San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf striving to evolve from “tourist trap” designation

By Carlos E. Castañeda

San Francisco’s iconic Fisherman’s Wharf, which draws tourists from around the globe, has been garnering some mixed reactions from visitors. 

For the first time since the pandemic, the wharf recorded one million visitors last month. According to the San Francisco Examiner, that’s a 24% increase since the same time in 2024.

At the same time, travel eSIM provider Nomad eSIM has compiled data from online reviews of top attractions around the world, and for the second year in a row, Fisherman’s Wharf had the most mentions of the term, “tourist trap,” based on its reviews. The runners-up are Temple Bar, Ireland, followed by Las Ramblas, Spain. 

The company cited that one person wrote, “A few blocks down is Pier 39, which has a lot to see, but good lord it’s just another tourist trap of course.” Another reviewer wrote, “Full of tacky tourists with overpriced and underwhelming food.” 

Eddrena Hall, a San Francisco native who works at Textures Vintage at the Whard, disagrees. 

“Not a good reflection of what our town offers, or what the tourists can do here,” she told CBS News Bay Area. 

“Bigger attractions have closed over the years, and like everybody is sad about that. But new things are popping up, there’s a lot to do throughout the city,” she added. “We’re operated and ran and owned by San Francsico natives. So, I think we just draw in a lot of people. Because not just tourists come here, there’s people in the neighborhood that live here, there’s a guy that comes in every other Wednesday because he wants to see what new things we have.”

Georg Zottl, who is visiting from Austria, was spending some time with his family at the wharf. 

“We went to the Golden Gate Park, afterwards to the beach, and here to Pier 45,” he said. 

He did mention that he noticed some things were different than back home. 

“It’s raised up, the prices are very high,” he said. 

A few steps away were several shuttered stores. But community leaders said that through a $1.4 million investment, they are transforming the promenade into a vibrant corridor. 

“We feel very welcome, and lots of things to do here,” Zottl said. 

CBS News Bay Area reached out to SF Travel for comment and has not yet heard back. 

The executive director of Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District provided a statement, saying the wharf is evolving, new businesses are opening, and the area is expanding in ways that make Fisherman’s Wharf more accessible and engaging. 

“The only trap is the assumption that Fisherman’s Wharf is a static destination. It’s a dynamic, evolving neighborhood where history and new experiences complement one another, and longtime institutions stand alongside new businesses. There’s a clear commitment from the community to maintain and advance the waterfront as a world-class destination for everyone,” said Bri Maughan, the district’s executive director. “This is a place where over a century of San Francisco’s working waterfront history is still alive and visible. Family-owned legacy businesses continue to define the district’s character, along with an active fishing fleet that remains essential to the Bay’s identity.”