Many of the city's leading tourist attractions are located at the port, including Hyde Street Pier, Fisherman's Wharf, PIER 39 and access to Alcatraz. These attractions draw more than 15 million visitors annually to San Francisco's northern waterfront.

In addition to being a world-renowned visitor attraction, Fisherman's Wharf is also the center of Northern California's commercial fishing industry, Pier 45 is one of America's most modern fish-processing centers.

Dungeness crab, Chinook salmon and Pacific herring are some of the leading delicacies landed in San Francisco. The 62-berth Hyde Street Harbor and the more traditional 128-berth Fisherman's Wharf Lagoon are home to San Francisco's commercial fishing fleet.