North Beach runs into Fisherman’s Wharf, which was once the busy heart of the city’s great harbor and waterfront industries. Today it’s a kitschy and mildly entertaining tourist area with little, if any, authentic waterfront life, except for a small fleet of fishing boats and some lethargic sea lions. What it does have going for it are activities for the entire family, with attractions, restaurants, trinket shops, and beautiful views and walkways everywhere you look.

Great fun for kids, adults, and kitsch-lovers of all ages, Fisherman’s Wharf has everything from the uber-tacky to the odd and whacky. My favorite is the ominous-looking World War II submarine USS Pampanito, Pier 45, Fisherman’s Wharf (www.maritime.org), which saw plenty of action in the Pacific. It has been completely restored, and visitors are free to crawl around inside and play Das Boot. Conceived and executed in the Madame Tussaud mold, San Francisco’s Wax Museum (www.waxmuseum.com), has long been a kitschy tourist trap. The museum has 270 lifelike figures, including Oprah Winfrey, Britney Spears, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, former President George Bush and current president George W. Bush, Giants baseball star Barry Bonds, rap artist Eminem, and “Feared Leaders” such as Fidel Castro. The Chamber of Horrors features Dracula, Frankenstein, and a werewolf, along with bloody victims hanging from meat hooks. New additions include pop icons such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Nicole Kidman.