Urban Hike: The Ferry Building to AT&T Park

The Embarcadero, San Francisco's scenic eastern waterfront, holds some of the city's most well known attractions as well as some wonderful hidden spots in between. One Saturday afternoon, I set out on the Embarcadero's pedestrian walkway to see what I could discover on the path from the Ferry Building to the San Francisco Giant's AT&T Park.

With the city skyline and the San Francisco Bay stretched out before me, it's hard to imagine that the southern half of the Embarcadero has ever been anything other than the spacious palm tree-lined waterfront that it is today. But this part of town has gone through many phases over the years, and has transformed significantly in just the last decade.

In the days before bridges connected San Francisco with other parts of the Bay Area, this was one of the busiest spots in the world, filled with people beginning and ending their journeys. When the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge were completed in the mid-1930s, the use of water transportation dwindled and the Ferry Building and the waterfront began to decline. Eventually a freeway was built along the southern section of the Embarcadero and the waterfront was cut off from rest of the city.

After the Embarcadero Freeway was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, it was demolished and the southern stretch of the Embarcadero was restored and revitalized. The opening of the new San Francisco Giants ballpark in 2000 and the re-opening of a renovated food-centric Ferry Building in 2003 sparked the beginning of a new era for Embarcadero South.

With its diverse offerings, this is a great place for independent explorers to discover what San Francisco used to be, what it is now, and where it’s heading --- all in a picturesque waterfront setting.

I arrive at the Ferry Building as the Saturday Farmer's Market is winding down. It's still lively, but not too crowded and easy to maneuver through the stands filled with local and organic produce, meats, cheeses, flowers, and prepared foods.

If you can't make it to the farmers market on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, the Ferry Building is still a wonderful destination on its own. Inside the building is a food lover’s dream full of some of the Bay Area's most respected artisanal food purveyors, eateries, and restaurants.

The Ferry Building can be pricey, so if you’re on a tight budget I recommend opting for one of the more casual takeaway places. I grab a tasty Vietnamese sandwich at Out the Door, the quicker and cheaper alternative to renowned chef Charles Phan's popular upscale restaurant, The Slanted Door.

All along the Embarcadero are panoramic views of the Bay Bridge and beyond. Just south of the Ferry Building, Pier 14 is the best place to get a good look at your surroundings, including downtown San Francisco and the Ferry Building. At the end of this pier, it almost feels like you're on a boat on the bay and it's a peaceful escape from the bustle of the city.

Embarcadero South is home to some quirky temporary and permanent public art pieces. Next to Pier 14, I spot a kitschy retro-futuristic sculpture called the Raygun Gothic Rocketship which was originally built for 2009's Burning Man festival.

Further down, I come across Cupid's Span, an enormous sculpture of a bow and arrow with the point of the arrow piercing the ground of San Francisco. I've seen this sculpture many times from the road, but I appreciate it much more after viewing it up close. Walking by it, you can see how massive it is, and it may leave you humming "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" as you continue along the Embarcadero.

The Embarcadero provides many opportunities to turn your walk into a self-guided historical tour. Along the way, I keep my eyes peeled for plaques and signs that would give me some insight into San Francisco's past. One sign describes what the area would've been like 20,000 years ago, inviting you to imagine a San Francisco filled with nature and prehistoric animals. Other signs chronicle important events in the city's more recent history, and explain some of the historical sites you might spot as you walk along the Embarcadero.

AT&T Park, home to the beloved San Francisco Giants, marks the southern boundary of the historic Embarcadero. If you don’t have a ticket to a baseball game, you can sneak a peek into the stadium at the McCovey Cove promenade, a pedestrian walkway on the outside of the park's right field wall.

City Kayak is located slightly north of ballpark at Pier 40. They offer adventure seekers the opportunity to explore the shoreline by boat, and perhaps paddle over to McCovey Cove to try to catch a Splash Hit home-run ball on a game day.

Another plus side to the removal of the Embarcadero Freeway was the addition of more public transit. When I reach the ballpark, it begins to rain, so I opt to take the T-Line back to Market Street. If you want to continue north from the Ferry Building, you can use the same MUNI pass or transfer ticket to hop on one of the historic and charming F-Line trolleys that will take you up to Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf.