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San Francisco Ferry Building as Tourist Interest

The San Francisco Ferry Building is the terminal point for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay and a shopping center and is situated on Embarcadero in San Francisco near the Bay Bridge. San Francisco City Guides organize regular free walking tours of the Ferry Building. The tours commence at noon on Saturdays and Tuesdays and coincide with the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.

However, the best time to visit the Ferry Building is on Saturday mornings when the entire area will be pulsating with life and activity. The Ferry Building is easily accessible and the famous Embarcadero F-line streetcars stop right in front of the San Francisco Ferry Building and you can see many ferries departing and returning from behind the building.

The San Francisco Ferry Building served as the city's principal entry till the late 1930s when the bridges were built. The imposing 240-foot clock tower, resembling Spain's 12th-century bell tower, has remained a San Francisco waterfront landmark for more than a century now.

Some of the most fabulous views of San Francisco city are available from the Ferry Building to Fisherman’s Wharf, in the Embarcadero. You will find spectacular views of the Bay Bridge and the East Bay hills, a gorgeous urban skyline, and 13-foot metal pylons. The pylons are embedded in the sidewalks and have bronze plaques that carry photographs, pictures/drawings and historical facts about San Francisco’s waterfront.

The historic Ferry Building was built in 1898 primarily to serve as the city's transportation hub. After some renovations carried out in 2003, it has transformed into one of the city's premiere attraction for food lovers who visit its boutique food shops, restaurants as also the weekly farmers market. When going to see the San Francisco Ferry Building, you must visit the organic farmer's market located just outside the Ferry Building.

Local food-lovers rush here looking for fresh seasonal produce, and even the other visitors enjoy browsing the varieties available. You might as well pick up some fresh fruit, ready-to-eat baked goods and other pre-cooked foods and taste and feel the difference. The markets offer fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, meats and eggs produced by small regional farmers and ranchers, many of whom are certified organic farmers.

A host of other fresh and healthy products include regional artisan specialties like breads, cheese and jams. Go there on Thursdays to see an array of artisan street food -wood-fired pizza, grilled meats, sandwiches, and tacos. The famous Saturday market will witness local restaurants serving a variety of hot, delicious meals. You will be able to easily experience and become part of San Franciscan culture at the Saturday farmer's market at the Ferry Building.

In 2003, the building reopened as an upscale gourmet marketplace, an office premises and a re-dedicated ferry terminal. The renovation work spanned several years with a determination to restore the building's 1898 ambiance. The Ferry Building Marketplace may be aptly described as a vibrant gathering of local farmers, artisan producers, and independently owned and operated food businesses.

Today, the Ferry Building is available to the public for conducting weddings, get-togethers and corporate events. The event space on the second floor, that can easily accommodate 400 to 500 guests, is open and well-ventilated and the architecture of the interior provides the right festive ambience to the guests.