San Diego Harbor Speed Boat Adventure
5
San Diego Harbor Speed Boat Adventure
By San Diego Speed Boat Adventures
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
Drive your own speedboat through the San Diego Harbor. Every detail is arranged: Get a lesson in safety and operating the boat before taking the helm and following a guide in a separate vessel. Communicate via a two-way radio while soaking up fantastic views from the water of sights like the Cabrillo National Monument, Coronado Bridge, the historic ship Star of India, and the San Diego Maritime Museum.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 3-99, max of 10 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Drive a speedboat through the famous San Diego Harbor
- Follow a guide in a separate boat and communicate via radio
- Photo stops allow time to appreciate the harbor sights
- Get stellar views Coronado Bridge and the USS Midway
- Guided and narrated tour
- US Coast Guard-approved life jacket
- Safety orientation
- Your own F13 mini speed boat
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Entry/Admission - San Diego Speed Boat Adventures
What's not included- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Gratuities
- Meet your guide at the Cabrillo Isle Marina at the time you picked at checkout, and begin with an orientation that covers operating the F13 speed boat and a lesson in safety, hand signals, and boating rules. Settle in with your party and choose who will take the wheel, and then set off on a 2-hour tour of San Diego Harbor highlights. There will be a chance to switch drivers at photo stops along the way. Follow your guide in a separate boat, communicating via a two-way radio whenever needed. Feel the sea breeze and saltwater spray as you zip through the harbor for closer views of historic and Naval ships like the Star of India and USS Midway. Get a great perspective on the Coronado Bridge and the downtown San Diego skyline, and keep an eye out for sea lions and other marine life that mingle with boat traffic.
- Start:
- 1450 Harbor Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92101, USACabrillo Isle Marina - Check in at the office located in suite 205
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5257BOAT- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for people with neck or back problems or a recent surgery to participate. Pregnant women should not participate
- Bring a swimsuit in the summer and a jacket in the winter, sandals or flip-flops, towel, sun block, sunglasses
- The per boat weight limit of 425 lbs (205kgs)
- You must be 18 years or older to drive a boat by yourself
- The boats do not have a storage compartment
- No experience or boating license required
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5257BOAT
From
$69.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 1450 Harbor Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92101, USACabrillo Isle Marina - Check in at the office located in suite 205
- 1See all of San Diego Bay from a whole new perspective while you are the captain of your own speedboat on this San Diego Tour.Pass byPoint LomaCoronado IslandUSS Midway MuseumMaritime Museum of San DiegoSan Diego Bay WalkCoronado BridgeCabrillo National MonumentMaritime Museum of San Diego
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- S3468IFmalcolms0 contributionsYou'll go fastVery enjoyable tour of the middle of the bay. You'll see aircraft carriers including the Midway Museum. Guide was friendly, and the boats are more than adequate. I would recommend this activity.Written October 2, 2024
- mdawson10570 contributionsJust an Awesome time!!It was a last minute decision, there was an opening in 2 hrs so we booked and oh what an adventure, so fun driving the small boat around the harbor, our guide was awesome. Will do it again when in San Diego!!Written September 29, 2024
- rcastillortega0 contributionsExcellent boat tripVery good guide and awesome trip, highly recommended 👏🏻 excellent trip for dating and family vacations.. I promise you will enjoy itWritten September 8, 2024
- ranger2kred10 contributionsSecond time aroundThis time was also a lot of fun especially with Kegan as our pilot. I'm not sure if there's a way to schedule who's going to be in charge of piloting, but I will check next time I return to San Diego! I'll be back!Written September 6, 2024
- k1dsrnbsn0 contributionsFun way to see San Diego, even for localsGreat activity for couples on a date, special occasion or just because. We had fun driving the boat around the bay as we were provided information about San Diego.Written September 4, 2024
- cruzgaby740 contributionsAMAZING!It was an amazing experience for my husband and I! We had so much fun, our guide keoni was awesome. We were nervous at first but it was super easy to drive the boat. Definitely will do it again next visit to San Diego!Written September 4, 2024
- vanessatravels4300 contributionsFunnnnn!!!One of the funniest activities we’ve ever done. Thank you to David our guide for doing an excellent job! My husband now wants a speedboat.Written August 25, 2024
- L4470IWsarahe0 contributionsFun little adventure on the harborThe time on the water and distance traveled mixed with a little information was just right. We did the 9am on a Thursday, not a tone of waves, but enough for us.Written August 24, 2024
- samanthanR7514IE0 contributionsSuper fun!So much fun!! A must. You don’t need to know anything about speed boats. The crew tells you everything. Definitely will be doing this again.Written August 23, 2024
- JennySchro0 contributionsTrip highlight for family with teensThis is a really fun adventure in the speed boats with a well-guided tour! My family (2 adults, 2 teens) all thought this was a highlight of our trip. I am not experienced in piloting a boat, but the guide made it easy. Book this adventure for great views and a lot of fun!Written August 8, 2024
- 947seano0 contributionsSo fun.😊I went for my son’s Birthday party and it was so fun. David are guide was so nice and very knowledgeable of the San Diego harbor. I would like to go again just to drive the boats around the harbor. Thanks you San Diego Speed Boat Adventures.Written August 5, 2024
- mitchrn10 contributionsFun activity to explore the harborOat was so much fun! Captain David was a great knowledgeable guide. Weather was perfect. Got a great history if the bay and naval yards/ vessels. A little choppy at times, expected and fun. Only 2 things would’ve made it better. 1- sometimes it was. hard to hear him talk over the sound of engine and it didn’t last the 2 hours, it was more like an hour and a half.Written July 24, 2024
- L5114SKjessicaj0 contributionsTons of fun and educational. Loved it!This was so much fun and we are already planning to go again next time we are in town. Jeremy was a great guide. Seeing all the seals was an unexpected bonus and making my husband scream while doing donuts and jumping waves was the cherry on top.Written June 4, 2024
- Stevebl720 contributionsSpeedboat Adventures Rocks!Had a blast speeding around San Diego bay. It was reasonably priced. Laughed a lot; highly recommendWritten April 30, 2024
- Amber A0 contributionsDouble dog dareI double dog dare ya to book this. We quite fancied the boats and the speed gave my hair one heck of a wind-fondling. Tremendous way to see a unique side of San Diego.Written April 21, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
487 reviews
Excellent
433
Very good
40
Average
6
Poor
2
Terrible
6
jules93099
Madison, WI23 contributions
Jul 2020
They made it right. That's the important part. We had a terrible experience (it was like Murphy's law, what could go wrong did) to the point where we ended our tour early and drove ourselves back to the dock. We were met by an employee, who immediate apologized and offered us an opportunity to re-book or a full refund (we took the refund).
All that aside, my advice for those considering booking. If you own or are familiar with boats, this is not the activity for you. We had seven boats in our group and found it extremely frustrating to have to "follow the leader" all the time. Picture playing mini golf and you're a group of two behind a group of eight. Your group is only as strong as your least experienced driver (which could be completely inexperienced). Also, we found it a bit disconcerting that we could not communicate with our guide via the radio. We could hear him, but the only way to notify him of an issue was by waving our hands. My other piece of advice is to make sure to arrive early to find parking, especially on the weekend when the main lot is closed.
All that aside, my advice for those considering booking. If you own or are familiar with boats, this is not the activity for you. We had seven boats in our group and found it extremely frustrating to have to "follow the leader" all the time. Picture playing mini golf and you're a group of two behind a group of eight. Your group is only as strong as your least experienced driver (which could be completely inexperienced). Also, we found it a bit disconcerting that we could not communicate with our guide via the radio. We could hear him, but the only way to notify him of an issue was by waving our hands. My other piece of advice is to make sure to arrive early to find parking, especially on the weekend when the main lot is closed.
Written July 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda L
San Diego, CA4 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
Scott was a great guide! We booked the 2 passenger boat and my boyfriend drove the speedboat while I sat back and took pictures. It was such a blast and I highly recommend it to anyone who’s thinking about taking this adventure. Scott helped us when we stalled once and also safely led us through the massive amount of boats in the harbor that day.
Written September 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shanaz T
3 contributions
This was a waste of money and not much fun. We arrived at early as the email instructed but they don’t start checking you in until the time it starts. Poor communication. We wasted so much time because the poor instructor had to keep turning around to help other people who couldn’t operate their boats. The tour only included a view of the sea lions. After that we turned around and went back. We didn’t get much time to really experience speed with the boat. We had to stay single file and spent most of the time in one spot while the instructed helped other people. This activity definitely needs another instructor and better instructions on how to operate the boat.
Also, the email I received said they validated parking Mon-Thurs...they do not! I paid $12 parking after asking the instructor about validation. I even called the corporate number and he stated I should go back and wait for the instructor to reimburse me. Ummm, no! I have other things scheduled.
Also, the email I received said they validated parking Mon-Thurs...they do not! I paid $12 parking after asking the instructor about validation. I even called the corporate number and he stated I should go back and wait for the instructor to reimburse me. Ummm, no! I have other things scheduled.
Written September 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carla
1 contribution
You’re in a line of boats that are under your own control. Lots of opportunity to go fast. Had a great time. Would give it 5 stars but we were told to get there early and we set off about 20 min late. So waited for the first tour to come back. Upgraded to faster boat. Was worth it.
Written September 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cori
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Couples
Such an awesome experience! I highly recommend this adventure when you’re out in San Diego BUT if you do have back issues I wouldn’t recommend. There are some big waves you can’t avoid and it hurts when your boat hits them. John our guide was great, he made the instructions very clear and easy and overall made the experience very enjoyable!
Written September 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave
2 contributions
Sep 2022
This is an excellent experience and well worth the money. Our guide (Aaron) properly explained how to operate the boats and how we would proceed etc. The trip itself was exhilarating with excellent views of Sea Lions, bridges, the USS Midway and the harbour in general. When you feel confident, you can take the boat up to its maximum speed (35-40mph) although there is no pressure to do so. I thoroughly recommend this experience and thank Aaron for making the adventure so enjoyable.
Written September 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim P
Lenexa, KS1 contribution
We rented two boats, my husband and I in one and our 18 yo son in another. Instructions were brief and there seemed to be a short in our radio, it cut in and out. Our son only had a 30 hp boat and he wanted to go faster, you can only go as fast as the fastest boat as you have to stay in a line. It was fun but would not do it again.
Written August 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Javier
2 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Beware!! Scam alert!! Please be advised that the 2 hour boat ride they advertise is actually about an hour if you’re lucky. I asked our guide why we finished in an hour and he said “ well we say two hours for you to prepare for that”. Huh?? I asked the lady at the front desk which by the way when I first came in to the office, I told her I was here for my reservation she then says, “ and do you have a question?!” Yes I do, I don’t know what to do or where to go. Thanks for your attitude. She is miserable behind her desk and you won’t get much help from her. So disappointed with this tour. It is not 2 hours, and customer service is bad bad bad.
Written July 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Oscar E
1 contribution
Sep 2024 • Couples
We took the boat ride at 11 am on a Saturday. The awesome bandana-wearing captain was very funny. He described how to use the boats in a very informative way, while still keeping it light and funny. Even though the weather was a bit overcast, we still had an amazing time and the radios in the boat worked perfectly. The engine on our boat got vaught in some kale, but the captain helped us to get rid of it without any difficulties. The tour was very informative and, again, sprinkled with some comedy!
Definitely recommend this to anyone looking to get a unique view of the San Diego bay area! If we return to San Diego we would definitely do this tour again!
Definitely recommend this to anyone looking to get a unique view of the San Diego bay area! If we return to San Diego we would definitely do this tour again!
Written September 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mcgruphl
Wantagh, NY3 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
Captain Scott was incredible! Really fun, funny, and knowledgeable. He was knowledgeable about the area but the water as well. Being a boater, I was a little worried about inexperienced people being on the water but Captain Scott did a great job educating everyone on the basics of water safety and was clearly watching out on the water for other people and picking the safest areas and times to go FAST and actually have a blast!! He was the perfect “Papa Duck”.
As for the tour itself, we went to several different places, got to see the USS Midway up close and personal, got to see dozens of sea lions, and our course got to drive our own personal little speed boat!!! I don’t remember if there’s options but I wouldn’t do anything less than a 2 hour tour (if it’s an option). You don’t get too wet but you are on the water, so bathing suit and appropriate over clothes and sun screen would be perfect. I wouldn’t bring anything big, there’s not a lot of room for big bags and definitely not small items that aren’t on your body (if you want to keep them in the boat). I brought my keys, a water bottle, and my phone/wallet (which second person in the boat held onto). Totally worth the money, can’t wait to go again soon!!! Thank you Scott!!!!!
As for the tour itself, we went to several different places, got to see the USS Midway up close and personal, got to see dozens of sea lions, and our course got to drive our own personal little speed boat!!! I don’t remember if there’s options but I wouldn’t do anything less than a 2 hour tour (if it’s an option). You don’t get too wet but you are on the water, so bathing suit and appropriate over clothes and sun screen would be perfect. I wouldn’t bring anything big, there’s not a lot of room for big bags and definitely not small items that aren’t on your body (if you want to keep them in the boat). I brought my keys, a water bottle, and my phone/wallet (which second person in the boat held onto). Totally worth the money, can’t wait to go again soon!!! Thank you Scott!!!!!
Written October 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris
Glendale, Arizona
Yes. They give the option to swap drivers if someone else wants to pilot the boat. We were given a few opportunities to swap drivers if we wanted.
Written October 3, 2024
We had no boating experience and had a great time. Captain K was a great guide and made sure we understood the safety details.
You will enjoy yourself!
Written June 14, 2023
AntonMason
Morgan Hill, California
Ho fast do we get to go in the boat? I know it is sightseeing, but are there moments we can go fast?
Written June 12, 2022
Chris
Glendale, Arizona
You get to go full throttle between points of interest. Plenty of high speed fun.
Written October 3, 2024
Doable. We had the most powerful boat and fit 3. So, we'd wait for the others wake to die down and bit before going full speed ahead. Now, we went over the summer. But, we were perfectly fine. The boats are quite capable.
Written March 31, 2022
We are two adults and 3 kids (ages 11, 9 & 7). Can we fit in one boat?
Written March 7, 2022
No, probably not. I took my son who was 13 and my daugther who was 16, and myself. But, I booked the largest boat they had and we were tight. But, if kids and parents are small people and the boat company lets you....maybe? But, I'd say probably not. You could rent the two small boats and your wife drive one and you the other. Slit the kids based on ability and size from there maybe?
Written March 31, 2022
How do we arrange to depart from Coronado Island?
Written November 30, 2021
I have no idea. I would recommend contacting the company directly. They are super helpful.
Written December 2, 2021
How can I contact someone to request a quote/ schedule for a group of 22 most likely 11 boats?
Written November 2, 2021
I would like to know if shorts and teeshirts/ casual wear is okay to were rather than swimwear for older adults.
Thanks
Written July 1, 2021
Hello, wanted to know if our 90 lb dog would be able to ride with us?
Written February 20, 2021
Showing results 1-10 of 16
Buy it with
Top rated
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.