Top California Day Cruises

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.

Take a boat tour on Lake Tahoe to soak up the alpine beauty of Emerald Bay, one of the lake’s most scenic spots. As you glide across the water on the M.S. Dixie II, admire the surrounding Sierra Nevadas, and cruise past Emerald Bay’s Fannete Island, the lake’s only island, as well as Vikingsholm Castle, a unique home on the shore. Plus, watch a video on board about the interesting underwater features of the lake.

Spend a few hours relaxing, sunbathing and sightseeing in the placid waters just off San Diego during this 1 or 2 hour San Diego Harbor cruise. Sit back and relax as you take in a fully-narrated tour, offering top-notch sight lines of the San Diego skyline, a cruise under Coronado Bridge, a look at the bustling US Naval fleet and a chance to spot some of the harbor’s resident sea lions. Choose between 1 and 2 hour cruise options, offering you two trips to fit your schedule and interests.

Take an evening cruise wining and dining aboard the ‘Spirit of San Diego,’ enjoying top-notch food and drink, plus sparkling skyline views during this San Diego dinner cruise. Dig into your included gourmet meal, accompanied by a complimentary cocktail and live on-board entertainment, as you cruise 25-miles worth of California’s beautiful coastline and gaze at the twinkling stars above. You can also upgrade your cruise to include an unlimited open bar for an additional price.

On this San Francisco bridge cruise, get an up-close look at the city’s two engineering marvels—the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge—as you travel across San Francisco Bay. See major city sights like Alcatraz, Coit Tower, and the Ferry Building, and listen to recorded commentary about the city's legendary architecture while you glide under both bridges.

Look for whales as they migrate through the waters of the Pacific Ocean off of California on this half-day whale-watching cruise from Monterey. Your naturalist guide shares commentary about the whales and their habitat as you search for gray whales (most common), humpback and blue whales, and other marine life such as dolphins and sea lions during your cruise. Get tips for great photo ops and learn all about the mighty creatures at one of California's most famous whale-watching destinations.

Watch for whales and dolphins off Newport Beach aboard a double-decker catamaran with bow seating and 360-degree views. A diverse array of marine wildlife thrives in the protected area just outside Newport Bay, and you'll have the chance to see humpbacks, gray whales, finback whales, blue whales, seals, and several species of dolphins. The boat has a 96% success rate spotting whales or dolphins, making this a great way to explore California wildlife in a gorgeous natural environment.

Enjoy a relaxing outing on San Francisco Bay with a cruise. Take in panoramic views of the city skyline, marvel at Alcatraz Island, and journey beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Choose to sit indoors or savor cool bay breezes from an outdoor deck and experience San Francisco in a whole new way from the water. You can even learn about the sights that you're seeing from a free audio tour—available on any personal wifi-enabled device. This ticket allows you to skip the box office line and go straight to the gate.

Come aboard the Privateer for a beautiful sailing journey along the San Francisco Bay where you can enjoy sightseeing at the most beautiful time of day—sunset. Coast along as you spot out Alcatraz, the Sausalito shoreline, and the Golden Gate bridge, all with a drink of choice in your hand.  

Go whale watching from San Diego aboard a replica of a historic sailing schooner that won the world’s first America’s Cup sailing competition in 1851. Throughout your cruise, your expert guide shares informative commentary about gray whales, dolphins, and other marine animals, along with details about the US Navy sites you pass as you head out on the Pacific Ocean.

Take a relaxing afternoon 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.

Zoom around the waters of San Diego Bay on a jet boat ride that provides speed, splashes, and spins. As you race through the scenic waterway, your captain points out landmarks including the USS Midway, Coronado Island, Seaport Village, the Embarcadero, and the city skyline. Hang on as your captain takes your boat into power slides, 360-degree spins and other thrilling maneuvers—a high-octane twist on sightseeing in San Diego.

Explore San Francisco and Alcatraz on this 2-in-1 tour. Hop aboard a ferry for a scenic ride to Alcatraz and enjoy the award-winning audio walking tour. Plus, enjoy a coach tour with a knowledgeable local guide. Learn about the City by the Bay through visits to top attractions such as Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, the Presidio, and the Palace of Fine Arts.

Make the most of a Sunday with a 2-hour brunch cruise through San Diego Bay. Capture prime views of the city skyline and harbor from a luxury yacht, and round out your morning bliss with bottomless mimosas and our new brunch menu with plated entrée service includes breakfast favorites, vegetarian options, and so much more. Indoor and Outdoor seating available please call Flagship Cruises & Events with seating preference. Listen to DJ tunes as the attentive crew constantly top off your glass. Shouldn’t weekends always be like this?

Spend a day on Catalina Island off the coast of Los Angeles. After pick-up from your hotel, you'll enjoy a smooth 1-hour ferry ride to the island where you will have free time to explore the island and also enjoy a 45-minute undersea adventure and discover Catalina's abundant sea life!

Bypass the line and head directly to the gate with your prebooked tickets. This sunset cruise takes you across San Francisco Bay with outstanding views of the city skyline, Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz Island. Relax while background music sets the tone. Watch the sunset or select a twilight cruise during winter months.

Visit charming Sausalito, cruise across San Francisco Bay and stare up in wonder at the redwood trees of Muir Woods on this combo tour from San Francisco—the perfect day out in the Bay Area. Experience the Golden Gate Bridge from both above and below as you drive across it and glide under it, and learn about some of California’s oldest and tallest natural wonders, the coastal redwoods. In Sausalito, you can stroll along the waterfront or shop in the galleries and boutiques.

Admire San Francisco and its surrounding sights from the water on a San Francisco Bay sailing cruise. Onboard a catamaran, sail past the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, legendary Alcatraz Island, and the hamlet of Sausalito. Take advantage of great photo ops while you soak up the sea breeze during this scenic tour.

Enjoy a sailing adventure on a Catalina-style sailboat with just six people for a comfortable, semi-private experience (or, find five friends and fill up the whole boat). Sail in San Diego Harbor during the day. Sit back and relax to enjoy the water views while enjoying complimentary beer, soft drinks and snacks.

See San Francisco’s top attractions from the water on this 1.5-hour tour by rigid inflatable boat. Your guide will provide gear to keep you dry and warm as you take off from Pier 39. Pass the infamous prison of Alcatraz, Coit Tower, the Presidio and glide under the Golden Gate Bridge while your captain provides insightful narration. Numbers are limited to 12 people to keep this small-group tour as intimate as possible.

We specialize in a more EXCITING and INTERACTIVE Whale and Dolphin Watching experience on our fast, state of the art 26' commercial built center console boats - where speed, comfort and safety come first. This on the water experience is all about Comfort, Connection and Customization. We have the speed to access more whales and dolphins, and allows us more time with the amazing wildlife. All of our trips are limited to 2-6 passengers offering The Ultimate Whale & Dolphin Watching experience in a 2hr tour of the coastal waters off Newport Beach, Orange County, CA. No more big slow boats with 100+ people crammed on. This trip is all about you!

See San Diego from a marine vantage point on this 90-minute harbor cruise, including a look at the marina, seabirds and potential sea lion sightings. Listen to live narration from your captain and enjoy for-purchase snacks from the onboard snack bar.

Cruise around San Diego bay aboard an authentic 1992 America’s Cup racing yacht and travel at twice the speed of the average sailboat. The Stars and Stripes USA-11 is one of the fastest and best known America’s Cup racing yachts. It was designed and built to be raced in San Diego, and has been restored to pristine condition. Take a turn at the helm and join in grinding the winches to raise and trim the sails.

Tread in the footsteps of world-champion sailors on this 2.5-hour America’s Cup Day Sail on San Francisco Bay. You’ll board a high-speed International America’s Cup class yacht and take a turn on the official race course from the 2013 competition. With a skilled sailor in charge, you’ll take your turn as crew working the sail trim controls and even have a chance to skipper the boat. After departing from San Francisco’s famous Pier 39 you’ll take to the Bay and cruise beneath the magnificent Golden Gay Bridge. There’s no better way to see the Bay than this sailing trip with USA 76.