//
Photo: Smgross at English Wikipedia, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Take a ferry to this historic California State Park and wildlife preserve — the "Jewel of San Francisco Bay". Spend a whole day on the largest island in San Francisco Bay, which was once known as the "Ellis Island of the West". There are lots of activities once you get there — picnicking, hiking, biking, boating, camping, and baseball, or just spend a day lounging on one of the many beaches there.
Angel Island is an island in San Francisco Bay. The entire island is included within Angel Island State Park, administered by California State Parks. The island, a California Historical Landmark, has been used for a variety of purposes, including seasonal hunting and gathering by Indigenous peoples, water and timber supply for European ships, ranching by Mexicans, United States military installations, a United States Public Health Service Quarantine Station, and a U.S. Bureau of Immigration inspection and detention facility. It has been compared to Ellis Island in New York, both being centers of immigration.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Located behind the Pampanito submarine is this World War II Liberty Ship open for tours. The SS Jeremiah O'Brien is the sole survivor of the armada of Allied ships which was involved in D-Day, and one of only two remaining World War II Liberty Ships surviving today (the other being the SS Lane Victory in San Pedro), and is an example of the welded and riveted construction technique that was pioneered in the Richmond shipyards that gave us Rosie the Riveter.
San Francisco Maritime NHP
Prior to the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge, this historic ferry-pier was the primary automobile ferry terminal that connected San Francisco with both Marin County and the East Bay. A fleet of six historic vessels are on display on the pier. Some are available for a self-guided tour, others by docent-led tours. Accessing the pier and boarding ships requires an admission fee. If seeing the ships is your main interest, be sure to ask which ships are open before you buy your ticket as maintenance issues frequently make ships inaccessible. Tides can also prevent access to some of the ships. Among the ships you can see are the Balclutha, an 1886 steel-hulled square rigged sailing ship, the Eureka, an 1890 steam ferryboat (which also has an exhibit of antique cars on board) as of 2022 the Eureka is in accessible because a winter storm in 2020 damaged the gangway, the C.A. Thayer, an 1895 lumber schooner, and the Hercules, a 1907 steam tug (though access is limited to mid-range tides as the gangway is short and steep).
An fun exhibit that traces the history of amusement attractions in American cities, with a focus on San Francisco.
This is a National Historic Landmark — an authentic World War II submarine with many original artifacts on display. Up to 80 personnel ran this submarine and it could be at sea for up to several weeks at a time.
Have some fun in the largest games arcade in San Francisco.
Colorful jugglers, magicians, clowns, mimes, and comedians of all descriptions entertain Pier 39 visitors throughout the day.