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Pier 39

Waterfronts & promenades ·San Francisco ·Closed
4.5162K
#1Waterfronts & promenades in the USMost reviewed in San FranciscoTravelers' Choice 2026
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About

Pier 39 is a shopping and entertainment complex on San Francisco’s Embarcadero at Beach Street, on the eastern edge of Fisherman’s Wharf.

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Pier 39

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What's on here

Test event date elegibility Test event date elegibility Sunday, 10:00Free

Why go

  • Explore 100 specialty stores, 12 full-service restaurants, a theater and live entertainment.
  • Take a Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise from the pier.
  • See Angel Island, Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge from the pier.

Opening hours

Today10:00 – 20:00Show all
Monday10:00 – 20:00
Tuesday10:00 – 20:00
Wednesday10:00 – 20:00
Thursday10:00 – 20:00
Friday10:00 – 20:00
Saturday10:00 – 20:00
Sunday10:00 – 20:00

Don't miss

  • California sea lionsWatch the colony from the surrounding quay.West side of the pier
  • Two-story carouselLook beyond the street frontage to find the carousel.Toward the pier’s end
  • Aquarium of the BayVisit the pier’s aquarium.On the pier

With kids

  • Children can play in the arcade and browse Candy Baron, the pier’s confectionery shop.

Tips for your visit

  • The Sea Lion Center, the Aquarium of the Bay’s educational arm, offers staff programs and demonstrations.
  • Read the information boards on the quay.
  • North Beach and Chinatown are nearby neighborhoods.

Best time to visit

  • Pier 39’s attractions operate year-round.

History

Entrepreneur Warren Simmons developed Pier 39, which opened on October 4. By January 1990, about 150 were there; the colony later grew beyond 400.

  1. Development and openingWarren Simmons developed Pier 39; its opening date was October 4.
  2. October 1989Repairs after the October 17 earthquake left the docks free of boats, providing space for sea lions to settle.
  3. Late 1989Six to ten sea lions were living permanently on the docks by year’s end.
  4. January 1990About 150 sea lions occupied the docks, drawing complaints about noise and odor.
  5. Winter 1989–90The colony established itself at Dock K and grew to more than 400 over the following months, even after boat use resumed.
Show all
  1. March 1990Dock K closed to public boating and was left to the sea lions.
  2. Tourist attractionNational news coverage helped turn the sea lion docks into a tourist draw.
  3. 1995The old dock was replaced with resting pontoons measuring about three by four metres.
  4. November 2009All the sea lions left the pier on the night of November 27 and were later seen on the Oregon coast.
  5. March 2010The sea lions returned after spending the winter away.
  6. 2014The sea lions left in June and had returned by early August.

How to get there

  • TramHistoric F Market streetcars provide access to the pier.

Shorts

Interesting facts5

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  1. The 45-acre complex occupies a former boat landing.

    Pier 39 - Wikipedia
  2. 1,700 animals

    The sea lion colony has reached as many as 1,700 animals during Thanksgiving week.

    Pier 39 - Wikipedia

  3. Researchers and staff monitor sea lions’ health, diet and behavior.

    Pier 39 - Wikipedia

  4. The Marine Mammal Center runs a permanent observation post with volunteer help.

    Pier 39 - Wikipedia
  5. 39 appears

    Pier 39 appears as Pier 69 in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, where a mission is set there and named after it.

    Jetée 39 - Wikipedia

Sources: Pier 39 - Wikipedia · San Francisco/Fisherman's Wharf - Wikivoyage (s… · Pier 39 - Wikipedia · Jetée 39 - Wikipedia · checked 26 Sep 2026

Where
The Embarcadero & Beach Street, CA, San Francisco

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

Do attractions at Pier 39 operate year-round?

Pier 39’s attractions operate year-round.

Which themed restaurants are at Pier 39?

Pier 39 has a Hard Rock Cafe and a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant inspired by Forrest Gump.

Are the sea lions always at Pier 39?

The animals leave seasonally and often return in spring; the reason for their movements is uncertain.

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