Want the best views of the city? Take this San Francisco Bay Cruise

Whether it’s your first time to the city, or you’re a local, the San Francisco Bay Cruise through Blue & Gold Fleet is a fun one hour tour with unbeatable views.

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Why take a San Francisco Bay Cruise?

This hour-long cruise has a little bit of something for everyone.  There are amazing views for the folks that want that shot to post to their Instagram or Facebook.  History lovers will appreciate the narration of each area of the tour.  And for the people that just like the idea of being on a boat, there are three decks of indoor and outdoor space to enjoy.

Highlights of the Blue and Gold Fleet cruise

The views are truly the selling point of the tour.  The cruise starts by traveling west where you can see the entire San Francisco city skyline.  But the highlight is getting to see the Golden Gate Bridge in a totally new way.  

I’ve visited San Francisco maybe 6 times prior to this trip, and have driven across the bridge probably 8 times.  This cruise not only has perfect views of the bridge from the bay, you also go completely under the bridge to see both sides.  

We could have turned around, skipped Alcatraz, and I might not have noticed after the cruise under the bridge. 

What should you know before signing up?

This tour is only an hour long, and goes by pretty quickly.  However, the boat is equipped with restrooms and a bar that has snacks, and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) should you need something to tide you over.  

The boat is three levels, and requires use of stairs to go to any of the outdoor decks.  The main (enclosed) deck is wheelchair accessible with a ramp on and off the boat.  

Weather in San Francisco, especially on the bay, can turn at any moment.  It might be sunny and warm all day, then Karl the Fog will roll in and temps can drop quickly.  Be sure to layer up, especially if you plan to spend time on the outdoor viewing decks. It can be very windy. 

If you are susceptible to motion sickness (like I am) you should be fine.  It was extremely windy the day we went out, which did cause more waves in the bay than on a quiet day.  I forgot to bring my motion sickness meds with me, but I did not have any issues during the San Francisco Bay Cruise.  Also, at only an hour, it moves fast enough that you’ll be off soon if you do start to feel any nausea. 

Where is the cruise?

The Blue & Gold Fleet cruises are located at Pier 39 next to the Fisherman’s Wharf.  This is where you will also find the famous Pier 39 Sea Lions lounging on their floating docks. 

One of the easiest ways to get here is by taking the street car to The Embarcadero & Stockton St stop at Pier 39. 

San Francisco Bay Cruise Review 

I took this tour in June with a friend that lives in San Francisco. In his ten + years living in the city, he hadn’t taken any San Francisco bay boat tours.  Spoiler alert: we both loved it.  

Even with the wind, we spent most of our time on one of the 3 outdoor decks, enjoying the views and catching up with one another.  The view of Golden Gate Bridge from below was for sure my highlight.  

Don’t let undesirable weather stop you from taking this tour.  We had a great experience, wind and all.  But, if you do happen to get a perfectly clear day in San Francisco, this is the tour to take. 

And at only an hour long, it’s an easy family friendly activity for all ages. 

Alternate SF Bay cruise options 

In addition to the San Francisco Bay Cruise, Blue Gold Fleet also has a number of other San Francisco bay boat tours

• Escape from the Rock: This 90 minute cruise adds on 30 extra minutes to the San Francisco Bay Cruise.  The extra time includes a quick cruise past Angel Island State Park.  After that, the rest of the time will be focused on getting a closer view of Alcatraz Island.  
• Sunset Cruise: Similar to the San Francisco Bay Cruises, this tour will go to the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, but at 30 minutes longer this leisurely cruise will also spend time near Angel Island and Sausalito.  All at golden hour with a beautiful sunset backdrop. 
• Rocketboats: Want a shorter tour, full of adventure?  This is the cruise for you.  The Rocketboats are a high-speed 30 minute cruise around the bay.  These are available April – October from 12-7pm.  Note: These boats do have a 48” height minimum. 

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