Description
Things to do in San Francisco, the Fisherman’s Wharf Tourist Scavenger Hunt is a 5 km / 3.1 mi walking tour with 17 varied challenges. It takes 3 hours to complete and ends near the start location.
Click here for this scavenger hunt’s complete tour details, specifications, requirements, and city history. You’ll also find the full locations list here.
On your Fisherman’s Wharf scavenger hunt, you will see:
- Fishermans Wharf
- Maritime Museum
- Ghirardelli Square
- Russian Hill Park
- North Beach
- Aquatic Park & Cove
- Alcatraz Island
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Fay Park
- Lombard Street
- San Francisco Art Institute
- Washington Square
- Coit Tower
- USS Pampanito
- Saints Peter and Paul Church
- Joe DiMaggio Playground
This scavenger hunt’s difficulty level is HARD.
This tour takes you from Fisherman’s Wharf to the top of Russian Hill (steep incline) and back down to North Beach.
The ideal group size is between 2 and 6 people – but is not restricted to this. Children are welcome.
After purchase, to begin your San Francisco walking tour, you will need to head to the World Famous Fishermans Wharf Sign, 2820 Taylor St. This is the start location.
Once there, log in to this website and begin your hunt, or go to My Account for full instructions.
San Francisco was founded in 1776. That makes it 250 years old in 2026!
Initial history
The original founders of San Francisco were Spanish colonists who established themselves at the Presidio. However, that is the location of another upcoming Scavenger Hunt! The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth to San Francisco. Consequently, San Francisco rapidly consolidated itself as a city-county in 1856.
Three-quarters of the city was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire., however, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt. Did you know this city was the birthplace of the United Nations Organization back in 1945? After WWII, returning servicemen who mixed with massive immigration and liberalizing attitudes gave way to the rise of the “hippie” counterculture. Ultimately, this kick-started the sexual revolution in America. It also launched the peace movement during the Vietnam War.
Nowadays
The Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood has plenty of sights to see: Pier 39, the Musée Mécanique, Ghirardelli Square, Madame Tussauds’, the Aquarium by the Bay, the Maritime National Historical Park, the Maritime Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, USS Pampanito, Coit Tower, SS Jeremiah O’Brien, Museum of Vision and plenty of shops and restaurants.
Film Fact: The SS Jeremiah O’Brien was used as a set for the engine room in the film Titanic (1997).
Afterward, the Russian Hill neighborhood immediately to the south will also present you with a few familiar sights. Here you will see the twisty Lombard Street and the San Francisco Art Institute. Finally, crossing into North Beach you will walk up Telegraph Hill to see Coit Tower and discover a few other wonderful lookout points.
Taking this 3.1-mile walking tour scavenger hunt, you will take in all of the sights below and more while being challenged with quizzes and riddles at each leg!
Sofiane Parent –
(on Facebook)
I’ve done the ones in California and Montreal and had lots of fun!
Sofiane Parent, August 19, 2018