South of Market
Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco MOMA, South of Market (South Park, AT&T Park, Embarcadero, Mission Street/Yerba Buena Gardens)
|
Duration: 3 hours
Distance: 3.7 miles/6 km; This walk is easy to combine with a San Francisco MOMA visit, an Alcatraz tour, a ferry trip to Sausalito or Tiburon or a shopping spree around Union Square.
If you already have been to New York MOMA and there is no specific art piece or interesting exhibit you want to see consider skipping San Francisco MOMA since it's hard to top New York's exhibition. If you face a long wait time go at least to the souvenir shop where you get an overview about their art pieces and have a nice selection of souvenirs and gifts. |
Getting here:
By car: There is a large parking garage next to the gardens that belongs to the Convention Center. Otherwise the underground parking at Union Square is always a safe bet. Coming from Union Square walk down Stockton Street towards the South, cross Market Street and continue on 4th Street until you get to the Yerba Buena Gardens. By public transportation: From Fisherman’s Wharf: take the streetcar from the wharf to Market Street and walk down 4th Street. With the BART exit at Powell Street and walk down 4th Street or exit Montgomery and walk down 2nd Street and make a right into Mission Street. If you are using the CalTrain from the South Bay walk down 4th Street. |
1st stop: Yerba Buena Gardens
The Yerba Buena Gardens are located between 3rd and 4th Street. Although the area is quite small it offers a lot to discover.
First of all you have a nice view over San Francisco’s skyline and San Francisco MOMA from the park. The park design is very contemporary and includes several points of interest. At the back end of the park is the ‘Martin Luther King Memorial’, a waterfall and basin that includes a photo exhibit behind the falls about the history of the civil-rights movement.
Another memorial is the ‘Ohlone Indian Memorial’ that was built on a former Native American burying ground and offers space for public performances and speeches.
And finally there is the ‘Butterfly Garden’, an area that is popular with local butterfly species.
For more info visit: http://www.yerbabuenagardens.com/index.html
On the opposite of the Gardens you have the Contemporary Jewish Museum.
Every first Tuesday of the month the admission is free. More info about their recent exhibits is listed under: http://www.thecjm.org/
2nd stop: San Francisco MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
The San Francisco MOMA is located at 3rd Street and easy to spot due to is heaven-warded rotunda.
As mentioned before you get a good overview of their exhibits in the shop and can decide whether you want to buy a ticket or not. Sometimes the wait time for tickets is incredibly long and if you want to visit San Francisco MOMA for sure make an online reservation. http://www.sfmoma.org/
The San Francisco MOMA is located at 3rd Street and easy to spot due to is heaven-warded rotunda.
As mentioned before you get a good overview of their exhibits in the shop and can decide whether you want to buy a ticket or not. Sometimes the wait time for tickets is incredibly long and if you want to visit San Francisco MOMA for sure make an online reservation. http://www.sfmoma.org/
3rd stop: South Park
South Park was constructed in the 1850’s as an exclusive residential community. The design was based on a square in London and the European atmosphere is preserved until today. The park is circled by tiny cafés and restaurants that are perfect for a lunch break. If the weather allows take advantage of the restaurants’ outside tables and chairs from where you can watch people and the scenery. In particular around lunch break the area is busy since many ad agencies and technology start-ups have their offices in the vicinity.
South Park is located in between 2nd or 3rd Street. Just follow any of those streets to the Southeast and turn either left or right into South Park Ave.
4th stop: AT&T Park
A stone throw away from South Park is the baseball Mecca of San Francisco, the AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.
The baseball park is located at the end of 2nd Street. The complex adjoins the Bay and from most seats you have a fantastic view over the shore.
On your way you are passing old storage and industrial buildings that were turned into office and residential buildings. The whole area was re-vitalized over the last years and turned from a shabby district into a hip quarter with many restaurants and bars, furniture stores, lofts and apartment communities.
You can compare South of Market with Hamburg's HafenCity project creating new affordable living and working facilities in a former no-go neighborhood.
To take a closer look at AT&T Park take the little path around the stadium that runs parallel to the yacht harbor in the back. From the path you can look inside the stadium. Now and then it's also worth to look down since there is a hall of fame with their players’ biggest achievements in-grounded.
Follow the path (San Francisco Bay Trail) to the North towards Oakland Bay Bridge and Ferry Building. On your way you come along the small yacht harbor and its pier.
If you are hungry or need refreshments make a stop at Reds Java House (the shack at the end of the yacht harbor). They serve burgers and fries and have some sodas, beer, and even cocktails available.
5th stop: Embarcadero
Along the Embarcadero you have great views over the East Bay and the islands. Some restaurants on the other side of the street offer happy hours during the week starting at 4 or 5pm. Amongst them: Gordon Biersch and Palomino. I can also recommend Bar Americana at Hotel Vitale - there is no happy hour available but the atmosphere and view is nice.
In case it's too early for happy hours there are several ways to continue the walk:
You can return to Yerba Buena Gardens if you walk along Mission Street that runs through Financial District with its high-rise office buildings. If you have a sweet tooth stop at New Montgomery Street. Café Madeleine is serving awesome cakes, as well as croissants, sandwiches and small plates. http://www.cafemadeleinesf.com/index.php
Instead you can explore the Ferry Building at Embarcadero. The white building with the bell tower was a former focal point for travelers arriving with the train and ferry from the East and the Bay area.
Nowadays the building still has a ferry terminal for ferries that connect areas along the Bay with San Francisco. But the train tracks were removed and the building mainly acts as a marketplace.
Various delicatessen shops, cheese and meat stores, restaurants and bakeries are located here. If you like to spend the evening at the Ferry Building buy some snacks and enjoy them outside at one of the tables or benches that face the Bay.
The ferry building is serving ferries to/from Sausalito, Tiburon and Angel Island. More info about their schedules and pricing is listed at: http://www.angelisland.com/ and http://www.goldengateferry.org/schedules/Sausalito.php.
If you booked an Alcatraz tour for the early afternoon continue walking along Embarcadero up to Pier 33. If a mile is too far take the streetcar that runs along Embarcadero in front of Ferry Building. Exit at Embarcadero & Sansome Street.
If you like to go shopping around Union Square walk through Financial District, which is more interesting than Market Street. The best way into the district is to cross Justin Herman Plaza (huge square on the opposite of Ferry Building) towards Embarcadero Center. Make a left into Drumm Street and from there a right into California Street. At the corner of Montgomery Street make a left and walk down Post Street with its many shop until you hit Union Square.
If it is getting dark go to Macy’s and take the elevator up to Cheesecake Factory. From the restaurant’s patio you have a wonderful view over San Francisco’s skyline. If you haven’t had dinner yet the restaurant offers a decent American-Asian fusion cuisine. The patio will be heated at night, in case you cannot turn away from the nice view.