line to Pier39 and Fisherman's Wharf. There are numerous restaurants and take-aways within easy walking distance of the hotel.
For the budget conscious, this is a great little hotel in a great location with easy access to public transport links. ...
