A taste of Venice and Gig Harbor all in one bite. Enjoy the charm of an old fishing village that was wrapped up in great Pacific Northwest history. Some intriguing stories about how this glorious inlet became a true gem of the Tacoma area. Stunning views of upscale living and of our Mount Tahoma aka Mt Rainier. Our gondolier, John painted our experience with a beautiful saranade and a lovely rendition of a birthday wishes. This is a must do, mark it on your list for this summer. Recommendation: go on a Sunday. Still vibrant but not as packed. End or start at the Brimstone Bar on Pioneer. Enjoy and you're welcome! read more

This is a great local experience! Our friend was visiting from Italy (crossed the Atlantic to ride a gondola) and loved the trip. Greg was an excellent singer and she really appreciated his Italian dialect when singing. The tour was very enjoyable and Greg shared some local history while carrying us around the harbor. If you have the time, we recommend the 90 minute tour all the way around the harbor. It's a very relaxing trip and well worth it. read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

I've done this tour four times before this trip with family members and friends who visit from out of town. This is the first time I did the 90 min tour instead of the 60 min. Each time I've had Greg who is so nice and welcoming. What was different this time was that he didn't talk a whole lot or give us much history of the harbor as in previous trips. My sister had been asking me about GH facts and history. I could not remember all the details, so I said Greg would tell her. He did say in the beginning to just ask if we had any questions. It's not necessarily a negative: the photos he took were amazing. It was memorable, but perhaps they have changed the format so that he will give you information only if you ask. We did pose a few questions, and he sang two songs which were nice! read more

Great experience! Relaxing and beautiful. John was a great host...knowledgeable about harbor history and threw in some interesting facts.

Had the most incredible first date here, John was our Gondolier. Before setting sail, he was communicative and recommended a few spots for parking. My first time in Gig harbor I was unfamiliar with the area but thankfully his directions were clear and precise and we found him waiting patiently for us almost as soon as we stepped out of the car. After welcoming us onto the dock, we enjoyed the most serene evening on the water. It was filled with love and respect for the environment and the history of the harbor we were floating on. He serenaded us with knowledge and his beautiful voice. My date and I were fortunate enough to come across several sea lions and even some jellyfish. Despite learning so much about the area, John was intuitive enough to let us talk and engage with each other with no interruptions. We already had a few drinks at our previous spot so we abstained but I do recommend bringing something bubbly, especially if you're on the sunset cruise. I also recommend bringing a blanket, although one may be provided for you. Gig harbor gondola now has a special place in our relationship and I truly cannot wait to bring her back her again for a chance at recapturing some of that magic. read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

Amazing time! Staff were super friendly and informative. Very relaxing and will book again!

Greg was so great!! Beautiful boat, beautiful day, beautiful ride. Loved every minute of it!!! read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

See all

Luckily for us, my husband's stepmom lives in Gig Harbor and booked us this Gondola ride for my 40th bday trip for the 3 of us. We had been dealing with rain our previous two days in Seattle, but I believe my late father in law gifted us the beautiful sunny day we had in Gig Harbor during our Gondola ride. The Gondola is from Venice itself. We were on the Ferry to Bainbridge the day before and then on the 15th, we went on a tour on this Gondola with Greg. Greg knows a lot about the unincorporated and incorporated sides of Gig Harbor where the grand homes were, showed us the heartbreak hotel and told us about why Shorline was misspelled . Lol. The mini light house was gorgeous, seeing all of the different types boats up close were neat. We saw a house where Matthew Lillard's (Scream) parents used to live and how he would come out to wave hello to guests in the harbor. He also showed us a boat where Elton John and another rock star used to stastay. The Gondola was beautiful and he does serenade you in Italian. It would be so romantic if you are celebrating an anniversary or honeymoon. We saw a bald eagle, a few seals and some blue herons while on our Gondola ride. It is a must do while in Gig Harbor! read more

See all

What a wonderful experience! John is so friendly and easy to talk with. After getting a gift certificate from our kids, we booked a date. The weather was perfect. The boat is beautiful! We brought a bottle of wine and sipped while we heard the history of the harbor. Best part...John serenaded in Italian with a beautiful voice. Recommend booking this experience! And it's cheaper than going to Venice. Ciao read more

We had a wonderful time on an hour-long gondola ride for our 41st anniversary. The gondolier was great and even serenaded us twice on the trip around the harbor. We will be back for another trip soon. read more

I don't normally give 5 stars to any business feeling there's always an area to improve but based on our experience and all others, these guys are obviously doing something right!! Greg was our gondolier and did an awesome job making us feel comfortable, giving a ton of interesting info during our 90 min. ride as well as serenading us 3 times with his lovely voice. We had hesitations about choosing the 90 min. instead of the 60 min. option not sure if one of us would need to use the bathroom ( since coming from anniversary dinner) or the seat being hard/uncomfortable after a while but half way into it we were having such a wonderful time we didn't want it to end and happily agreed to full ride. The weather was just perfect and the timeframe of 6:30-8pm was a prime slot he said and we can see why. He supplies ice bucket and plastic glasses for you to bring beverages of choice, such a nice touch. Getting on and off the gondola was fairly easy for a bigger gal like me. No drastic big steps into it and he keeps it tied up to help stabilize it as well as offers his hand to assist getting in and seated. Bench seat nicely cushioned and comfortable. If it's not a warm summer evening you'd want a jacket, I think he has a blanket too. Such a nice romantic activity option for beautiful Gig Harbor, the authentic gondola a charming vessel that was shipped from Venice, only two of their kind in the PNW. Awesome experience!! Highly recommend, especially to top off a special occasion! read more

See all

An absolute unforgetable experience so authentic and relaxing. The Gondolier was wonderful and made it all so comfortable and memorable. Very knowledgable guy and the sense of trust and safety was definately there. Beautiful gondola with a unique one of a kind story. A true Venecian experience in Gig Harbor! So much to learn about Gig Harbor! THANK YOU! read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

See all

I don't usually write reviews but this was such an awesome experience I needed to! My husband and I wanted to find a unique way to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We were so excited when we found Gig Harbor Gondola. Our original date had surprise rain and John was so great about rescheduling, and I'm so glad we did! It was such a peaceful ride and we loved hearing John's stories about the gondola and different parts and properties of the harbor. I didn't want it to end! I can't recommend this enough if you're in the Gig Harbor area. 10/10 experience! read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

See all

Such an absolute wonderful experience. Due to the weather we had to reschedule a few times but no hassles during the process. John is amazing so personable and you can tell he is super passionate about his business. Through out the ride he shares stories of gig harbor history. Bring a friend, or enjoy with your spouse grab drinks and enjoy. We loved every bit of the experience. Would recommend arriving early to find parking. read more

See all

I highly recommend this incredible experience to everyone! My husband and I have now been on our 6th gondola ride! You heard that right 6th! We absolutely love this annual tradition, we go every year for our anniversary! Every year it just keeps getting better and better! We learn new facts about the harbor, enjoy the tranquilness of the quiet harbor on an evening sunset ride, and pretend we are secretly in Venice for the evening! Gig Harbor Gondola is so incredible and we cannot thank them enough for such an amazing experience year after year! Can't wait for our next ride next year! Thanks again for having us! cheers! read more

Greg was so chill and knowledgeable. Safe and fun ride and was very accommodating to get us in. Highly recommended. read more

FANTASTICA AVVENTURA!!! I gathered some long-time friends together and we had the most amazing hour and a half with Greg. The authentic gondola was absolutely gorgeous and Greg was an incredible host who knew so much about everything in the harbor. I have lived here 33 years and didn't know half of what he talked about! Such a lovely way to spend time with my friends who had never met before. We took a picnic and munched while being serenaded by our handsome gondolier. I cannot say enough about this experience and I have every intention of doing it again...and again!! Thank you Gig Harbor Gondola for a memorable adventure with dear friends. read more

really fun expereince, the gonodla glides so smoothly through the water and john explained so much about gig harbor and its history......great excursion read more

All I can say is... Wow. What an experience. Every year for my dad's birthday, I give the gift of experiences rather than things. It makes for lots of great memories and we've done some really cool stuff over the years. I was stumped on what to do this year - until I found Gig Harbor Gondola right here on Yelp. Obviously, I was intrigued because I didn't even know this business existed. Upon checking out the photos and verifying you can indeed bring your own food and drink onboard at no added cost... I was sold. The Gig Harbor General Store is a suuuper cute spot (that's for another review, though) and is the perfect place to stop for beer, wine, snacks, or whatever else you want to bring on the gondola. The owner supplies ice to chill your wine and wine cups! And a wine key! Gig Harbor Gondola is a two-man operation but we were lucky enough to have John, the core founder of Gig Harbor Gondola, as our gondolier. He was very personable, fun, and was easy to communicate with via text. We met him at the Gig Harbor Marina and he led us down to the gondola! After going over some intro stuff, we were off! It was an absolutely gorgeous day, the weather seriously couldn't have been better. We had views of the mountain, clear skies, and were able to see many jellyfish and fish out and about under us as we coasted by. Outside of riding in an AUTHENTIC VENETIAN GONDOLA IN WASHINGTON, John made this experience. He shared so many cool stories about the Harbor, people he's met, how he obtained a gondola... The list goes on. He is such a cool person! He knew that it was my dad's birthday, too, so he sang Happy Birthday and another Italian song to really make this the full gondola experience. I absolutely can't recommend booking Gig Harbor Gondola enough. The price is stellar for the experience you get, and it truly is a one-of-a-kind thing to do. While we went as a family group, this would be great for a date night or with a group of friends, too! Highly, highly recommend. read more

Such a wonderful experience. I can't wait to go again. His songs were such a nice surprise and a sweet addition to the experience. read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - On the water - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

My husband and I, along with another couple, took the 90-minute tour with John in his lovely gondola last night. What a unique, wonderful experience! We learned a lot about the history of Gig Harbor and its real estate, along with details about the gondola and John's passion for gondola rowing. We felt completely safe and comfortable, and there was an outstanding mix of information and time for quiet conversation among ourselves. I highly recommend this for special events (anniversary, birthday), dates, entertaining out-of-town visitors, or simply as a treat for yourself. The price is reasonable given the experience, and where else are you going to get an authentic gondola ride in the Northwest? read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

very relaxing and we even got a song. The history of the homes was fun and barber seals swam by to say hello

Celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary on the amazing Gig Harbor Gondola with owner/gondolier John. The evening exceeded our expectations, weather was perfect, John sang 2 beautiful Italian songs for us along the way. His knowledge of the Harbor and the stories he shared were wonderful. We have lived in Gig Harbor since 1993 and must say we learned more about our great little fishing town tonight then we ever knew. We highly recommend taking a ride on the gondola read more

See all

My Brother / Best Friend, Ryan, took me on a gondola ride for my Birthday earlier this month. This experience has been on my bucket list for a while, and it was lovely and unique. Our Gondolier was pleasant, welcoming, genuine, informative, and fun. I was talking to Ryan later about how many skills our Gondolier would need to have in order to do this unique job so well. We thought he did a wonderful job. He had to have the physical strength to row the boat around the harbor for several hours per day, the people skills to welcome everyone who takes this boat ride, the tour guide skills to regale us with interesting information about the harbor, and a great singing voice to serenade us, which he did 3 times! We thought he struck a great balance between all of these different hats of the job, while still allowing for plenty of silence for us to enjoy the peaceful sights and sounds and to talk quietly with each other as well. We really enjoyed our experience. Ryan was joking around later saying that he wants to work as a Gondolier now, but he said that he would fail miserably at several aspects of this job. Then he started singing off key and wondering why his hypothetical customers were jumping out of the gondola and swimming ashore. Ha! But seriously our gondolier had mad skills all over the place! We also appreciated it that he called out "Ciao!" in a friendly tone to various people around the marina, it lent a fun and social vibe to this experience. He also told us a bit about the boat itself, which is just gorgeous. I mentioned that my late Grandfather was a boat builder (he built a lot of things, actually, boats were just one of them), but of course my late Grandfather was not a gondola builder though, that is incredibly rare! Our Gondolier explained to us how the gondola had been shipped by container ship from Venice to Washington State. This is the only experience of its kind in our beautiful State. Well worth experiencing. The one thing is that I did end up with a nasty sunburn on my right forearm. It's still lobster-red as I type, and it's been over a week since the gondola ride! You'd think I'd know better, it was a hot and sunny day, but I've been on a wide variety of boats around the Seattle area and have never gotten a sunburn on a boat before, so I guess I didn't think that this would be an issue. Our gondolier did tell us to wear sunscreen right before we got in to the gondola, but I don't carry any on me though. So maybe you can learn from my mistake. I do not tend to sunburn easily and have laid out on the beach in Hawaii several times for several hours without issue - without tanning OR burning. So this consideration is not just for folks who sunburn easily. Highly recommended! read more

See all

We have wanted to do this for years, and are so happy we finally did! Amazing experience & we are surely going to be booking a ride every single time we have people visiting! Perfect service, authentic information about Gig Harbor, and an all around wonderful time! read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

Loved our Gondola ride in the harbor! Would recommend this for any occasion! Fun and informative and even romantic being serenaded in Italian! read more

I had a lifelong friend visiting me from out of state and decided to book a gondola tour for us to enjoy together. I had never been on the gondola before, though I had seen it in the harbor many times. Our experience was outstanding! The gondola itself is a beautiful vessel, originally used in Italy. Our gondolier was personable and very informative, We learned a great deal about the harbor and the history of many waterfront homes and properties. His beautiful serenade was a bonus, and he sang beautifully to us. It was beyond anything I could've imagined and exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend this unique experience to locals and visitors alike. read more

My daughter and I took the 60 min tour today and it was the highlight of our day. TOTAL over expectation. Anyone visiting the area needs to take this tour. John gave us a mix of home tour and boat tour. We enjoyed every second. Thank you John!! read more

Enjoyable experience. Would recommend if you're looking for a unique experience in the area. Greg was welcoming and hospitable. We appreciated the historical tidbits shared about Gig Harbor and the locals. read more

Best kept secret in the PNW! John's passion for providing a remarkable, rememberable, and ROMANTIC experience is evident from the moment he greets you to serenading you with o Sole Mio as he guides you smoothly around the harbor of Gig. Thank you John, I will be back! read more

An absolutely delightful day on the harbor!! Our gondolier was knowledgeable and fun. He was full of history and fun facts about our little harbor. And what a great surprise when he sang! Such a beautiful voice. I'd highly recommend this to everyone!! read more

I had been wanting to do this for a couple of years. Taking the grandkids gave me an even better reason to go. We had a great experience. Greg was very knowledgeable. Gave us lots of history about Gig Harbor and the buildings around the harbor. Was open to all of our questions. The grandkids (5 and 8) enjoyed seeing seals, jellyfish and a neighborhood dog, Arlo, who dropped down to the dock for a treat from Greg. The kids were a little apprehensive at first, but soon felt very safe on the boat. We had great weather, and had a wonderful time. Highly recommend this!! read more

What a great time! We had sunny weather, 6:00pm time slot in July. Our boat man (Greg? He's from Long Beach,CA) was helpful, joyous and he could SING!. We had wine but not corkscrew which he offered his only one. I accidentally walked off with it not luckily remembered in time to give it back to him. read more

See all

Did the hour long ride and it was great. The owner was super pleasant and very knowledgeable about the area. The boat was really cool, and he even sang us an Italian song. Definitely a fun thing to do when in Gig Harbor! read more

The tour was excellent! What a great way to see the harbor and learn the history. I look forward to bringing out of town guests in the future. read more

Wonderful! John is an excellent gondolier with a wealth of knowledge about Gig Harbor. We highly recommend the 90 minute gondola ride for the full experience. Beautiful sites and wildlife! read more

What a beautiful way to experience the Harbor! Very friendly and just a lovely experienced Gondolier! These are real Gondolas from Venice! read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - The Gondola! - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

What a beautiful way to experience Gig Harbor! We loved John's wealth of knowledge about the area, homes, boats, and history of Gig Harbor. The ride definitely exceeded our expectations. Gorgeous authentic Venetian gondola was very comfortable and we loved having our own private tour of the harbor, complete with John's beautifully tasteful serenade of "O Sole Mio" as we watched the sun set. Would absolutely recommend this experience--it was a true highlight of our trip and the perfect way to celebrate my husband's birthday. read more

I'd scheduled the 90 minute ride for my girlfriend and I, but then we couldn't go. So my husband and daughter went. They LOVED it! My husband is not easily impressed and he said this is something everyone should experience in their lifetime. My daughter loved it when John, their gondolier, sang for them. Had my girlfriend and I gone, I love that we could have brought your own beverages or food, or sign up for a charcuterie board. They provide cups, corkscrew etc. read more

Gig Harbor Gondola - Boat Tours Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

We had a great time! Greg was our gondolier. He pointed out landmarks and homes. We took an evening tour and it was nice to see all the homes lite up at night. read more