San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in California. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 1 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in San Francisco Maritime
We matched 1 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to San Francisco Maritime. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Mountain Peaks (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At San Francisco Maritime the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:25 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 244° | 9h 50m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 255° | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 283° | 13h 10m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 295° | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 301° | 14h 46m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 298° | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 289° | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 274° | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:33 PM | 260° | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:00 PM | 247° | 10h 09m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:53 PM | 241° | 9h 34m |
Computed for the park's reference point (37.8101, -122.4244); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From San Francisco Maritime, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
8 Estimated Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white.
Weather & best time to visit
San Francisco is located in a Mediterranean climate. The rainy season usually lasts from November to March. The warmest months are usually September and October. The famous San Francisco fog begins rolling in through the Golden Gate in the spring and can persist throughout the summer months. That said, the city can be foggy and windy any time of the year, so if your visit to “sunny California” includes a stop in San Francisco, bring some warm clothing. The average annual temperature is 62.5°F (16.9°C).
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
The park is located within the city limits of San Francisco, in the Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood, on the shoreline of San Francisco Bay.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Craft Demonstrations
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Live Music
- Boating
- Sailing
- Boat Tour
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Boat Tour
- Hands-On
- Arts and Crafts
- Living History
- First Person Interpretation
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
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