San Francisco Dining Cruises

While San Francisco is known for its many, many restaurants, it’s worth saving one meal for a lunch, brunch, or dinner cruise, simply for the chance to be out on beautiful San Francisco Bay. Here’s what you need to know about SF dining cruises.

Highlights

• Cruises range from two to four hours—easy to fit into your sightseeing schedule.

• A cruise on the bay provides an up close view of Alcatraz Island.

• Some cruises glide under or right up to the Golden Gate Bridge for a photo op you can’t get elsewhere.

• Depending on the time of day, you can look for sea lions or dolphins in the water or admire the twinkling city lights.

• Most boats depart along the Embarcadero, either near Fisherman’s Wharf or the Ferry Building, which can be reached from the major hotel areas by cab, streetcar, or cable car.

Lunch and Brunch Cruises

Daytime cruises typically feature a buffet lunch or brunch so you can select what you’d like to eat and spend your time enjoying views of Sausalito, Angel Island, Tiburon, the Bay Bridge, and the San Francisco skyline, including the Transamerica Pyramid. Most cruises include nonalcoholic beverages with alcohol available for purchase; a brunch cruise typically includes sparkling wine for mimosas.

Dinner Cruises

Dinner on the water takes your meal up a notch, whether you’re after a romantic evening or celebrating a special occasion with family or friends. Watch the sun set behind the Golden Gate Bridge and the city lights start to brighten the night as you enjoy a multicourse meal, which is typical of dinner cruises. Some include wine while others offer alcohol for purchase. For something really special, opt for a helicopter tour and San Francisco dinner cruise combo.