nautical nut

1. Visit a Fleet of Historic Vessels
Address: Hyde Street Pier
Attraction Type: Museum
Cost: $15 for an Individual Entry Pass (valid 1-7 days)
On the Hyde Street Pier, located in the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, you can travel back in time to the 19th century by climbing aboard several historic ships: The 1886 square-rigger Balclutha, the 1890 steam ferryboat Eureka, or set sail on the 1891 scow schooner Alma. For the World War II history buffs, just a few blocks down from the Hyde Street Pier is Pier 45, where you can explore the Liberty Ship S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien (one of only two surviving liberty ships of 2,751 built in WW II and the only liberty ship to attend the 50th anniversary of D-Day at Normandy, France in 1994), or go below the surface and check out the submarine museum and memorial on the USS Pampanito.

2. Maritime National Historic Visitor’s Center
Jefferson Street between Hyde and Leavenworth
Attraction Type: Museum
Cost: Free
Nautical enthusiasts will enjoy the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park's Visitors Center, housed in its 1908 historic brick cannery warehouse at the corner of Jefferson and Hyde Streets. The Center is filled with interesting maritime interpretative material and unusual maritime artifacts. It includes "A Walk Along the Waterfront," a museum-quality walk-through exhibit that takes you on a stroll through San Francisco's historic waterfront, from the days of the original native tribes to the early 20th century period of industrialization.

3. Boat Night at the Dolphin Club
Address: 502 Jefferson Street
Attraction Type: Event
Cost: Free
Every Tuesday evening from 6 pm to 9 pm, volunteers gather in the Dolphin Club boathouse to restore wooden rowboats under the guidance of boatbuilder Jon Bielinski. There’s a job for everyone from the novice to the expert, but volunteers will typically be found sanding, scraping, and re-varnishing. There’s even a family-style dinner provided for all your hard work! Learn more about the Dolphin Club (built in 1877) and how you can get involved here.

4.  Sport Fishing Boats
Address: Inner lagoon on Jefferson Street (between Taylor and Jones) or Hyde Street Harbor
Cost: $15-$200
A visit to the historic lagoon is not complete without a trip on one of the many sport fishing boats that have been carrying fishermen for generations. Charters are available year-round or you can head out on one of their many tours of the Bay. While at the lagoon, be sure to check out the historic wooden Monterey Clippers, which were San Francisco’s traditional fishing vessels. In the 1920s, there were more than 500 working Monterey Clippers. Now there are about 25 historic boats left. Their colorful hulls make for a picturesque scene from some of the Wharf’s waterfront restaurants.