Unspecified/General

Tucked into the bustle of San Francisco's Pier 39 waterfront, the 7D Experience is a compact, high-energy interactive ride that fuses the screen-based action of a video game with the physical motion of a theme-park attraction. Part of a small American chain of such rides, the venue opened on the pier in the mid-2010s and quickly became a favourite quick stop for families and groups looking for a punchy diversion between the sea-lion docks, restaurants and shopping along the bay. The format is straightforward. Riders strap into a motion-platform car seating up to eight, slip on light, fitted 3-D glasses and pick up a laser pistol attached to the seat. The doors close, a brief safety briefing plays and the platform comes alive, plunging the riders into a fully animated three-dimensional adventure projected on a wraparound screen, with synchronised motion, wind and other effects. A small menu of themed adventures is offered, rotating through scenarios such as a zombie hunt, a haunted mine, a Wild West shootout and a sci-fi space-station defence. In each story riders compete head to head, shooting at on-screen targets with the laser pistols, with individual scores displayed at the end of the four- to five-minute ride for friendly bragging rights. The attraction is suitable for most ages, with a modest height requirement reflecting the motion platform, and rides are inexpensive compared with the city's larger paid attractions. Group rates and combination passes with the neighbouring Pier 39 attractions help to keep costs down further. Brief, exhilarating and entirely indoors, the 7D Experience offers a self-contained burst of family fun in the heart of the Fisherman's Wharf area, an easy add-on to a wider day exploring the waterfront. Walk-up admission is generally available with little to no queue, although bookings can be made online for groups, and tickets for multiple consecutive rides are sold at a small saving. Open into the evening alongside the rest of Pier 39, the attraction is well placed to wind up a long day of wharf sightseeing with a quick, energetic burst of competitive fun.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: Pier 39, San Francisco, CA, United States

Website: 7dexperience.com