Alameda, CA Outdoor Activities

With a proud fleet of schooners, performance catamarans, vintage and contemporary luxury yachts, and tall ships, SF Bay Adventures has vessels to suit any occasion. The friendly, USCG-certified crews have experience helming ships for special events, marine filming, corporate team-building events, and educational programs. They also embark on adventure excursions such as shark- and whale-watching tours, eco tours, floating wine tastings, and special cruises for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Blackbeard’s mother’s birthday. After rigging the sails, they lead tours of the Golden Gate Bridge, sunset cruises, and pirate-themed parties aboard their various sailing ships.

Pure Water Sports owner Tim Haines goes whichever way the wind blows him, especially when he's skirting across the water on his kiteboard. If he says he's a waterman, it's because he's spent most of his life on the waves. Sharing his seaside passion with others, he holds lessons in the emerald beauty of Marina Bay and rents out equipment to encourage others to explore. For an additional challenge, SUP Yoga classes allow participants to test their strength and balance out on the water. During lessons, students keep warm in rented wetsuits or stay cool in sequined board shorts.

With Janis Joplin's raspy vocals slicing through its speakers, and a costumed guide at its helm, the Magic Bus cruises into the 1960s as it captivates riders with a groovy comparison of San Francisco's past and present. Over the course of a two-hour trip, iconic neighborhoods and city landmarks pour through the bus's windows, which, at various stops, get covered by retractable video screens that flicker with historic images. Tour takers sing along to classic tunes as the bus rolls through Chinatown, Golden Gate Park, and Haight-Ashbury, famous for its role during the Summer of Love, and later, during the notorious crossing guard strike of 1982. Aside from public tours, the Magic Bus opens its tie-dyed doors to private parties and corporate charters.

Porpoises, seals, and pelicans follow in the wake of sailboats as they coast through the waters of the San Francisco Bay. The 30-foot Cherubini Hunter known as Fearless sails among them, bringing passengers toward sights that are only attainable by boat. Captain Stephan Sowash boasts 30 years of experience and certification from the U.S. Coast Guard, and steers the vessel with the confidence of a boxer who has filled his gloves with sand. He coordinates trips with light refreshments or gourmet dinners such as grilled salmon or lamb, leading guests toward attractions such as McCovey Cove, where kayakers paddle frantically for rare home-run balls and autographs of famous fishmongers.

It’s an amazing feeling to gaze into a massive animal's eyes, knowing that it possesses an equal or greater amount of intelligence and curiosity. Jim Robertson, a 26-year licensed captain, regularly shares this experience with guests in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary aboard his Coast Guard–certified vessel. The Farallon Islands—located 27 miles off the coast of San Francisco—are home to 26 federally listed endangered or threatened species, including leatherback sea turtles and blue whales. With a staff of naturalists on board to narrate the breathtaking scenes before them, guests can peep blue, gray, and humpback whales swimming, breaching, and playing Marco Polo in their natural habitat. Along the way, they might also catch a glimpse of dolphins, seals, sea lions, and a cloudburst of native birds.

Departing from the charming town of Tiburon, the Angel Island Tiburon Ferry takes passengers on 10-minute rides to the historic Angel Island State Park. The ferry is run by the McDonogh family, which boasts a storied history of five generations of running boats to the island while quoting lines from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The company runs its route year-round, encouraging hikers and bicyclists to take advantage of the islands' trails in any season and also runs regular sightseeing cruises around the bay. Passengers can embark on one- to two-hour excursions that glide beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, explore Alcatraz, or cruise along the shoreline of Marin County.