San Francisco’s Marina District is a stunning neighbourhood next to the bay with green spaces, waterfront vistas and chic shops, restaurants and bars. Take photographs of the exquisite Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, a replica of a faux-classical structure originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.
The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre is the only surviving structure from a collection of pieces made for the 1915 expo, a world’s fair designed to celebrate the city’s recovery from the 1906 earthquake and fire. Though it was originally made of wood, burlap and plaster, the palace was later recast in concrete and surrounds a small man-made lagoon lined with Australian eucalyptus trees. Attend an art exhibit or music performance here.
Join a guided tour of the neighbourhood to find out more about its history. Admire art deco-style buildings and learn about the devastating impact of the 1906 earthquake on the city.
Enjoy picturesque views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the grass of Marina Green. This small park overlooks an acoustic sculpture known as the Wave Organ, which is located at the end of a jetty that juts out into the bay. Listen to the various sounds produced by the waves that roll in. The sculpture produces the most sound around high tide.
Discover Crissy Field to the west of the jetty. This pretty grassland and marshland area is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and offers great views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The park contains an environmental education centre, a restored shoreline with native wildlife and walking trails.
The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park borders the Marina District to the east. Study a collection of floating historic ships at the park’s Hyde Street Pier. Investigate the range of fascinating exhibits at the Maritime Museum in the Aquatic Park Bathhouse Building. This museum features a range of fascinating artworks inspired by San Francisco’s maritime history.
Find the Marina District east of Crissy Field and the Golden Gate Bridge. Bus services connect it to other parts of the city.
