Hyde Street Pier and Maritime National Historical Park
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USS Pampanito HoursOpen year-round.
Summer Hours: Daily, 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, May 1 through October
Pampanito's self-guided tour, $2.00
Adults, $9.00
Children ages 6-12, $4.00
Children under 6 are free with an adult
Senior Citizens (over 62), $5.00
Active Duty Military with current ID, $4.00
Family ticket for $20 which admits two adults and up to four children under 18.
HNSA, CAMM members are free.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park HoursHyde Street Pier and Bookstore
Open Daily.
9:30 am - 5:00 pm Regular Hours
9:30 am - 5:30 pm Summer Hours, May 15-September 16
Closed: New Years day, Thanksgiving day, Christmas day
Hyde Street Pier admission prices to board the historic fleet and participate in tours:
Adults (over 17 years of age), $5.00
Maritime Library
Open by appointment.
Admission to the library is free.
Museum Building
The museum is temporarly closed for major renovation.
Admission to the museum is free.
6 Reviews for Hyde Street Pier and Maritime National Historic...
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1 family found this helpful
"Fascination for School Age Kids"
Kids under 12 are free at this national park. The schooner Balclutha is good fun to explore- you can tour the captain's quarters, the galley, the cramped bunks where the chinese workers lived, and the store rooms full of cargo.
The old ferry boat doubles as an antique car museum and also has a model boat-wright's shop. On weekends you can watch the hobbyists whittling and carving their miniature wooden crafts. Its quite impressive.
Little kids need to be carefully watched as there are rickety stairs, short railings, and lots of trip hazards. My toddling 2 year old made me nervous. I was sure she was going to pitch right over the ship's railing and into the bay.
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1 family found this helpful
"First Sundays are Free!"
On a whim one Sunday, we decided to visit the Hyde Street Pier and Maritime National Historical Park. We had read about it here on Trekaroo. (Thanks you guys!) To our delight, we happened to be there on a first Sunday and all the ships were free to board.
The highlight on board the Eureka was visiting the model ship building room. The person working there was so welcoming and took the time to share about the ship he was building with our two boys (3 and 6). My two Lego fans were totally captivated by what he was doing. The engine attached to the big turning wheel was pretty amazing as well. The sure size of it stunned the kids.
What we enjoyed most was the trading vessel - Balclutha. The ship has quite a history as a trading vessel. Below deck, multimedia exhibits tells the story of Balclutha's history transporting good and grain between San Francisco and Europe and Asia, transporting timber to Australia, and transporting Salmon from Alaska. The exhibits were so well done that our 6 year old and myself were spellbound by the stories. Guided tours are offered most days where kids will be fascinated by the raising of the sail and learning first hand some skills sailors needed at sea or at port. We missed this.
I also found out from the park ranger that school groups and scout troops can actually organize overnight visits on board Balclutha. The kids are invited on to be sailors for a night. They have to learn a few skills and then are asked to perform certain tasks as teams. Their initiative is tested through these tasks. Kids also get to sleep on board like real sailors. It sounds like a ton of fun! Can't wait till my boys are old enough so i can organize a trip.
1 family found this helpful
"Fascinating Marine Park"
Kids will love these amazing ships and boats. Entrance is affordable, five dollars a person. There are a number of tours and activities given throughout the day.
You can listen to free audio tours on your cell phone to learn more about the rich history of these ships or practice tying sailors knots.
1 family found this helpful
"Fun and educational"
I admit it it, I am addicted to National Historic Parks. The Maritime park in SF is no exception. The kids will love the lighthouse glass and other maritime artifacts, neat displays, and more. When you are done, you can go over to Ghiradelli Square and pick up chocolate, yum!
1 family found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
The only floating national park, anchorage for the world’s largest collection of historic ships. Dozens of antique vessels are open to explore and clamber on, from tiny fishing boats to steam tugs, a houseboat, an 1895 lumber schooner—with 100-foot beams in its hold—and an ornate 1886 square-rigger. Vintage autos line the decks of the Eureka, an 1890 ferry. Knot tying, sail raising, and sea-chantey singing take place on weekends. Annual events include the Haunted Halloween Ship, storytelling, engine room tours, birding tours on the pier, navigation, and more. Every Saturday rangers give free presentations, especially for kids: scrimshaw, signal flags, stories, ship models, and knot tying.
1 family found this helpful
"Exploring historic vessels"
We have visited the historic vessels numerous times with the kids and visiting family and friends. It's fun for the kids (and adults) to walk around the various vessels and learn about them. My kids like to pretend they are sailing to exotic places aboard the vessels carrying various cargo- oh, the adventures we've had! If you don't want to eat somewhere in Pier 39 or Ghirardelli, you can pack a picnic and eat at Aquatic Park (beach & amphitheater) just next to the pier. If you're lucky and the weather is nice, the kids will love playing in the water and sand.
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