Ferry Building in San Francisco: A 5-Step Visit Guide

The hall is one stop on a larger food map, and a san francisco food tour adds the neighborhoods around it. The five steps below keep the visit simple.

Step 1: Know what the Ferry Building is

The Ferry Building is a ferry terminal with a food hall inside. It sits at the foot of Market Street on the Embarcadero, and its address is One Ferry Building, San Francisco, California 94111. The Ferry Building Marketplace says the building is open daily from 6am to 10pm.

Ferries leave from the back of the building, on the bay side. They go to Marin and the East Bay, according to San Francisco Travel, the city's tourism board.

Inside, you find 42 shops and restaurants on the Marketplace's own directory. Neither the Marketplace nor the tourism board gives a numbered pier for the building. Use the street address in your map app.

The best food halls reward people who arrive hungry and leave with a plan for the next meal.

Step 2: Pick a farmers market day

The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market runs three days a week, all year. The Marketplace, which runs the building, gives these hours.

The tourism board lists Tuesday as 8am to 2pm. Go by the Marketplace's hours, since it runs the building, and check its page before you leave. The market is run by Foodwise.

Go earlier for the freshest produce. The building is busy at lunchtime with downtown office workers.

Key Takeaway Visit on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday morning, ride the F Market and Wharves streetcar to the door, and give the Ferry Building one to two hours.

Step 3: Get there by streetcar, BART or car

The easiest way to get there is the F Market and Wharves streetcar, which stops directly in front. BART's Embarcadero station is about one block away. Muni's own page for the stop also lists the E Embarcadero, N Judah, T Third Street and the California cable car.

Caltrain riders connect to the N Judah line. The Caltrain terminal is at 4th and King. The tourism board says the California Street cable car is usually less crowded than the Powell lines.

Walking down Market Street from Union Square or SoMa is flat and downhill. For more ways to move around the city, see our guide to getting around San Francisco.

When you drive, the preferred lot is the ProPark lot at Embarcadero and Washington. The Marketplace lists these rates.

Two accessible spots sit just north and south of the building on northbound Embarcadero.

Pro Tip Buy something at any shop and ask for a validation. It cuts the first hour at the ProPark lot from $20 to $14.

Step 4: Pick what to eat at the Ferry Building

Pick shops by mood, and plan one to two hours for the stroll. Stay longer if you add the farmers market or a sit-down meal. These picks come from the Marketplace's directory of 42 listings.

Each shop sets its own hours. The tourism board estimates about 10am to 7pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm Saturday and 11am to 5pm Sunday. The Marketplace does not list opening hours in its shop directory, and each shop has its own "Learn More" page. Check the shop you care about before you go.

One limit is worth knowing. Plan on a one-to-two-hour stop, not a full-day sight. If you want a long list of things to see, plan the rest of your day elsewhere along the Embarcadero.

Step 5: Add a food walk or a ferry ride

You can visit the hall on your own. A guided tour only makes sense for the neighborhoods nearby, where a guide adds the stories and the tastings come in one price.

Things to Do in San Francisco's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 11 food tour listings in San Francisco.

The Chinatown and North Beach food walk takes 4 hours and costs from €83.68 per person. Local Tastes of the City Tours runs it, and the listing shows a 4.8 rating from 192 reviews. The group has up to 14 people, and the meeting point is 400 Grant Ave in Chinatown. Pizza, dim sum, fortune cookies and coffee are on the route. Transportation and tips are not included.

The Chinatown culinary walking tour takes 3 hours and costs from €74.78 per person. The same operator runs it, with a 4.8 rating from 305 reviews. All food and drink tastings are included, and tips are not.

The North Beach and Little Italy food tour also takes 3 hours and costs from €74.78 per person. It shows a 4.8 rating from 213 reviews and meets at 480 Columbus Ave. Coffee, chocolate, bread, pizza and olive oil are on the route. Gratuities and transportation are not included. For the area on foot, see our guide to Chinatown and North Beach.

All three listings show free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund.

For the skyline from the water, the Bridge to Bridge cruise takes 1.5 hours and costs from €42.73 per person. San Francisco Cruises (The Red and White Fleet) runs it, and the listing shows a 4.7 rating from 1,126 reviews. The route passes under the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge, with an audio guide in 16 languages. Food and drinks are not included.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 23 October 2026.

You can also ride a ferry from the building itself. The Golden Gate Ferry to Sausalito leaves from Gates B and C and crosses in about 30 minutes. The adult fare is $8.50 with Clipper or a contactless card, or $14 for a paper ticket.