Crossings · USA FERRY TRIPS

The 15 Best Ferry Trips in the USA

59 ferry trips  ·  from $15 a ticket

American harbours run some of the busiest tourist boats anywhere, and the two that matter most sell out. These 15 cover Alcatraz and the bay, Liberty and Ellis islands, Puget Sound and the New England fast boats, with prices and how far ahead each one needs booking.

New York City: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island with Ferry - Starting at Liberty State Park or another listed departure point
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New York City: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island with Ferry

1.Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island with Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 18,683 reviews · 5 hours · from $19Our pick

Take a self-guided ferry trip to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, starting from the booked departure point in New Jersey or New York. See Lady Liberty up close, view the original torch, explore the Immigration Museum, and use audio guides in 12 languages. Allow four to six hours.

“Great day out, very busy but well managed and flowed throughout the day. Had enough time at both the statue and Ellis Island.”

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Muir Woods and Sausalito (Return by Bus or Ferry) - One hour in Sausalito
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Muir Woods and Sausalito (Return by Bus or Ferry)

2.Muir Woods and Sausalito (Return by Bus or Ferry)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5,098 reviews · 5 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $91

Travel by air-conditioned coach from San Francisco to Muir Woods and Sausalito, with a Golden Gate Bridge photo stop. You get 90 minutes among coastal redwoods and an hour in Sausalito, plus a ferry return option. Guides such as Don, Jerry, George, and Judith have led informative trips.

“Don was great, our driver. He knew the history of the places we passed along the way as well. Go and explore!”

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Water Taxi All Day hop-on hop-off Venice of America Boat Tour - Stop 1: Riverside Hotel, Stranahan House, and Riverwalk
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Water Taxi All Day hop-on hop-off Venice of America Boat Tour

3.Water Taxi All Day hop-on hop-off Venice of America Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,932 reviews · 1 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $38

Use a $38 mobile pass from 10am to 10pm to cruise Fort Lauderdale’s waterways, with live narration, 20 stops, and connections toward Hollywood and Pompano Beach. Ride the full loop or hop off for Las Olas, the beach, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, waterfront restaurants, and Margaritaville.

“We were stranded at the state park stop #9 at the end of the day. The crew on the sister ship even radioed the down bound boat which failed to pick us up.”

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Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry - The 30-Minute Cruise Into Charleston Harbor
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Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry

4.Fort Sumter Admission and Self-Guided Tour with Roundtrip Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,343 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $43

Sail from Liberty Square or Patriots Point to Fort Sumter on a narrated 30-minute harbor cruise. A National Park Service ranger gives an orientation, then you have about an hour to see the ruins, museum, bookstore, and harbor views before the return ferry.

“Such a core piece of American history. The ferry ride was smooth and offered great harbor views, and the fort and ranger talk were very interesting. Worth seeing.”

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Boston to Martha's Vineyard Day Trip with Optional Island Tour - The Island Queen crossing to Martha’s Vineyard
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Boston to Martha’s Vineyard Day Trip with Optional Island Tour

5.Boston to Martha’s Vineyard Day Trip with Optional Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,162 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $129

Leave Boston at 6:15 a.m. in a 24-passenger minibus, ride through Cape Cod, and sail to Martha’s Vineyard. Choose free time in Oak Bluffs or add a three-hour island tour with guides such as Tom, Keith, or Don, including Edgartown and Gay Head Cliffs.

“This was a very fun, informative, and interesting trip. Our driver, Jonathan, was very knowledgeable about the history of Massachusetts and was very accommodating to everyone. Would highly recommend this trip to anyone wanting to go from Boston to Martha’s Vineyard and back.”

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Charleston: Fort Sumter Entry Ticket with Roundtrip Ferry - The Harbor Ride Is Part of the Tour
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Charleston: Fort Sumter Entry Ticket with Roundtrip Ferry

6.Fort Sumter Entry Ticket with Roundtrip Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,879 reviews · 2 hours · from $43

Ride from Liberty Square or Patriot’s Point to Fort Sumter, passing Charleston’s Battery homes, Rainbow Row, the Ravenel Bridge, and USS Yorktown. A National Park Ranger explains the Civil War’s opening battle, followed by about an hour to explore the fort, museum, cannons, and gift shop.

“Excellent narration both onboard the ferry and at Ft. Sumpter! I wished we had longer than an hour to explore the Fort, museum and gift shop☹️”

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San Francisco: Alcatraz Ticket, Ferry, & Self-Guided App - Reaching the island and climbing toward the prison
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San Francisco: Alcatraz Ticket, Ferry, & Self-Guided App

7.Alcatraz Ticket, Ferry, & Self-Guided App

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,460 reviews · 3 hours · from $79

Travel from Pier 33 to Alcatraz Island by ferry, then explore the former prison with a self-guided app tour. See the cell blocks linked to Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly, learn why escape was so difficult, and enjoy San Francisco views. Allow about three hours, or stay longer.

“The whole experience was great. Awesome how it’s been kept as it was.”

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Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Guided Tour with Ferry - The Battery and Castle Clinton set the scene
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Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Guided Tour with Ferry

8.Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Guided Tour with Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,189 reviews · 2 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $59

Meet your English-speaking guide at 1 Bowling Green, then ride the ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Choose a two-hour Statue of Liberty Express visit or a four-hour option with the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, audio guide, and free time.

“Liam was fantastic. He took the time to get pictures of each family in front of the statue during are free time part of the tour.”

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Charleston Water Taxi Cruise with Dolphin Sighting - Stop 1: Patriots Point and the USS Yorktown area
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Charleston Water Taxi Cruise with Dolphin Sighting

9.Charleston Water Taxi Cruise with Dolphin Sighting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 857 reviews · 1 to 11 hours (approx.) Top rated

Ride Charleston Harbor’s water taxi between Patriots Point, Aquarium Wharf, Waterfront Park, and Charleston Harbor Resort. Your pass includes the dolphin cruise, and you can stay aboard or hop off to explore museums, the aquarium, and downtown sights. Dolphin sightings are frequent but not guaranteed.

“Absolutely loved the Charleston Water Taxi experience! The ride was smooth, relaxing, and the views were stunning. We were thrilled to spot dolphins up close—such a magical and unexpected treat! The crew was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole trip even more enjoyable. Highly recommend for anyone visiting Charleston—it’s a fun, affordable, and scenic way to explore the city by water. 🐬⛴️🌊”

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San Francisco Golden Gate To Sausalito Bike Tour - The Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field
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San Francisco Golden Gate To Sausalito Bike Tour

10.San Francisco Golden Gate To Sausalito Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 751 reviews · 1 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $75

Ride from Fisherman’s Wharf across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito on a classic or electric bike. Guides such as Ryan, Mia, Adam, and Ginger lead a mostly waterfront route with photo stops, local stories, and free time in Sausalito. Return by bike or ferry.

“Would probably recommend the electric bike just because there is 3 hills that can be slight difficult to go up on, if you do want a challenge then the regular bike will do. I had a very great experience Adam was out tour guide and he did a amazing job on guiding us and helping with our helmets and offered us sunscreen. Adam also made sure that everyone was in a group and didn’t left us behind.”

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City Cruises Salem High Speed Ferry to/from Boston - A 50-minute ride across Massachusetts Bay
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City Cruises Salem High Speed Ferry to/from Boston

11.City Cruises Salem High Speed Ferry to/from Boston

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 727 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.) · from $42

Travel between Boston and Salem in about 50 minutes aboard a 149-passenger catamaran. Choose an outdoor deck or cushy indoor seat, buy snacks and drinks onboard, and listen for commentary from guides such as Donald, Gary, Charles, or Mikayla.

“It was cancelled with not notice from the app no waiting for a refund. Now we wonder if we will get one”

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Olympic National Park Small Group Day Tour w/Scenic Ferry 2CanGo - Crossing Hood Canal and entering Olympic National Park
Ferry Day Trips, Ferry Trips, National Parks, Seattle Ferry Trips, Tour Reviews, Tours, USA Ferry Trips

Olympic National Park Small Group Day Tour w/Scenic Ferry 2CanGo

12.Olympic National Park Small Group Day Tour w/Scenic Ferry 2CanGo

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 624 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $148

Spend about 11 hours traveling from Seattle to Olympic National Park by ferry and van. Visit Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent, with seasonal hiking or snowshoeing, park entry, lunch, snacks, water, hotel pickup, and a professional guide included.

“A nice trip to see The peninsula. Be ready for a lot of drive time and winding roads, but I pays off.”

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San Francisco: Alcatraz, Ferry & Audio Tour w/ Night Option - Inside the Cellhouse with inmate voices
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San Francisco: Alcatraz, Ferry & Audio Tour w/ Night Option

13.Alcatraz, Ferry & Audio Tour w/ Night Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 617 reviews · 3 hours · from $78

Take the official ferry from Pier 33 to Alcatraz, then explore the prison, gardens, ruins, and protest sites with two audio experiences. The companion guide covers the full journey, while the included Cellhouse recording brings inmate stories and escape history to life. A night option adds ranger introductions and limited evening access.

“The audio station would be better placed at the bottom of the island, nearer to where the ferry lands as we went a different way around the prison at the beginning and missed getting our audio pieces.”

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San Francisco: Muir Woods & Sausalito Tour with Ferry Option - Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge
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San Francisco: Muir Woods & Sausalito Tour with Ferry Option

14.Muir Woods & Sausalito Tour with Ferry Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 515 reviews · 5 - 8 hours · from $91

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge by air-conditioned bus, spend 90 minutes among Muir Woods’ giant redwoods, then explore Sausalito for an hour. Guides such as Doug, Don, Heather, and Joe have led informative trips, and the ferry option gives you a scenic return to San Francisco.

“Doug was great as our tour guide. He was kind, polite and very accommodating - also made us laugh a lot!”

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Hilton Head to Savannah Round-Trip Ferry Ticket - The 1 Hour 45 Minute Cruise Through the Low Country
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Hilton Head to Savannah Round-Trip Ferry Ticket

15.Hilton Head to Savannah Round-Trip Ferry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 507 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $88

Take the Spirit of Harbour Town from Hilton Head to Savannah in about 1 hour 45 minutes each way. Choose indoor or covered outdoor seating, buy drinks aboard, and spend roughly four hours in Savannah. Trolley tickets are available, with guides such as Red providing a useful first look at the city.

“The trip was very good. The captain was knowledgeable of the area and gave us key points along the way and visiting ships, from Hilton Head to Savannah. She was very kind and helped my wife and I while boarding. The crew was nice and helpful. My only complaint was that we did not have enough time ashore. We needed the full 4 hours, but got about 3 1/2 hrs.”

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New in USA Ferry Trips

★ 4.5Coronado: GPS-Guided Scooter Tour & Round-Trip FerryFrom $13813 reviews
★ 4.2Boston Harbor Islands FerryFrom $2717 reviews
★ 4.0Bayside Marketplace: Millionaire Homes Boat, Stop at South BeachFrom $3517 reviews
★ 4.3Hop-on Hop-off Water Taxi in Miami and Miami BeachFrom $2012 reviews
★ 4.7Victoria, BC Round-Trip Ferry TourFrom $15748 reviews
★ 3.5Golden Gate Bridge Electric Bike Rentals w/ Optional Ferry ReturnFrom $3754 reviews
★ 3.0FROM FLORIDA: Bahamas Day Escape By FerryFrom $28453 reviews
★ 4.0Water Taxi evening hop-on hop-off sunset sightseeing cruiseFrom $3856 reviews
★ 4.9Historic Pubs Walking & Ferry, Food & Drink TourFrom $12956 reviews
★ 4.0Water Taxi from Wharf or Old Town AlexandriaFrom $1965 reviews
★ 4.5Golden Gate Bridge Bike Rentals with Optional Ferry ReturnFrom $2161 reviews
★ 4.0Hilton Head to Daufuskie Island Round-Trip Ferry TicketFrom $4267 reviews
★ 4.2Water Taxi All-Day PassFrom $3862 reviews
★ 4.0Seattle, WA to Victoria, BC High-Speed Passenger Ferry: ONE-WAYFrom $13676 reviews
★ 4.0Sausalito Ferry from Pier 41, San FranciscoFrom $1474 reviews

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