Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
198
Tips
Feet, Don't Fail Me Now
If little legs tire, there are alternatives. The F-Market streetcar makes several stops
on its route down Market Street to the Ferry Building and just beyond PIER 39.
You'll also see “pedicabs,” pedal-powered minicabs, wheeling around the Embar-
cadero. Two or three people can fit on the single seat, and the driv er will whisk
you off to a nearby destination for $4 to $8 per person, depending on where
you're headed.
it's too bad. Anyway , what y ou will find
along this str etch of city , in addition to
views of the bay and urban skyline, ar e
several 13-foot-tall metal pylons and
bronze plaques embedded in the sidewalk.
The pylons and plaques ar e imprinted
with photographs, drawings, poetr y, and
historical facts about the waterfront.
Continue along the water until you get to:
8
PIER 39 & Fisherman's Wharf
The distance from Pier 7 to PIER 39 is less
than a mile, but as y ou approach Fisher-
man's Wharf the activity lev el rises dra-
matically. The number of families waiting
for ferries to Alcatraz or S ausalito com-
bined with tourists milling ar ound the
boardwalk gives a carniv al-like feel to the
atmosphere. I t can o verwhelm y ounger
children, so keep an especially close watch
on yours. There are plenty of things to see
in this ar ea (see the “F isherman's Wharf”
section under “ The Top A ttractions,” in
chapter 6, for details). You may want to
end your tour here, but I'd suggest forging
ahead, as the nicest par t of the whar f lies
just beyond.
Once you pass the masses on Jefferson Street, the
crowd thins and the city begins to feel like it's yours
again by the time you reach the end of this stroll at:
9
Aquatic Park
You hav e r eached the
Hyde S treet P ier,
the Municipal Pier, a large grassy park, and
a small strip of man-made beach. E very
morning, hearty members of the D olphin
Club brave the beach's frigid waters, where
temperatures usually linger in the lo w 50s
(or low teens Celcius), rarely cresting 60°F
(16°C). Kids will enjoy playing in the sand
or r unning ar ound on the grassy par k.
Walk out on the municipal pier for gr eat
views, or head up to
Ghirardelli Square
for views of the bay from on high.
7
WALKING TOUR 3
SOUTH OF MARKET
Start: P
alace Hotel.
Finish:
Westfield San Francisco Centre.
Time:
Two hours to a half-day, depending on how long you spend at Yerba Buena Gardens and
the other attractions.
Best Time:
Weekends when there's entertainment at Yerba Buena Gardens.
Worst Time:
Anytime Zeum is closed.
This stroll doesn't cover much square footage, as the attractions south of M arket Street
are contained in the blocks between Market and Howard streets from 2nd to 5th streets.
There are so many, however, that you could spend most of the day her e.
