Sunday, March 31, 2024

15 BEST San Francisco Bay Cruises & Boat Tours 2024

boat cruise sf bay

You can also head out past the Golden Gate Bridge to get in some whale watching while you are here or take a special cruise to watch the fireworks on Fourth of July or New Year's Eve. The Golden Gate bay cruise in San Francisco is one hour. The best time of year to go on a bay cruise in San Francisco is during September or October. Those are our months of great weather, warm and sunny, and the fog and rain are pretty much absent. It's pretty reasonable ($10 when we went) and staffed, so people are around, therefore less likely for break-ins. It's not reserved, but you have a good chance of getting a spot if you get there a bit early.

Weddings on the San Francisco Bay

For all the details on our dinner cruise experience, plus photos and maps, see my page on our dinner cruise in San Francisco. They sail past Alcatraz, Angel Island, the San Francisco waterfront, Sausalito and under the Golden Gate Bridge (very cool at sunset). You can purchase snacks and drinks at the full bar on board. It's particularly good if you have limited time, or young kids that get restless. You can see all the sights of the San Francisco Bay on a quick San Francisco cruise tour, for a very reasonable fee. Good, close views of Alcatraz and passes by the Pier 39 sea lions coming and going.

Sunset Catamaran

Great whites are not considered a danger in San Francisco Bay. But there are 11 other species of sharks living in the bay. Some get seasick no matter what, but generally, it's not rolling enough on the bay for most people to get sick. Both the Red and White Fleet and the Blue and Gold Fleet in San Francisco do one hour cruises of the bay. Both tours sail past the San Francisco waterfront, go out under the Golden Gate Bridge and then sail around Alcatraz Island.

Award-winning, Multilingual Audio Tour

In the winter, it's about 7 to 9 (more on the weekends). You can catch one of these San Francisco bay tours several times a day. These San Francisco boat cruises leave from Fisherman's Wharf several times a day. San Francisco Whale Tours offers exciting whale-watching adventures from the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy spectacular views of world-famous attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge while sighting majestic humpback and gray whales. I've been on many of the bay cruises and I've never felt seasick.

The wine is by the glass and is not included in the price of the cruise. This floating wine bar is a blast and allows you to sip on your local wine as you soak in the views from around the SF Bay. This one is a good one if you missed your chance to get tickets to Alcatraz or if you want to see it closer up from the water. You will get some great views of the sunset as long as the fog has not decided to make its way into the bay before the sun goes down. This is a really fun cruise and worth the extra money for a delightful experience. Your ticket is good for any cruise for that day.

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These electric boat rentals are a dreamy summer day trip - SFGATE

These electric boat rentals are a dreamy summer day trip.

Posted: Sat, 10 Jul 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]

This is a fun way to get out on the bay and see the city as the sun goes down, with all the lights coming on. This is a family-run business that takes you out for a tour of the Bay and provides a large selection of California wines for you to try. You really feel the waves and the ocean seems mightier, especially just outside the protection of the gate. I think it's more exciting to sail out under the Golden Gate in a smaller boat than in one of the much larger ferries. Better for adults and older children, since you'll need to hang on at times when they're tacking back and forth.

boat cruise sf bay

Top Rated Bay Cruises

However, instead of heading back after circling Alcatraz, you will head on for a trip under the Bay Bridge. If you want a full write up of what to expect on this tour, you can also visit this page. It's my overview with more pictures and what to expect. In this case, I reviewed my time with the Red and White Fleet. However, don't stress too much (unless it's a really busy holiday weekend) as they don't often fill up all the way. You head west past several SF sights including Fort Mason, the Marina District and the Palace of Fine Arts.

You can often get a close look at the sea lions, and sometimes porpoises and whales, and you'll see the San Francisco waterfront from a very different perspective. Blue & Gold Fleet offers a variety of seasonal and special events cruises. Our fleet includes schooners, custom-built performance sailboats, floating banquet rooms, and luxury vintage and contemporary motor yachts. Classic wooden boats, historic tall-ships, large powerboats, and custom catamarans are all excellent for adventures in the San Francisco Bay Area. What I love about these San Francisco boat cruises is that you get some decent views of the bay from almost all of the seats in the dining room.

Because it goes under both bridges, you also cruise past the Ferry Building and McCovey Cove (Oracle Park baseball). I’ve included my own experiences and my insider tips for you so you can pick the best San Francisco Bay cruise for you. Want to see the San Francisco Bay as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean? Our 1.5-hour Sunset Sail is for those who want a serene, romantic experience.

Whether you’re looking for something the whole family can enjoy or a romantic evening out for two, your sail on Adventure Cat is sure to be a memorable highlight. Catch a glimpse of marine wildlife including pelicans, sea lions, dolphins, and even the occasional whale. Our sailing excursions are consistently rated among the top five things to do in San Francisco, and our thousands of happy guests can testify. The next on my list of the 10 top San Francisco bay tours is our fun whale watching tours. There usually aren't discounts for these San Francisco bay tours, but I do highly recommend booking your tickets early. There are so many great San Francisco bay tours and boat cruises that it can be hard to find the perfect one.

Using $80 he had saved, he purchased a used Whitehall rowboat, and started a business supplying the ships at anchor in the Bay. Crews rescued four people from a capsized boat 3 miles off the coast of San Francisco’s Ocean Beach Sunday morning, according to firefighters. Celebrate a friend or family member’s birthday by touring the San Francisco Bay waterfront on the Brew Boat. This area is sometimes called the Red Triangle (!) because of the frequency of great white shark attacks there.

Our two-hour sunset cruise is the perfect way to cap off a day in San Francisco. Ever wanted to see the California sun drop slowly into the Pacific Ocean, framed by the majestic Golden Gate, from the middle of San Francisco Bay? Take the Alcatraz ferry over to the island where you can explore the prison and the rest of the grounds. Audio tour and guided tours included in the ticket. See all my info on tours, booking and best way to get tickets.

The Alcatraz tours are well-worth doing for their own sake. Probably one of the most interesting things to do in San Francisco. Not only is the building fascinating to explore, the views of the city and bay are wonderful. Sail by the Ferry Building, Fort Point, the sea lions, and the Presidio.

The boat goes all the way around Alcatraz, so you see the other side that's not visible on the actual Alcatraz ferry ride. You can also hop on one of the small fishing boats docked at the marina on the main street of Fisherman's Wharf (Jefferson Street at Jones). You can purchase snacks and more drinks on board, and listen to the audio tour in 8 languages.

New river cruise out of S.F. Bay will tour Northern California for 8 days, with prices as high as $12,000 - San Francisco Chronicle

New river cruise out of S.F. Bay will tour Northern California for 8 days, with prices as high as $12,000.

Posted: Tue, 09 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Bay Voyager gives you a thrilling, one of a kind tour of the San Francisco Bay. This map outlines our standard tour route along with some of the amazing sites you will see. The ferry from San Francisco to Sausalito takes about 30 minutes. In the winter months, it's hit or miss with rainy days interspersed with sunny ones.

With Angel Island State Park to our left, we slowly cruise around the infamous Alcatraz Island, hearing stories from inmates and historians about the famous prison. On your way back to Fisherman's Wharf, you'll see the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and Coit Tower as we cruise back along the waterfront. For an hour and a half, you'll be treated to fantastic views of Alcatraz Island, the city skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. If you are around on either of these dates, I highly recommend one of these cruises. It only runs once a night and the time changes by season to give you the best chance to catch the sunset. In the winter months, gray whales are migrating through this area and there is a special Gray Whale Sightseeing Cruise.

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