Ferry Building in San Francisco

The San Francisco Ferry Building is a historical landmark and a modern marketplace where visitors can visit the historical site and enjoy the local culinary scene. The building is more than just a transit hub, it's also a vibrant marketplace where fruits, vegetables, wine, oysters, and other products are sold. There are numerous food vendors in the facility offering fresh produce and artisan goods made with local ingredients. It is a fantastic place to eat lunch or dinner or pick up gifts to bring home as a souvenir or gift. You'll find a range of options from fast food to fine dining options, so you're sure to satisfy your cravings.

Touring the Ferry Building will teach you about the area’s rich history and supply you with information about the local community. A tour around the building takes approximately one to 2 hours to complete. Visitors, food lovers, and locals visit the building for many reasons, such as seeing the culinary options, while others come to tour the iconic facility and see its architecture.

Ferry Building in San Francisco - one of the highlights of 10 Instagrammable Places in San Francisco (Read all about San Francisco here)

Ferry Building highlights

When you visit, you can tour the iconic building, which was a major ferry stop and a loading point for ships in the past. Learn about the history of the building and view the gigantic 240-foot wall-clock that's a highlight of the area. The large clock is the first sight you will notice on your way to the ferry building. You will also find beautiful crafts by various artisans and other unique trinkets on your tour.

Inside the ferry building, you will find numerous vendors in shops and boutiques selling speciality foods, such as Frog Hollow Farms stone fruits and jams, Rancho Gordo dried beans, and many more. Various restaurants have attractive menus, including fast foods like hamburgers and milkshakes, and other fine-dining options.

History of Ferry Building

The Ferry Building has an exciting history, moving from the primary portal into San Francisco to a marketplace for food lovers. It is an old structure that officially opened in 1898. During the 20th century, the building boomed because of the massive traffic of people entering the city through ferryboats. At its peak, the building received up to 50,000 people a day.

Unfortunately, the Bay Bridge and Green Gate Bridge construction and the growing popularity of cars affected the amount of traffic it received regularly. In 1955, the interior got converted into offices, ending its use as ferry transportation. The renovation of the building took 4 years to complete. It wasn’t until 2003 that it got reopened to the public with the ground floor serving as a retail and restaurant space for fresh and local products.

Good to know when visiting the Ferry Building

The ferry building marketplace opens daily, although different food purveyors and restaurant owners may open at their own time, so be sure to check schedules. It can be crowded on Saturday mornings. You can take one of the historic F-line streetcars to the Ferry Building for a scenic ride through the city. Another option is to use ferries to arrive at the building to take an exciting trip and see the city's historical landmarks along the way. If you come by car, the best place to park is at the Embarcadero Center parking lot; it is safe and close enough for you to walk to the building.

While in the Ferry Building, you can easily visit other nearby attractions such as the Embarcadero Farmer's Market for more produce and artisan foods. The Ferry Building is also close to the San Francisco Carousel, a hand-crafted carousel on Pier 39 with intricate paintings depicting San Francisco landmarks. Other nearby attractions include the Pier 24 Photography Museum and San Francisco Railway Museum, which is home to vintage railcars and memorabilia.

Location: 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA

Open: Daily from 7 am to 10 pm

Phone: +1 415-983-8000

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