With wide views looking out over San Francisco Bay, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is the perfect place to revisit the maritime past of the West Coast. The park includes a maritime museum, research facility, visitors center, and a fleet of historic ships.

Docked at Hyde Street Pier, the many vessels include Balcultha, a rigged sailing ship from 1886, as well as five more historic schooners, ferries, and tugboats. The vessels are well-preserved and offer some of the best views of the bay from onboard their decks. Some of the boats have historic cars and other vintage goods. Each of the ships tells the story of a period of time in maritime history.

At the nearby museum housed in the historic Bathhouse Building, curated exhibits tell the story of San Francisco’s long history as a port. The displays give great context to nearby ships with information on the culture and history of the maritime industry.