Cruises, Sailing & Water Tours in California

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.

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 4-hour 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. Your cruise includes refreshments and a complimentary same-day admission ticket to the San Diego Maritime Museum.

Travel in ultimate style from downtown Napa to San Francisco with a private, one-way river yacht charter about the Kiwi Cat, a luxurious catamaran custom built by ESPN for the America's Cup. Enjoy many deluxe amenities aboard the spacious vessel that can accommodate up to 12 as you travel downriver through scenic Napa Valley into San Francisco Bay on a 4-hour journey.

Spend a few hours relaxing, sunbathing and sightseeing in the placid waters just off San Diego during this 1- to 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 a relaxing 1.5-hour 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.

Cruise across San Francisco Bay twice in one day on this combo tour that includes entrance to the former island prison of Alcatraz, one of those most popular - and often sold-out - attractions in the city. Start with the ferry ride to San Francisco's famous jail, which you'll explore with a self-guided audio tour. After returning from Alcatraz, take a sunset or twilight cruise (depending on time of year) on the bay with an onboard buffet of hors d'oeuvres and a glass of wine or beer.

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.

Start your cruise by meeting your Coast Guard Captain and visiting the seal docks off Point Loma. As you hug the coast line towards the open ocean, watch the sun set into the Pacific Ocean and then make your way back towards the city. You'll see the post-sunset coloring of the sky and San Diego skyline light up. The maximum group size for this cruise is 6 people.

What better way to end a day in San Francisco than a sunset catamaran cruise? Sail across San Francisco Bay at twilight to admire the city skyline as it begins to light up for the night. With an experienced captain at the helm, you'll glide past Alcatraz Island and cruise underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Light hors d'oeuvres and two drinks are included.

Make the most of your night in Sac with this 1.5-hour cruise along the peaceful Sacramento River. Board a boat, and cruise the water as you enjoy popular music spun by a DJ, as well as alcoholic beverages (own expense). Pass under Tower Bridge, see the city lit up at night, and mingle with friends, old and new.

Take the helm of an International America's Cup Class yacht on a 2.5-hour sail that traces the official course of San Francisco's 2013 America's Cup race. Cast off from the city's bustling waterfront, and work alongside the crew to trim sails and operate the hoist while you head towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Enjoy fresh Pacific breezes as you get underway, and capture unforgettable images of Alcatraz, the San Francisco skyline, the bridge and the soaring Marin Headlands from the deck of the USA 76.

Alcatraz admission tickets often sell out, which can make it hard to explore the prison at the time you'd like to go. Book this Alcatraz and San Francisco Bay sailing package to secure your visit to Alcatraz, and take a leisurely sail across the bay, too. You'll also get access to the prison's award-winning audio tour that's available in eight languages.

Look for whales during a 3-hour boat tour from Monterey, the premier destination in northern California for winter whale watching. Learn about the majestic animals from a marine biologist or naturalist guide who shares detailed commentary about the whales, dolphins, sea lions, sea birds, and natural history of the region.

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.

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 4-hour cruise. Get tips for great photo ops and learn all about the mighty creatures at one of California's most famous whale-watching destinations.

Set sail on the San Diego Harbor for a 2.5-hour dinner cruise with beer pairings, and spend an evening dancing, drinking and dining on board an elegant yacht. Kick off the night with a sumptuous buffet paired with beers from the region's renowned craft breweries. Watch the sun set into the Pacific Ocean and take in views of San Diego's city lights, Coronado Island and the bustling harbor as you dance to songs by the yacht's DJ.

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.

Watch the sun slip behind the mountains on a 3.5-hour Lake Tahoe dinner cruise aboard the M.S. Dixie II, and enjoy champagne, live music and an elegant dinner on the water. Dance to tunes from the local Steve Walker Band, see a spectacular Sierra sunset, then sit down for a freshly prepared meal. Enjoy selections like grass-fed beef or trout, organic greens and vegetables. Finish the evening with fresh berries and cake as the first stars appear above the peaks, and Lake Tahoe's scenic shoreline is illuminated.

Sure. You can hop on the standard ferry to Alcatraz and explore the prison with the rest of the tourists. Or you can catch a ferry over to Sausalito and see a few parts of the Bay. But this combo-tour tour combines best of both worlds. The 'Bay Voyager' is a ship that takes you closer to the sights than any other ship. Make use of complimentary wet-weather gear in case you get a little too close to Mother Nature. After your RIB Boat experience, head  over to Pier 33 to join the famous Alcatraz Prison tour and see the grounds and the notorious solitary confinement wing.*You must submit all passenger names on checkout to redeem your Alcatraz Cruise tickets

Admire San Francisco and its surrounding sights from the water on a San Francisco Bay sailing cruise. On board a catamaran, you'll 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 90-minute tour.