The 7 Best Ferries & Water Taxis Tours in the USA

1.Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island with Ferry

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

Visit Lady Liberty and Ellis Island by ferry, with museums, audio guides, skyline views, flexible island time, and strong value at $19.

“The only sunny day during my trip here in nyc. Good weather overall even though it was freezing cold. Visited liberty museum and museum of immigration. Worth every penny. Plus point is the pickup point was near to my hotel. Ferry ride only takes 10-15 mins.”

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

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

Visit Muir Woods, cross the Golden Gate Bridge, explore Sausalito, and choose a bus or ferry return on this flexible San Francisco half-day tour.

“The overall tour itself was fine. The only issue was that the van (small bus) we spent a few hours in driving up and back did not seem to have working AC, making that part of the experience rather miserable for everyone. Under that specific circumstance I would not recommend it to anyone obviously.”

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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

Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi review: cruise the Intracoastal, hop off at 20 stops, hear live commentary, and reach Hollywood Beach by boat.

“So fun! The crews are top notch! Friendly, efficient, fun. Would be fun to spend the day hopping on and off……that’s our plan I. The next visit.”

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

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

Review Fort Sumter’s ferry ride, Civil War history, ranger talk, timing, accessibility, and value before booking this Charleston tour.

“This was a great experience. I literally purchased the tickets on the way and we got on/off the ferry with zero complaints. There was a volunteer with the parks who was very knowledgeable on the history of Fort Sumter and the surrounding areas and gave lessons to and from the fort. The park rangers were very nice as well. We even got to help fold the flag at the fort. Would highly recommend this experience. My kids also were able to fill out a booklet and became junior rangers, sworn in and all. Super fun!”

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5.Fort Sumter Entry Ticket with Roundtrip Ferry

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

Review Fort Sumter’s ferry tour from Charleston, with Civil War history, harbor views, ranger talks, practical tips, and honest value advice.

“The Park Rangers were excellent. Their expertise and knowledge of the fort was outstanding. They continue to offer history as you walked around. I would recommend this to family and friends”

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

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

Visit Alcatraz by ferry, explore its prison blocks with a self-guided audio app, and enjoy Bay views, flexible island time, and practical tips.

“Superb attraction. A live parks department guide first gave us an historic perspective of the island and the facility - she was full of facts and enthusiasm. The prison itself - the cells, the common areas - was exhibited with great authenticity - and was richly described by a super audio tour. The book store was great too. Highly recommended, not to be missed. The only fly in the ointment were the flies - if you know you know.”

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

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

See Lady Liberty, the Statue of Liberty Museum, and Ellis Island with an English-speaking guide on a practical New York ferry tour.

“We had a great time with Mindy C as our tour guide. She made it fun for all including the kids. Would definitely recommend using her again.”

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