Three Golden Gate Bridge Cruises, Compared

Which pier, and how to find it

I worked two summers on a ticket window at Pier 43½, so I can tell you exactly where people go wrong. Pier 43½ is at the corner of Taylor Street and the Embarcadero, behind the big crab sign, and both motor boats leave from there: the Golden Gate Bay Cruise and the Bridge to Bridge Cruise. The catamaran is a separate company at Pier 39, Gate J, next to the sea-lion viewing area at 2 Beach Street. The two piers are a short walk apart, but people arrive at the wrong one with five minutes to spare more often than you would think. Check the pier on your ticket the night before, not at the gate.

Motor or sail

The two boats from Pier 43½ are motor vessels with indoor and outdoor seating, panoramic windows, restrooms and a bar with drinks and snacks for purchase. They keep to a schedule; one reviewer, Timothy, timed the Bridge to Bridge run at nearly 90 minutes on the dot. The catamaran is a sailing boat. The wind does the work once the sails are up, and you can stand on the canvas trampoline nets between the hulls or in the protected viewing areas. Paolo wrote that a strong wind made for ideal sailing conditions, and Patricia remembered the wind filling the sails. If that sounds like weather rather than a selling point, take a motor boat. Bring a jacket on all three; Kim summed up the bay cruise in five words, it was chilly so bring a jacket.

Audio in sixteen languages, or a live crew

The motor boats give you a personal audio guide in 16 languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. On the bay cruise it is a handset; on the Bridge to Bridge cruise it is headphones. Jessica found it comfortable with good commentary, and Rose found the audio informative. One caveat from the reviews: Alois, from Switzerland, could not hear the German track well over the engine on the open deck, so sit inside or near the bow if you need a language other than English. The catamaran has no headphones. The crew talks, hands out a printed navigation guide to the landmarks, takes photos, and lets passengers take a turn at the helm with the captain. It is English only.

What each boat passes

The bay cruise sails along the waterfront past Aquatic Park, Hyde Street Pier and the Marina, goes under the bridge, then swings past the Marin Headlands, Sausalito and Angel Island before rounding Alcatraz and returning past Pier 39. The Bridge to Bridge cruise does the same bridge crossing, passes Alcatraz, Sausalito and Angel Island, and then continues along the city waterfront to pass under the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. Juliane said she was glad it included the second bridge; if you want both in one ticket, this is the only boat that does it. The catamaran sails past Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge, with the route shaped by the wind on the day. The water under the span is about 372 feet deep at the centre and the currents are strong, which is why every one of these boats crosses the strait and none of them lingers. There is more on that at how deep is the water.

Wheelchairs, bars and what to bring

Both motor boats are wheelchair accessible. The catamaran is not suitable for wheelchair users, and it also bans luggage, large bags and pets. The bay cruise runs several departures a day, and the 5:30 pm departure runs a happy hour with discounted drinks. The Bridge to Bridge cruise does not allow alcohol brought aboard. The catamaran sells snacks, soft drinks, beer and wine at the cabin bar and allows no outside food or drink. No smoking or vaping on any of them. All three allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and a ticket is valid only for the date and time booked, so an afternoon fog delay is not something you can wait out by switching sailings. Wear layers and closed shoes; the what-to-wear page has the list.

The three boats

Under the bridge

San Francisco: Golden Gate Bay Cruise (1-hour)

◷ 1 hour

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Both bridges

San Francisco: Bridge to Bridge Cruise (90-minutes)

◷ 90 minutes

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Under sail

San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge Catamaran Cruise

◷ 90 minutes

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Side by side

Check dates for the bay cruise

The one-hour boat is the one with the most departures a day. Pick a date to see which sailings are still open.

Frequently asked questions