The Ferry Building opened in 1898, when ferries were the only way across the bay and tens of thousands of commuters passed through each day. The bridges emptied it, a freeway hid it, and for decades it was offices. After the freeway came down and a restoration finished in 2003, the long nave inside became a marketplace for Northern California food.
Inside the market hall
The ground floor is lined with bakeries, cheese and oyster counters, coffee roasters, chocolate makers and small restaurants. It is a place to graze rather than to sit down for a long meal. Buy a few things and eat them on the benches facing the bay behind the building.
The farmers market
Several days a week, farmers set up stalls around the building. Saturday is the big one, busiest in the morning; see the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market guide.
Taking a ferry
Ferries still leave from the gates behind the building, to Sausalito, Oakland, Alameda and other towns around the bay. A ride across and back is one of the cheapest and best views of the city: the skyline, the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz all from the water. Sausalito makes a good half day; see Muir Woods and Sausalito.
Around the building
The building sits on the Embarcadero, the waterfront promenade. Walk north towards the Exploratorium and Pier 39, or south under the Bay Bridge for its views.
A short history
When it opened in 1898, the Ferry Building was the transportation hub of the West Coast: before the bridges, almost everyone arriving from the east came across the bay by ferry and walked through its arcades onto Market Street. At its peak in the 1930s, tens of thousands of people passed through each day. Its clock tower, modeled on the twelfth-century bell tower of Seville Cathedral, was the tallest structure in the city for years.
After the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge opened, ferry traffic collapsed. In the 1950s the elevated Embarcadero Freeway was built in front of it, hiding the building from the city. The 1989 earthquake damaged the freeway, which was demolished, and a restoration finished in 2003 turned the old baggage hall into the marketplace you see now.
What to eat and buy
- Bread and pastries from local bakeries, including sourdough.
- Cheese from Northern California creameries.
- Oysters from the coast north of the city, at counters with views of the bay.
- Coffee from local roasters, and chocolate, olive oil, mushrooms and wine.
- Lunch: several restaurants range from casual counters to sit-down meals.
Around the building
Behind the building, a wide plaza and benches face the bay and the Bay Bridge. To the south is Rincon Park, with its giant bow-and-arrow sculpture. Across the Embarcadero is Justin Herman Plaza, with its large fountain and, in winter, an ice rink.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Ferry Building busiest?
Saturday mornings, when the farmers market is on. Weekday mornings are calmest.
Can I take a ferry just for the view?
Yes. A round trip to Sausalito or Oakland costs much less than a bay cruise, and the views are just as good.
Is it worth visiting if I am not hungry?
Yes: the building, the clock tower and the waterfront are worth seeing, and it is the starting point for a walk along the Embarcadero.