1 of 2 reviews, as this ferry has two Yelp Listings…read more My favorite of the 3 ferries. Quality/Quantity - Local business ferry, one of 3 in Alameda! Only available on weekdays. Well sometimes they offer special ferries for the Giants or Warriors games in SF. Atmosphere - Beautiful. I hike/bike here at times as well. Plenty of parking, 250 spaces, no overnight parking allowed. 20 bike racks available, the ferry is bike friendly as well. 24 bike lockers available. AC Transit = 21 line. Public restrooms, don't expect much. Service - 5 stars. My favorite form of travel, especially with the continued discounted price. It has gone back up slightly, but still very affordable. Thank you. Approximately 20 minutes to get to SF. Also, since I have lived in Alameda, the ferry service has always been on time. This ferry, similar to Sea Plane, operates only Monday to Friday. So if you go on a weekend, you need to take the main ferry. Price - $4.70 one way with a clipper card. Still almost 50% off versus pre-pandemic prices, thank you. Also just discovered the main ferry only cost $1 to go to Jack London Square; so why am I still driving to the Rosenblum winery??? Wait, I also just discovered a free water taxi and I can't wait to try that! Main Island ferry special event tickets - $10.75 to Chase Center. Owner Comment - Thanks for having a ferry on the south side of the island! So much better than having to drive to SF.

It's been awhile since I last took the Ferry and reminded how convenient, relaxing and wonderful…read morethe trip is. Sadly, I'm that person who easily gets motion sickness (inner ear issues since i was kid) and down for the count. *sigh* Deep-sea fishing....[feeding the fish that trip].....Cabo San Lucas Booze Cruise...[sick before my first drink!]....and even being a passenger in someone's car in stop-and-go traffic....its just not fun! I'm glad my friend suggested we take a trip to the City via ferry...sure, i was a bit hesitant but got over any anticipation anxiety and enjoyed the trip immensely. It wasn't bad at all! Fortunately, the water was calm, staff super friendly and helpful, ferry clean and just a fun and scenic leisure day! For a Monday (10am) outing, parking lot wasn't too busy with plenty of opened spots. I would highly recommend being a tourist for the day as sometimes, we take for granted the fun things you can do in our own City. The ride back about 20 mins) around 4:40 pm wasn't busy with plenty of seating available. Paper tickets can be purchases on the Ferry or get that Clipper card which is an all-in-one transportation, form of contactless payment. Makes it super convenient. Round trip fare under $10. https://www.clippercard.com/ClipperWeb/get.html Drinks and light snacks offered for purchase, restrooms available on the vessel. FINAL TIPS for my fellow motion-sick friends: take an OTC dramamine, enjoy the fresh air, sit/stand forward...don't pick a windy day! You're welcome! :)

As of February 3rd, 2026, the Alameda Seaplane Ferry will be charging for additional parking. Their…read morerationale is it's going towards hiring security guards and can/will increase their prices by $1 yearly or at their own discretion. This doesn't sit right for a few reasons. 1. Having security doesn't guarantee your car won't get broken into and if it does they're not the ones filing the police report/making an insurance claim. We the commuters still are. We all have seen countless security guards at malls who just stand there calling the cops and unable to intervene. Because that's not their job. 2. I would had been happier if they raised the fairs for the ferry ride so the crew members can get paid more plus add an extra route at 7:40 in the morning to prevent congestion. Charging for parking does not do that. 3. If parking space is an issue, why did you remove the entire first row of parking spots and made them for visitors. That's such a waste of spots when the majority of the people who actually ride the ferry are commuters. Visitors who visit the area will park near the pier down the street not the actual ferry parking itself, so these decisions don't make sense at all. So if you're heading to the ferry starting February 3rd be prepared to download the parksmart app to pay or risk being ticketed.

A friend and I decided to take the ferry to the city. We went around noon. They have a pretty large…read moreparking lot which fills up by morning commuters but we were able to find a spot. Very nice and quiet with a nice view. The staff were nice and helpful. The ferry had plenty of seats on both levels. The ferry itself was clean including the restroom Definitely an option to take again.

I am an Angeleno, who went to visit a friend in Oakland. I wanted to experience San Francisco and…read moremy friend Denise suggested this ferry because it was cheaper than an Uber, more convenient than Bart, departed on time, like impeccably on time, and thus efficient, and in a way, a vacation experience in itself. Thus, I am here writing this Yelp, to describe it as a tourist experience, not as a mode of transportation to San Francisco, which of course it is too, on the daily. It was my first time taking the ferry so I needed instructions. Denise gave me the Clipper card, and one needed it as they enter, and as they exited. That is how the ferry people calculate the cost of the trip. Other than that, it is easy to use, and I found the staff who worked there polite and willing to explain this process to me. So unless one loses the card, then one will likely figure out the way in and out. I have experienced fog. But fog in LA, at least for me, is not a treat of nature. It is a way that nature reminds me to drive more safe or else. Like one time, I was in the freeway, and I was about to exit, and the fog was so thick-- scary thick. I could not see the car in front of me or behind me. As a result, I stopped driving because I was not sure if I needed to stall, or drive in by inch. With hindsight, I know I should have driven inch by inch, but in the moment, my thoughts for action were processing slower than usual because they were piercing the fog of the night. My passenger told me to drive, because if I did not drive we could be hit by another car who did not expect a car in non-movement in the freeway. This was my last vivid memory of fog, being in a freeway, slightly frightened. But, thankfully, the ferry allowed me to see the fog, as lovely, and more importantly, it transported me to Maine, or Avalon, and other places known for thick mist. As the ferry went to San Francisco, I marveled at the bay, in gray. I took care to snap pic to invite the reader to my moment in water, on boat. I saw the sun barely visible. Its own light could not shine through the blanket of gray. As a person, like I said before, who has not been around fog too much the sun looked like an alien point in the sky. I might sounding like a child whose imagination has not learned restraint, but I felt like I had traveled to foreign land and I was witnessing extraterrestrial heavenly bodies in space. Additionally, the water had no blue, it had no turquoise, it was gray, and slow, not still, just calm. The water I knew of beaches and other harbors had age. It had grown and I was visiting it not in a retirement home, not enjoying its golden years, but as it sat in a comfortable chair, resting because it was reflecting on its former youth and accomplishments. The water carried the rest of someone who grew old gracefully, basically. As I marveled at the other pictures, I heard the faint sound of a foghorn. And it did not sound obnoxious, it did not sound like melody either, do not get me wrong. It sounded like a flute making lovely boom sounds, helping me understand that I was in boat, tugging along the sea. The peace of the moment was felt in the breeze, the waters, and now in the waves that carry sound. It was a treat for all my sense, ok maybe not taste. I will not say that I tasted the sea breeze, but I could have tasted something from the snack bar. I did take an 8 second video, to share my voyage with others. For me, it felt, like I was standing still, and seeing a gray hoop skirt dress twirl with an ombre effect. I know that sounds weird, and maybe I am not explaining myself well, and I kind of know that I said the word gray a lot, but, what I am ultimately trying to say is that I felt transported to a day where the weather was foggy and all of that enhanced my vacation to a moment worth remembering. The most epic moment came when I was seeing out into the fog, and as the boat move, and outpace the fog, a ship crane appeared, seemingly from out of nowhere. I felt like I saw a drape made of fog pulled back revealing the ship crane. But the moment of awe came because the fog and crane remained still, it was the movement of the boat that pulled the curtain back. I also captured the ships with big boxes (forget what they are called) in a drape of fog which was quietly beautiful in its own way. In another picture, I clipped the plank as I walked to the ship. That is the moment that I knew I was about to be in fog, but I did not expect to be addressed by the fog--- and its message was, fog does not need to blind the eye, it can give it perspective in wondrous gray scale! Enjoy me, wayward voyayer!

Ahhh yes a longer commute but a more pleasant experience!!…read more Love feeling the sun and seeing bridge on the water. If you have the time, take the ferry - it slows down the pace and makes everything a bit more enjoyable. Thank you to the lovely operators who told me they would wait for me and to stop running for the ferry

I love taking the Ferry, its soooo hassle free Literally the…read morebest way to travel to and from San Francisco The view is always amazing Ferry is always on time Ticket prices are super cheap and way better than spending money and or time looking for parking in SF There is a mini bar inside the ferry that sells chips and drinks

Diamond on the rough. Under appreciated way to travel across the Bay…read more I really enjoy this quick ride from San Francisco to /from Oakland's Jack London Square. It is a delightful way to travel with the bother and hubbub that entails driving. Best of all is the gorgeous views of the City Skyline, Treasure Island, the expansive water, birds and going under the Bay Bridge. Be aware it can get windy outside at the back of the ferry. Nevertheless, it is worth the view especially on a pretty day.

2 of 2 reviews, as this ferry has two Yelp Listings…read more My favorite of the 3 ferries. Quality/Quantity - Local business ferry, one of 3 in Alameda! Only available on weekdays. Well sometimes they offer special ferries for the Giants or Warriors games in SF. Atmosphere - Beautiful. I hike/bike here at times as well. Plenty of parking, 250 spaces, no overnight parking allowed. 20 bike racks available, the ferry is bike friendly as well. 24 bike lockers available. AC Transit = 21 line. Public restrooms, don't expect much. Service - 5 stars. My favorite form of travel, especially with the continued discounted price. It has gone back up slightly, but still very affordable. Thank you. Approximately 20 minutes to get to SF. Also, since I have lived in Alameda, the ferry service has always been on time. This ferry, similar to Sea Plane, operates only Monday to Friday. So if you go on a weekend, you need to take the main ferry. Price - $4.70 one way with a clipper card. Still almost 50% off versus pre-pandemic prices, thank you. Also just discovered the main ferry only cost $1 to go to Jack London Square; so why am I still driving to the Rosenblum winery??? Wait, I also just discovered a free water taxi and I can't wait to try that! Main Island ferry special event tickets - $10.75 to Chase Center. Owner Comment - Thanks for having a ferry on the south side of the island! So much better than having to drive to SF.

It's a ferry terminal from Alameda to SF, but it has a stretch walking path from Alameda to Oakland…read moreAirport approximately 3 - 4 miles. The walk is very easy along the shore with a beautiful view of the SF Bay Bridge. There is not much of a shade, but feels good with the breeze from the ocean.

Traveling by ferry is such a wondrous experience…read more So traveling by ferry to the island of Tiburon is the only way to travel there! The Golden Gate Ferry ride offers spacious quarters, amazing views, and good snack and beverage choices. There are cozy chairs inside or comfortable chairs on either outside deck (deck levels dependent on which ferry boat you get). There are cell phone charging stations by several seats if you bring your charging chord. And staff and riders alike always seem overjoyed to be sharing the experience with you. I take this ferry several times a month sometimes during the week and weekend to visit family. This is truly a unique and quintessential Bay Area experience worth having.

PREFACE- this is a rewrite for a review I wrote the other day but posted it to the wrong Ferry…read moreCompany whose owner was so polite and courteous to let me knnow. Thank you Margaret of Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry!!! Here is my story: 5th Star for the gorgeous view sailing in the San Francisco Bay. Uber'd over to Tiburon from Inner Sunset. Our intent was to ferry back to SFO then leisurely muni or foot mobile our way back to Inner Sunset. The ferry ride was well organized but you need to know a few things and they are: Be sure you have your Clipper card. If you don't you will need to scan the upc code from the sign at the entrance and load your card for at least $10 OR ELSE, you will not be on that ride (There are attendants at the entrance with their scanner for your Clipper Card) Soft drinks, snacks and adult beer and wine are available for purchase on the 2nd level. Lower level, 2nd level, 3rd level provide seating. 2nd and 33rd level have outside deck seating. Restroom facilities available on the lower and 2nd level. Best part? San Francisco blessed me with a perfect weather and blue sky day so my sail back to SFO was ABSOLUTELY perfect. I'll hand it to the ferry system at large! They got the system down pact in summary? and you want to cruse/sail the Bay? Ferry is the way to go ($8/ one way per adulty)

Third ferry experience over 6 Years and I must say they stop manage to impress. Something went…read morewrong when I booked this in December 2025 for May 2026. It has the date of April 30th. I called their hotline and left a voicemail the day of (1 hour before take off). We then get their 30 minutes before, I run down and hassle a crew member, and they say we can just rebook you. No doubt, the person checking our tickets said, okay, I can just rebook you. 45 seconds of swiping and he got us set up. This level of going over the top for customer satisfaction is beyond compare. Thank you to this wonderful team!

The staff are so kind and helpful. I chaperoned a field trip to Angel Island. While on the island…read morerealized I didn't have my car keys, which was a bit of an issue since I drove a carful of children. I re-traced my steps to the ferry. The staff had already scoured the ferry, a park ranger called ahead. I took the ferry back early, walked to my car, and lo and behold, there they were. They let me ride back to meet the group. It was pretty hilarious I was the only passenger.

Easiest and cost effective way to see the Bay…read more Use a clipper card and travel from the San Francisco Ferry Building to Oakland / Alameda. It is a relatively quick tour with wonderful views of downtown San Francisco skyline, Treasure Island and the Bay Bridge. I use the word 'tour', but this is a commuter ferry. Be on the lookout for wildlife. I love the accompanying birds, especially the occasional squadron of pelicans. Once I even saw a dolphin while the sun set behind the skyscrapers. Both the San Francisco Ferry Building and Jack London Square have loads of restaurants and cafes. Bring a jacket and sunglasses to better enjoy the outside experience. The chairs inside are comfortable with large windows to enjoy the sights.

This was our first time going to San Francisco on the ferry and it was an excellent experience…read more There was plenty of parking on a Saturday morning. We arrived early and waited in our car until we noticed that a queue had formed to board, so we got in line. There was no need for urgency as the ferry we boarded was less than 1/2 full. We both have Clipper Cards so it was easy to present our cards to one of the card readers. Once you heard the tones, you could walk up the ramp to board. We sat on the upper level on the outbound and on the lower level on the return trip. Both ferries left on time and the crew was friendly. The rides were relatively smooth, and it beat the bejeebers out of driving into The City.

FREE BOAT TOUR?? Say less…read more Scored tickets on Eventbrite by sheer luck and fast fingers--like, Hunger Games fast. I clicked "register" and two minutes later the entire thing was sold out. The site was lagging so bad it felt like I was trying to buy Taylor Swift tickets, but for a ship. They handed out free Oakland Harbor pins like it was Halloween, which honestly made me feel very official. The tour itself? A+ vibes. The guides were funny, informative, and clearly living their best sea-loving lives. Fun fact: apparently most of the giant shipping boats cruising in come from Asia, and somehow I've passed them for years without noticing the country names literally written on the sides. Who knew? Now the downside: the snacks were a crime. No garlic fries. Just $10 tea and peanuts combo that somehow made my "free" boat ride feel bougie. If you sit outside (which I did because I like wind and pretending I'm in a dramatic movie scene), just know the speakers are basically whispering. But hey, vibes over volume, right? Totally recommend--just bring your own snacks and your best clicking finger.

Every season, the Port of Oakland offers free 90-minute tours if the port in the Red and White…read moreFerry. I just happened to go on the dirt one this year. The weather was perfect and it was a fun, engaging experience. They narrate most of the ride out, pointing out significant ships and places along the channel. You pass Alameda, sail over BART, glide under the Bay Bridge, and cruise by Angel Island. If you listen, you will definitely learn something new. The best place to sit or stand is on the right (facing Oakland). I was inside, because I needed to sit, but there was easy access to the back of the boat. I got some great pics. There is also easy access to the snack bar. They have candy, chips, soda, and other snackables. The surprise offering was cup of noodles, which seemed really popular. They did a brisk business the whole trip. The best parts for me were the cranes, seeing the bridge up close, and check your the lighthouse on Angel Island, particularly the cranes. Shout to George Lucas. He claims the cranes weren't the inspiration for the imperial walkers on Hoth. We all know better. Anyway, be prepared to stand in line a bit before boarding (like at least 1/2 an hour), lots of people, and lots of kids. It seemed popular with families. Time seemed approximate. The tour started "late" and ended a bit late. Nothing too obscene, just don't plan anything immediately following. The tours are popular, so sign up early. Again, it's free, and it's pretty delightful. Definitely recommended.

I heard rumblings about the Richmond Ferry but I didn't realize it was officially in service on…read moreweekends to the Ferry Building until recently. Roundtrip for two was under $20 and the ride was around 30 minutes or so. The staff were all incredibly helpful for our first ride to SF during an evening with a kiddo. They gave us a pamphlet that has weekday/weekend times for future rides, and I noticed they have a 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' program that leaves from Richmond to an upcoming Giant's Game & back. There's plenty of parking (non metered) and even a Rosie the Riveter National Historic Park to explore if arriving early to the area. There's also a Columbia outlet (you can get a complimentary pass) from visiting the Park for entry there too. Not sure if the pickle ball at the Craneway Pavilion is still in action, it wasn't during our recent trip..or the restaurant Assemble either. If anyone has updates on that, feel free to share with me too! All in all, such a convenient way to enjoy a SF happy hour and dinner, with beautiful views on the adventure there/back. Also, there's snacks on the ferry AND drinks like seltzers, beer, wine, and spirits for purchase. So if you're looking to have a cheers during sunset on the boat, you can do that too! There's several times for the weekend ferry, I would do a bit of research ahead of time. We didn't have clipper cards to add money onto, so we purchased our roundtrip tickets once we boarded onto the boat with the staff. You pay/they print your roundtrip ticket that you keep with you for the return boat back. What a way to travel! Until next time...

The Richmond Ferry is one of the hidden gem of Bay Area transport. In about a half hour, you can…read morecruise across the bay to the Ferry Building without the stress of fighting highway traffic and bay bridge congestion. There's plenty of free parking at the Richmond ferry terminal, and once you are aboard, you can relax, get coffee from the concession onboard, or pull out your laptop and use the free wifi. The views across the bay are gorgeous on a sunny day. You sail by Angel Island, Treasure Island, Alcatraz Island, with the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge as the backdrop. Best of all, for 2024, the Friday service is free from November 1st until year end! What a great way to play tourist for a day.