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.

Step right up for a ride back in time as the Conservatory of Flowers presents a new garden railway display celebrating the legendary Playland at the Beach and a bygone era of seaside amusement that was located on San Francisco’s West End. Model trains wend their way past the famed Sutro Baths, zip around a replica of the Victorian-era Cliff House and whiz through a mini version of San Francisco’s beloved Playland at the Beach. Young and old alike will marvel at the sight of its most famous attractions including the Big Dipper, Diving Bell, Fun House and more. The exhibit also includes memorabilia and photographs in a fascinating display that tells the story of San Francisco’s lost ocean-front treasures.