The sun is shining, the bay s cobalt blue waters are lapping and the Bay Area s stunning vistas can be seen all around. This was the scene recently from the deck of a ferry as is chugged from Angel Island into Sausalito. Those on board were clearly enjoying their jaunt on the bay, and so are thousands of others each day. Taking a ferry is the second most popular tourist activity in Marin County, behind only Muir Woods. The ferries offer tourists a unique view of the county, and also provide pleasant access to some of the Bay Area s more historically interesting and aesthetically beautiful spots, from Angel Island to Alcatraz to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Local operators say they are doing booming business.
The business has really picked up in recent years, said Sonja Bell, events coordinator for the Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry. We get mostly tourists, but we have our locals too. The popular family-owned ferry service has been around for 30 years, taking people from the Tiburon Peninsula to Angel Island and on bay tours and private charters. People can go shopping here in Tiburon and hop on a ferry over to Angel Island. It s a great way to travel.