| You may be traveling as a couple or as a family. You | | | | later) than the boats of nearby tour companies. |
| may be teen-age or middle-age. You may enjoy a | | | | To enjoy a narrated tour, you may choose a voyage |
| peppy, "let's do everything!" type of trip...or prefer to | | | | on either the "Red and White Fleet" or the "Blue and |
| relax while you're on vacation. No matter what your | | | | Gold Fleet" boats. Both bay touring companies are |
| touring situation, you'll undoubtedly find something to suit | | | | located near Pier 39, and both offer a variety of tours, |
| your interest at San Francisco's delightful Pier 39. | | | | starting with a simple one-hour "overview" tour of the |
| Pier 39 is a shopping, dining and entertainment complex | | | | bay and its islands. Other specialty tours are available, |
| that has dozens of options from which you can | | | | such as sunset tours, multi-island tours, Golden Gate |
| choose. However, even if you did nothing but sit on a | | | | Bridge tours, etc. |
| park bench at Pier 39, you'd have an enjoyable day. | | | | One very popular tour is the Alcatraz Prison Tour. You |
| Pier 39 sits on the waterfront's edge with a stunning | | | | can actually take a boat out to "The Rock," debark, |
| view of both the city and the San Francisco Bay. You'll | | | | then walk among the same cell blocks which once |
| smell the salt air, hear the squeal of sea gulls, watch | | | | housed maximum-security prisoners! This tour much in |
| ferries and tour boats coming and going, and enjoy | | | | demand, and spots are limited. If you'd like to go, make |
| viewing a resident colony of sea lions that calls the | | | | your reservations as soon as possible---maybe even |
| water around Pier 39 "home." | | | | from home, before leaving on your vacation! |
| In fact, spending some time admiring the view from a | | | | After your San Francisco Bay tour, you'll surely be |
| bayside bench would make a great way to start off | | | | hungry for lunch. Head back to Pier 39 itself for a |
| your day. You'll be facing so many options ahead for | | | | delicious seafood luncheon...which you'll find is the |
| you, that you might need some time to decide! Several | | | | specialty of not one, but a NUMBER of Pier 39's |
| restaurants at Pier 39 are open for breakfast...and, of | | | | restaurants! If you're not in the mood for seafood, don't |
| course, you'll dine with a view of the bay from your | | | | worry. You'll find both American and Italian cuisine |
| table. After your morning meal, there may still be a chill | | | | served at Pier 39. One budget idea is to head to North |
| in the air; if so, why not start by touring the "can't miss" | | | | Shore Pizza, where one of their tasty extra-large |
| Aquarium of the Bay. | | | | pizza pies will fill your entire family! |
| At San Francisco's Aquarium of the Bay, you'll enjoy | | | | After lunch, you can spend time exploring the shops |
| attractive exhibits showcasing marine life from a | | | | and activities of Pier 39. You'll find over 100 specialty |
| variety of the ocean's zones. You'll be able to walk | | | | stores which make for great browsing...and souvenir |
| through TWO clear viewing tunnels, where specimens | | | | hunting! Younger kids will love riding on the stunning |
| will swim and slither to your left, right, and above you. | | | | double-decker carousel at the end of the pier. Older |
| You'll see large tanks, small tanks and touch tanks. | | | | kids can get lost for hours at the pier's game arcade. |
| You may attend informational programs, or simply ask | | | | For a bit wilder fun, your family can jump on the |
| as many questions as you like of the aquarium's staff. | | | | "bungee trampoline," or sit in the motion-movie |
| You're certain to leave with a renewed awe of our | | | | ride...where your chairs will move in synchronized timing |
| swimming friends...and knowing more than when you | | | | with events in the film. You'll feel like you're really IN the |
| entered! | | | | situations that the movie portrays! |
| As the day warms up, you may wish to take a tour of | | | | By the time evening comes, your group will leave tired, |
| the San Francisco Bay, which is easily arranged from | | | | but happy. Getting home will be easy, too. To come |
| the piers adjacent to Pier 39. Budget travelers may | | | | and go from Pier 39, you can hop a ferry, board a bus, |
| enjoy riding the ferry boats across the bay. There's no | | | | or catch the MUNI. Many folks simply walk to their |
| narration aboard a ferry; but the "price is right," and the | | | | cars...parked conveniently at the Pier 39 parking |
| ferries start running much earlier (and quit running much | | | | garage, just across the street from all the action! |