The Ferry Building is one of the most iconic buildings in San Francisco. Not only is it an architectural treasure, but it’s a transportation hub and center of culture and activity (and really good food). When you live near it, you get to skip the far-away travel that throngs of people do every day to get to enjoy this trove of fun. You just have to walk down the street and you’re there.

The Towers at Rincon are just a seven-minute stroll from the Ferry Building, so our residents are able to make the art show popups, ferry rides, and delicious food a part of their everyday life.

1. The Baby Goats

This underrated but iconic annual delight is known informally as Goatchella (only because the music festival handed over a cease-and-desist). To promote developing healthy food systems, Foodwise brings the soft and tiny goat creatures in every year so locals can pet them. Imagine being able to walk down the street in downtown San Francisco and hang out with some farm animals. It’s only possible at The Ferry Building.

2. The Farmers’ Market

One of the secrets to the delicious cooking by San Francisco’s best chefs is their visits to the infamous farmers’ market at the Ferry Building. Even Alice Waters of Chez Panisse goes there every single week. This market is especially known for a well-curated group of regional farmers — mostly organic — who have extremely high-quality ingredients. The market also offers the usual artisan crafts and street food.

This community hub will be down the street from you three days a week to help you stock your fridge and take your cooking to the next level.

3. The Pop-Ups

The permanent tenants of the Ferry Building’s shops and food hall are incredible (Delica is to die for, and Far West Fungi will change the way you look at mushrooms), the real excitement is in the regular rotation of pop-ups of artists and merchants at the Ferry Building. These limited-time deals of exciting new restaurant concepts, nonprofit causes, and markets will be easily accessible to you when living in an apartment near the Ferry Building.

Some of the most intriguing pop-ups in Ferry Building history include:

The Buttmunchers: A “yarn-bomb” which turned benches by the Ferry Building into knitted monsters eating people who sat on them.
Annual holiday pop-up shops to buy holiday gifts and take pleasure in the season
Seasonal markets, from plant markets to flea markets to makers markets
The Chinatown Popup, which featured Chinatown vendors and benefitted single-room occupancy families with young children.
The BFF.fm pop-up, in which the nonprofit radio station lived in the Ferry Building for 3 months entertaining Ferry Building visitors
The 35-foot-tall polar bear that sat in front of the building to promote awareness of climate change

4. It’s a Great Place to Watch Fireworks

Frequently during the holidays, fireworks are shot off in the water just in front of The Ferry Building. If you like a good time on New Years, you will be within a quick walk to one of the best fireworks shows in San Francisco.

5. You can Ferry All Over the Bay Area

The Ferry Building’s most practical function (and the one in its name) is as a transport hub for the San Francisco Bay Ferry. Skip the bridge traffic and instead take a beautiful water ride to Oakland, Alameda, Fremont, South San Francisco, or Vallejo.

The Ferry Building brings a lot of excitement, delicious meals, community, and opportunities to be a part of something bigger. Living a few blocks down from this wonderful building will help give you the real San Francisco experience.