San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

The photo above shows the park, but you’ll need to zoom in to see the following details left to right. The dock to the far left belongs to the Sea Scouts. The island to the left above the municipal pier is Alcatraz, part of the Golden Gate NRA. There are swimmers in the cold water between the small blue and red boats in Aquatic Cove. The three masted square rigger on the left is the Balclutha, and the three masted schooner on the right is the C. A. Thayer, both late 19th century cargo ships. Also on Hyde Street Pier is the Eureka, an old ferry boat recently restored, along with a number of smaller vessels, which are typically open for tours ($15). On weekends there’s a ranger led waterfront walk from the Argonaut Hotel near the pier entrance. Be sure to ask what it meant to get Shanghaied, how and where it allegedly happened, and why sailors were initially exempt from the 13th Amendment. On the far right, there’s an Art Deco style building resembling a ship outside, with murals and maritime exhibits inside. And above that is the sign for Ghirardelli Square (‘gear-a-deli’) which serves delectable old fashioned hot fudge sundaes, after you’ve explored the park.

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