Our party of six friends & family decided to join a 30-minute harbor tour at the spur of the moment. It was a nice time, but not something I would consider an essential experience for visiting San Francisco. We did loop around the sea lion viewing area for a close look at them, which was definitely the highlight of the tour! Otherwise, it was mostly just a nice, short way to get a different view of the piers and the city. This tour is not what I would consider particularly educational or rich in history or facts about San Francisco, but it was fun. The captain was funny and personable.

We decided to go on the spur of the moment and everyone had a blast! We had captain Ryan and he was so much fun! My 8 yo says out of five stars, ten stars! My 4 yo got to drive the boat, so idk how we are going to top that for the rest of our vacation . Even the 11 yo had fun. We loved getting so close to the sea lions, the waves, the interesting facts we learned and of course the sights!

There are a few tour companies on the pier that take you around the bay, under the bridge, past Alcatraz and the pier close to the sea lions. San Francisco Water Taxi uses small boats that take on around 12 people maximum. In my opinion, they offer the best value for money. $20 for a 30 minute tour when we went. They don't get close to the bridge but enough for you to get great views of the span. They go past Alcatraz and get pretty close to where the sea lions rest on a dock. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable and the whole experience seemed a more intimate experience than being on one of the larger boats. My two kids, 8 and 5 enjoyed the experience. It was a 30 minute trip which was just enough to keep their interest. The one disadvantage would be getting into and out of the boat from the dock. Since it is a much smaller boat than the ones used by the other tour companies, you have to climb down into it from the dock which may be difficult for some people especially those with mobility issues or for those using strollers.

The water taxi is a great service, I would like to caution you if your old disabled or un-physically fit, it is difficult to board this boat. I will never ride it again because although the boat and the service is pleasant they have to do something about getting on and off this boat. See pictures.

Excellent service from the kindest people. I would leave 10 stars if I could. The water taxi was fun. The views were amazing. The Captain gave us lots of information and the management was EXCEPTIONALLY kind. I recommend that you book the taxi in advance.