Things to Do in Fisherman's Wharf | Hotel Manager's Picks

One of the busiest and well known attractions in North America, Fisherman's Wharf is best known for being the location of Pier 39, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, the Cannery, Ghirardelli Square, a Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, the Musée Mécanique, the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf, Forbes Island and restaurants and stands that serve fresh seafood, most notably Dungeness crab and clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl.

A trip to our famous city this May will allow visitors to enjoy the city's major attractions without dealing with the crowds that are common during the Summer. With other regions of the country experiencing a late start to Spring our weather recently has been unusually warm while Spring is in full bloom.

During May the DeYoung Museum is playing host to Dutch Paintings from the Mauritshuis. This is a unique offering for those who are fans of Vermeer’s enigmatic Girl with a Pearl Earring that has intrigued art lovers for centuries. Along with this masterpiece are 30 others represented by artists of the Dutch Golden Age. Visit deyoungmuseum.org.

While the weather is still mild you might want to venture for a day trip up to Saint Helena. Ehlers Estate in Napa just released a stunning white varietal that’s taking center stage this Spring. It is a full bodied Sauvignon Blanc with hints of pear, pink grapefruit, lemon and tangerine blossoms. The 43 acre estate was founded in 1886 and produces fewer than 8,000 cases of wine each year. All wines are organic. Visit ehlersestate.com.

To learn more about things to do in Fisherman's Wharf during your stay, visit our San Francisco Events page on our website for details of some of the more interesting events that are happening in San Francisco this month. Regardless of what you have planned, enjoy visiting our beautiful city.

What's your favorite spot in San Francisco? Let us know at sheratonsf@ihrco.com or Share on Facebook.

Happy Travels ... Craig Schwan, General Manager

Sunday Streets
San Francisco celebrates its first "Sunday Streets" for 2013 along The Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf. The northbound Embarcadero will be closed to vehicles so city residents, visitors and their families can run, walk, skip, bike or dance along The Embarcadero and head to Pier 39 for a day of fun and fitness.

Kids of all ages will enjoy swashbuckling fun for pirates at PIER 39. At the Entrance Plaza pick up a map that will lead you on a quest for PIER fun and special treasure.

Walk the plank to live music, inflatable fun and a live performance by PIER 39's resident pirate, Capt'n Jack Spareribs. Landlubbers can park their bikes at the free bike valet in the Entrance Plaza.

The event takes place on Sunday, March 10, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For further information, call (415) 705-5500 or visit www.pier39.com  

Quince at Jackson Square
Situated in San Francisco’s quaint Jackson Square Neighborhood, approximately a mile from the hotel, Quince is housed in an 1907 historically landmarked brick and timber building.

Quince features a daily changing Italian-inspired menu that celebrates the seasonal bounty of Northern California.

Chef Michael Tusk was recently recognized by the James Beard Foundation with the 2011 Beard award for "Best Chef – Pacific".

San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic, Michael Bauer recently re-reviewed the restaurant and and in the process, upgraded the Pacific Avenue restaurant to a perfect four stars. It's an experience you shouldn't miss when in town.

Located on Pacific Avenue. For reservations call: (415) 775-8500.

San Francisco Jazz Center Grand Opening
Full of shimmer and swing, San Francisco's sleek new jazz concert hall opened in January with an opening night gala emceed by Bill Cosby aimed at cementing respect for and expanding the reach of the jazz idiom on the West Coast.
 
Called SFJAZZ Center, the 700-seat specially designed and brightly lit concert hall is nestled in the heart of the city's arts district, the first concert hall of its type in the United States. With this spectacular new building, SFJAZZ will take its place alongside the Symphony, the opera and other major institutions, as a permanent home for jazz—America’s original, indigenous art form.

Enjoy great music at this new venue. For a comprehensive list of preformance and to order tickets only, visit www.sfjazz.org.

Japanese Tea Garden
San Francisco's Japanese Tea Garden was originally developed for the 1894 World's Fair in San Francisco and through the years the Garden has grown into a landmark of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

The Japanese Tea Gardens were designed to have a very romanticized look of a traditional Japanese garden. As a result, entering the Garden is like stepping into the world that you see in Asian paintings; a world that exists both inside and outside the hustle and bustle of life.

It is a peaceful, complex place many paths, ponds and a teahouse that features native Japanese and Chinese plants. Also hidden throughout its five acres are sculptures and bridges. About the only sound you hear are cameras clicking. Not only do the gardens have beautiful plants, but they also house many interesting animals as well. Every pond you pass (and there are many), you will find teeming with koi fish, and there are also many exotic birds.

Jersey Boys
Worldwide more than 14 million people have seen Jersey Boys and now the show that made critics and audiences cheer is “Working its Way Back” to the Curran Theatre in San Francisco beginning March 9, 2013.

Jersey Boys is the Tony and Grammy award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history.

They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were 30! Jersey Boys features their hit songs “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Rag Doll,” “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”

For further information and to purchase tickets, call: (888) 746-1799.

Walt Disney Family Museum
Celebrating their third anniversary, the Walt Disney Family Museum's three historic buildings within the nearby Presidio houses 10 galleries devoted to the inspiring story of Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Disneyland and the global yet distinctly American company that bears his name.

Disney's story is impressively portrayed through drawings, storyboards, the narrow-gauge train built for Disneyland along with film clips, concept art, scripts, musical scores and cameras used by Disney and his staff.

Using a mix of historic materials and artifacts, Disney's achievements really comes to life through innovative displays that include listening stations, interactive media, and more than 200 video monitors. Much of the material is being generously lent by the Walt Disney Company and private collectors.

Located at the nearby Presidio. For information and tickets call (415) 345-6893.