Come sail away in the “City by the Bay”
April 8, 2008
On any sunny spring day in San Francisco, you’ll see plenty of sailboats, cargo ships, fishing vessels, and tour boats working and playing across the sparkling bay waters. Boating is very much a part of the city’s culture, and there are many different ways for travelers to get in on San Francisco’s nautical action.
Almost as iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge itself, the once-notorious Alcatraz Island prison is worth a good half-day of exploration. Alcatraz Cruises offers ferry rides and self-guided audio tours of the island starting at $24.50, and park rangers are often on hand to give free guided tours. Explore the craggy island that has been the home of some the country’s most dangerous criminals (including the legendary Al Capone), and has been both a seat of military power and a rallying point for the Native American movement in the late ’60s. Advance reservations are highly recommended.
If island prisons aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other bay cruises to choose from. The Blue and Gold Fleet and the Red and White Fleet out of Fisherman’s Wharf offer boat trips around the islands and the Golden Gate Bridge, starting at around $22. Audiotape narration is often provided on these hour-long jaunts, as are concession stands if you feel like having a shipboard snack.
Don’t want to shell out the extra money for an audio recording? Create your own sightseeing tour by taking one of the city’s ferry boats. For about half the cost of a tour, you can set sail on the same ferries that shuttle commuters to various North and Easy Bay locations. Take a day trip across the bay to the picturesque Marin towns of Sausalito or Tiburon, or head for the urban Oakland waterfront. Or, simply take a round-trip to any destination, and soak up the spectacular views of the city.
The Golden Gate Ferry runs to and from the Ferry Building on San Francisco’s Embarcadero, and the Blue and Gold Fleet out of Fisherman’s Wharf also provides ferry service. Ticket prices vary between company and location, but most are around $7-$9 each way, with discounts for children and seniors.
Looking to cruise in a little more style? Sailboat tours embark from the Fisherman’s Wharf area daily, giving seafarers a chance to fly along the water in a yacht or catamaran. These journeys tend to take fewer passengers than tour boats, so you can have a little more room to experience the splendor of the bay.
Adventure Cat Sailing Charters and the San Francisco Sailing Company carry travelers past Alcatraz and Angel islands, under the Golden Gate Bridge, then cruise along the city skyline for a grand finale. Each hour-and-half trip costs $30 at Adventure Cat (with discounts for children 12 and under) and $40 at SFSC (beer and wine included).
For maritime history buffs, the National Park Service has also launched a sailing adventure program this spring. Starting on May 10, you can sail San Francisco Bay aboard the 60-foot, two-masted Scow Schooner Alma. Built in 1891 and the last of her kind, Alma will transport you to a long-ago era through a unique, hands-on, educational sailing program. The three-hour tour is $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, and $20 for children six and older (children under six are free).
For travelers who prefer to be the captains of their fate, City Kayak offers guided kayaking trips on the bay. Get a seals-eye view of the downtown skyscrapers, bridges, and islands as you paddle through waters both calm and challenging. Guided tours start at around $59 (discounts available for students, veterans, and military personnel, and children 8 and under are free), though special events — such as full-moon excursions or trips during fireworks displays — may have additional fees.
If you already have some experience, you can rent a kayak for your own use for $15-$25 an hour, or take part in a self-guided tour for about $39. For baseball fans, this is a great chance to paddle to McCovey Cove behind AT&T Park to experience a baseball game like never before. Maybe you’ll go home claiming a "splash hit" baseball for yourself!
If all this talk of sailing and paddling is making you seasick, there are still plenty of ways for a confirmed land-lubber to enjoy the city’s nautical culture.
Though the San Francisco Martime Museum is closed for renovations until 2009, the rest of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park is still open and active. Offering the sights, sounds, smells, and stories of Pacific Coast maritime history, the park is located right at the edge of the Fisherman’s Wharf area, and boasts one of the city’s most sheltered beaches. Stop in to the visitor’s center, housed in the park’s 1908 historic brick cannery warehouse, and check out the exhibits detailing stories of the San Francisco’s sailors and ships.
Across the way at the Hyde Street Pier, historic ships are berthed, including three-masted ships, a side-wheeled ferry, a steam tugboat, and numerous smaller craft. For a $5 donation to the state park, you can board the major docked vessels and take part in guided tours to learn the history of these majestic ships. On the first Saturday of the month from 8 p.m.- 12 a.m., maritime enthusiasts gather on one of the ships for a sea chantey sing-along, which is free and open to the public. Be sure to bring a mug for complimentary apple cider!
Whether your feet are planted firmly on the ground or you’re looking to make some waves, you won’t want to miss the grand spectacle that is Opening Day on the Bay. Held on the last Sunday in April (this year on April 27), Opening Day marks the official start of the San Francisco boating season.
As many as 150 boats are expected to participate this year, sailing in parade formation along San Francisco’s northern shoreline, from the shadows of the Golden Gate Bridge to Pier 39. Many boats will be decorated to match the parade’s competition theme, which this year is based on the "Mother Goose" nursery rhymes. So arrange a sailboat trip, plan to take a tour boat, or just stake out a viewpoint at Crissy Field, Pier 39, or anywhere in between. It’s a sight you don’t want to miss!