Each slice of San Francisco has its own feel, and the northern waterfront’s is definitely about playing outside on the bay.
By Nancy Salcedo
Published: September, 2001
From the waves at Fort Point to the winds that blast through the Golden Gate in the summertime, the northern waterfront is as challenging as it is beautiful - no beginners here. As you walk north from the Ferry Building the elements account for more and more of your experience, partly because you are getting closer to the wind or fog and currents squeezing through the Golden Gate, and partly because you are able to get closer and closer to the water as the concrete gives way to bay shore. You are, in a sense, gradually leaving the City behind and heading for the ocean, which, at this latitude, entices the heartier of souls. There is an admirable hardiness to the people who play along this stretch of waterfront, which draws and conditions hard-core athletes. Take for example the patrons of the Dolphin Club, whose membership regularly swims laps in the calm of Aquatic Park in 50-some degree bay water, and unlike the surfers and windsurfers, they do it without a wetsuit. "Death before dishonor," one member answered with a smile when asked if he ever wore a wetsuit.
But don’t worry if you’re not up for surfing Fort Point, windsurfing at Crissy Field, or doing laps in the bay, you’re not stuck just watching someone else have all the fun. There is art, architecture, history and great restaurants around Russian Hill and Pacific Heights. And at the feet of these viewful hills is some of San Francisco’s best (and flattest) walking and biking. On this 4-mile Golden Gate Promenade, you will feel dwarfed by the beauty of the surrounding scenery. Having left the hustle of the tourist pack at Fisherman’s Wharf behind, the shoreline turns to face the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands. Shoreline access improves dramatically, with opportunities to put your toes in the sand on the beach at Aquatic Park, wind waterside through Fort Mason and exercise along the Marina Green against a backdrop of sailboats at rest in their berths at the St. Francis and Golden Gate Yacht clubs. As you head back out onto the sand in the Presidio enjoy the fabulous renovation of Crissy Field. Because of a huge undertaking by the National Park Service, and assisted by hundreds of volunteers who planted over 40 species of native plants (some extinct in today’s San Francisco), Crissy Field is a great place to see native flora and fauna. Both the Crissy Field Center, and the Warming Hut toward Fort Point, offer cafe fare for lunch if its too windy for a picnic, and the Crissy Field Center’s Bookstore has maps to plan your exploration of San Francisco’s wild side that lies beyond the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) begins at Fort Mason and continues around Fort Point, passing above Baker Beach, to the Coastal Trail. Here, you can explore the San Francisco headlands from Lands End to Ocean Beach, and continue to Fort Funston. Approximately 20 miles, this is an epic, and highly scenic bike ride (you encounter some hills as you pass through the Presidio, Sea Cliff and Lincoln Park Golf Stop for a moment or two and experience the views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Baker Beach, (where the only shark attack ever recorded in San Francisco took place, in 1939). Many sites are worth checking out: the Palace of Legion of Honor, the Cliff House and the Sutro Bath’s ruins. As you bike the Coastal Trail between Sea Cliff and Sutro Baths, you follow cliff top the route of the Ferries and Cliff House Railroad which ran around Lands End out to the beach in the 1880s. The rugged coastline here is shrouded in Cypress forest and, with the exception of seacoast batteries, remains undeveloped and wild. The water offshore here is treacherous, with a local surf spot referred to as Dead Man’s and the remains of three shipwrecks visible off Land’s End. The offshore rock with the light on it is Mile Rock, and further around by Sutro Baths is Point Lobos, which together form a pair of submerged rocks that are notorious for piercing the hulls of passing ships. The freighter SS Ohioan hit the rocks off of Point Lobos so hard in 1936 its said that the resulting sparks lit up the night sky. You may spot its remains looking north from Point Lobos. The wrecks of two tankers lie under the surface by Mile Rock. The SS Frank Buck went down in 1937 just south of Mile Rock. You can look for it along with the wreck of the Lyman Stewart, which ran aground in 1922, from the Coast Trail between Vista Point and the Palace of the Legion of Honor.
Land’s End is also the corner around which the Pacific Ocean awaits. By the time you reach Sutro Baths, the currents created by the bay’s changing tides have given way to strong winds and powerful waves, and if the wind is blowing, there are no sheltering coves, ridges or forests (a major selling point of a beer at the Cliff House). There is a GGNRA visitor center on the ocean front deck below the Cliff House where you can get maps, and learn more about Adolph Sutro’s estate, the GGNRA in general, and the National Marine Sanctuaries offshore. The off-street esplanade that crests the dunes along the length of Ocean Beach offers sweeping views of Ocean Beach and the Marin headlands to the north. If you’d like to spend a night by the beach, check out the Seal Rock Inn by Sutro Heights, or Robert’s Motel at the south end of Ocean Beach. At the southern end of Ocean Beach is the San Francisco Zoo. Or you can continue south to Fort Funston, where hang-gliders leap with the thermals and sail along 300-foot cliffs above the sand. GGNRA beach continues to Thornton Beach where, at low tide, you can walk this deserted, cliff-backed beach all the way to Mussel Rock in Daly City. Bring a picnic if you’re going further than Ocean Beach. Or you can refuel along the way at the Beach Chalet Brewpub, Java Beach coffeehouse at the foot of Noreiga, or Brother’s Pizza (two blocks up Taraval) .
San Francisco Waterfront North Directory
Transportation
BART, 415-992-2278
MUNI (San Francisco Municipal Railway-buses and streetcars), 415-673-6864
Golden Gate Transit, 415-923-2000
Cable Car, 415-474-1887
Blue and Gold Fleet, 415-705-5555
Blazing Saddles Bike Rental, Columbus at Francisco, 415-202-8888
What To Do At Night
Cobb’s Comedy Theater, Beach Street at The Cannery, 415-928-4320
Ted and Tina’s Wedding, Cable Car Theater, 430 Mason Street, (800) 660-8462
Bay Area Theatersports (BATS), Fort Mason Building B, 415-474-8935, www.improv.org
Magic Theater, Fort Mason Building D, 415-441-8822, www.magictheater.org
Castro Theater, Castro Street at 18th, 415-621-6120
Check calendar at Bay Guardian, www.sfbg.com
Check calendar at the Chronicle, www.chronicleevents.com
Accommodations
Tuscan Inn, 425 North Point, 415-561-1100
The Wharf Inn, 2601 Mason, 415-673-7411
Edward II, 3155 Scott, 415-992-3000
Marina Inn, 2576 Lombard, 415-921-9406
Hotel Del Sol, 3100 Webster, 415-921-5520
Edward II Bed and Breakfast Inn, Lombard at Scott, 415-922-3000
Sherman House, Green at Fillmore, 415-563-3600
Local Restaurants
Liverpool Lil’s, Lyon at Presidio, 415-921-6664
Lou’s Pier 47, 300 Jefferson Fisherman’s Wharf, 415-771-0377-live music
Taqueria San Jose, 2257 Mason, 415-749-0826
San Remo, 2237 Mason, 415-776-8688
Cassis Bistro, 2120 Greenwich, 415-292-0770
Betelnut, 2030 Union, 415-925-8855
Liverpool Lil’s, 2942 Lyon, 415-921-6664
Baker Street Bistro, 2953 Baker, 415-931-1475
Plump Jack Cafe, 3127 Fillmore, 415-563-4755
Alegrais, 2018 Lombard, 415-929-8888
Lhasa Moon, 2420 Lombard, 415-674-9898
Home Plate, 2274 Lombard, 415-922-4663
Pluto’s, 3258 Scott, 415-775-8867
Real Foods Deli, 3060 Fillmore,415-567-6900
Restaurant Gary Danko, North Point at Hyde, 415-749-2060
L’Osteria del Forno, Columbus between Green and Union,415- 982-1124
Pete’s Cafe, SF Art Institute, 800 Chestnut
Ghiradelli Fountain & Candy, Ghiradelli Square, 415-775-5500
Restaurants, nearby
Cafe Kati, 1963 Sutter between Fillmore and Webster, 415-775-7313
Swan Oyster Depot, Polk, between California and Sacramento, 415-673-1101
Good Luck Dim Sum, Clement between 8th and 9th, 415-386-3388
Ton Kiang, Geary between 22nd and 23rd, 415-387-8273
B44, 44 Belden Street, between Bush and Pine, 415-986-6287
Aqua, California between Battery and Front, 415-956-9662
Jardiniere, Grove at Franklin, 415-861-5555
Golden Flower, Jackson at Kearny, 415-433-6469
Tommaso’s, Kearny between Broadway and Pacific, 415-398-9696
Eliza’s, California between Broderick and Divisidero, 415-621-4819
Events
Festival of the Sea, September, SF Maritime National Historical Park
Fleet week, April, 415-777,7120, www.chronicleevents.com
Fourth of July, 415-777-7120, www.chronicleevents.com
North Beach Jazz Fair, mid-July, www.chronicleevents.com
Chinese New Year , Chinese New Year, www.chronicleevents.com
Museums
San Francisco Maritime Museum, 415-556-3002
Hyde Street Pier, Foot of Hyde Street, 415-556-3002
The Museum of the City of San Francisco, 3rd floor, The Cannery, 415-928-0289
William Penn Mott Jr. Visitor Information Center, 415-561-4324
Fort Point National Historic Site, 415-556-1693
Gulf of the Farallons National Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center, 415-556-0865
Cable Car Museum, 1201 Mason, 415-474-1887
SF Art Institute, Diego Rivera Gallery, 800 Chestnut, 415-771-7020, www.sfai.edu
The Presidio
The Exploratorium, 415-561-0360
William Penn Mott Jr. Visitor Center, 415-561-4324
Presidio Bowling Center, 415-561-2695
Presidio Golf Course and Club House, 415-561-4653
Fort Point National Historic Site, 415-556-1693
Crissy Field Center, 415-561-7690
Warming Hut, 415-561-7690
Aquatic Park and Hyde Street Pier
Ghiradelli Fountain and Candy, 900 North Point Ghiradelli Square, 415-771-4903
USS Pampanito, Pier 45, 415-775-1943
National Maritime Museum, Aquatic Park at foot of Polk, 415-556-3002
Historic Ships on Hyde Street Pier, 415-556-0859
Fishermen’s Wharf
Captain Bob’s fishing charters, 415-564-2706
Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf, 555 North Point, 415-563-1234
Ramada Plaza Hotel Fisherman’s Wharf, 590 Bay, 415-885-4700
Sheraton at Fisherman’s Wharf, 2500 Mason, 415-362-5500
Holiday Inn, 1300 Columbus, 415-771-9000
Marriot Fisherman’s Wharf, 1250 Columbus, 415-775-7555
Travelodge at the Wharf, 250 Beach, 415-392-6700
The Wharf Inn, 2601 Mason, 415-673-7411
Lou’s Pier 47, 300 Jefferson Fisherman’s Wharf, 415-771-0377
Taqueria San Jose, 2257 Mason, 415-749-0826
The Sutro Bath’s ruins. As you bike the Coastal Trail between Sea Cliff and Sutro Baths, you follow cliff top the route of the Ferries and Cliff House Railroad which ran around Lands End out to the beach in the 1880s. The rugged coastline here is shrouded in Cypress forest and, with the exception of seacoast batteries, remains undeveloped and wild. The water offshore here is treacherous, with a local surf spot referred to as Dead Man’s and the remains of three shipwrecks visible off Land’s End.
