Where to Sail for the Day: the 15 Best Ferry Day Trips

1.Boston to Martha’s Vineyard Day Trip with Optional Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,162 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $129Our pick

Leave Boston early in a 24-passenger minibus, ride through Cape Cod, and cross Vineyard Sound by ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. Explore independently or add a three-hour island tour covering Edgartown, Aquinnah, the Gay Head Cliffs, and all six island towns. Guides such as Tom, Elaine, Jonathan, and Johnny Boston are known for lively local commentary.

“Very informative, friendly guides. We very much enjoyed our tour of the island and history, as well as the food!”

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2.Return Day Trip Ferry Ticket to Tallinn

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,238 reviews · 11 - 14 hours · from $47

Travel independently from Helsinki to Tallinn aboard Tallink’s MyStar or Megastar ferries. Your return ticket includes reserved entry and seating, while onboard you can use restaurants, cafés, shops, children’s facilities, and open seating areas. Walk about 20 minutes from Tallinn’s D-Terminal to the UNESCO-listed Old Town, or take a taxi.

“amazing ship that brings you to Tallinn with all the comfort. Tallinn is beautiful,I highly recommend it”

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3.Rottnest Island Ferry and Bike Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 805 reviews · 9 hours · from $87

Take the fast Rottnest Express ferry from Fremantle’s B Shed, collect your included bike on arrival, and spend about nine hours exploring Rottnest Island independently. Ride to beaches, bays, snorkelling spots, and quokka areas at your own pace. Bring water, allow for hills and wind, and plan your route before leaving the settlement.

“Rottnest is a beautiful island with lots to see and do. Bike hire is great to get around. I’m not very fit but managed to get around ok, some of the hills were very steep but you just stop and take in the scenery. The quokkas were very cute. Had a nice lunch at one of the hotels. Some of the beaches were very busy- salmon bay was the nicest. I think $120 is a lot of money for a 30 min ferry ride however the island was beautiful and must be done while in Perth.”

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4.Tangier Day Trip with Lunch and Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 631 reviews · 9 hours · from $105

Cross from Tarifa to Tangier by fast ferry, then tour Cabo Espartel, the Hercules Grottoes, Asbah, the Medina, Sultan’s Palace, markets, and a synagogue with a local guide. Rachid, Ali, and Abdu have led recent departures. Lunch includes harira, couscous, pinchito moruno, mint tea, and pastries, followed by souk time.

“Excellent experience. Our Guide Rashid was excellent. Very helpful, friendly and funny. Thank You 😊”

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5.Olympic National Park Small Group Day Tour w/Scenic Ferry 2CanGo

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 624 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $148

This 11-hour small-group trip from Seattle combines round-trip Bainbridge Island ferry rides with Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, and seasonal walks or snowshoeing. A guide such as Tony, Ryan, Duan, or Andy handles the driving, park entry, lunch, snacks, and water. Expect a full day, long road stretches, and weather-dependent plans.

“The best things about the tour are that they pick customers up and drop customers off from the hotel, a completely hassle-free tour. they provide lunch and drinking water for the tour. The tour guide is friendly and has full knowledge about what she is going to introduce.”

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6.Santorini Guided Day Trip From Crete with Ferry Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 591 reviews · 10 hours - 690 minutes · from $199

Travel from Heraklion or Rethymno to Santorini by ferry, then visit Oia and Fira with local guides such as Christos, Liliia, Sophia, or Theodora. You get guided walks, free time, island transport, and an optional €16 volcano and hot springs boat trip. Expect an early start and a very full day.

“We had a great day out and the trip is exceptionally organised. Both of our transfers to and from heraklion were early and easy to find. We did get to the port over 1 hour before the ferry in the morning but assume this is incase of traffic. Take a coffee as nothing open at 6:45am! The ferry itself was fine, and again transport at Santorini was easy to find. Tour guide was knowledgeable and happy to help. Santorini is beautiful and could have spent a few more hours as it’s a long day travelling for less than 2 hours in each town, but there is only 1 ferry home…”

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7.From Costa del Sol: Tangier Full-Day Tour by Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 571 reviews · 12 - 15 hours · from $186

Travel from Costa del Sol to Tangier by fast ferry, then tour the Kasbah, Medina, souk, market, and craft stalls with a multilingual guide. You will also enjoy a Moroccan lunch, a panoramic bus ride, and possibly a camel stop. The day lasts 12 to 15 hours and includes transport, ferry tickets, and lunch.

“the guide was very knowledgeable speaking multiple languages to accommodate all customers. was very helpful in all things not related to the tour.”

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8.Rottnest Island Ferry & Bus Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 394 reviews · 1 day · from $112

Take the 25-minute ferry from Fremantle to Rottnest Island, then circle the island on a 90-minute guided bus tour. Guides such as Ella, Eli, Jess, and Richard have been praised for their stories and humor. Afterward, swim, eat, see quokkas, or explore the settlement before your return ferry.

“A fabulous day with confident , efficient, highly knowledgeable staff. Amazing day, best tour ever. New love for the whole island. Big Thank you to Malcolm and Larry.”

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9.Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Trip with Itsukushima Shrine & Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 378 reviews · from $45Best value

Travel from Hiroshima Station to Miyajima by bus and ferry, visit Itsukushima Shrine, meet free-roaming deer, and explore Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The $45 tour includes transport, ferry fare, and shrine admission, with English and Spanish guidance. Guides such as Alan and Allen have led the route, though bilingual commentary and limited museum time may not suit everyone.

“The trip provided exactly what my friend and I wanted to experience! It saved logistic stress and we learned a lot of new things with our guide. And of course thank you to our bus driver taking us around the city :)”

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10.Santorini Day Trip with Fast Ferry Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 365 reviews · 11 - 12 hours · from $199

Travel from Heraklion to Santorini by fast ferry, then visit Oia and Fira by air-conditioned coach. You get a local guide, 1.5 hours in Oia, 2 hours in Fira, and ferry tickets for the return trip. Guides such as Theodora, Diego, and Adonis have earned praise for clear instructions and friendly service.

“Santorini itself was beautiful. The problem was the sheer amount of people ( I'm talking thousands) and coaches there due to the cruise ships We only had 1 hr 20 mins in Oia, and less than 2 hours in Fira. By the time we'd queued in the traffic, and queued to take photos of the domes in Oia, and had lunch in Fira, there was hardly any time to do anything else before we had to be back on the coach.”

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11.From Miami: Bimini or Grand Bahama Day Trip by Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 299 reviews · 15 hours · from $284

Take a same-day ferry from Port Everglades to Bimini or Grand Bahama for beaches, swimming, and free time. Bimini gives you about 5.5 to 6 hours ashore after a two-hour crossing. Grand Bahama takes about three hours by ferry and allows roughly four hours on the island. Optional beach passes, snorkelling, stingray swims, golf carts, and jet skis cost extra.

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13.Positano & Amalfi Coast Day Trip by Train & Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 225 reviews · from $282

Travel from Rome to the Amalfi Coast with a small group of up to 15 people. Your English or Spanish-speaking guide, such as Graziella, Almu, or Antonella, handles the trains and ferries while you explore Positano and Amalfi, shop, eat, take photos, or swim.

“Excellent! Our guide Jacob was very knowledgeable, pleasant and informative. He made the experience 10/10!”

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14.Day trip to Tangier by ferry with lunch and tour guide

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 140 reviews · 9 hours · from $105

This nine-hour Tarifa to Tangier trip pairs a one-hour Baleària ferry with a local guide, air-conditioned transport, Moroccan lunch, Hercules Caves, Cap Spartel, the Kasbah, Medina, and souk. Guides may speak English, Spanish, French, or German. Choose a 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM departure, and bring your passport.

“The guide was friendly and funny. We were a bit surprised by the change of itinerary, we didn’t see the caves, nor the lighthouse which were one of the main reasons to book. The change was caused by the ferry schedule, the 19:00 return ferry was out for repairs so the entire visit was shortened in order to catch the 17:00. Other than that, good option to get an ideea on the city vibe. Lunch restaurant was lovely and they even cooked separately for me, which I highly appreciated.”

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15.Ischia Day Trip with Ferry Tickets and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 130 reviews · from $96

Meet your English or Italian-speaking host at Caffè Beverello at 8:00 am, collect ferry tickets and lunch vouchers, then spend the day exploring Ischia independently. Your three-course meal includes wine or a soft drink. Use free time for Aragonese Castle, Sant’Angelo, or a taxi ride around the island.

“Ischia was amazing and worth a trip and taking a taxi to Sant Angelo was the best part. The lunch was a disappointment. It’s was like an Italian version of Faulty Towers. The starter and main course was tasty but dessert a joke with the choice between a children’s ice cream or two plums. With so many restaurants with amazing locations and views it was a shame to have to sit indoors with a view to a shabby backyard. We would have preferred that the day trip was ferry tickets and taxi round the island and found our own lunch”

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