San Francisco has always been one of my family’s favorite places to visit. After 15 years of visiting San Francisco, we decided to try the famous Pier 39 and ended up having a fun day there. Today I’m sharing tips to visit Pier 39 with kids.
Tips to Visit PIER 39 with kids:
Table of Contents
How to get to Pier 39
We decided to take Amtrak from Sacramento to San Francisco — it’s extremely easy, comfortable, and faster than we expected. The train made good time to Emeryville, where we got off and walked for about one minute to the Amtrak bus that was waiting for us. This bus took us across the Bay Bridge and dropped us off right in front of PIER 39.
If you do arrive by car, there are parking lots nearby at Pier 35 and the Pier 39 garage. Expect to pay high prices and arrive early to secure a spot. Some restaurants validate parking. Alternatively, you could park in a lot farther away, say by Union Square or in Nob Hill and then take public transit here.
Where to eat at Pier 39
Pier 39 is an outdoor area of shops, restaurants and entertainment spread out over two floors right on the water. There are many options for food, from snacks you can eat while walking to cafes and sit-down restaurants.
We arrived hungry, so we headed to the second floor for lunch at Fog Harbor Fish House. The restaurant’s big windows allow for water views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, and my kids enjoyed watching the boats glide in and out of the marina.
As the restaurant’s waterfront location suggests, Fog Harbor Fish House specializes in seafood. I was happy to learn that it was the first restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf to serve 100% sustainable seafood and meets the standards of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.
The restaurant is very kid-friendly. The tables are nicely spaced out, so my kids’ chattering was hardly noticed by the neighboring tables, and they were given activity papers and crayons.
One nice touch is that the kids’ menu includes fish dishes in addition to the usual kids’ menu fare. If you’re in the area, I’d recommend this restaurant for its views, comfortable atmosphere and sustainable seafood choices.
Note that Fog Harbor Fish House can be crowded during peak times and is on the pricey side. You may also want to eat somewhere else in San Francisco, such as the Ferry Building or one of the nearby neighborhoods before coming to Pier 39. We love the Italian restaurants in Nob Hill and the easy places to grab a meal at the Ferry Building (Gott’s is great with kids).
Pier 39 Aquarium
As soon as we finished lunch, we went straight to Aquarium of the Bay, which is what my boys were most excited about. This aquarium is a non-profit organization focused on conservation of the San Francisco Bay. The exhibits showcase local species and aim to educate the public about the interconnectedness of the local environment and the health of the waters around the Bay.
Besides the mesmerizing jellyfish tanks, we loved the crystal clear tunnels featuring a variety of local sea life — rays, sharks, enormous bass and catfish — swim around and above you.
The aquarium also has touch tanks and staff-led talks about sea life, the river otter exhibit, and local animals, like the snake that we were able to see and (gently) touch. The aquarium never felt crowded, so we were able to easily see everything without having to wait.
This video shows some highlights of the aquarium visit:
Views from Pier 39
Then it was time to check out the outdoor walking area that runs along the water. I think the best view of Alcatraz in all of San Francisco is from right there, and I had no idea that Pier 39 was so close to it!
Whether you’re here for a day trip to San Francisco or a longer stay, no visit to PIER 39 is complete without a walk along the pier to see the boats and, of course, the sea lions. They were actually pretty quiet when we were there, perhaps taking a late-afternoon nap. You can also see the Golden Gate in the distance.
What to do with kids at Pier 39
Besides the aquarium, there are lots of other kid-friendly things to do at PIER 39. My husband and older son opted for the “7D Experience,” where they participated in a short interactive movie and game and played laser tag. Gabriel preferred the beautiful two-story carousel, which we happily rode twice.
Read more: Visiting the Presidio National Park in San Francisco
After all those activities, we saved some time for browsing the shops (we enjoyed the Puppets on the PIER store, and Noah loved the store for Lefties!) and admiring all the snacks, like caramel corn, warm pretzels and cotton candy.
PIER 39 also offers a couple of boat rides in the San Francisco Bay, which would be fantastic on a beautiful day, but unfortunately, it was too windy on the day we were there. We’re looking forward to trying the 90-minute Blue and Gold Fleet Bay Cruise next time.
Northern California residents can join PIER 39’s free “locals only” discount program, Local Advantage, and receive exclusive discounts throughout the year.
More on our visit to PIER 39 in this video:
Do you have any tips for a visit to PIER 39 with kids?
Disclosure: This blog post is part of a paid Megan Media and PIER 39 blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.
We were there 2 years ago! Hubby is from and has family in SF so it’s a place we visit frequently- I would LOVE this!! We’re planning a trip home next month for his birthday so this would be perfect timing. Gotta love the clam chowder in sourdough bowls too! Awesome- thanks so much for the chance!
I absolutely adore San Francisco and all it has to offer, but I have to admit, I never knew there was so much to do at Pier 39! I was just there in August, too!
This is a great package for a family to enjoy! Thanks, Jenna! Will tell my readers about it too!
Thanks, Christina!
So much to see and do! However, the delicious clam chowder in a sourdough bowl is still my favorite part of the visit!
And it tastes so good in the cool weather that SF so often has! 🙂
I would love to go to San Francisco. San Francisco is my favorite place.
Our daughter likes to spend time at the San Francisco Carusel. In addition, we love to visit the local stores that have a lot of unique souvenirs and all kind of candies. A perfect atmosphere gives the street permormers who have enough talent to entertain us every time when we go there.This is my family’s the one of the favorite place in San Francisco.
Really want to check this out, it looks awesome!
Have listed this in one of my best dream cities. Would be great if i find variety of foods there.
I’ve never been there but we’re going to San Francisco next summer so we would love to visit Pier 39!
Love all the activities!
We love watching the seals and people watching.