How to Plan the Perfect San Francisco Day Trip

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I’m here to tell you the best way to spend a San Francisco day trip: visit the waterfront area.

Why? Because there is so much you can experience like shopping on the piers or catching a boat ride. Sure, San Francisco has plenty of iconic places to visit like the Haight-Ashbury “painted lady” homes. But you’ll find the best Bay Area experience in the Northeast part of town along the shoreline.

There are three areas to check out:

• the Ferry Building
• Pier 39
• Fisherman’s Wharf

They’re all within a 10 minute walk so you won’t need to catch a ride share in between.

Each spot is on The Embarcadero, which is the street that runs along shore. Follow the guide below as we travel from the Ferry Building to Fisherman’s Wharf. Discover all the exciting things you can do along the way.

CONTENTS:

1. Start at the Ferry Building
2. Explore Pier 39
3. End the day at Fisherman’s Wharf

Start out at the Ferry Building

Treat yourself to oysters at the bay’s best seafood restaurant

This is a stop that I highly recommend especially if you enjoy oysters. Hog Island Oyster Co. has some of the freshest oysters I’ve ever had. The twist is their delicious smoky mezcal-based drinks. I had the yummiest michelada and an oyster cocktail. I was blown away by how high-quality everything tasted from the oysters to the drinks.

BE PREPARED to wait in line unless you show up right when they open. We waited over 40 minutes for a seat outside. In the end, it was worth it because the outside seats have a beautiful view of the bay.

Tour the bay on the Golden Gate Ferry

One idea for your San Francisco day trip is riding the Golden Gate Ferry. It’s an affordable way to get out to different places in the bay. If you have tickets to an attraction like Alcatraz, you’ll need to ride the ferry to get there.

I treated it more like bayside tour, so I rode it out to Sausalito and back again. Taking this route allowed me to get views of the Golden Gate Bridge from a different angle. We also passed Alcatraz on the way and got to get photos up a little closer.

To get on the ferry, go to the station at Market Street and Embarcadero – get more information on the ferry schedule. It’s behind the San Francisco Ferry Building.

[TIP] Want to learn more about how you can see the Golden Gate Bridge? Check out this post by California Nomad to see the best vantage points for photography.

Walk Around Pier 39

Explore local marine life at Aquarium of the Bay

Pier 39 is also home to Aquarium of the Bay. There, you can get up close with Northern California’s marine life.

Inside, there are exhibits covering different habitats from shore life to deep-sea creatures. You can actually touch some sting rays and small sharks in the “Touch the Bay” exhibition.

Otherwise, you can observe thousands of other species throughout the immersive tanks in the aquarium. I really enjoyed all of the colorful species and the massive jellyfish exhibit.

Take a picture in front of the San Francisco Carousel

I find this carousel so quaint and delightful! The San Francisco Carousel at Pier 39 is a great place to go for a quick photo. Of course, if you have kids they’ll probably be begging you to let them ride, so be prepared for that.

If nothing else, you should at least pass by and take a look. The carousel is covered in hand painted art of popular San Francisco places like the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard St. and Chinatown.

How can you find it? It’s by the end of the pier on the 1st level. Just listen for the traditional-sounding music and follow it there.

End the day at Fisherman’s Wharf

Eat Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl

No San Francisco day trip is complete without classic clam chowder served in a bread bowl. It’s an iconic dish in the area and they have really perfected it. If you’re not familiar, it’s a creamy clam and vegetable soup served in sourdough bowl.

I was introduced to clam chowder *in a bread bowl* by my dad back in 1997 and now I can’t visit the bay without having some.

Most restaurants in the area serve clam chowder, but I had it at The Crepe Cafe on my last trip. You can find this restaurant on Fisherman’s Wharf. It tasted great and filled me up from lunchtime to dinner.

Conclusion

Your San Francisco day trip is set to be unforgettable and refreshing. A visit to the Bay Area is full of gorgeous views, amazing food, and localized entertainment.

Interested in other California destinations? Check out this list of activities at Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles.