Soaring historic architure contributes to the super clean and orderly impression at Marketplace in the Ferry Building.
Over 30 shops and restaurants provide products and services for commuters heading for the ferries, out of town shoppers and the many fortunate San Franciscans that live nearby.
A jogger passes the Bow and Arrow sculpture "Cupid's Span" by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen just down the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building. It sits in Rincon Park—a two-acre park and public open space between the Embarcadero and Herb Caen Way. Herb Caen Way… is the section of the Port Promenade from China Basin to the Wharf.
|
The Ferry Building, which underwent a major renovation in 2002, dates back to 1903 and required some rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake.
The double-decked Embarcadero Freeway — extensively damaged in the Oct. 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake — has been demolished and replaced with plazas, walks, parks, and public pier access, which give visitors and residents the chance to enjoy the spectacular waterfront setting.
A seven-mile stretch of waterfront promenade and surface-level road and trolley lines opened along the Embarcadero in 1999. Improvment to the area continues with plans for a Waterfront Pavilion.
The Waterfront Pavilion is modeled on the Spreckels Organ Pavillion in San Diego's Balboa Park. It will house the 7,000 pipe Austin Organ Opus 500 that was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition held in San Francisco's Marina district. Free weekly concerts are planned.
The Golden Gate Railroad Museum has historical information about trains on the Embarcadero. San Francisco's F-line Streetcars operate on the Nation's longest public historic line with a variety of cars dating back to the 1890's.
Use your San Francisco CityPass for seven days of unlimited travel on cable cars, streetcars—including the historic F-line— and all other MUNI vehicles as well as entrance to five popular SF attractions.
From The San Francisco Giants baseball park in South Beach, past Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf to Aquatic Park visitors can enjoy views of the Bay Bridge, Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands, downtown highrises and Coit Tower. Nearby you will find the Financial District and the eight-block Embarcadero Center complex.
The 7th floor roof top parks at One Market Plaza are a great place to watch the activity along the Embarcadero and out on the Bay.
The view to the North West is one of my favorites. It includes the Ferry Building, Yerba Buena and Treasure Islands and most of the Bay Bridge.
Ferry Building
The Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street has recently been renovated. It was the second busiest transportation terminal in the world in the early 1930s with 250,000 people traveling through the Ferry Building every day.
Ferries made approximately 170 landings a day and trolley lines left every 20 seconds. Ferries leaving the Ferry Building for Oakland could carry 4,000 passengers and included many luxury features including restaurants.
Weekends and some weekdays during most of the year Marketplace (described in the left column) combines with the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market to provide a unique San Francisco shopping experience.
An interesting view of the Ferry Building can be seen looking down Commercial St., from Chinatown, through the Financial District.
Looking east from the Embarcadero and Green Street panorama you can see Treasure Island with Berkeley in the background and Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill to the north-west.
Pier 7, near the Waterfront Restaurant on the Embarcadero, is said to be one of the better fishing piers in San Francisco.
The pier was rebuilt in 1990 with timber decking, wooden benches and ornamental Victorian iron handrails and light fixtures. At 840 feet long, Pier 7 is the second longest fishing pier in The City.
The Embarcadero is a popular gathering spot on New Years Eve. It's a great place to watch the annual fireworks display with the Bay Bridge in the background.
After you've taken a virtual tour of San Francisco on iNeTours.com you might want to take a real San Francisco Tour.
|
