Hey travel companions! We recently stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. We were visiting the area taking photos for our cool new project creating tactile photographic prints with Flight For Sight @FlightForSight. Our goal was to capture images of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Courtyard by Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf fit the bill perfectly. How was the accessibility for  a blind or low vision guest visiting the property you ask? Let’s talk about it.  

First Impressions:

The hotel is located on Beach Street, one block off the main road where Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli are located. As you enter the property through the main doors, the front desk is located directly in front of you. I had my wife and guide dog Fauna with me, and the hotel staff were extremely nice and checked us in quickly. Elevators are conveniently located to your right as you enter the lobby. Braille room numbers were easy to find on the elevator floor numbers and the rooms.

Amenities

The pool is located on the second floor, to the left as you exit the elevator. It was easy to find. There is also a restaurant on the second floor to the left as you exit the elevator. We checked, and the food in the restaurant was the typical Mariott fare. There were too many good things to eat within walking distance around the hotel, so we didn’t partake in the restaurant on premises.

Foodie Fun:

We checked in around lunchtime and the first thing we wanted was the classic Clam Chowder and sourdough French bread. Our go-to is Scoma’s on Fisherman’s Wharf. We got Clam Chowder and split their fried combo which had fried shrimp, wild cod, and scallops. I’m not affiliated with them; they are just the place we go to whenever we make it to Fisherman’s Wharf and I like their food. They are also very good about guide dogs.

If you are looking for something a little more low-key, the hotel is located right next door to an In-N-Out Burger. Like it or hate it, the Double Double with animal style fries is a crowd pleaser.

A short stroll down the main road to the right (if the hotel is behind you) will head you toward Pier 39 which has all the shopping you could handle in a day, hot fresh mini donuts and on the way make sure to sop at the best place to get sourdough French bread Boudin on the wharf. They offer bread, as well as sandwiches for lunch and breakfast. We tried the breakfast sandwich on sourdough English muffins and it was amazing.

Make sure to try Surisan Korean restaurant which is located just across the street from the hotel. We ate dinner there, and the Korean chicken wings are to die for.

The Ghirardelli chocolate factory is close by, offering tours for chocoholics (and everyone else!). To get there from the hotel walk out the min doors and go right to the corner. Follow the corner one block to the main road and head left. A few blocks down will be a large park with the factory.

Room to Breathe:

The hotel layout is straightforward and easy to get around, with spacious rooms. We stayed in a room with a King bed and there was plenty of room to navigate without banging into the bed. My guide Fauna also had plenty of room to stretch out on the floor.

One caveat – the shower amenities (shampoo, conditioner, and body wash) lacked clear markings. This is pretty normal for hotels, and I usually suggest using an AI app to decipher which bottle is which.

Guides are welcome…but

The staff was very good about not interacting with my guide dog Fauna. She navigated the property with ease, the only issue we had was where to relieve. There are no close areas to relieve service dogs close to the property. The closest location is a park located half a block from the property. To get there, turn right as you exit the property through the lobby doors and head straight out to the sidewalk.  When you hit the corner, cross straight then cross left and you will be at the corner for the park. There is grass located up the short flight of stairs. Do be aware that there was a multitude of people who were experiencing homelessness scattered throughout the benches in the park. For the most part, I felt safe, but I would recommend having someone with you, if at all possible,

The only other location to relieve your dog would be on the beach located a couple of blocks away. to get there go out the lobby doors and to the right and straight to the sidewalk. At the corner turn right and go to the next main street. Cross the street and turn left and walk a couple blocks to the beach. It is not well marked, and the entry looks like a side street. It may perhaps be a bit more comfortable for those who are not adventurous enough to hang out in the park near the hotel.

Exploring the Wharf:

The Courtyard by Marriott is located so that everything is in close walking distance from the hotel. The experience of Fisherman’s Wharf is unlike any other. The sea air, the sounds of the gulls talking to each other and fighting over dropped food. The crowds wandering and all the places you can shop and buy souvenirs. The streets in the area are all easy to navigate and many have crossing klaxons. Like any city, guides can get distracted with the large number of people around and all the smells to experience. If your guide isn’t acclimated to big city navigating take things slowly, and be aware that your guide may be distracted in a busy area and safe guiding may be a bit challenging.

There are a couple of pizza places right next to the hotel and we were told that they were good, but we did not take part. There is also a Liquor store located directly next to the hotel to the right as you exit the main lobby. The selection is limited, but the water is much cheaper then buying them in the hotel lobby.

Overall:

The Courtyard by Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf is in a great location within walking distance of all the things you want to experience near Fisherman’s Wharf. I found the hotel’s accessibility adequate (except for those tricky shower products!), with lots of great places to eat nearby. What do you think? Have you stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf? Tell me about your experience, feel free to drop me a note on any of my social media links below or on the contact page here on Blind Travels. I’d love to hear what your favorite thing was to eat while you were there and why it was the sourdough bread.

Safe travels, fellow wanderers!