Cruising From San Francisco
Introducing San Francisco
San Francisco is situated on the west coast of California at the entrance to one of the continents's best natural harbors, San Francisco bay.
The city spreads across more than 40 hills. The two highest are Mount Davidson and Mount Suttro, both of which are over 900ft high. And the two best known are Telegraph Hill, long in favor as a haunt for artists and writers and Nob Hill, as the name suggests the neighborhood of the rich and famous.
San Francisco’s history begins in 1769, when Spaniards from Mexico sailed into the bay. When they reported back to their base about the area’s exciting potential, an expeditionary party marched to the area from the Spanish base at San Diego, and on arrival set up a military camp. This outpost was eventually ceded to the US in 1848. Strangely (was it a coincidence?) in the very same year that San Francisco changed ownership, gold was found close to the city, attracting the attention of legions of would be gold miners. San Francisco's years of being a quiet town in the middle of nowhere ended as more than 30,000 people, all heavily infected with Gold Fever, rushed in.
By the beginning of the 20th century San Francisco had enlarged into an attractive cosmopolitan center of 390,000 inhabitants, dubbed by some as the 'Paris of the West'. The city’s economy boomed as the completion of the Pacific Railroad fostered the establishment of new assembly line based industries.Â
San Francisco's growth was halted in the spring of 1906 when an enormous earthquake hit the city. The earthquake was so powerful it was felt even as far away as Los Angeles. Devastating fires spread out of control burning to the ground over three quarters of downtown. Â The city rose from the ashes in a frenzy of rebuilding.
After two decades of progress and consolidation, the city emerged in the 1930s and early 1940s to enjoy another economic boom. The Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge were built, and in 1940 the Golden Gate World Fair received visitors from all over the world.
Today San Francisco is a vibrant technology and financial center, a busy port, and the entrypoint to Silicon Valley, home of technology giants such as Apple, Google, HP and Oracle.
Touring San Francisco
San Francisco has long been popular with visitors, and not surprisingly so, since the city has a whole host of 'must-see' attractions.
Fisherman’s Wharf
Fisherman’s Wharf, which has served as the dock for the bay's commercial fishing fleet since the Gold Rush years, is today more tourist honeypot than fishing port. As an alternative how about following the Port Walk, an idea of the Fisherman’s Wharf Merchants Association. The walk stops at a series of signs which give information on the rich history of this waterfront.
Alcatraz
Though the last prisoners were moved away from the island more than 50 years ago, Alcatraz with its claustrophobic cells, foreboding mess hall and frightening solitary confinement holes is well preserved. Tourists can reach the island by a short boat trip from Pier 33, sailings are every half hour, but make sure to book ahead.
Cablecars
Of the twenty-three lines which operated in the city at the end of the late 19th century just three remain, Powell-Hyde, the California Street Line and Powell-Mason . A ride on a cable-car is a never forget experience, but beware - if you end up standing on a car’s running board, it takes a lot more arm muscle than you might think to hang on!
Chinatown
Despite the fact that many of the buildings in SF's Chinatown may not be truely Chinese in design, the cooking, inhabitants and culture bring an authenticity to the district. Charming globe lanterns and dazzlingly colored banners cross the avenues, which are lit at night by highly decorative streetlights in the shape of a Chinese pagoda held up by two dragons.
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge crosses the stretch of sea which separates the Pacific and San Francisco Bay. It's a little known fact that the distinctive color was picked on account of the fact it enhances the bridge’s visibility in dense fog. To travel to the south side of the bridge board the SF Muni bus 28 at Laguna and Chestnut, a short walk from Fisherman’s Wharf. To return be sure to take route 28 towards Fort Mason, not Daly City.
Cruise Ideas
Cruises sail north following the Canadian and Alaskan coasts, a midsummer favorite on account fo Alaska’s glorious scenery, or west to islands of Hawaii, popular in winter because of the gorgeous white sand beaches
For a full calendar of cruises, see cruises from San Francisco.
San Francisco Cruise Terminals
San Francisco offers 2 cruise terminals. Before 2014, Pier 35 was used for cruises which start and end in the city, and Pier 27 a back-up facility used for day-calling cruises. Late in 2014 the terminals swapped places, as the brand new terminal on Pier 27 (The James R. Herman Cruise Terminal) became the primary cruise terminal, and Pier 35 the backup.
Pier 27 Terminal
Due to its crosswise orientation, Pier 27 is SF’s longest berth and can accommodate one ship up to 1250 feet in length. Whilst perhaps in not quite as good a position as Pier 35, the new terminal is still close to the popular Fishermen’s Wharf area. The new terminal offer states of the art facilities serving the largest cruise ships.
Pier 35 Terminal
Pier 35 was the home of the Matson Line’s famous white passenger liners until the 1970s. These ran cruise vacations and passenger services to Australia, the South Pacific and New Zealand until 1978. The pier offers two cruise ship berths pier 35 south and pier 35 north. Services include customs clearance, restrooms, taxi rank, security and information point.
For the port authority website, see Port Of San Francisco.
Transport To The Cruise Terminal
The cruise terminals may be ideally positioned as a port of call, offering easy access to all the sights for passengers, but if your cruise departs from San Franscisco, will you will to traverse the city to reach the terminals at the North East waterfront. See the 'Getting Here' page at the San Francisco port's website for instructions as to how to reach the port by car and bus.
