There's never a dull, quiet, or hungry moment at famed Fisherman’s Wharf .

With a historic waterfront, streets filled with shopping, and the scent of seafood wafting on every corner, the options here are never-ending. There’s the Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39, the National Maritime Museum , the U.S.S. Pampanito Submarine Museum , and chocolates at Ghirardelli Square .

Pop in for a famed Irish coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe . Lou’s on Pier 47 is a gathering spot for tops blues musicians; elsewhere there’s comedy and jazz (Bimbo’s 365 Club on Columbus). There’s also the relocated Musée Mécanique at Pier 45 (at the foot of Taylor Street), filled with antique mechanical toys that provide a charming look at how our country has amused itself from the 1800s on.

Last but not least is the blubbery, cacophonous conglomeration of barking sea lions that have made certain docks their prisoner (the best viewing is from the Pier 39 perimeter road). With Alcatraz , Coit Tower, and the cable cars all within minutes of here, consider this your San Francisco base of operations.

Inside Tip: The California Welcome Center  can help you make plans.

Westfield San Francisco Centre, the city’s premier destination for world-class fashion, entertainment, and dining, celebrates the Golden Gate Bridge 75th anniversary with breathtaking replicas of the renowned bridge and Crissy Field under its iconic dome on Level 4. The Park Under the Dome offers visitors a fun and relaxing break from shopping or dining at one of the eateries in the Restaurant Collection Under the Dome. A life-size chess set is ready for a match; lawn chairs encourage lounging; and a picnic table is the perfect place to savor fixins from Bristol Farms market. And in tribute to the Golden Gate Bridge’s anniversary, video screens showcase images from the architectural marvel’s illustrious history.