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San Francisco Chronicle​

Mother's Day in S.F.: SkyStar the main attraction, Pier 39 sea lions a close second

Korinna Lauer lives in Sunnyvale and her mom, Lynn Kent, lives in Petaluma, so on Mother's Day they decided to meet in the middle which they calculated to be 150 feet up in the sky, in a windproof gondola atop the SkyStar Observation Wheel at Fisherman's Wharf. 'I've always wanted to ride on a big Ferris wheel,' said Kent, who almost rode one on a recent trip to Vegas. But the price was prohibitive once her gambling luck ran out, and the advantage of Mother's Day is that the child is obliged to pay, which Lauer didn't mind. 'It was really exciting. I liked it,' said Lauer, back on solid ground Sunday morning. 'We could see everything and decide what we want to do next.' This, as was the case with most families visiting the attraction on Mother's Day, turned out to be a short walk up the Embarcadero to Pier 39 to visit the barking and belching sea lions that loll on the docks in the sun. The SkyStar/sea lions combo, plus multiple brunch options, has made the northern waterfront a much better location for the SkyStar than in its previous location on the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park. According to statistics compiled by SkyStar, a private enterprise that is in partnership with the Port of San Francisco, business at the wharf is 32% better than in the park. But there is more at work than just an increase in receipts. A lot of people see that big wheel in the sky, especially at night when it is lit up, and come down to the wharf to see what the fuss is about. Even if they find the price to be a barrier — $18, $12 for kids and seniors for three rotations that take about 10 minutes — they are still at the wharf, where there are other temptations. A study that tracked cell phone use that was conducted by the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefits District found that foot traffic was up from the previous year 400% in 2024, the first year of the wheel on the waterfront. The sea lions have done their part. Now in their 35th year, they reached a record population of 2,100 on the docks last June. 'It is a lot more popular here. We get way more foot traffic,' said Jercelle Famularcano, who has worked both locations on behalf of Storilux, a photo concession that charges $36.95 for a series of eight prints of Mother's Day stamp on the corner comes free with the package, and Famularcano expected it to be in use. She predicted the wheel would get 2,500 customers Sunday, which is about 500 more than the weekend average. Among those waiting in line was Selyca Moriarty and her daughter, Elliana, 3, noticeable in their matching pink hats bearing the logos 'Mama' and 'Mini.' It was Mama who chose to come to San Francisco from their home in Tracy because she is still not over their move from Russian Hill years ago, just so they 'could have a washer and dryer,' as she put it in a barb aimed at her husband, Jason Moriarty, who made the call. But it was 'Mini' who made the call to come to the SkyStar, and she was so excited to get aboard that she was holding onto a parent on either side and swinging her legs in the air to get the feeling of being airborne. 'We wanted to make our daughter happy,' Selyca said. Old-fashioned Ferris wheels always work, and the other thing that works is a newfangled driverless taxi. Turns out kids love to stand on a corner and watch them go by, which you can do on the Embarcadero. 'The highlight of San Francisco is seeing a Waymo,' said Andrew Meyer, who was down from Sebastopol with his mother, Judy; wife, Stephanie; and sons, Maverick, 6, and Lion 3. It was Grandma's choice to ride the SkyStar, which she found 'very comforting,' she said afterward. 'When the wind blows up there, it is kind of cool.' Maverick and Lion's choice was to ride in a Waymo, which their father could not quite organize in advance. 'It was not well researched,' he admitted. Lynn Kent, 54, and Korinna Lauer, 35, could not figure it out either, but they had the advantage of Kent's youngest daughter, Carla Harwood, 14. She was able to figure out the app on the spot, and they caught a Waymo to the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. From there they got out and walked out onto the span. 'The Waymo was fun because it had music and nobody had to worry about all the pedestrians and everything that has to do with San Francisco driving,' Kent said at the end. 'It was a wonderful Mother's Day.'