San Francisco Waterfront Walking Tour: A Self-Guided Route Along the Embarcadero

San Francisco's northern waterfront is one of the great urban walks in America, a breezy shoreline promenade that runs beneath the hills past historic piers, sea lions, old ships and sweeping views of the bay and its two famous bridges. If you are planning a walking tour in the United States, this San Francisco self guided walking tour follows the Embarcadero and the northern shore, from the grand old Ferry Building past the bustling piers and Fisherman's Wharf to the calm of Aquatic Park and the green heights of Fort Mason. It is a flat, salty, view-filled walk along the water's edge, mixing tourist bustle with maritime history and some of the finest bay views in the city.

Before you set off, a few practical notes. This walk covers about six kilometers and takes around two and a half hours at an easy pace, essentially flat along paved waterfront promenades with one short rise up to Fort Mason at the end. Wear comfortable shoes and, this being San Francisco, bring a warm layer even on a sunny day, because the fog and the wind off the bay can turn the air cold in minutes. Afternoon into early evening is lovely for the light on the water. If you are following along by audio, keep your eyes up on the bay and the bridges, watch for cyclists and the historic streetcars along the Embarcadero, and pause whenever a pier or a view invites you to slow down.

Ferry Building

You begin at the Ferry Building, the grand old transit hall on the waterfront crowned by a tall clock tower, once the busiest passenger terminal in the country and now a beloved marketplace of gourmet food shops, cafes and stalls beneath its soaring nave. Stand before the long facade and its landmark tower, modeled on a famous bell tower in Seville, then step inside to the light-filled central hall lined with artisan vendors selling cheese, bread, oysters, chocolate and coffee, a temple to the region's celebrated food culture. Behind the building, ferries still come and go across the bay, and a farmers' market spills along the waterfront on market days. Take in the clock tower and the bustling market hall. Then step out to the waterfront promenade and turn north, beginning your walk along the broad, palm-lined boulevard that traces the edge of the bay.

Embarcadero

The Embarcadero is the grand waterfront boulevard that curves along the eastern shore of the city, a wide promenade lined with palm trees, historic piers and the tracks of vintage streetcars, offering open views across the bay the entire way. Stroll north along the water and take in the scene, the great bay opening to your right dotted with sailboats and ferries, the long finger piers reaching out into the water, and the famous bridge to the east arching across to the far shore. Old-fashioned streetcars from cities around the world trundle along the tracks beside you, part of a beloved historic line. The salt air, the cry of gulls and the constant activity give the boulevard a lively maritime energy. Take in the palms, the piers and the bay views. Then continue along the promenade to one of the old piers that has been reborn as a peaceful spot to walk out over the water.

Pier 7

Pier 7 is one of the most elegant and peaceful of the old piers, a long, slender wooden promenade reaching far out into the bay, lined with antique-style lamp posts and benches, built purely for strolling and taking in the view. Walk out along the wooden deck, and with each step the city recedes behind you and the bay opens all around, the water lapping at the pilings below, anglers casting their lines from the railings, and the panorama widening to take in the bridges, the islands and the distant hills across the water. It is a favorite spot for photographers, especially at sunset, when the light turns the whole bay golden and the city skyline glows behind you. The pier offers a moment of calm and space. Walk to the end and take in the sweeping bay panorama. Then return to the promenade and continue north, following the shore as it curves toward the busiest and most famous stretch of the waterfront, marked by a lively pier crowded with visitors.

Pier 39

Pier 39 is the most famous and festive of the piers, a bustling double-decker boardwalk of shops, restaurants and street performers built out over the water, best known for the raft of wild sea lions that haul out on the floating docks beside it, barking and jostling in the sun. Walk out onto the lively pier and take in the carnival atmosphere, the crowds, the buskers and the arcade, then head to the western side to find the sea lions, dozens or even hundreds of them piled onto the docks, honking, flopping and shoving each other into the water, a free show that delights everyone. Beyond them, the views stretch across the bay to the famous island prison and the distant hills. Take in the sea lions and the festive boardwalk. Then continue west along the waterfront into the heart of the historic fishing district, where the smell of the sea and fresh crab fills the air.

Fisherman's Wharf

Fisherman's Wharf is the historic heart of the city's waterfront, once a working Italian fishing harbor and still home to a fleet of fishing boats, now a busy district of seafood stalls, restaurants and attractions built around its maritime past. Walk along the wharf and take in the scene, the fishing boats bobbing in the inner harbor, the steaming pots of the crab stands sending up clouds of savory steam, and the crowds sampling clam chowder served in bowls of sourdough bread, a local tradition. Old ships are moored nearby as floating museums, and the sounds of buskers and the smell of the sea fill the air. Beneath the tourist bustle, this remains a genuine, if much-changed, fishing port. Take in the fishing boats and the lively wharf. Then continue west along the shore to a handsome red-brick landmark, an old factory beautifully reborn as a waterfront gathering place.

Ghirardelli Square

Ghirardelli Square is a beloved landmark at the western end of the wharf, a handsome complex of red-brick buildings crowned by a large illuminated sign, once a chocolate factory and now a lively square of shops, restaurants and terraces overlooking the bay. Walk into the square and take in the old brick architecture, the historic factory buildings arranged around courtyards and fountains, the great sign that has glowed over the waterfront for generations, and the sweet association with the chocolate that was once made here. From its terraces, the views across the bay to the headlands and the famous orange bridge are superb. It is a charming and relaxed place to pause. Take in the brick buildings, the sign and the bay views. Then walk down to the shore just below the square, where a graceful curved beach and promenade mark a peaceful municipal park on the water.

Aquatic Park

Aquatic Park is a lovely curved cove and municipal beach at the western end of the waterfront, framed by a gently arcing pier and a grand old bathhouse building shaped like an ocean liner, a calm and elegant contrast to the bustle of the wharf. Walk down to the small crescent beach, where hardy swimmers brave the cold bay water and rowers from the historic clubs launch their boats, and stroll out along the curving municipal pier that shelters the cove, offering a wonderful view back at the city climbing its hills. The streamlined white bathhouse, now a maritime museum, and the collection of historic ships moored nearby complete the scene. It is a serene and beautiful spot. Take in the cove, the curving pier and the historic ships. Then climb the short rise to the west onto the green bluffs of an old army post turned cultural park, the final stop with the finest view of all.

Fort Mason

You finish at Fort Mason, a former army post on the green bluffs above the bay, now a sprawling cultural park of old military buildings, piers, gardens and open lawns, offering one of the most spectacular and least crowded views on the whole waterfront. Walk up onto the grassy heights and take in the panorama, the great orange bridge stretching across the mouth of the bay to the headlands, the island prison sitting offshore, the sailboats scattered across the blue water, and the city's hills rising behind you. The old fort's buildings now house theaters, galleries and studios, and its lawns are a favorite for picnics and kite-flying. It is a green, breezy, uncrowded finish with the best of the bay laid out before you. Find a spot on the grass and take in the sweeping view. Standing here above the water, having walked the whole northern shore, is a glorious place to end.

Why the Waterfront Rewards the Walker

Reaching Fort Mason, you have walked the length of San Francisco's northern shore, from the grand Ferry Building along the piers and the fishing wharf to the peaceful cove and the green bluffs with their unbeatable views. Walking it is the only way to truly take in this waterfront, because its pleasures unfold step by step along the water, a barking raft of sea lions, a steaming crab pot, a curving beach, a bridge revealed from a grassy bluff, none of which a car speeding past could offer. On foot you feel the salt air and the maritime soul of the city, and you notice the details that make it special, a vintage streetcar rattling by, a swimmer braving the cold bay, the fog rolling in over the bridge. If you would like company for the next walk, open the Walk With Me map to find other walkers out exploring the city right now.