Plan to take this boat tour. The views from the bay are outstanding. The tour boat is open so you are at an advantage to take in all the sites. It was a clear day so we could see across the bay into the towns that line the opposite shore.

The boat is large, so you are with about 100 people so you really don't feel the waves under you. The tour is narrated by a salty sea captain which is nice because it tells you the history and current events of San Francisco and the surrounding waters. You float under the Golden Gate Bridge for a feeling like no other. That bridge is massive, and you feel it looking up.

The day we were there, the sailboats were abundant. So that was great for the photos. The boat also travels around the island of Alcatraz. That is the famous old prision. I'll tell you that I think that anyone could have swam that bay if they were strong enough and had a good reason, say escaping from prison. The old buildings are a sight to behold, and what a strange feeling you get—almost spooky.

You then float to see the Bay Bridge that links San Francisco with Oakland and finally the cityscape. The hour long trip was well worth the costs (about $20). A must for any traveller.

This bay cruise was included in our City Pass pack. You leave from the pier where all of the seals and sea lions lounge around. It was incredibly windy but perfectly clear on the day of our cruise. The highlights were seeing Alcatraz, the underside of the magnificent Golden Gate bridge, and the city of San Francisco--domes of the Palace of Fine Arts, Coit Tower, TransAmerica Pyramid, etc. The narration was quite interesting and virtually (if not entirely) free of cheesy jokes. Don't miss this!

We are not big on "touristy tours" when we travel, but wanted to get a quick look at the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. This one-hour tour was perfect for us. It was not too long, and the boat was not crowded at all. We purchased the ticket that included the Aquarium of the Bay admission. It was convenient because the boat left every hour, and we didn't have to specify a time.

The boat was large and didn't sway too much - good for those who get seasick easily. The passengers were able to sit inside or outside, and there was a snack bar on the bottom floor. The tour took us out past Sausalito, underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, and circled Alcatraz on our way back to the docks. I enjoyed the commentary and historical accounts on building the bridge, as well as some of the stories about the prisoners of Alcatraz. One tip is to bring a jacket - it is much cooler and windier out on the bay!

I recommend this tour, because in just over an hour, we were able to see many of the main tourist sites of San Francisco and also took some great pictures.

The tour was only an hour or so long, but there is so much to see with a constant eyeful that you don't have a chance to get bored. There is a recorded speaker tour guide that explains the history of the Bay islands, Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Bay Bridge and the Pier. Although there is no crew member to interact with, the speech is so informative that most questions will be answered eventually.

http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/

I would definitely recommend any cruise to Alcatraz and the free ferry to Sausalito, a nice artsy little town on the other side of the bay.