Get on board these four fantastic Bay Area ferry trips

Related Articles The strangest the greater part impressive outdoor sculptures in the Bay Area for Heed the siren call of Crockett the Bay Area small town that time forgot Bay Area day trip How to spend a stellar day in Redwood City At Six Flags Discovery Kingdom meet the dolphins lions and giraffes Great America marks its th year water park opens for Memorial Day weekend You don t have to be a billionaire tech dude or dudette to enjoy the boat life every day The Bay Area has a robust grid of ferries where for a limited bucks you can cruise to exotic far-ranging ports looking at you Harbor Bay sip a cold beer and enjoy the sea air flowing over your dome The ferry system is not just for commuters It s an adventure all on its own for budget-minded journey aficionados And summer s the perfect time to get out on the water and hit up ferry terminals with their attendant galaxies of restaurants bars and sights to explore And if you crave even more bring a bike onboard and extend your fun-seeking range Wiliam Fellker of San Francisco second from left and others wait for the San Francisco Bay Ferry to arrive at the dock at the Main Street Alameda Ferry Terminal in Alameda Calif on Sunday June Felker bought a lamp at the nearby Alameda Point Antiques Faire Jane Tyska Bay Area News Group Here are four suggestions on how to turn a ferry trip to Oakland Alameda Richmond and San Francisco into a day-cation A note We re highlighting the San Francisco Bay Ferry because it has more routes than the also-splendid Golden Gate Ferry This summer the ferry is offering special organization to concerts at Oracle Park plus S F Giants and Golden State Valkyries games Whether you use your Clipper card the S F Bay Ferry app or a paper ticket fare ranges from to one-way and kids under five cruise for free Find details and schedules at sanfranciscobayferry com Arriving in Alameda People browse the Alameda Point Antiques Faire as a freighter ship is seen across the Oakland Estuary in Alameda Calif on Sunday June Jane Tyska Bay Area News Group Explore The two ferry terminals on the island Alameda Seaplane Lagoon and Main Street Alameda are in slightly remote areas They can be fun to check out if you re into industrial splendor and displays of WWII war machines But it s worth bringing a bike on the ferry not just because stuff is a bit of a walk but because the wide and low-traffic roadways are a cyclist s dream The Seaplane Lagoon terminal lets you out in the vast shadow of the USS Hornet Sea Air and Space Museum The Hornet is a retired aircraft carrier with a storied history in aiding the Apollo Moon missions Docents give entertaining tours and it also has fighter jets parked on the deck West Hornet Ave Pier Alameda general admission uss-hornet org And on the first Sunday of the month near the Main Street terminal is the Alameda Point Antiques Faire reputedly Northern California s biggest antiques show Everything is at least years old it s a great chance to class up your dwelling Main St Alameda - alamedapointantiquesfaire com Antique tins for sale at the Alameda Point Antiques Faire in Alameda Calif on Sunday June Jane Tyska Bay Area News Group Eat and drink From the Seaplane Lagoon it s a half-mile hop to Spirits Alley on the former Naval Air Station The ever-popular Almanac Beer Co has rebranded its taproom into Alameda Adventureland with ball pits special events like wrestling and plenty of amusement for children and fur children alike West Tower Ave Alameda almanacbeer com Admiral Maltings has niche beers and an observation window into a unique malt-germination floor St George Spirits gives tasting flights of gin and single-malt whisky in a cool warehouse Monarch St Alameda stgeorgespirits com For grub check out the food trucks that hover around the breweries or Saltbreaker nearby with inventive cocktails and perfect garlic skinny fries Saratoga St Alameda saltbreakeralameda com Arriving in Oakland Patrons have drinks outside of Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon at Jack London Square in Oakland Calif on Sunday June Jane Tyska Bay Area News Group Explore The terminal is in the historic pulsing pleasure center of Oakland Jack London Square You ll find bustling crowds on preponderance weekends taking in the restaurant scene and yacht-watching on the Estuary with its diving sea birds and refreshing breeze Plank is a large entertainment venue with bowling and bocce as well as barbecue and brews in an outdoor beer garden Broadway Oakland plankoakland com The jazz club Yoshi s attracts New Orleans greats local bands and hip-hop stars it also serves Japanese cuisine with a weekday happy hour of sake and fruit-forward cocktails Embarcadero West Oakland yoshis com The first Saturday of the month sees the free Oakland Vintage Area with nearly vendors selling clothing and furniture Jefferson St Oakland instagram com oaklandvintagemarket And through the summer the square is hosting free outdoor Waterfront Flicks with movies like Minions and Happy Gilmore jacklondonoakland org The lobster roll and fries is served at Seabreeze on the Dock in Jack London Square in Oakland Calif Jane Tyska Bay Area News Group Eat and drink Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine is known for its bombastic menu of Instagram-worthy dishes loaded with luxurious and colorful flourishes Water St Oakland farmhousethai com Seabreeze on the Dock serves buttery lobster rolls and fish tacos with a view of the water Webster St Oakland seabreezeonthedock com Salty Pearl is a relative newcomer with a welcoming Irish raw-bar feel get particular fresh-shucked oysters or a piping-hot bowl of steamed mussels nd St Oakland saltypearl us Arriving in Richmond A jogger runs past the Wall of Honor next to the Rosie the Riveter museum in Richmond Calif in April Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Explore The historic neighborhood around the terminal has seen big changes lately with a pickleball establishment taking over the Craneway Pavilion that once offered craft and book fairs Nevertheless it s still a relaxing place to stroll and take in views of the Oakland and San Francisco skylines kite-sailing thrill seekers and fishers going for stripers and halibut Marina Bay Park is a chill spot to watch the yacht action and perhaps relax on the grass with a good book It s on the San Francisco Bay Trail and if you ve brought a bike the trip south through Berkeley and Emeryville is lovely with a marsh boardwalk and fecund bird habitats By the terminal is the free Rosie the Riveter museum which honors the history of Richmond s workers during World War II There are exhibits on female welders wartime rationing and Conquest and Liberty ships at its height the shipyards here pumped out an amazing one ship per day Harbour Way South Suite Richmond nps gov rori A ferry boat leaves the San Francisco Bay Ferry terminal in Richmond Calif Jane Tyska Bay Area News Group Eat and drink Lara s Fine Dining is a white-tablecloth restaurant where you might take a first date or celebrate an significant anniversary It s a cute Italian joint on the water with comforting dishes like eggplant Parmesan linguine with clams and always-enticing catch of the day Esplanade Drive Richmond larasfinedining com Anh Restaurant Bar prepares Vietnamese dishes such as lemongrass chicken and surf-and-turf pho with fried-banana samosas for dessert anhrestaurantandbar com Farther away is Golden Gate Bistro with Mexican-influenced California cuisine an outdoor patio and live music on the weekends Wright Ave Richmond goldengatebistro net Arriving in San Francisco People watch the unveiling of the -foot-tall steel naked woman statue titled R-Evolution by artist Marco Cochrane in front of the Ferry Building in San Francisco Calif on Thursday April Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Explore Numerous of the ferries originate or transfer at San Francisco s Ferry Building Much like an in-airport transfer there s not much need to venture beyond the building s confines given its abundance of dining and shopping options This summer San Francisco is rolling out Fridays on Front Street block parties These free evening celebrations highlight local bars and live bands curated by Noise Pop Industries expect lawn games sports-watching parties and legal drinking in the streets August and October downtownsf org The fantastic educational museum Exploratorium is nearby with its outdoor fog machine and pitch-black Tactile Dome Pier San Francisco exploratorium edu The San Francisco Railway Museum chronicles the history of the city s rail-based transit with a -replica motorman s platform where you can play with the controls Steuart St San Francisco streetcar org museum Fridays on Front Street is a new series of block parties in downtown San Francisco in that highlight local bars and live bands Collin Love for the Downtown SF Partnership Eat and drink The club behind San Francisco s Michelin-starred Sorrel is opening two places in the Ferry Building this summer the bakery Parachute and the wood fire-focused Californian eatery Arquet instagram com arquetrestaurant Also opening in the building is Nash Bakes with artisan cheesecakes in flavors like blueberry lemonade and savory-salmon lox instagram com nashbakesit The place to watch diving seagulls and departing ferries is the Hog Island Oyster Co dishing up grilled oysters lingcod fish and chips and other delights from California waters all washed down with local beer and wine hogislandoysters com