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California, United States

The Embarcadero & Ferry Building

Bayfront promenade facing the Bay Bridge; 2 nights for the fireworks, oysters and Nob Hill. This guide pulls together 2 sights, 3 places to eat and 1 bar or café from our curated routes.

Plan The Embarcadero & Ferry Building with friendsBrowse 8 places
The Embarcadero & Ferry Building, California, United States
Places
8

2 See · 3 Eat · 1 Drink · 1 Shop · 1 Stay

Curated routes
1

San Francisco New Year's Eve

Best season
Dec 30 – Jan 1

from our route notes

Warmest month
September

24°C / 74°F avg high

Coolest month
January

13°C / 56°F avg high

Wettest month
December

about 138 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for San Francisco, the nearest city we track.

Things to do in The Embarcadero & Ferry Building

8 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

2 sights worth building a day around across Embarcadero and Treasure Island. All 2 are free to visit.

  • San Francisco New Year's Eve Fireworks in The Embarcadero & Ferry BuildingPhoto: Emily Mathews · CC BY 2.0
    See

    San Francisco New Year's Eve Fireworks

    The city's free midnight show, fired from barges in the bay off Pier 14 and watched from the Embarcadero.

    Tip The stretch south of the Ferry Building toward the Bay Bridge has the clearest view.

    • Embarcadero
    • Free
    • 60 min
    • Midnight
  • Treasure Island in The Embarcadero & Ferry BuildingPhoto: Dllu · CC BY-SA 4.0
    See

    Treasure Island

    Former naval base island in the middle of the bay with a full-width view of the skyline and the Bay Bridge lights.

    Tip Go on Dec 30 at dusk; drive or take Muni's 25 bus from the Salesforce Transit Center.

    • Treasure Island
    • Free
    • 60 min
    • Blue hour

Eat

Where we would book a table in The Embarcadero & Ferry Building across Embarcadero and Financial District.

  • Eat

    Hog Island Oyster Co.

    Oyster bar in the Ferry Building run by a Tomales Bay oyster farm, with a window wall facing the Bay Bridge.

    Tip No reservations; put your name down early in the afternoon.

    • Embarcadero
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Late lunch
  • Boulevard in The Embarcadero & Ferry BuildingPhoto: LittleT889 · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Eat

    Boulevard

    Nancy Oakes' Belle Epoque dining room in the 1889 Audiffred Building, serving American food since 1993.

    Tip Its New Year's Eve dinner ends a few minutes' walk from the fireworks viewing area.

    • Embarcadero
    • $$$$
    • 2.5 hr
    • Dinner
  • Tadich Grill in The Embarcadero & Ferry BuildingPhoto: Daderot · CC0
    Eat

    Tadich Grill

    California's oldest restaurant, founded in 1849, with a long wooden counter, white-jacketed waiters and cioppino.

    Tip It takes no reservations and closes Sundays; sit at the counter.

    • Financial District
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Lunch or early dinner

Drink

Our picks for a drink in The Embarcadero & Ferry Building in Nob Hill.

  • Top of the Mark in The Embarcadero & Ferry BuildingPhoto: CVB · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Drink

    Top of the Mark

    Glass-walled lounge on the 19th floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins, open since 1939, with 360-degree views.

    Tip On Dec 31 it holds a ticketed gala with dinner, an orchestra and a balloon drop; New Year's Day brunch is also served.

    • Nob Hill
    • $$$$
    • 3 hr
    • From 8 pm

Shop

Markets and shops worth the detour in Embarcadero.

  • Ferry Building in The Embarcadero & Ferry BuildingPhoto: Dllu · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Shop

    Ferry Building

    The 1898 ferry terminal under a clock tower, now a marketplace of bakeries, cheese shops and oyster bars.

    Tip Shops close early on Dec 31; buy picnic supplies in the afternoon.

    • Embarcadero
    • $$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Afternoon

Stay

1 place to stay we would book in Embarcadero.

  • Hyatt Regency San Francisco in The Embarcadero & Ferry BuildingPhoto: The wub · CC BY-SA 4.0
    Stay

    Hyatt Regency San Francisco

    John Portman's 1973 hotel with a 17-storey atrium, across the street from the Ferry Building.

    Tip Bay-view rooms on the upper floors look straight toward the fireworks barges.

    • Embarcadero
    • $$$

How to fit The Embarcadero & Ferry Building into a trip

The Embarcadero & Ferry Building is stop 1 of 2 on our San Francisco New Year's Eve route. Follow it as-is or lift The Embarcadero & Ferry Building into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Weather by month, based on San Francisco

Our climate figures for The Embarcadero & Ferry Building come from San Francisco, about 3 km (2 mi) away. Average daily highs run from 13°C / 56°F in January to 24°C / 74°F in September. December is the wettest month, with about 138 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for San Francisco. San Francisco weather (covers The Embarcadero & Ferry Building) →

Near The Embarcadero & Ferry Building

8 other destinations from our guides within about 150 km (93 mi), measured in a straight line.

The Embarcadero & Ferry Building questions, answered

How many days do you need in The Embarcadero & Ferry Building?

Our route notes suggest 2 nights in The Embarcadero & Ferry Building. On our San Francisco New Year's Eve route it is stop 1 of 2 in a 3-day trip. The listed visit times for our 8 places add up to roughly 12 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is The Embarcadero & Ferry Building best known for?

Bayfront promenade facing the Bay Bridge; 2 nights for the fireworks, oysters and Nob Hill. Standouts on our list: San Francisco New Year's Eve Fireworks (The city's free midnight show, fired from barges in the bay off Pier 14 and watched from the Embarcadero); Treasure Island (Former naval base island in the middle of the bay with a full-width view of the skyline and the Bay Bridge lights); Ferry Building (The 1898 ferry terminal under a clock tower, now a marketplace of bakeries, cheese shops and oyster bars).

When is the best time to visit The Embarcadero & Ferry Building?

Our San Francisco New Year's Eve route is best Dec 30 – Jan 1. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for nearby San Francisco put the warmest highs in September (24°C / 74°F), the coolest in January (13°C / 56°F) and the most rain in December (about 138 mm).

What are the best things to do in The Embarcadero & Ferry Building?

Start with San Francisco New Year's Eve Fireworks and Treasure Island. Our guide lists 8 places in all, from 2 sights, 3 places to eat, 1 bar or café, 1 shop and 1 place to stay.

Where should a group eat in The Embarcadero & Ferry Building?

Our picks: Hog Island Oyster Co. (Embarcadero); Boulevard (Embarcadero); Tadich Grill (Financial District). No reservations; put your name down early in the afternoon (Hog Island Oyster Co.).

What is near The Embarcadero & Ferry Building?

The closest destinations in our guides are San Francisco (about 3 km / 2 mi), Lands End & Ocean Beach (about 10 km / 6 mi) and Sonoma (about 55 km / 34 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan The Embarcadero & Ferry Building with your crew

Open the San Francisco New Year's Eve route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 8 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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