Small-Group San Diego Afternoon Sailing Excursion
Recommended by 99% of travellers
San Diego, USA
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Enjoy a sailing adventure on a Catalina-style sailboat with just six people aboard for a comfortable, small-group experience (or, find five friends and fill up the whole boat). Sail in San Diego Harbor, and look out for top city attractions, from Coronado to the USS Midway. Sit back and relax, and enjoy the views, all while enjoying complimentary beer, hard seltzer, non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks.
- Small-group tour is limited to just six people, ensuring an intimate experience
- Enjoy a selection of drinks and snacks on board to stay refreshed
- Admire views of San Diego that few other visitors get to see
- Bring your own music to play on the Bluetooth speakers
What's Included
- 3-hour sailing cruise
- Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks.
- Alcoholic BeveragesComplimentary light beers and hard seltzers. Please note minimum drinking age in the US is 21 yrs.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 2720 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
PLASE NOTE: A physical boarding pass will be required to board your assigned sailboat. Your boarding pass will be provided at our Sail San Diego office. You can find us directly across the road from the Brigantine Restaurant (a few doors down from Paragon Deli, underneath Eye Candy beauty salon).
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Make your own way to the meeting point at Shelter Island, greet your captain, and hop aboard your vessel. Then, set sail on the San Diego Harbor on this small-group cruise.
Soak in the warm sun over the coast as you admire views of the city from the water's edge, and look out for a range of top landmarks as you go, from the USS Constitution to Coronado Island more.
Along the way, feel free to bring along your own music to play on the provided Bluetooth speakers. You can also enjoy a selection of drinks and snacks on board, including both soft and alcoholic options.
After several hours on the water, return to your original departure point, where this tour ends.
Soak in the warm sun over the coast as you admire views of the city from the water's edge, and look out for a range of top landmarks as you go, from the USS Constitution to Coronado Island more.
Along the way, feel free to bring along your own music to play on the provided Bluetooth speakers. You can also enjoy a selection of drinks and snacks on board, including both soft and alcoholic options.
After several hours on the water, return to your original departure point, where this tour ends.
1
Sail San Diego
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Point Loma (Pass By)
Coronado Bridge (Pass By)
Coronado Island (Pass By)
USS Midway Museum (Pass By)
Seaport Village (Pass By)
San Diego Convention Center (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Pushchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travellers can participate
- Please note: Each booking is limited to six (6) passengers. If you have friends or family booking separately, please let the operator know in advance to ensure you're on the same boat; otherwise, you may be seated on different boats.
- You must contact Sail San Diego after purchase for the exact departure time, as departure times vary throughout the year.
- This is not a guided tour; our captains don't provide a commentary but are always happy to share what they know! Don't be shy asking questions.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travellers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveller Photos
Featured review
Reilly_H
I bought this trip as a birthday gift and it was a wonderful experience. Our guide was amazing, he was very educated and taught us so much during the sailing trip. We cruised around the harbor then went out to the ocean to sail. We had perfect weather. They provided beverages and snacks and also allowed you to bring your own food and drinks. I would highly recommend this trip!
Reviews
5.0
based on 544 reviews
Deirdre_O, Apr 2026
Super chill. You can leave your shoes on..Richard/captain was great. Great way to see San Diego! Boat was immaculate!
Martha_M, Apr 2026
Fun, beautiful, great excursion with knowledgeable skipper. Our sailing adventure was tailored to the guests' comfort level, with a just-right amount of local information. I would certainly do again! A+
Michael_A, Mar 2026
Beautiful and very relaxing sailing trip around the bay. The weather was amazing and it was so relaxing being out on the water.
Sheree_S, Mar 2026
It was wonderful! Our captain was knowledgeable and fun. The other 4 people on trip were a blast. We saw really interesting stuff plus got some really good sailing in, too! Highly recommend.
James_R, Mar 2026
Easy reservation and check in. We sailed around SD Bay for approximately 3 hours and had a blast. Our captain was fantastic! On the way in we sailed around a school of dolphins for 45 minutes or so. Could not have asked for a better experience.
Valerie_B, Jan 2026
We had a really wonderful sailing experience with Captain Dave Hobbs. Not only was he a great captain, but we learned an unbelievable amount of history about San Diego itself, the naval base, dolphins, and local attractions. We appreciated his enthusiastic, upbeat, and fun personality!!
-Valerie B.
Damira_C, Dec 2025
Had a blast sailing for the first time with my family. The team was super organized, and Captain Greg was awesome 👋!
Chris_H, Nov 2025
Great time on the sail boat. Dave was an awesome captain and shared a lot of knowledge with us along the way. Highly recommend to couples just looking to relax and soak in San Diego’s views.
Judy_B, Nov 2025
We had an awesome time sailing! Will definitely return to sail again 😊
It’s a fun intimate experience on a sail boat
Tracey_H, Aug 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5 stars)
I truly wish I could give them 5 stars.
My husband and I booked the 3-hour cruise with Sail San Diego and had a mixed experience. As frequent travelers who’ve done many boat tours, we went in with certain expectations based on the price point and description.
The boat itself was ok, nothing spectacular. It was a basic sailing experience. San Diego’s coastline is beautiful, and being out on the water was relaxing.
Areas for Improvement
Value for Money: For what we paid, we expected a more refined experience. The price point suggested premium touches that weren’t quite there.
Amenities: The refreshment setup was very basic - snacks and drinks were self-serve from plastic bags in the galley. The promised “pillows and blankets” turned out to be regular boat cushions and one worn gray pillow at the front for everyone to share. Small upgrades here would make a big.
The tour felt a bit disorganized with information shared in bits and pieces. No one offered to take photos or asked about playing our music - little touches that other tours have included that make the experience feel more personal.
Route Transparency: We were surprised to learn there were two possible routes and had to vote with another group on which way to go. This wasn’t mentioned during booking, and we felt we should have known what we were signing up for. Bottom Line:
Sail San Diego has potential and the basics of a good tour, but could really elevate the experience with some attention to detail and service enhancement. The sailing itself was pleasant, but for the price, we expected more polish and personalization.
Elizabeth_G, Jul 2025
My family and I had such a great time on our sailing adventure. We just wanted to relax with some fun in the sun, and this trip delivered. Captain Greg was fantastic and offered us great recommendations for restaurants and things to do in the area.
Suzanne_D, Jun 2025
Captain Breezy was wonderful! Not only was she a great captain, she also was very knowledgeable in answering our questions about sailing and the areas we sailed past.
Sarah_R, Apr 2025
Six of us went on the boat tour for a bachelorette party. We had a wonderful afternoon! There were assorted chips and snacks provided as well as drink options, such as beer and seltzers. We were able to connect our phone to the boat’s speaker to listen to our favorite music. Our captain had a great personality and was very informative. While on the boat, we were able to see seals and dolphins in the bay. It was a little chilly due to the wind, but the captain offered us blankets to use in order to stay warm.
Andrea_T, Apr 2025
Wonderful and beautiful family outing during spring break! I highly recommend - we even saw a whale in action! This is a must do for sure - also Captain Mike was fabulous!
Angela_B, Apr 2025
Nice sailing experience, was chilly for us but they had blankets. Wish we could have seen more sea wildlife
Janine_M, Feb 2025
Amazing sailing trip with Captain Kinley! We could not have been happier with our experience. We sailed out in the beautiful sailboat past the lighthouse at point Loma. We saw dolphins and sea lions and even followed them as they sailed along!
Tim_R, Feb 2025
Very fun three hours. Captain Dave was so in tuned to the guests on board. And we had some decent breezes, dolphins, sea lions, Navy ships, sun… perfect
Bridget_P, Oct 2024
Wonderful! Awesome captain! Beautiful boat. Awesome thing to do!!!! Totally recommend. Tip at least 20%. Our captain was really cool
Sharon_T, Oct 2024
The amazing things we viewed on the trip and we loved Chris our Captain!! We will definitely book again soon!!
John_F, Oct 2024
This was one of our top experiences in 30 years of travel around the world! Captain Dave was fantastic! His customer service skills were equal to his sailing skills. One of our many highlights were sailing alongside the USS Carl Vinson as it was leaving port. Don’t forget to ask Captain Dave to give you his impression of a dolphin jumping in and out of the boat :-). We would definitely do this again next time we’re back in San Diego!
Robin_W, Oct 2024
Beautiful!! Dave was an amazing captain and made the experience even better. So much to see and enjoy.
Elicia_a, Oct 2024
It was a great experience overall. My only complaint is the description says there's beer and wine and there was neither. We were looking forward to that. But Captain Greg is really amazing!
Phil_M, Oct 2024
Captain Greg took us on the best excursion of our trip! Covered the entire San Diego Bay Area; up close to Navy vessels, points of interest, scenic views, etc. He was knowledgeable, funny and friendly-GREAT guide! Don’t miss this fabulous tour! So relaxing and enjoyable. 6 stars out of 5!
Stefanie_W, Sept 2024
The entire trip was so fun! Captain. Dave was great and made our trip so much fun! Can’t wait to do another sailing!
Sara_C, Sept 2024
What a great experience. We booked for two adults and our 13 yo daughter. The small group was perfect (6 passengers plus 1 Capt. Dave :) we just didn’t want to share the boat with a bachelorette party or rowdy crowd. Three hours was the perfect time frame for sight seeing and relaxing. Captain Dave was a great host/sailor.
McFarland_W, Aug 2024
Everyone and Everything was wonderful! I would do it again!! If you like sailing, you'll love this!!
Bradley_S, Aug 2024
Captain Bree was amazing. She made all of us very comfortable, single-handedly sailed the boat, and was pleasant and positive throughout. We caught some super fun wind outside the harbor then came back inside to see some sights. Highly recommend Captain Bree to all and sail San Diego as well.
Nancy_C, Aug 2024
Best San Diego “field trip” ever! Captain Dave was the ultimate host sharing his knowledge of the area as we sailed on sparkling seas…the boat is roomy and had a great variety of snacks and drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. We enjoyed listening to our favorite music while we sailed ( really sailed-not motored) … so fun! it was a top tier day on a top tier boat with a top tier captain. We will definitely sail with Sail San Diego again.
Chrystalain_A, Aug 2024
This was such a wonderful experience! We booked this little excursion to enjoy some relaxing time on the water for a milestone birthday! It was such a treat! Captain Frank was super awesome! He made us feel at home and answered all our questions about boats and the landmarks we were passing by. It was just such a chill and awesome voyage. We had 2 little ones with us (3 yrs & 5 mos) and I would highly recommend the experience if you have kiddos.
susan_b, Aug 2024
It was fantastic. We opted for the open water excursion. The captain was very chill and professional. The sailboat was much nicer than the photos indicated. I plan on taking this ride on my next trip to San Diego.
Likely to Sell Out
From US$116.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Small-Group San Diego Afternoon Sailing Excursion
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