Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
196
To get to AT&T Park, take the closest Muni streetcar.
All the underground streetcars, except certain
N-Judah trains, end at the Embarcadero Station. If
you are not already on an N-Judah that goes to the
Mission Bay/Cal Train Station, cross to the other side
of the platform at the Embarcadero Station and
board one. As you come out from below ground, look
for the large brick Hills Plaza, at 345 Spear St., con-
structed in 1925. Just south of this national landmark
building is:
1
AT&T Park
This home of the S an F rancisco G iants
baseball team, located at 2nd and King
Continue down the Embarcadero toward the Bay
Bridge. On your right is Pier 24, the home of :
5
Firehouse Engine 35
Peek through the fence to see Fireboat 1. If
you've ev er wonder ed what happens if a
ship catches fire, now you know.
The view opens up as you pass the bridge. Sailboats
ply the water, bicyclists and skaters zip by, and com-
ing into view is the:
6
Ferry Building
Built in 1898, this building was once the
city's transpor tation hub . Today, the ele-
gantly r efurbished building houses some
of the best gourmet food stores in the city.
Before 2pm on Saturdays, you'll find a ter-
rific farmers' market here. Enjoy free sam-
ples of ripe fr uits, r oasted nuts, and
delectable cheeses as y ou mar vel at the
bounty of local farms and pastures, as well
as the talent of the B ay Area's bakers and
chefs. A much smaller farmers ' mar ket is
here on Tuesdays as well.
streets, was the first priv ately financed
major league baseball par k since D odger
Stadium in 1962. A fun playground behind
the bleachers has an 80-foot wooden Coca-
Cola bottle with some of the best slides in
town. There's also an ar ea wher e kids can
practice their o wn game of baseball and a
parked cable car that's a hit with little ones.
The play area is free and open to the public
unless there's a game going on.
From the stadium, walk north on:
2
Herb Caen Way
This section of the Embarcadero honors the
departed newspaper columnist Herb Caen,
who reported on the city's movers and shak-
ers and wr ote about S an F rancisco with
humor and passion for 50 y ears.
On the right you'll come to:
3
South Beach Park
This park contains a little playground suit-
able for pr eschoolers. The 70-foot-tall,
10-ton sculptur e b y M ark di S uvero is
called “Sea Change.”
Continuing along the Embarcadero, the next land-
mark you come to on Pier 40 is the:
4
Bike Hut
The owner of this not-for-profit shop hires
and trains at-risk y outh to r epair bikes,
and he 's a bit of a character in his o wn
right. If you decide to abandon y our walk
in favor of a bike ride, you can rent a bike
for $5 an hour or $20 per day . F ees
include a lock and helmet. O pen daily
10am to 6pm (
&
415/543-4335;
www.
thebikehut.com).
7
TAKE A BREAK
On Satur days, buy br eakfast
from one of the restaurant carts
behind the Ferry Building. Grab
a bench and enjo y a mouth-wat ering
meal as y ou watch the f erries come and
go. A t other times , one of our fa vorite
destinations in the Ferry Building is
Mijita
(p. 125), with its inexpensiv e, but t op-
quality, Mexican specialties such as fr esh
fish tacos and hearty burritos, all enjoyed
with a view of the bay.
Continue northwest, along:
7
The Embarcadero
The entire stretch of oceanfr ont walkway
between the F erry B uilding and F isher-
man's Wharf is a magnet for pedestrians,
cyclists, and r unners. P ier 7 was a cele-
brated skateboar ding destination for
youths fr om div erse backgr ounds until
barriers were placed to prevent them from
getting fresh air and exercise. Well, I'm not
sure why the barriers w ere put ther e, but
