To celebrate the July 4th holiday while in San Francisco, head to Pier 39. While this Bay Area attraction draws visitors year-round, the city puts on a fun festival for the entire family on the fourth.
Pier 39 has developed into a premiere shopping district, with 110 shops on two levels, catering to tourists as well as locals. When you need to take a break, there are twelve full-service restaurants an many other options for faster fare. The area spans 45 acres around the bay and the city's historic waterfront, affording fantastic views of the Bay bridges, the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf and Alcatraz prison. The California Welcome Center is also located in the Pier 39 complex, so you can get great information on other sites you might want to see while in the city or the state.
On the fourth of July, the attractions get even better, with a festival-like atmosphere that starts in the morning and lasts until late at night. A number of local bands will play to keep your feet tapping as you move through the variety of wares on display from local vendors. Not only can you sample delicious specialty foods, but arts and crafts, street performances and family-fun activities will keep everyone entertained until the fireworks kick off around 9pm that evening. The display is show across the bay, lighting up the waterfront in a spectacular sight.
You can rest assured that during all of this fun, security and first aid staff is available 24 hours a day. The entire area is handicap accessible, and there is convenient parking located across the street from the pier area at Beach Street and the Embarcadero, two blocks east of Fisherman's Wharf.
