Sea Plane Tour of San Francisco - Add to Your Must Do List

I rarely do this... but follows is a completely unsolicited recommendation of a fantastic idea for San Francisco residents - and tourists - alike.

If you've ever driven just north of Sausalito on RT 101, you've probably noticed Sea Plane Adventures, right on the water, near exit 445.  Well, pretty randomly I met the owner, Aaron Singer, the owner (and one of their pilots) So when he mentioned he ran the company (and I put 2+2 together) I realized that I had to find an excuse to try this out

Shortly thereafter, with family in town for a special occasion, taking a fly-over of SF turned out to be the ideal outing for wife and in-laws. 

We first ate brunch at the Dipsea Cafe, and then drove the 4 minutes over to the landing. And the experience was fantastic - especially given this was a no-fog day :)  Thanks tons to Aaron & crew for making this a memorable time. 

My top-10 list for the time aloft....

• Skimming past the Point Bonita lighthouse
• Fly-over of the Marin Headlands (trying to spot friends of ours up there on a run)
• Buzzing the Golden Gate Bridge (after clearing it with ATC) - twice!
• Watching the pirate ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain duke it out with cannon fire
• Up-close and personal fly-by of Crissy Field, Palace of Fine Arts and downtown SF
• A rare birds-eye view of AT&T Park (no game, unfortunately)
• An overhead view of the New Bay Bridge
• A buzz of Treasure Island (complete with historic background provided by Aaron, our pilot and wannabe SF historian)
• A buzz of Alcatraz (Which, I'm ashamed to say, I've never visited)
• Flying over the gorgeous hillside mansions of Tiburon - to experience home lust.

For what it is and what it cost, taking a sea plane tour is a must-do if you really want to see the bay, the sights, and get a sense of the diversity within a 10-mile radius of the city.  5-star recommendation!

Point Bonita

Buzzing the Golden Gate

Arrrgghhh.

Iconic SF

Go #SFGianta

The Rock