Exploring San Francisco: Pier 39

From the moment we moved to San Francisco people kept asking us if we had been to Pier 39 yet. It is a tourist attraction for sure, but at this point we are still tourists in our new town.

A few weekends ago we had warm(er) weather, so we decided to head down to the pier and see the famous sea lions.

Pier 39 sits on the water in San Francisco, filled with dining, entertainment, shopping, and other attractions, it is a hot spot for tourists. From Pier 39 you have great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz Island. You will also find the famous sunbathing sea lions.

After the earthquake of 1989, a few sea lions started hanging out and catching some rays at Pier 39. By January of 1990, they started to take over the k-docks at the pier. You will find sea lions sunning themselves and barking up a storm any given day you visit the pier. They even have a live Sea Lion webcam on their website.

Pier 39 is also filled with candy stores, ice cream shops, restaurants, and other treats. You can buy any kind of candy you can imagine by the pound at this store.

Being from Michigan, I did not try any of this fudge because it can’t be as good as the stuff from Mackinaw, but there was plenty of it to choose from.

Aaron and I wandered through all the stores, took in the views and attractions, and enjoyed the people watching before grabbing a bite to eat. We ate at Wipeout Bar and Grill. The food and service was good, and they served sandwiches and burgers in 1/2 sizes. Aaron and I split a lot of meals, especially for lunch. It was nice to be able to order a 1/2 portion while choosing our own items.

We, of course, had to end the trip with some ice cream. This was birthday cake ice cream in a handmade waffle cone. It was worth every calorie.

Overall we had fun at Pier 39. We have actually been back one time since with Aaron’s mom. It was chilly that day, but she enjoyed the views and stores. If you visit San Francisco and have an afternoon to spare, I would recommend checking it out, especially for this ice cream.