Top San Francisco Cruises & Sailing

Explore one of California's most iconic settings from the beauty of San Francisco Bay. This narrated Golden Gate Bay cruise journeys alongside Alcatraz and Angel Island State Park, past the shores of Sausalito and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. You can choose to view the sights from inside your boat or out on deck.

Enjoy a relaxing outing on San Francisco Bay with a cruise. Take in panoramic views of the city skyline, marvel at Alcatraz Island, and journey beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Choose to sit indoors or savor cool bay breezes from an outdoor deck and experience San Francisco in a whole new way from the water. You can even learn about the sights that you're seeing from a free audio tour—available on any personal wifi-enabled device. This ticket allows you to skip the box office line and go straight to the gate.

Bypass the line and head directly to the gate with your prebooked tickets. This sunset cruise takes you across San Francisco Bay with outstanding views of the city skyline, Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz Island. Relax while background music sets the tone. Watch the sunset or select a twilight cruise during winter months.

On this San Francisco bridge cruise, get an up-close look at the city’s two engineering marvels—the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge—as you travel across San Francisco Bay. See major city sights like Alcatraz, Coit Tower, and the Ferry Building, and listen to recorded commentary about the city's legendary architecture while you glide under both bridges.

Admire San Francisco and its surrounding sights from the water on a San Francisco Bay sailing cruise. Onboard a catamaran, sail past the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, legendary Alcatraz Island, and the hamlet of Sausalito. Take advantage of great photo ops while you soak up the sea breeze during this scenic tour.

Sail across San Francisco Bay at twilight to admire the city skyline as it begins to light up for the night. With an experienced captain at the helm, you’ll glide past Alcatraz Island and cruise underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

Learn stories behind the Bay Area's most notorious former federal penitentiary on a fascinating 'Escape from the Rock' cruise. Board a boat for a journey through the bay while listening to audio recordings (available in several languages) from ex-prisoners and guards about daily life on 'The Rock.' Learn about the Birdman of Alcatraz and the infamous 1962 'Alcatraz Escape,' and come to know why Alcatraz instilled fear into the hearts of even the worst-of-the-worst criminals. Tours are accessible on any of your own wifi-enabled iPads, smartphones or other devices. This ticket allows you to skip the box office line and go straight to the gate.

Gain admission to the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco, located at Pier 39 between Fisherman’s Wharf and the Alcatraz ferry landing. A general admission ticket provides direct access to all of the aquarium’s main exhibit areas, which house more than 20,000 sea creatures. Learn what is typically found in San Francisco Bay and the nearby Pacific, including sharks, river otters, and even octopuses. The aquarium features interactive exhibits, as well as walk-through glass tunnels where schools of anchovies and fluorescent jellyfish swim overhead and around you.

Take a relaxing afternoon sailing cruise aboard a traditional sailboat on the San Francisco Bay. Cruise past landmarks such as Alcatraz Island, Angel Island, the Sausalito waterfront, and Golden Gate Bridge, and see the San Francisco skyline on your way back to Pier 39. Includes two drinks, and personalized attention from the crew and captain.

Ride a double-decker sightseeing bus to San Francisco's most famous landmarks with a choice of 2 different passes. Explore the city's 49 square miles, including stops at big-name attractions like Pier 39, the Palace of Fine Arts and Union Square. Go at your own pace, hopping off at any of 16 stops, exploring at your leisure, and then hopping back on when you're done. Choose the Premium pass to include a night tour or a Deluxe pass for an additional 24 hours of hop-on-hop-off and a night tour.

Spend an evening on the San Francisco Bay during this dinner cruise, including a 3-course gourmet meal of fresh, local ingredients prepared on board. After dinner, dance to the DJ's music or enjoy the nighttime views of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the city skyline from the exterior deck.

Come aboard the Privateer for a beautiful sailing journey along the San Francisco Bay where you can enjoy sightseeing at the most beautiful time of day—sunset. Coast along as you spot out Alcatraz, the Sausalito shoreline, and the Golden Gate bridge, all with a drink of choice in your hand.  

Wander through an ancient coastal redwood forest and explore the artistic bayside enclave of Sausalito on this half-day tour from San Francisco. Travel across the Golden Gate Bridge to visit Muir Woods, home to some of the oldest and tallest trees on Earth. Then, soak up stellar views of the San Francisco skyline and browse art galleries along the Sausalito waterfront. At the end of your tour choose between getting dropped off at either of the two departure points or taking the Sausalito ferry back to San Francisco (Pier 41).

Guarantee your visit to Alcatraz when you book in advance. Relax aboard your ferry transportation and return at a time of your choosing. Afterward, use your food voucher at a preselected restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf.

This convenient package gives you access to two essential San Francisco experiences—a visit to Alcatraz Island, and a sightseeing cruise. Instead of waiting in long ticket lines, this time-saving option helps you explore San Francisco more efficiently. Take a ferry to Alcatraz Island where you can go inside the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary and enjoy an audio guide. A San Francisco Bay cruise is also included with views of Pier 39's sea lions, the waterfront area, and the city's skyline. Please note, children 4 years old and younger do not need purchased tickets.

Escape to California’s famous wine country on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Taste regional varietals at multiple wineries in Napa and Sonoma, including both big-name and family-run estates. Learn about the winemaking process during guided tours of vineyards and barrel rooms, and savor the area’s gourmet culture with a stop for lunch in charming Sonoma Square Plaza.

Hop on a ‘70s-era VW bus and get to know the hippie past and hipster vibe that make up San Francisco today. Starting and ending at Fisherman’s Wharf, this 2-hour sightseeing tour takes you around the city, including Chinatown, North Beach, the Castro, the Mission, downtown and more. See the homes of The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, while listening to ‘60s classics. So settle into a neon-blue seat and dig your shoes into groovy shag carpet. Each bus accommodates up to just six people.

Glide across San Francisco Bay with unlimited mimosas and sparkling wine on this weekend brunch cruise. Sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, pass Alcatraz, and see the city skyline from the deck. A hearty buffet and onboard music keep the mood festive while you enjoy brunch and sightsee.

Drive down one of the most scenic roads in California on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Cruise along the coast-hugging Highway 1, passing the mansions of Pebble Beach on the iconic 17-Mile Drive. Enjoy free time to explore Monterey, where you can stroll down Steinbeck’s Cannery Row or visit the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. Browse the ritzy boutiques of Carmel-by-the-Sea and get a glimpse of Silicon Valley’s tech campuses on the return drive to San Francisco.

Ride a GoCar all over San Francisco as it navigates for you and provides a guided tour. Take as long as you like to explore the city with a storytelling car as your guide — what Time Magazine has called "one of the coolest inventions of the year." Let this tiny car show you what the city is all about, learn about its history and visit sites like the Presidio, Coit Tower, Chinatown and Lombard Street. Pick up your car at one of two convenient locations: Union Square or Beach Street near Fisherman's Wharf.

Take a San Francisco half-day tour to pack in the city’s top sights in a convenient way that leaves you with plenty of time to spare so you can enjoy the city however you wish. With a driver-guide, travel the city by bus, stopping at major attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks and neighborhoods like North Beach and Chinatown. Plus, you can upgrade to include a San Francisco Bay cruise, a half-day bike rental, or admission to Aquarium of the Bay.

Secure two top San Francisco activities with a single booking, combining an Alcatraz Island visit with a same-day Golden Gate Bridge boat cruise. If time is limited, coordinating the two experiences can be a challenge. This double ticket takes the hassle out of planning, featuring a self-guided audio tour of Alcatraz and a waterfront cruise with the chance to spot San Francisco Bay marine wildlife in a natural environment.

Visit charming Sausalito, cruise across San Francisco Bay and stare up in wonder at the redwood trees of Muir Woods on this combo tour from San Francisco—the perfect day out in the Bay Area. Experience the Golden Gate Bridge from both above and below as you drive across it and glide under it, and learn about some of California’s oldest and tallest natural wonders, the coastal redwoods. In Sausalito, you can stroll along the waterfront or shop in the galleries and boutiques.

Tread in the footsteps of world-champion sailors on this 2.5-hour America’s Cup Day Sail on San Francisco Bay. You’ll board a high-speed International America’s Cup class yacht and take a turn on the official race course from the 2013 competition. With a skilled sailor in charge, you’ll take your turn as crew working the sail trim controls and even have a chance to skipper the boat. After departing from San Francisco’s famous Pier 39 you’ll take to the Bay and cruise beneath the magnificent Golden Gay Bridge. There’s no better way to see the Bay than this sailing trip with USA 76.