Downtown San Francisco
Downtown San Francisco, or the city's Financial District, is a must-visit to experience the city's full glory. Above the bustling streets are various trade towers, including some of the most famous in the city. The tourist center of downtown is by the bay at the grand Ferry Building, now a food and restaurant market. Nearby is the Embarcadero Plaza, the city's central square. Over downtown watches the city's icon – the stunning Transamerica Pyramid tower.
How much time do you need for a tour of Downtown San Francisco?
For a tour of downtown San Francisco, it's worth dedicating a few hours, including lunch at the Ferry Building or Embarcadero Plaza.
What must you see and do in downtown San Francisco?
- The classic breathtaking view of the Transamerica Pyramid skyscraper
- The modern stunning view of the Salesforce Tower skyscraper
- Great restaurants and entertainment at the Ferry Building
- The bustling downtown life at Embarcadero Plaza
- The armored carriages at the Wells Fargo Museum
- Playing with the kids in the vintage carriages on display at the San Francisco Railway Museum
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What is Downtown San Francisco?
- Downtown San Francisco is the city's Financial District
- The district lies on the edge of San Francisco Bay, north of the Bay Bridge, which connects downtown with Oakland through Yerba Buena and Treasure Island
- Downtown sits on the eastern slopes of the Chinatown and Union Square hills, along the major thoroughfare of Market Street in the SOMA district
- It's one of the most touristed spaces in the beautiful city with iconic skyscrapers
- It borders the SoMa District and Rincon Hill to the south, Union Square and Chinatown to the west, and the Embarcadero to the north.
Downtown San Francisco is a classic American financial district with a touch of the early century. A large part of the buildings were constructed during the 1930s as urban development in response to the Great Depression, alongside other major projects like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge.
Downtown also features quite a few skyscrapers from the sixties, the most famous of which is the iconic Transamerica Pyramid. Today, downtown is a favorite hangout spot for tourists and city residents, bustling especially in the morning and early afternoon. The busiest and most visited area is the Embarcadero Plaza and the adjacent Ferry Building.
Map of Downtown San Francisco
Everything to See and Do in Downtown San Francisco
Ferry Building
The Ferry Building is one of the most beautiful and important historical buildings in San Francisco. It was inaugurated in 1903 and managed to survive the great San Francisco fire that consumed downtown about three years later. Atop the building stands the iconic clock tower, inspired by the bell tower of Seville Cathedral in Spain, built in a Spanish-Moorish style. In the past, it was the main gateway to the city and the hub of all commuter traffic in the metropolis. With the construction of the Bay Bridge in 1936, its purpose was transformed, becoming primarily a tourist attraction.
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Today, the building is one of the most attractive spots for tourists in the city. The entire structure has been repurposed into a large food and dining hall, the Ferry Building Marketplace, specializing in healthy, organic, and fresh farm produce, in true city spirit. Nearby, you can stroll along the large pier (The Embarcadero), right by the waterfront, and enjoy views of the bay and the neighboring Bay Bridge.
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The Embarcadero and Embarcadero Plaza
The San Francisco Pier, commonly known in Spanish as ‘Embarcadero,' meaning pier, stretches from the Ferry Building north to the Fisherman's Wharf. Large sections of the long pier are now tourist hotspots, while some parts still serve as docking and port areas. Across from the Ferry Building is the Embarcadero Plaza, a place that could almost officially be defined as San Francisco's central square. It is a bustling, popular square for both locals and tourists, packed with restaurants and cafés of all kinds. This is the traditional lunch spot for financial district employees.
At the heart of the square is the postmodern Vaillancourt Fountain, named after the Canadian artist Arman Vaillancourt. The fountain features hollow concrete forms that act as pipes for channeling water into the fountain. It was constructed in 1971 and has since become a topic of lively discussion between those who cherish it and those who truly disdain it.
Above the fountain and square is the Embarcadero Center, three blocks that have been revitalized and serve as an open mall and office buildings. Parts of the center were built in 1981 and became part of the square as a bustling spot for entertainment and shopping.
Transamerica Pyramid
The most iconic symbol of San Francisco (excluding the Golden Gate, which technically lies on the northern boundary outside the city area) is the stunning Transamerica Pyramid building. It was constructed in 1969 and remained the tallest tower in the city until the Salesforce Tower was built in downtown's south in 2018. The building stands 260 meters tall. The top floor, floor 48, is about 212 meters, and above it stretches an additional 50 meters of concrete spire atop the tower.
The Transamerica building is shaped like a pointed Gothic pyramid, designed by Chicago architect William Pereira. On both sides of the pyramid, up to the pointed concrete top, are two wings housing the elevator shafts. After the terrorist event on September 11, 2021, the tower's observation deck was closed to the public and remains closed to this day.
Address: 600 Montgomery St., San Francisco
Bank of California Museum
A short walk south from the Transamerica Pyramid on Montgomery Street, two important Californian bank headquarters are located. Today, one can enter both the Wells Fargo and Bank of California headquarters to learn a lot about the development of the financial system in what is called the Golden State.
The Bank of California was founded in 1864 in San Francisco, and the headquarters moved to its current location in a building completed in 1908. You can visit the small museum in the building's basement to learn about the bank's history as well as the trade in gold and precious metals originating from California.
Address: Bank of California Building, 400 California St., San Francisco
Wells Fargo Museum
The Wells Fargo Bank headquarters are located next to the Bank of California on Montgomery Street. Wells Fargo was established in 1852 and was the largest and most important bank in the entire western United States (and still is). The bank played a huge role in California's development, from the Gold Rush up until after World War II. To this day, the bank plays a significant part in making the Golden State the wealthiest place in the entire U.S.
In the museum housed in this building, you can learn a lot about California's development. The most intriguing exhibit is of the armored carriages that were used to transport money and gold from the East to California. These carriages were a target for robbery and are an important part of the American Wild West story and the development of the Pacific coastline.
Address: Montgomery St. 420, San Francisco
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The Merchants Exchange and the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange Tower Associates
Near the two banking museums are several other important buildings in the financial district. One of them is the Merchants Exchange, a building from 1903 that survived the 1906 fire. It was the tallest building in the city at the start of the 20th century and the place from which ships arriving at the port were viewed. Nearby, the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange Tower, a building from 1882 in a neo-classical style, was one of the largest stock exchange buildings in the U.S. Today, it serves as an office and commercial building for various businesses.
San Francisco Railway Museum
On the southern side of the Ferry Building, near the intersection of the streetcar line, you'll find the Railway Museum in a fully urban setting. The museum educates and documents one of San Francisco's most iconic symbols, the classic tram system with cable cars that climb the hills. In this small museum, you can see the development of the city's streetcars, including a display of vintage cars you can climb on. There's a large souvenir shop with unique items for sale.
Address: 77 Steuart St., San Francisco
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Salesforce Tower
The gleaming, modern skyscraper of San Francisco is located south of the Financial District, close to the SoMa district. The building was completed in 2018 and has since become a star on the city's skyline. It has surpassed the beloved Transamerica Pyramid but has garnered its own fanbase. The Salesforce Tower reaches about 325 meters, quite a distance from its northern rival. The building itself is closed to the public, and the elevators are accessible only to authorized personnel.
Address: Mission St. 415, San Francisco
Tour Itinerary in Central San Francisco – Downtown, Chinatown, and the SoMa District
- It's a good idea to start your tour in central San Francisco in the attractive SoMa district. The SFMOMA – San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the most important museums in California and is located in the heart of the district
- Nearby is the Moscone Center, the large convention center, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and the Saint Patrick Church. Around Yerba Buena Gardens, there are other urban museums worth visiting
- From the garden area, it's worth heading towards the San Francisco Mint and the large San Francisco Center Mall. Nearby is the Powell Street Cable Car Station.
- It's recommended to hop on the cable car and ascend to the city's main shopping area at Union Square (a very short ride).
- After that, you can continue on the cable car towards Chinatown, passing through the Dragon's Gate and strolling along the central Grant Avenue.
- On the avenue, you'll find the old cathedral named after Mary.
- From the cathedral, it’s worthwhile to walk a bit west to the Nob Hill neighborhood, where you’ll find the Cable Car Museum with vintage car examples symbolizing the city’s connections.
- From the museum, you should walk to Huntington Park in the heart of the district, where across from the luxury hotels, you'll see the stunning facade of Grace Cathedral.
- From Nob Hill, return to Chinatown and wander the streets of Waverly and Stockton, where you’ll experience the unique atmosphere of the district. In the area, there’s also the small factory of the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company.
- Cross from Portsmouth Square towards downtown. From the square, you can already see the Transamerica Pyramid, the skyscraper that has become one of the city's symbols.
- Just south of the spectacular tower is the intriguing Wells Fargo Museum.
- From the museum, it's worth continuing east to the Embarcadero and Embarcadero Plaza along the bay shore, and nearby is the San Francisco Railway Museum.
- Walk a bit south from the museum towards Salesforce Tower, the tallest skyscraper in the city, and return towards the SoMa district and Union Square.
