Water activity

San Francisco: Golden Gate Bay Cruise

Activity provider: Red and White Fleet
Water activity

San Francisco: Golden Gate Bay Cruise

Activity provider: Red and White Fleet

From US$ 38 per person

Sail along San Francisco's breathtaking waterfront, under the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, and around notorious Alcatraz Island. Discover San Francisco's history via an award-winning audio commentary, available in 16 languages.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 1 hour
Check availability to see starting times.
Host or greeter
Audio guide included
Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian
Wheelchair accessible

Experience

Highlights
  • Cruise along San Francisco's waterfront
  • Sail under the Golden Gate Bay Bridge, and around Alcatraz Island
  • Listen to an interesting and award-winning audio commentary, available in 16 languages
  • Look at the former hippy enclave of Sausalito
  • Watch out for dolphins, sea lions, whales, and pelicans
Full description

Cruise around the Golden Gate Bay on a boat tour. Enjoy informative commentary, see sights like Alcatraz Island, and purchase food and drink from the onboard bar.

Launched in 1939 as part of the Golden Gate International Exposition, this 1-hour cruise has been a highlight of any visit to San Francisco for over 75 years.

With 8-14 departures daily from Fisherman's Wharf, you will sail along San Francisco's breathtaking waterfront, under the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, and close to the notorious Alcatraz Island. Discover San Francisco's fascinating history, brought to life through audio commentary broadcast in 16 languages via personal headphones. Look out for wildlife along the way, including pelicans, sea lions, and even dolphins and whales. Sail past the lively neighborhood of North Beach, the famous swimming clubs of Aquatic Park, the historic vessels at Hyde Street Pier, and San Francisco Maritime National Park, before heading west towards Golden Gate Bridge.

Enjoy views of Crissy Field and the lush hillsides of the Presidio, before cruising under Golden Gate Bridge. Steam back into the Bay, traveling past the wildlife reserves of the Marin Headlands, and the legendary town of Sausalito, once home to the 1960s’ flower generation. With Angel Island State Park to your left, cruise around the infamous Alcatraz.

After a full hour of exciting sights, the barking sea lions at Pier 39 welcome you back to Pier 43 1/2. A full bar with drinks, snacks, and merchandise, including logo wear, is available at reasonable prices on board the iconic red and blue sea vessels.

Includes
  • Boat tour of Golden Gate Bay
  • Multi-lingual audio guide
  • Use of onboard bar (purchases at own expense)
  • Snacks and beverages

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet at the Red and White Fleet Box Office, located at Pier 43 1/2 in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf at the corner of Taylor Street and Embarcadero. The office is located right behind the iconic Crab sign. It is highly recommended that you plan ahead and account for possible traffic and/or parking delays.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Camera

Not allowed

  • Smoking

Know before you go

  • This ticket allows you to proceed directly to the boarding line
  • This ticket is only valid for the tour date and time booked
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 1742 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.7/5
  • Transportation
    4.8/5
  • Service
    4.6/5
  • Organization
    4.6/5

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Star rating:

Love the history and tours. I especially love the architecture! Alcatraz was interesting to say the least despite the sadness of it. Good restaurants everywhere. Having recently gotten a foot fractured that resulted in me wearing an airboot and carrying a cane, San Fran is a city that is very accommodating to people with reduced mobility. Bravo San Fran!

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November 3, 2022

Great service with a smile. Clean boat. Narration is good, but felt like it's not loud enough (honestly maybe that's the right way to go). Have a moderate selection of drinks aboard Decent prices. Takes you to the golden gate bridge, Alcatraz and back more or less. No extra effort to give pointers to we're you might seals or dolphins or whales if so.

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August 29, 2022

We enjoyed this short voyage so much! It was chilly the day we were there, so we appreciated the option of finding shelter on the lower deck when the cold wind was too much for me. It was strange that even though it was sunny where we departed, it was very foggy all around the bridge. There was a place to buy snacks and drinks, but we did not go there. It was a little tricky getting photos at the bow of the boat without other people in it, and the wind was more intense than I thought it would be. However, I think this was a much more relaxing way to see the bridge than trying to drive around it.

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August 5, 2022

Product ID: 3285