San Francisco ferries and bay trips

Before the Golden Gate and Oakland bridges spanned the bay, hundreds of ferries shuttled from shore to shore, carrying commuters and goods from the northern counties and East Bay. Although they are no longer a necessity, boats and ferries are still a favorite way to see the city’s shoreline and get around. The coastline of San Francisco Bay encompasses the cities of San Francisco and Oakland as well as the smaller towns of Tiburon and Sausalito.

 

FERRY SERVICES

 

Residents of the Bay Area adore their ferries. During the week commuters pack them to avoid rush-hour traffic on the bridges, and on weekends suburban families leave their cars behind for jaunts to the city.

Ferries do not have audio tours to identify and describe the sights, but they are less expensive than sightseeing cruises. Food and drink are available onboard. Ferries carry only foot passengers and bicycles, not motor vehicles.

 

The Ferry Building, on the Embarcadero, is the terminal for Golden Gate Ferries. Another service, Blue & Gold, docks at nearby Fisherman’s Wharf. Contact ferry companies for fares and timetables.

BAY TRIPS

 

Bay sightseeing cruises from- Fisherman’s Wharf are operated by Blue & Gold Fleet and Red & White Fleet. Trips offered include Angel Island, Alcatraz and towns on the north shore of the bay. There are also combined boat and bus tours to visit Six Flags Marine World and Muir Woods.

 

You can dine and dance aboard one of several cruisers that ply the bay’s waters.

Hornblower Dining Yachts offer lunch on Friday, brunch on weekends, and dinner daily on their charter cruises. Meals are also served at bayside tables that offer diners spectacular views of the waterfront.

 

The Oceanic Society offers nautical environmental safaris with an onboard naturalist to the Farallon Islands, 25 miles (40 km) offshore.

There are also whale watching expeditions off San Francisco’s west coast. Check with individual operators for seasonal details.

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