Of all the times I've been to the Bay/Oakland, I've never taken the Ferry until now. If you've…read morenever been and not sure how it works, let me tell you what to do to make it way easier on yourself on your first Ferry ride. 1. Download the app SF Bay Ferry 2. Look at the schedules. Tip if you're taking the Ferry to the SF Giants game, look for the baseball next to the schedule. This Ferry line drops you off right at the ballpark with very little walking. 3. After the game, look for the Special Events Ferry, that takes you back to Alameda/Oakland after your late night event. 4. Pay via apple pay or load your credit card 5. Cost is $4.00 That's It! Super Easy When arriving in San Francisco, you'll arrive at Gate G which is close to Mission Street. There is a Marketplace at the Embarcadero with shops, restaurants, cafes, and photo ops. The ride was quicker than I thought and the breeze and views are way cool. I got some great shots. There's a lower and upper deck on the Ferry and concessions on the lower level that serve alcohol, coffee, soda, specialty drinks and snacks. There is a place for bikes but be educated knowing that passengers with bikes are the last to embark and depart off the Ferry. Staying in Oakland is way better and taking the Ferry to SF is fast and convenient. Feel free to add me as a friend and follow for more reviews and travel tips. See you some more on Yelp 2026

What a weekend. We drove to Jack London Square to hop on the Ferry…read more Parking-We parked in the garage, for all day on Sunday June 21, 2026 it costed $20. Still a better deal than driving into SF, paying the bridge toll, gas, ect. It cost around $5.10 to go from Jack London Square to the Ferry Building. That's a real deal. You don't have to worry about parking when you get to SF and if your destination is the Ferry Building then it's perfect. They drop you off at the Ferry Building. Bathrooms- They have a bathroom at the Ferry Station. The women's restroom was ok. It was well stocked and even had soap. On the way home the Men's room was locked. That put a damper on this for my Husband and Father. They do have bathrooms on the Ferry too so you aren't too far from a restroom. Tickets-Figuring out how to pay for the ferry was a challenge. In the past you pay at the snack counter. That wasn't the case on this ferry ride. If you have a clipper card it's easy and half the price. Before you jump on the Ferry there are clipper card kiosks that you just tap and go. A good amount of people used their clipper cards. Those without a clipper card you are on the honor system. Finally we figured it out. If you enter on the 1st level you go to the front of the Ferry and there is a ticket table there where a nice women will take your money. You can pay credit or cash. The price is the same. We sat right in front of the ticket table and very few people actually bought their tickets on board. Knowing that it's half the cost by using a clipper card is the way to go. I have one, but I'm not sure where it is and I didn't think to bring it. The ride. I was happy surprise how smooth it was. The only time you really feel the movement is when they are turning around. Other than that it's like cruising on glass. Seating-There was more than enough seats on our ride. The seats that went first are the outdoor seating. That really filled up. On the other hand the indoor first and second level seating was plentiful. Most seats are 3 across, but the ones in the center are 4 across. We were a group of 4 so we sat in the center section on the way home. On the way there we sat at a table that was 4 across. Concessions- They have a whole bar and sacks. They have beer and hard liquor. The ride is so short that we didn't partake. The Route- The ride is direct from Jack London Square to SF Ferry Building. On the way home we stopped in Alameda. Taking the ferry was a great experience for our family. No one got seasick so all was well. We got to the Ferry around 20 minutes early so we sat on one of the many benches. Without knowing the line got super long. I was afraid we won't make it on the ferry and it would fill up as we were not in the front of the line. We made it on the ferry and there was plenty of room for a lot more people. If you are going to the Ferry Building I highly reccomend the Ferry.

Traveling by ferry is such a wondrous experience…read more So traveling by ferry to the island of Tiburon is the only way to travel there! The Golden Gate Ferry ride offers spacious quarters, amazing views, and good snack and beverage choices. There are cozy chairs inside or comfortable chairs on either outside deck (deck levels dependent on which ferry boat you get). There are cell phone charging stations by several seats if you bring your charging chord. And staff and riders alike always seem overjoyed to be sharing the experience with you. I take this ferry several times a month sometimes during the week and weekend to visit family. This is truly a unique and quintessential Bay Area experience worth having.

Took the ferry to the giants game last night. It's the only way to go. We avoid gas, bridge toll…read moreand parking. Worth the ticket price. But the best part is the staff. They are so kind and accommodating. I think the bartender is my fav. He very professional especially dealing with the intoxicated people on the return trip.

Great customer service from the entire crew going and returning from Sausalito…read more Especially Valentino who was friendly and welcoming! The ride is pretty smooth and less than 30 minutes. Great view of the Golden Gate Bridge!

All the heads visiting or living in San Francisco - we had taken boat tours to Alcatraz but never…read moredone a tour just around the bay! With unseasonably warm spring break weather we decided to give it a try and booked via Groupon which gave a $30 discount. The tour was an hour and absolutely worth it ! Plenty of seating, both inside and out and stunning bay views! The boat is clean, roomy and takes a great route under the Golden Gate, past Alcatraz and towards the Bay Bridge offering beautiful views! Well worth it!

We purchased tickets from Groupon and they were the cheapest bay cruises from…read moreanything I could find. It was just like the other ones we've taken too. This took about an hour or a little longer. You go under the Golden Gate Bridge and then pass by Alcatraz on your way back. There's even a recording playing telling you what landmarks are across and near you aid gives you a little back story of things. Overall; a must do!

We came to start off our group bachelorette party with the sunset cruise…read more Some of us were running late so it was a bit chaotic getting there and we had a bit of a challenge finding the right spot right off the bat. But, once we boarded everything was smooth sailing - mostly haha. The take off and docking were a bit choppy, but other than that it was a smooth ride. The route and duration were great! We are all from the area but have skipped the touristy things. Well we sufficiently got a taste of everything on this cruise. It was properly 2 hours - passed Golden Gate Bridge, bay bridge, Alcatraz, and Oracle Park which was cool to see from the water side. While there was no sunset, we did get good weather and clear enough skies. The one and only thing we would change is the narration - it was awful, awkward, not super informative, and could use major improvements. The staff was fantastic and made for a smooth onboarding. Overall, great cruise around the bay and for a super reasonable price for a 2 hour cruise!

Third ferry experience over 6 Years and I must say they stop manage to impress. Something went…read morewrong when I booked this in December 2025 for May 2026. It has the date of April 30th. I called their hotline and left a voicemail the day of (1 hour before take off). We then get their 30 minutes before, I run down and hassle a crew member, and they say we can just rebook you. No doubt, the person checking our tickets said, okay, I can just rebook you. 45 seconds of swiping and he got us set up. This level of going over the top for customer satisfaction is beyond compare. Thank you to this wonderful team!

The staff are so kind and helpful. I chaperoned a field trip to Angel Island. While on the island…read morerealized I didn't have my car keys, which was a bit of an issue since I drove a carful of children. I re-traced my steps to the ferry. The staff had already scoured the ferry, a park ranger called ahead. I took the ferry back early, walked to my car, and lo and behold, there they were. They let me ride back to meet the group. It was pretty hilarious I was the only passenger.

My son and I made a day trip to Alcatraz island and it was a very enjoyable experience. I do agree…read morethat it's a little pricey but if you spend a solid 2-3+ hours there, I think it's worth it. Pros: + The staff were incredibly kind and helpful. + Once you get on the island and go through the 5 minute orientation from the NPS ranger, you're free to roam about. + The audio-guided tour is actually REALLY good. It was my first time and I thought it would be cheesy but it was engrossing and informative. + Restrooms were very clean and not crowded (at least not the guy's restroom). + There are some truly AMAZING views of the bay. Bring a travel-safe camera. Neutral: ~ There's restrictions on food and drink (only bottled water is allowed in the majority of the park). So plan ahead. ~ San Francisco traffic is real and kinda sucks. Plan ahead for delays. ~ A good portion of the park is outdoors (which isn't a negative but means that it's impacted by the weather). It gets super windy so plan ahead and dress appropriately. Cons: - The price is indeed a little high. I don't think I'd go here all the time. Once every couple years is probably fine. - A friend told me that there's a LOT of bird poop around and they were right. It's not enough to impact walking but does detract from the experience slightly.

Basically the ones who take you to Alcatraz Island and pick you up. Don't expect anything but a…read moreboat ride that is crowded with limited food and drink options on way over (must be purchased from them can't bring anything with you) and a few more options as you can drink alcohol on the way back. You can buy your tickets through them to get rides to the island and then tour the island on your own and return with them at set pick up times.

I heard rumblings about the Richmond Ferry but I didn't realize it was officially in service on…read moreweekends to the Ferry Building until recently. Roundtrip for two was under $20 and the ride was around 30 minutes or so. The staff were all incredibly helpful for our first ride to SF during an evening with a kiddo. They gave us a pamphlet that has weekday/weekend times for future rides, and I noticed they have a 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' program that leaves from Richmond to an upcoming Giant's Game & back. There's plenty of parking (non metered) and even a Rosie the Riveter National Historic Park to explore if arriving early to the area. There's also a Columbia outlet (you can get a complimentary pass) from visiting the Park for entry there too. Not sure if the pickle ball at the Craneway Pavilion is still in action, it wasn't during our recent trip..or the restaurant Assemble either. If anyone has updates on that, feel free to share with me too! All in all, such a convenient way to enjoy a SF happy hour and dinner, with beautiful views on the adventure there/back. Also, there's snacks on the ferry AND drinks like seltzers, beer, wine, and spirits for purchase. So if you're looking to have a cheers during sunset on the boat, you can do that too! There's several times for the weekend ferry, I would do a bit of research ahead of time. We didn't have clipper cards to add money onto, so we purchased our roundtrip tickets once we boarded onto the boat with the staff. You pay/they print your roundtrip ticket that you keep with you for the return boat back. What a way to travel! Until next time...

The Richmond Ferry is one of the hidden gem of Bay Area transport. In about a half hour, you can…read morecruise across the bay to the Ferry Building without the stress of fighting highway traffic and bay bridge congestion. There's plenty of free parking at the Richmond ferry terminal, and once you are aboard, you can relax, get coffee from the concession onboard, or pull out your laptop and use the free wifi. The views across the bay are gorgeous on a sunny day. You sail by Angel Island, Treasure Island, Alcatraz Island, with the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge as the backdrop. Best of all, for 2024, the Friday service is free from November 1st until year end! What a great way to play tourist for a day.

This was my first using the Ferry from Oakland to San Francisco. For only $4.50 and 30 minute ride,…read moreI went from the East Bay to the SF Embarcadero. OMG how easy it was to navigate the ferry. Tip: Download the SF Ferry App to save time & get schedules. Upper & Lower deck seating. Indoor or deck seating. Plenty of tables, bankette seating. Place for strollers, bicycles. Snack bar that serves alcohol like wine, beer & mimosas to small snacks. The view to San Francisco is beautiful arriving & departing Gate G. The closest street is Mission. When you arrive it's easy to get on the Muni system, a trolley, a tour bus, or an Uber/Lyft. If you're going to SF Giants game or the Chase Center, there's a special events Ferry for that. Don't worry if your event ends late, the special events ferry will take you back to Alameda &!Oakkand. Study the schedules to plant plenty enough time to travel. For example. I arrived at Gate G and I was going to The Presidio District. There's a free Go shuttle, but it takes about 40 minutes to get there with all the stops. If you're running short on time, grab a taxi or an Uber to drop you off quicker. Since then, I have taken the Ferry four more times. Why did I wait so long. Next is the BART system. See you some more on Yelp 2026

I am an Angeleno, who went to visit a friend in Oakland. I wanted to experience San Francisco and…read moremy friend Denise suggested this ferry because it was cheaper than an Uber, more convenient than Bart, departed on time, like impeccably on time, and thus efficient, and in a way, a vacation experience in itself. Thus, I am here writing this Yelp, to describe it as a tourist experience, not as a mode of transportation to San Francisco, which of course it is too, on the daily. It was my first time taking the ferry so I needed instructions. Denise gave me the Clipper card, and one needed it as they enter, and as they exited. That is how the ferry people calculate the cost of the trip. Other than that, it is easy to use, and I found the staff who worked there polite and willing to explain this process to me. So unless one loses the card, then one will likely figure out the way in and out. I have experienced fog. But fog in LA, at least for me, is not a treat of nature. It is a way that nature reminds me to drive more safe or else. Like one time, I was in the freeway, and I was about to exit, and the fog was so thick-- scary thick. I could not see the car in front of me or behind me. As a result, I stopped driving because I was not sure if I needed to stall, or drive in by inch. With hindsight, I know I should have driven inch by inch, but in the moment, my thoughts for action were processing slower than usual because they were piercing the fog of the night. My passenger told me to drive, because if I did not drive we could be hit by another car who did not expect a car in non-movement in the freeway. This was my last vivid memory of fog, being in a freeway, slightly frightened. But, thankfully, the ferry allowed me to see the fog, as lovely, and more importantly, it transported me to Maine, or Avalon, and other places known for thick mist. As the ferry went to San Francisco, I marveled at the bay, in gray. I took care to snap pic to invite the reader to my moment in water, on boat. I saw the sun barely visible. Its own light could not shine through the blanket of gray. As a person, like I said before, who has not been around fog too much the sun looked like an alien point in the sky. I might sounding like a child whose imagination has not learned restraint, but I felt like I had traveled to foreign land and I was witnessing extraterrestrial heavenly bodies in space. Additionally, the water had no blue, it had no turquoise, it was gray, and slow, not still, just calm. The water I knew of beaches and other harbors had age. It had grown and I was visiting it not in a retirement home, not enjoying its golden years, but as it sat in a comfortable chair, resting because it was reflecting on its former youth and accomplishments. The water carried the rest of someone who grew old gracefully, basically. As I marveled at the other pictures, I heard the faint sound of a foghorn. And it did not sound obnoxious, it did not sound like melody either, do not get me wrong. It sounded like a flute making lovely boom sounds, helping me understand that I was in boat, tugging along the sea. The peace of the moment was felt in the breeze, the waters, and now in the waves that carry sound. It was a treat for all my sense, ok maybe not taste. I will not say that I tasted the sea breeze, but I could have tasted something from the snack bar. I did take an 8 second video, to share my voyage with others. For me, it felt, like I was standing still, and seeing a gray hoop skirt dress twirl with an ombre effect. I know that sounds weird, and maybe I am not explaining myself well, and I kind of know that I said the word gray a lot, but, what I am ultimately trying to say is that I felt transported to a day where the weather was foggy and all of that enhanced my vacation to a moment worth remembering. The most epic moment came when I was seeing out into the fog, and as the boat move, and outpace the fog, a ship crane appeared, seemingly from out of nowhere. I felt like I saw a drape made of fog pulled back revealing the ship crane. But the moment of awe came because the fog and crane remained still, it was the movement of the boat that pulled the curtain back. I also captured the ships with big boxes (forget what they are called) in a drape of fog which was quietly beautiful in its own way. In another picture, I clipped the plank as I walked to the ship. That is the moment that I knew I was about to be in fog, but I did not expect to be addressed by the fog--- and its message was, fog does not need to blind the eye, it can give it perspective in wondrous gray scale! Enjoy me, wayward voyayer!

The best way to go to The City for the day! So relaxing and beautiful! So much better than sitting…read morein traffic on the Bay Bridge, then trying to find parking when you get there. It was a lovely sunshiny day. We could see the traffic completely stalled on the bridge. Easy boarding with the Clipper app. Nice cross section of humanity sharing the ride. The ferry has a great dependable schedule so no stress catching the ferry back that night. A nice day playing tourist complete with a Ghirardelli sundae. Can't get better than that!

Date: 6/7/2025 Time: 11:05 AM 59° Cloudy…read more I don't know what happened to my review from almost 12 years ago. I have ridden this ferry in the summer of 2013 when BART went on strike. The ferry was my mode of transportation from Alameda to SF and return. Ahh...quite an enjoyable commute on the weekdays. Even though the fare was more than traveling by BART, my preference was to travel above water than under the San Francisco Bay. On a BART train there is no restroom facility and a snack bar. My evening commute to Alameda was relaxing and mellow with a Kahlua and cream in hand. The Main Street Terminal is about 10 minutes from home. That was such an easy commute home. Arrival time for the ferry was at 11 AM, Alameda. The purpose of my visit was a Juneteenth event in plaza area. The one way trip to SF took almost an hour, but it was well worth it. In quite a distance away, a bunch of us passengers saw a hump back whale. That was quite a sight. I couldn't pull my cell phone fast enough for a photo. It has been several years I boarded at the Main Street Terminal. I believe the one way fare is about $4.70. There will be more ferry rides in the future.

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVAN AND BRIAN!! It was coincidental that I found the Wine Therapy boat. On a…read morerandom day, walking along Pier 39, I seen the boat at the dock and thought "hey, I actually don't have plans for my birthday, I wonder how much it'd be to book for a private party." So I took a chance and honestly it was the greatest thing I could have done! Such amazing hospitality and a small enough space for an intimate setting but also large enough to fit a group of 30! I have no regrets, everyone that came really enjoyed the ride and the service!! 10/10 recommend to anyone thinking of booking them for a private party or even just to do a public tour. I had such a great time!

Booked a Saturday sunset cruise and it was such a perfect day and wonderful experience! We boarded…read moreright on the dot and left the dock on-time, no issues. Water was slightly bumpy on the way to the bridge but that's because we were going against the current. Still, we enjoyed the views and beautiful breeze. Route takes you to and under the Golden Gate Bridge then back towards the Bay Bridge. You definitely get your entire time on the boat! We were served our glass of wine, 3 whites offered and a red and they were yummy! Crew is of 2 and both gentlemen are nice and knowledgeable. The owner is super fun and sweet, we had such a lovely time onboard. Whether a local or a visitor, 10/10 recommend booking this sunset cruise!!