Richmond’s 'Free Ferry Fridays' opens scenic cycling route across Bay Area landmarks

With Richmond’s “Free Ferry Friday” in full swing through the end of 2024, Bay Area residents can experience a unique blend of ferry travel and cycling from Richmond to San Francisco and back. The free ferry rides make it a cheap way to explore a scenic loop that spans three counties, two bridges, and six cities, offering cyclists a picturesque path through the heart of the bay. 

Richmond Ferry Terminal is located at 1453 Harbour Way South, across from the Pickleball Pavilion. There is parking at the terminal, but this is a two-wheel adventure, so you can just ride directly to the terminal and board. Regular fares are only $4.70 each way, and discounts are available for seniors and passengers with disabilities. The 35-minute ride is fantastic, providing a different view of the Richmond waterfront. Once aboard, head to the rear of the ferry, where the bike racks are located. You can hang out with your bike or venture inside for coffee and snacks.

As the boat pulls away from the Craneway Pavilion, a new perspective of Richmond emerges. Take in the historic General Warehouse, Riggers Loft, and the "Keeps Building." Crossing the bay by ferry with fresh air and salt spray is a welcome change from car travel.

After a few minutes, the ferry gets moving in the middle of the bay at almost 40 miles per hour, churning through the water before arriving at the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal. You get a nice view of the Bay Bridge and Downtown San Francisco as you approach the Ferry Building. If you were expecting a doom loop Fentanyl nodding post-apocalyptic nightmare, you’d have to look elsewhere. Everywhere you look, happy, smiling, beautiful people, tourists and locals alike, are enjoying the waterfront. 

The Embarcadero Freeway, a double-decker elevated freeway, once ran along here. It was loud, dark, and dirty, nothing like the charming waterfront it is now. It was a nightmare until Mother Nature shook it enough during the Loma Prieta Quake for the powers that be to decide San Francisco was better without it.

You could ride around San Francisco, take in the sights, and hop back on the ferry to Richmond. On Fridays, the ferry is free in both directions. Or you can start heading north toward the Golden Gate Bridge on The Embarcadero in a spiffy bike lane. Before climbing to the Golden Gate Bridge, you pass Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Hyde Street Pier with historic ships, the Fort Mason, Crissy Field, and the Palace of Fine Arts.

Cyclists have toll-free access to the bridge’s sidewalks 24 hours a day. However, at certain times, cyclists are allowed to use the west sidewalk facing the ocean instead of the east sidewalk facing the bay. You have to be on a bike--they don’t allow pedestrians here. Check the website; times are complicated and change when we change our clocks. 

After crossing the bridge, you’ll descend into Sausalito, traveling through Fort Baker and ending up on Sausalito’s main drag, Bridgeway. If you did the ride in reverse and biked to San Francisco and took the ferry home, you’d have to face this large climb.

Renting bikes, riding across the Golden Gate Bridge, and taking the ferry back to San Francisco became such a popular activity that piles of rental bikes inundated downtown, and the City of Sausalito considered banning them at one point. Sausalito has many similarities to Richmond. The Marinship Corporation was a shipbuilding company that built cargo ships and oil tankers in Sausalito during World War II until 1945.

Travel out of Sausalito on the Mill Valley-Sausalito Path, which is part of a network of former railroad lines that have been transformed into trails. You’ll inch closer and closer to Mt. Tamalpais and encounter cyclists on bikes that cost more than your car.  

If you are getting hungry, there are plenty of options in Marin. The best restaurants in Sausalito are off the main drag, on Caledonia Street. Suppose you want a burrito in Mill Valley. In that case, you can cycle into town for Grillys, Joe’s Taco Lounge, Avatar’s Punjabi Burritos, or cross back over the freeway to Lucinda’s Mexican Food in the Strawberry shopping center.

To continue, take Lomita Drive to the Horse Hill Preserve and follow the trail over the hill next to Highway 101. This will lead to Corte Madera. You’ll need to cross back under the freeway on Wornum Drive near Book Passage and Corte Madera DMV to get to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Larkspur Landing.

Sir Francis Drake Boulevard will lead you past San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, formerly San Quentin State Prison. This is the only real sketchy part of the ride with cars flying by you on the shoulder on the 40 mph road. You’ll drop down on Francisco Boulevard, which leads to the foot of the Richmond Bridge. Save a little gas in the tank for this final climb across the bridge. It is steeper and longer than you think but offers terrific views from China Camp State Park to Point Molate. On the Richmond side, cycle along the freeway with Chevron on your left and drop back into town at Point Richmond.

The San Francisco Bay Ferry announced this week it will offer free service on its Richmond route on Fridays for the rest of 2024. The “Richmond Free Ferry Friday” promotion begins November 1.

Seamus Murphy, Executive Director of SF Bay Ferry, said the ferry is the highest-rated transit service in the country, and it usually only takes one trip to turn someone into a loyal ferry rider.

“We’re looking forward to Free Ferry Fridays creating many more of those loyal riders on our Richmond service,” Murphy said in a statement.

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority funds the Richmond Free Ferry Friday promotion. Richmond Ferry service is supported by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s local sales tax measure.

Tim Haile, Executive Director of the CCTA, said the organization is proud to provide funding for the SF Bay Ferry’s free rides from Richmond to San Francisco, which encourages people to consider alternative transportation options that are practical, safe, and fun.

“Initiatives like this support the economic vitality of the entire Bay Area by reducing congestion, improving mobility, and fostering greater regional connectivity – and of course, there’s just something special about seeing the Bay from the deck of a ferry,” Haile said.

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