San Francisco: Golden Gate Bay Cruise (60 Minutes)
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
San Francisco, USA
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
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.
- Cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge and by Alcatraz Island
- Admire Sausalito, the Marin Headlands, Angel Island, and more
- Comfortable indoor and outdoor seating (plus seasonal snack bar)
- Open ticket gives you the flexibility to choose any departure time
What's Included
- One-hour cruise
- Multilingual personal audio-guide in 16 languages
- "Straight to the gate" access
- Restrooms: Access to clean and convenient restrooms during your cruise.
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks. There is a full service bar onboard to purchase drinks and snacks.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Red and White FleetPier 43 1/2, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
Please enter in Google Maps: "Red and White Fleet" or "Pier 43 1/2, San Francisco" for exact location and directions. Pier 43 ½ ticket booth (corner of Taylor Street and the Embarcadero) Please come to our location 20-30 minutes prior to the departure time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Your Golden Gate Bay cruise departs from Pier 43 1/2 in the heart of San Francisco's popular Fisherman's Wharf, home to many of the city's seafood restaurants. As the boat makes its way out into San Francisco Bay, you'll have great views of the San Francisco skyline, as well as the bustling North Beach neighborhood and the waterfront Maritime National Park.
Over the next hour you will cruise the waters of San Francisco Bay on a guided tour, meandering west along Fort Mason and past the Marina District â which took a hard hit in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake â en route to the Golden Gate Bridge. Make sure and look up when sailing beneath the bridge's massive 4,200-foot (1,260-meter) span: it's a photo-worthy view that few people get to see.
Turning around in the waters where the Pacific Ocean meets the bay, you'll return east past the Marin Headlines and the harbor town of Sausalito, a favorite day getaway spot for San Francisco visitors. Continue alongside Angel Island State Park, often called 'The Ellis Island of the West,' and then cruise past the Alcatraz Island, home to the legendary former federal prison.
Heading back toward Fisherman's Wharf, soak up great views of the impressive San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and Coit Tower, a tall and slim concrete monument named for the eccentric Lillie Hitchcock Coit, an early 20th century-patron for the city's firefighters. Fisherman Wharf's famous sea lions will undoubtedly be barking their welcomes as your cruise returns to port.
Tickets are flexible, so the departure time and date of this round-trip day cruise are up to you, and are valid up to one year from the original booking date. All cruise vessels include indoor and outdoor seating, public restrooms, and a seasonal snack bar. Audio narration is available in multiple languages.
Over the next hour you will cruise the waters of San Francisco Bay on a guided tour, meandering west along Fort Mason and past the Marina District â which took a hard hit in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake â en route to the Golden Gate Bridge. Make sure and look up when sailing beneath the bridge's massive 4,200-foot (1,260-meter) span: it's a photo-worthy view that few people get to see.
Turning around in the waters where the Pacific Ocean meets the bay, you'll return east past the Marin Headlines and the harbor town of Sausalito, a favorite day getaway spot for San Francisco visitors. Continue alongside Angel Island State Park, often called 'The Ellis Island of the West,' and then cruise past the Alcatraz Island, home to the legendary former federal prison.
Heading back toward Fisherman's Wharf, soak up great views of the impressive San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and Coit Tower, a tall and slim concrete monument named for the eccentric Lillie Hitchcock Coit, an early 20th century-patron for the city's firefighters. Fisherman Wharf's famous sea lions will undoubtedly be barking their welcomes as your cruise returns to port.
Tickets are flexible, so the departure time and date of this round-trip day cruise are up to you, and are valid up to one year from the original booking date. All cruise vessels include indoor and outdoor seating, public restrooms, and a seasonal snack bar. Audio narration is available in multiple languages.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (Pass By)
Fort Mason, the Great Meadow (Pass By)
Marina District (Pass By)
Golden Gate Bridge (Pass By)
Marin Headlands (Pass By)
Angel Island State Park (Pass By)
San Francisco â Oakland Bay Bridge (Pass By)
Pier 39 (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Boat crew are trained to provide first aid and CPR support, and first aid kits are readily available on all vessels
- The main deck of each vessel are fully wheelchair accessible
- All cruise vessels offer indoor and outdoor seating, restrooms, and seasonal snack bar service.
- Vessels operate on biodiesel - a renewable energy source.
- The award-winning audio narration is available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Mandarin, Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Italian, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Bahasa Indonesian and Vietnamese.
- Please come to our location 15-20 minutes prior to the departure time.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 400 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 1,649 reviews
Ugonna_U, Mar 2026
Smooth sailing and commentary of the history of the region. The cruise was such that great picture opportunities were available
Alejandro_V, Mar 2026
Good price, great staff, wonderful trip around the bay and under the Golden gate bridge. Party used Spanish audio headphones with prerecorded audio. Did 5:30pm one where it had happy hour đ
Ramandeep_S, Mar 2026
It was amazing â¤ď¸ Overall, itâs an awesome way to travel as a familyâsomething for everyone, and lots of memories youâll be talking about long after the trip ends!
Angela_P, Mar 2026
Great tour of the San Francisco Bay. We went out to the back deck and then went inside to warm up. It was beautiful, and the staff was great. Highly recommend.
Judy_C, Mar 2026
Take a warm jacket as it can be cold approaching the bridge and under it.
Great viewing from the top deck.
Rick_D, Mar 2026
Good experience, but the boat ride is short. I think they could add additional narrative to the experience.
Ron_M, Mar 2026
My family and I celebrated my birthday by taking a 1-hour cruise of the San Francisco Bay with narration about the history of the Golden Gate Bridge, Treasure Island, Angel Island, Alcatraz, and the surrounding areas of Marin, Sausalito, Tiburon and the cities of San Francisco and Oakland. It was a beautiful day and the Red & White Fleet staff were friendly and helpful as one of the members in my family who went on her first ever cruise on the SF Bay was my 90-year old mother-in-law in a wheelchair. She completely enjoyed this excursion and I couldnât agree with her more! Definitely a must for those who want to take in the beautiful view of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area from a boat.
Jeremy_J, Mar 2026
It was a great experience, me and my wife really loved it all the views and great picture we were able to get on this cruise
Deanna_J, Mar 2026
This was a great experience that was very cost efficient. Lots of great information. Book the experience.
Akane_D, Mar 2026
Very professional. On time and plenty of employees to assist. Great way to see the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Would definitely recommend if you do not want to worry about traffic and parking.
KathyOrtiz, Mar 2026
This was a nice cruise for the whole family. Indoor and outdoor seating, good bathrooms and small concesion with regular and alcoholic drinks. The 1 hour tour was guided with an audiorecording and drive to the golden gate and around Alcatraz. Very enjoyable!
Mario_G, Mar 2026
Highly recommended experience, truly enjoyed it and does not take a lot of time commitment if youâre traveling for a short period of time in San Francisco. We traveled with our infant and 7 year old. Family friendly!
Craig_D, Mar 2026
It was a great safe experience. They have a good team, very friendly and professional. They stick to their timeline.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your kind words, Craig! Safety is, of course, our number one priority and we are so glad to hear you felt that while on board with us. We love our team and are so happy you felt their warmth!
David_V, Mar 2026
It is a nice cruise that with great views of the city and loops under the bridge and by Alcatraz island.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We are so glad to hear you had a great time on board with us, David! I hope you were able to see some great sights and make some memories.
Melissa_J, Mar 2026
Very informative. Staff was nice. It was cool but good. Sun was shining so that helped. Snacks below.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for this review, Melissa! I am so thrilled you had a great time on board and enjoyed being able to see the amazing views from the Bay.
Angela_P, Mar 2026
Pleasant boat ride but I wanted to learn some history. The motor of the boat was so loud I couldnât hear the narrator
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. Thank you for letting us know about the narration volume, we are always looking to improve the experience on board. I hope you were able to see some amazing views and enjoy your time in San Francisco overall.
Effie_P, Feb 2026
We really enjoyed this tour as it gave us another perspective of the GG Bridge, Alcatraz, and SFC in general. It is quite windy, depending on when you go, but there was plenty of interior space to keep warm. We also liked all of the information from the pre-recorded âguide.â
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thanks so much for these kind words Effie, we are so happy to have had you on board! I hope you were able to snap some great pics and make some memories!
Mara_W, Feb 2026
The wildlife we saw: brown pelicans, sea lions, dolphins! Views great, too! One hour tour just right.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for this review, Mara! It is always so great to see the creatures that inhabit the Bay while being able to witness all the amazing views it has to offer. I hope you were able to make some memories while on board!
Katy_S, Feb 2026
Cool views, nice staff, bring a jacket! Staff was super flexible and attentive. Kids had a great time
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for this review, Katy! We appreciate you and your family choosing to spend some time with us out on the Bay!
Theron_T, Feb 2026
It was a great time! The stories and history was delivered well and the scenes were beautiful. I would definitely do it again.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We are so glad you had a great time on board and enjoyed learning more about this wonderful city! We hope to see you out on the water with us again sometime in the future!
Rose_S, Feb 2026
Disappointed in Viator. They did not advocate for me when their providers did not abide by the cancellation policy. One provider didn't give me 24 hr notice so I couldn't give the second provider 24 hr notice for refund.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Rose, please reach out to our sales email at your earliest convenience we would love to be able to get you on board sometime soon
Drew_R, Feb 2026
My girlfriend had a medical emergency that caused us to miss the boat, and they didnât grant me a refund.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Drew, we are so sincerely sorry that an emergency came up and are hoping your girlfriend is doing well. Please reach out to our sales email directly we would love to make this right with you.
Harold_L, Feb 2026
we didnt make it even though were 2 hours early because of parking. its so traffic and no clear instructions of where to park. bad experience. i should at least get a voucher refund. not recommend
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hi Harold, I am so sorry the traffic was so dense during Valentine's weekend. We do not have a designated parking lot we always recommend using SpotHero. We would love to make sure you get to see some amazing views. Please reach out to our sales email so we can reschedule you for a different date.
Sandra_L, Feb 2026
I found the history of the San Francisco Bay area rather interesting. For me it was time we'll spent.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
So glad that you enjoyed your time on board Sandra and that you loved hearing more about this wonderful city! We hope to see you on board again!
Akisi_L, Feb 2026
Despite the weather, it was still great to experience the Golden Gate cruise â and it wasnât too crowded either.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your review! Even in unideal weather circumstances it can always be such a fun experience to see San Francisco from the water.
Yulia_K, Feb 2026
I have not taken this boat tour before but I liked it more than others. it has much better narratory very engaging. it comes very close to Alkatraz and slowly pass through with really good story. it didn't feel rushed or commercial as others to me
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for these kind words! This means so much to us. I am so glad you enjoyed the narration and all the views. We hope to see you back on board sometime in the future!
Andrew_W, Feb 2026
Was cold and windy day but plenty of option of where to sit so you could be comfortable. Good recoded commentary throughout
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your recommendation Andrew, it means so much to us! It is always great to still be able to see all the amazing views while escaping the wind.
Katherine_A, Feb 2026
The boats are clean; staff is friendly & responsive. Boats have bars for drinks & beverage service. We went on 2 cruises in last several weeks. We enjoyed the 2 hour @ 5:45 more than the 1 hour @ 4:45, because the sunset and night lights scenery was amazing!! Either way, great pictures of SF city, Golden Gate, Alcatraz, Port of SF et all! Both were fun, beautiful, with great staff!!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review! I am so thrilled you had a great time on board and were able to see some of the amazing evening views the city has to offer. We hope to see you on board sometime soon!
FRANCIS_H, Feb 2026
Great views and the weather was great. Also they have refreshments on. If you want to take a great and close look at Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz then this is option
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for the kind review! I hope you were able to enjoy one of our specialty cocktails while seeing the amazing sights San Francisco has to offer.
Girpiar_S, Feb 2026
The experience was sooo good we visit on cruise ship first time and my family like that and enjoyed a lottttâŚ..đ¤
Response from Host, Feb 2026
I am so glad you and your family enjoyed your time on board! Thank you all for choosing to see the sights of San Francisco with us!
From $39.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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San Francisco: Golden Gate Bay Cruise (60 Minutes)
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