[twinpeaks]

When I was walking along the embarcardero, I noticed a lot of parking lots north of the Ferry Building. It seems like wasted space for such prime real estate. Are there plans to develop those?

Also, Fisherman's Wharf needs a makeover. Too many tacky T-shrirt shops.

[rs913]

Also, Fisherman's Wharf needs a makeover. Too many tacky T-shrirt shops.

There seem to be a few new un-Wharf-like places in the middle of the Wharf area, like the Argonaut hotel and the Fairmont hotel and "Marche" at Ghirardelli Square, but for the most part, you can get that in the rest of SF, and the Wharf seems like it'll remain SF's designated zone for tourists with kids (who almost certainly make up the bulk of those trinket shops' business).

[BTinSF]

When I was walking along the embarcardero, I noticed a lot of parking lots north of the Ferry Building. It seems like wasted space for such prime real estate. Are there plans to develop those?

Also, Fisherman's Wharf needs a makeover. Too many tacky T-shrirt shops.

What I have always enjoyed about SF is that it offers something for nearly everybody. That includes lovers of t-shirts and the tacky. Fisherman's Wharf is their space. I go there for only 2 reasons: To get an In-N-Out Burger and to observe the SF tourist in his/her natural element. But bulldozing the tackiness? It would be like going to the arctic and telling the polar bears it's time to warm up the place.

[twinpeaks]

What I have always enjoyed about SF is that it offers something for nearly everybody. That includes lovers of t-shirts and the tacky. Fisherman's Wharf is their space. I go there for only 2 reasons: To get an In-N-Out Burger and to observe the SF tourist in his/her natural element. But bulldozing the tackiness? It would be like going to the arctic and telling the polar bears it's time to warm up the place.

I have to admit, I do like going to Fisherman's Wharf to watch all the tourist action...it's going to the zoo for me.

There are some cool stuff there.... but they do need to cut down on number I love SF T-shirt sweat shops and bring in other more unique local retail.

[mthd]

When I was walking along the embarcardero, I noticed a lot of parking lots north of the Ferry Building. It seems like wasted space for such prime real estate. Are there plans to develop those?

Also, Fisherman's Wharf needs a makeover. Too many tacky T-shrirt shops.

most of those are seawall lots. the port controls them and they are subject to the public trust. they are extremely difficult to develop, but there are proposals for projects on a number of them. the most active, and controversial at the moment is SWL351 and the adjacent golden gate swim & tennis club at 8 washington street... people in the neighborhood have been pretty vocal and organized in their opposition to development.

[Amanita]

I don't plan on hanging around fisherman's wharf too much while in San Fran. I'll need to go there to catch the ferries, and there are a couple of interesting places mentioned in my guidebooks, but other than that, I'm going to be far too busy snapping Bridge Porn to hang out with the tourists.
Just how bad is the tourists-with-bratlings situation in september?
I'm hoping decent, since the bratlings should be back in school by then:)

[rs913]

There are some cool stuff there.... but they do need to cut down on number I love SF T-shirt sweat shops and bring in other more unique local retail.

That was my first thought, but I suspect (based on nothing more than anecdotal evidence) the area can support that many of these cheesy trinket shops. Every time I'm in the Wharf area, I notice that every one of these stores seems to be reasonably filled with tourists, many with kids in tow.

These clusters of souvenir stores show up in lots of tourist-friendly places, like parts of the Vegas strip, Times Square in NYC, the Santa Monica pier, Orlando, and anywhere near a cruise ship port. I don't get it, but as a friend of mine said, "How can you say you've been somewhere if you don't load up half a suitcase with trinkets?"

[mthd]

I don't plan on hanging around fisherman's wharf too much while in San Fran. I'll need to go there to catch the ferries, and there are a couple of interesting places mentioned in my guidebooks, but other than that, I'm going to be far too busy snapping Bridge Porn to hang out with the tourists.
Just how bad is the tourists-with-bratlings situation in september?
I'm hoping decent, since the bratlings should be back in school by then:)

not sure what your destinations are, but most of the regional ferries (vs tours etc) depart from the ferry building... much more convenient than fisherman's wharf.

fisherman's wharf is annoying but it's not like times square or something. you'll live. ;)

[BTinSF]

I'll need to go there to catch the ferries, and there are a couple of interesting places mentioned in my guidebooks, but other than that, I'm going to be far too busy snapping Bridge Porn to hang out with the tourists.
Just how bad is the tourists-with-bratlings situation in september?
I'm hoping decent, since the bratlings should be back in school by then:)

There is a noticeable reduction in the number of tourists in September vs June - August, but San Francisco doesn't actually attract that many people with kids even in summer. We are more of an "adult Disneyland" and most of the tourist crowds are either Europeans, Canadians, or Americans from the hinterlands who tend to be teenage or above.

By the way, Fisherman's Wharf and especially the nearby and associated Pier 39 aren't bad places from which to view the GG Bridge. Go out on the end of Pier 39 and you get a great view of it as well as Alcatraz and other stuff. Also, the Pier 39 sea lions are fun to watch. That's actually the third reason I go to that part of town:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x128/BSTJr/P1000121.jpg?t=1208735313
Source: Moi

[BTinSF]

"How can you say you've been somewhere if you don't load up half a suitcase with trinkets?"

I have a friend who appreciates the tacky and so whenever I go on a trip, I usually bring him a "snow globe" from that location. Plenty of places on the Wharf and in Chinatown carry those with little Golden Gate Bridges or Alcatraz Islands or TransAmerica Buildings inside--often all three.

[CityDataForumSUX]

The worst thing they did to embarcaderro was put all those ugly skate stoppers on the architecture. It would have just looked better with a little scrape than metal and plastic things every 2 feet.