With shops, marine life sightings, and views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39 is a no-brainer stop on any trip to San Francisco. It has some very practical appeal too: it’s the home of the California Welcome Center, San Francisco, where you can find tools and deals to help you experience the best things to do in San Francisco.
Pick up free guides and tips
Just like the other 20-plus California Welcome Centers across the Golden State, this visitor’s center along Fisherman’s Wharf is stocked with a wide array of free maps, guides, and brochures that can inform your trip to San Francisco and beyond. Pick up paper copies or browse the touch-screen kiosk for digital versions that can be sent to your phone. While you’re there, grab free copies of the California Visitor’s Guide and California Road Trips.
The welcome center in San Francisco is also staffed with friendly locals ready to offer tips or answer questions—whether you need suggestions for brunch spots, kid-friendly activities, or where to catch a cable car. The center also carries a nice selection of Golden State souvenirs, from classic postcards to California-made crafts and treats. It is open seven days a week, except for a few holidays during the year, and offers free Wi-Fi.
Get discounts on popular attractions
The California Welcome Center at Pier 39 offers another serious perk: You can book your tickets here for popular attractions such as Alcatraz, Aquarium of the Bay, and the California Academy of Sciences, and often at a discount. For a cohesive overview of the City by the Bay, book your seats for the hop-on-hop-off Big Bus Tour that visits sights including Haight-Ashbury, the Ferry Building Marketplace, and the Palace of Fine Arts.
More things to do at Pier 39 and beyond
Not only does Pier 39 make a convenient launching pad for San Francisco fun, but it’s an entertainment hub on its own. Watch the jugglers and other street performers, browse the shops, and tuck in for a sourdough-bread bowl of clam chowder. Create a melody while climbing the symphonic stairs (remember the giant keyword in the movie Big?) then say hello to the sea lions who have been lounging on the K Dock since 1990. Insider tip: Consider getting an amazing 360-degree photo from the top of the pier’s parking garage.
If you’re exploring more of California on your trip, be sure to visit some of the other 20-plus California Welcome Centers around the state. Each has its own focus and distinctive perks. East of the Bay Area in Solano County, for instance, the California Welcome Center, Fairfield sits right next to the Jelly Belly Factory; the self-guided tour includes a scavenger hunt that finishes inside the welcome center.
If you’re headed to wine country, the staffers at the California Welcome Center, Santa Rosa can help you map out a wine-tasting itinerary through Sonoma County based on how long you’ll be there and what kinds of wines you like.