Pier 39! This small shopping center and tourist attraction, known for its outdoor carnival aesthetic, cotton candy and scaled down amusement park rides, is a two-story wonderland for the youngest among us.

As a family-oriented slice of post-1970s Americana, Pier 39 provides everything one might expect from a traditional amusement park. Games offer the chance to win prizes, rides promise a small prescription of momentary joy, and restaurants serve enough edible energy to get to the next attraction. Not from the Bay Area and considering a trip? Pier 39 is likely on your travel guide list of recommended spots to visit.

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