Hyde Street Pier

Why go

Hyde Street Pier is defined by the street pattern and public spaces of Hyde Street Pier. Another layer comes from architecture and daily movement across Hyde Street Pier. Plan Hyde Street Pier by remembering to set a compact boundary around Hyde Street Pier before walking. After Hyde Street Pier, choose a district beside Hyde Street Pier; this keeps Hyde Street Pier geographically coherent and avoids forcing Hyde Street Pier into an unrelated crossing.

What to look for

• Look closely at the street pattern and public spaces of Hyde Street Pier.
• Notice architecture and daily movement across Hyde Street Pier.

The full story

Prior to the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, it was the principal automobile ferry terminal connecting San Francisco with Marin County by way of Sausalito to the north, and the East Bay by way of Berkeley . It was designated part of U.S. Route 101 and U.S. Route 40. The ferries were operated by the Golden Gate Ferries, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific railroad. Today, the pier is part of the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Various historical ships are anchored to the pier, some available for self-guided or docent-led tours. Among the ships on display or in storage are the Balclutha, an 1886 square rigged sailing ship, as well as C.A. Thayer, Eureka, Alma, Hercules, Eppleton Hall, and over one hundred smaller craft. The Visitor Center is housed in the park's 1909 waterfront warehouse, located at the corner of Hyde and Jefferson Streets. The City of San Francisco declared the four-story brick structure an historic landmark in 1974, and the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Inside, exhibits (including a first order Fresnel lighthouse lens and a shipwrecked boat) tell the story of San Francisco’s colorful and diverse maritime heritage. The visitor center also contains a theater and a ranger-staffed information desk.

Useful to know

• For Hyde Street Pier, set a compact boundary around Hyde Street Pier before walking.
• Pair Hyde Street Pier with a district beside Hyde Street Pier when the route and opening conditions align.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.