1.5-Hour San Francisco Bay Sailing Tour

Recommended by 96% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

San Francisco, USA

High interest

Booked 2 times today.

1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· Paul_J ·

Jul 2025

Bring a jacket! But if you forget they have blankets on board and a few loaners. It gets cold on the bay. Captain and crew were very laid back and friendly. Scenery along the route was spectacular with lots of photo ops. Very relaxing afternoon and fun activity for a decent price point. Well worth it!

· Lynnette_H ·

Nov 2025

Departed right on schedule. Very laid back tour along the waterfront and around Alcatraz. Very relaxing. Would do this again.

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Overview

Take a relaxing afternoon small-group 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.

Sailing tour on San Francisco Bay, from Pier 39
View top attractions including Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge
Sail aboard an elegant vessel with teak decks and bronze fittings
Includes two glasses of wine, beer, soft drink, or water

What's Included

Beverages
90-minute sail on the San Francisco Bay

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Pier 39, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
Departure Point: Pier 39, San Francisco Address: Dock F Directions: Arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time or you might miss the boat. The boat does not wait for late shows. Go to Pier 39 Dock F gate and wait until the First Mate comes and takes you to the boat. Dock F is located on the east side of Pier 39 which is the same side as the Aquarium of the Bay. Walk down between the Aquarium and Hard Rock Cafe toward the boat until you get to Dock F.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Make your own way to Pier 39 to meet your captain and first mate, and board the stately double-masted sailboat, which can hold up to 18 passengers.

After a safety briefing, your captain motors out of the marina. The crew raises the sails as your vessel reaches the open waters of San Francisco Bay. Keep your camera handy as you sail past Alcatraz Island and Angel Island. Take in a new perspective on the Bay Bridge, the rolling hills of Marin, and the waterside city of Sausalito. Get great photo ops as your captain steers parallel to the Golden Gate Bridge, then turn your gaze back to the San Francisco waterfront as your sailboat returns to Pier 39.

During the cruise, select two beverages to sip, choosing from beer, wine, soft drinks, or water. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the captain and crew, or simply relax and enjoy the sailing experience.

Golden Gate Bridge (Pass By)

San Francisco Bay

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (Pass By)

Angel Island State Park (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
If you plan on drinking alcohol, please remember to bring your valid government-issued 21+ ID.
We reserve the right to make the final decision as to whether your tour will be cancelled. Tours will only be cancelled in the event of hard rain or unsafe conditions at the time of the tour.
Stroller accessible
Please dress appropriately for the weather. It does tend to be colder out on the water, so we highly recommend layers and close-toed shoes.

Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Donna_G

The crew is friendly and laidback, and they are there to make your time on the Bay relaxing and enjoyable. Beautiful views - not to be missed!

Reviews

4.8

based on 396 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great little sailboat tour

Lynnette_H, Nov 2025

Departed right on schedule. Very laid back tour along the waterfront and around Alcatraz. Very relaxing. Would do this again.

The tour was exactly what...

Clifford_E, Oct 2025

The tour was exactly what was presented on the website. We did not expect a tour guide but we did get some very informative sailors. The captain and first mate were exceptional and gave a wonderful trip around the bay. Two things they couldn’t control were the low winds and flies:-)

Bring a jacket as it gets...

Corinna_A, Aug 2025

Bring a jacket as it gets a little cool and windy on the water. Overall had a nice relaxing time on the water.

Relaxing and exhilarating

Paul_J, Jul 2025

Small intimate trip

Diana_G, Jul 2025

It was a wonderful sail boat trip and the captain and first mate were great and knew so much about the history of the area.

Lots of fun!

Donna_G, May 2025

The crew is friendly and laidback, and they are there to make your time on the Bay relaxing and enjoyable. Beautiful views - not to be missed!

Great experience!

Neil_G, May 2025

What a wonderful experience! Great for family and friends and it is a must do. Would recommend it to everybody. The captain and crew are simply amazing.

On time, great service...

Mark_B, Mar 2025

On time, great service and good captains and crew. Laid back and a very enjoyable boat ride. I would recommend!

Would not recommend-there are better tours listed.

Marcella_S, Mar 2025

We were there at 15 minutes prior to departure as instructed and as the skipper readied the vessel, not a single acknowledgement from him saying, "welcome, we'll be with you shortly," or anything similar. I believe I actually asked him if he was with our tour. Nearly the first thing we were told was that, "this is not a guided tour, if you have any questions, just ask." I guess it's not advertised as a guided tour, but unless you are sitting within 3 feet of the captain and skipper, you can't hear anything. You do not go anywhere near the Golden Gate Bridge, just so you know going into it. That was disappointing. I don't remember anyone pointing out Angel Island, either. Alcatraz, yes. The "waterside city of Sausalito" nope. Pointing 'over there' yes, but I was expecting to get closer to actually see the city and their waterfront. I would not book this again, nor would I recommend it to others. I normally love the tours I book so this was extremely disappointing and a waste of $300.00 for me, my hubs and our adult son. :(

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Marcella, We are very disappointed that the sail was not what you expected. We strive to give each passenger a personal sailing experience. While we are not a guided tour the crew is happy to answer questions. Due to the unpredictably of the wind we sometimes do not get as close to some areas as others. Sailing is an art not an exact science. It does depend on the wind and weather. We strive to offer a traditional sailing experience on a classic sailing yacht.

Great Views

cindy_o, Nov 2024

trip was amazing!! captain michael and first mate were great! views were spectacular ! well worth the trip!!!

Fun and Relaxing

John_H, Nov 2024

We had a great time. The crew were very knowledgeable and I learned a lot about sailing. Saw some views of SF I never saw before!

Enjoyable but a lot of money for what it was

Emily_W, Oct 2024

It was a fun and different experience. Adrian (the first mate) was attentive with drinks. We got two free drinks each. When we asked him questions he was able to answer. I think as it was quite expensive they should have given us more knowledge about the places we could see as we sailed. They only gave us information if we asked. All in all it was enjoyable.

Exciting tour

Christian_V, Sep 2024

It was just fun to sail bay area with beautiful views. Circling Alcatraz and using the wind only to move across the water, wonderful.

Great crew

Thomas_G, Sep 2024

Very engaging team on the sailboat, very friendly - great time, highly recommend!! Good tour, great recommendations, a lot of fun!

A perfect day for a perfect adventure.

Corey_W, Aug 2024

Just a good over all experience other then the 4 women next to us that chatted the whole time I could barley hear the waves hitting the boat. Other than that ot was great. He had the perfect sailing weather it truly was an amazing experience

An afternoon on San Francisco Bay

Cheryll_C, Aug 2024

Great staff; very pleasant & accommodating. Would recommend it as it was both relaxing and enjoyable

Going again

Jared_T, Jul 2024

We had an excellent time. Service was awesome and the ride was perfect! Would highly recommended. Waves were choppy but the boat was smooth!

Real sailing, not on a motoring boat!

HaroldW_W, Jul 2024

There was a very stiff wind the time we went out and we couldn’t go as far as the Golden Gate Bridge, but we got to go past Alcatraz and then all the way around it and then back to the Baybridge and then all along the city skyline from there. It was a fun and unique experience being on a sailing ship where the motor was used only it’s for the initial part to get out of the harbor. The open bay was sailing and very exciting. The first mate was prompt with bringing us our drinks and even offering seconds.

Great experience

Jacob_R, Jul 2024

Great experience on a beautiful day. Sailing a much better experience than a large, powered boat as it was quieter and more interesting. Knowledgeable and friendly crew. Beverages only ok, but that's not the point of the cruise.

Fun family sailing adventure!

WILLIAM_M, Jul 2024

The crew was very friendly, talkative and professional. The boat was in great shape, and there was plenty of space.

Sailing San Francisco Bay

Bruce_T, Jun 2024

My wife and I had a great time sailing the bay with the crew with San Francisco Sailing Company. I would recommend booking a sailing trip with these guys. We had a great time.

Great experience

Claudia_H, May 2024

Fantastic experience just bring warm jackets with you. They will provide blankets and jackets but better you are properly dressed anyway.

Amazing Fun!

JNathan_S, Dec 2023

So much fun! Captain Dave & First Mate Adrian were amazing hosts! Calm waters except for occasional wake caused by another vessel, but totally relaxing and fun 😁

Couple getaway

Vanessa_F, Oct 2023

Wonderful trip! We had a beautiful sail around the harbor- great crew, great beer, so peaceful and lovely. Would recommend to anyone visiting San Francisco.

Beautiful day on the yacht

Olga_P, Jul 2023

Enjoyed our first time on the yacht! ⛵⛵⛵ Very beautiful, saw seals and dolphins!! Very cold even on a warm summer day! Enjoyed Sprite and a good company! Would recommend to anyone!

Great sailing experience

Dawn_K, Jul 2023

The two men that took us on the sailing trip were so lovely. Very informative of the surroundings. I would totally recommend doing this. It was a blast.

Wonderful afternoon

Russell_S, Jul 2023

It was a great way to see the Bay. The crew was friendly and professional. We just loved being on the water.

Beautiful views, fun adventure

Cody_C, Jun 2023

We saw fantastic views of the city, Alcatraz, Golden Gate, other boats and ships, and more. The crew took good care of our group, checking on us and offering drinks and blankets. Dress very warmly, the wind is stronger on the water and there can be sea spray. Allow extra time to get there. We had a lovely evening adventure and we would come again. Thank you!

SIl away

James_R, May 2023

Such a dun sail around the bay. Great crew and food service. Nothing better then the view and peaceful quiet of sailing.

Great SF sailing experience

Allison_R, May 2023

This was a great experience! Loved that it was a small boat with only a few other passengers. Yes it was chilly and choppy but it’s SF Bay so that’s to be expected! Michael and Adrian were great!