25 Fun Ferry Outings

Near the Jack London Square Dock - Access from Alameda / Oakland Ferry Only

Before you board the ferry, check out the shops and dining at Jack London Square or see what fresh seasonal produce is available at the Farmers’ Market every Sunday at 10 a.m. Find unique gifts at the Artisan Marketplace every weekend. After your ferry ride, enjoy free summer concerts Fridays through August at Friday at 5 or enjoy a fine meal and listen to world-class jazz at Yoshi’s Night Club.

Get into the true seafaring spirit before your ferry ride – take a dockside tour of the USS Potomac, President Roosevelt’s beloved “Floating White House” and then walk over to tour the adjacent Lightship Relief, one of the few remaining floating lighthouses of its kind.

Near the Alameda Dock - Access from Alameda / Oakland Ferry Only

Prepare to set sail aboard the ferry with a naval history lesson! Tour the aircraft carrier USS Hornet seven days a week or visit the Alameda Naval Air Museum open on weekends. The Hornet is a mile and a half from the dock; the Air Museum about a mile; or take AC Transit Bus #63.

Get here early for the best finds at Northern California’s largest Antiques and Collectibles Faire. Doors open at 6 a.m. the first Sunday of every month.

After an all-day adventure, disembark from the ferry and unwind with wine tastings at Rosenblum Cellars. Or visit the Hangar One vodka tasting room Wednesday through Sunday; unique tours of the distillery are held on weekends at 1 p.m.

Near the Pier 41 Dock in San Francisco - Access from Alameda / Oakland Ferry Only

Shop, dine and be entertained all day at Pier 39 – home of the bay’s famous sea lions. Then take the family on an undersea exploration at the Aquarium of the Bay or catch a weekend matinee – there are shows for kids or shows for adults – at Theatre 39.

Go on an exciting journey to visit the world-famous Alcatraz Island or pack your own lunch and hop aboard a ferry to picnic at Sausalito or Angel Island.

Right along the waterfront you can take your pick of places to shop. Boutiques, galleries, one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants of every taste line the street starting at Fisherman’s Wharf, and on to The Anchorage, Del Monte Square and Ghirardelli Square. (about 8 blocks away).

Just up the street, six to eight blocks away, is one of The City’s most fun and famous neighborhoods – North Beach -- filled with fascinating shops, mouth-watering bakeries, espresso cafes and some of the best authentic Italian restaurants in the world.

Trace San Francisco’s rich maritime history with a visit to the SF Maritime Historic Park and its collection of floating historic ships (approx 6 blocks from the Pier 41 dock). Just down the wharf you can tour the National Liberty Ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien. Complete your nautical tour with a visit to the World War II-era submarine USS Pampanito – berthed right next door to the O’Brien, it stays open until 8 p.m. through October.

How many times have your kids begged you to go to these halls of weirdness? Treat them to an unexpected outing by visiting Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum or the Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Tour one of San Francisco’s most famous sourdough bread bakeries – Boudin – stroll through the museum’s collection of historical and interactive exhibits, and enjoy a tasty lunch at Bistro Boudin. Then satisfy your sweet tooth at Ghirardelli Square and see the original chocolate making equipment in action.

Be a tourist for a day! Experience the sights, sounds and best of all – the tastes – of North Beach and Chinatown like a local on a guided walking tour. Or sit back and relax as you’re chauffeured around the city atop an open-air double decker bus or in an authentic shiny red fire engine!

Near the San Francisco Ferry Building Dock - Access from Alameda / Oakland Ferry Only

Pick up fresh, organic produce and regional artisan specialties at the Farmers’ Market every Tuesday and Saturday until 2:00 p.m. And you can discover great ways to prepare your market purchases on the first and third Tuesday of each month through September at a free Easy Market Meals cooking demonstration. Local fish, hard-to-find specialty foods, mouthwatering sweets and artistic home accessories fill the Ferry Building’s many specialty shops.

All conveniently located just blocks (just under a mile) from the ferry dock you’ll find three fascinating and diverse museums – San Francisco’s famed Museum of Modern Art, the unique Cartoon Art Museum, and the newly-opened Contemporary Jewish Museum. One day trip might not be enough time!

Get dressed up and treat yourself to a fancy lunch, a sumptuous Sunday brunch or an elegant Saturday afternoon tea – all under the magnificent glass domed ceiling of the Garden Court in the world-famous Palace Hotel. (Approx ½ mile up Market from the Ferry Building)

See the city like you’ve never seen it before – from your very own kayak! Rent a kayak and skim along the city waterfront to McCovey Cove, under the Bay Bridge, past Fisherman’s Wharf and beyond! With a range of trip times starting throughout the day and trips with no previous experience required, everyone in the family can enjoy a day out on the water.

Jump on a cable car just a block from the Ferry Building and you’re on your way to the Cable Car Museum on Mason to see a historic collection of cable cars, photographs and mechanical displays. Or ride a cable car to get back to Fisherman’s Wharf where you can catch a ferry for a trip back to the east bay.

From the Ferry Building, the Blue & Gold Fleet can ferry you on to Tiburon or Vallejo, a Golden Gate Transit Ferry can get you to Sausalito or Larkspur, and right next door at Pier 3 aboard a Hornblower Cruise you can learn about one of the Bay's most infamous sites on an weekday Alcatraz Discovery Lunch cruise. Or take in the sights and relax on the Weekend Champagne Brunch cruise.

Catch an afternoon weekday Giant’s baseball game and enjoy the excitement without the hassle of having to drive or find parking. The ballpark is a healthy walk (approx 1.3 miles) or a short Muni ride down the Embarcadero.

Stroll through Yerba Buena’s landscaped gardens, see the impressive 120-thousand gallon waterfall, enjoy an espresso or a fine meal in one of the open-air restaurants or spread out on the 2 ½ acre grassy lawn and enjoy free summer concerts, theater, dance and more. Between May and October the Festival presents nearly 100 programs, all free and open to the public! (Approx 6 blocks from the ferry terminal.)

Grab a bite and catch a first-run film or see Sony’s and Playstations’ latest gadgets and gizmos at the Metreon, then unleash your kids’ creativity and energy at Zeum, the hands-on arts & technology museum. Peruse the fascinating artifacts of the City’s famed streetcars at the SF Railway Museum. (Approx 6 blocks from the ferry terminal.)

From department stores to designer boutiques, enjoy a day of retail therapy in one of the shopping capitals of the world. Put on your walking shoes or grab a cab and start at Embarcadero Center, then head for Union Square, and on your way back to the ferry, stop by the Crocker Galleria. Don’t worry, there’s no extra charge for bringing extra shopping bags aboard!

AT&T Park - Access from Alameda / Oakland Ferry Only

Enjoy the convenience of direct ferry service from Oakland and Alameda to weekday night and weekend day games and watch the Giants hit a home run!

Angel Island - Access from Alameda / Oakland Ferry Only

A unique day excursion to Angel Island is made easy with direct summer service – weekends & holidays through October 26, 2008. With 740 acres to explore and spectacular bay views to enjoy, Angel Island is the perfect summer “staycation.”