Seattle Sunset Sail: BYOB Sailing Tour & Skyline Views

4.94

(187 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I’ll be honest, we almost missed the dock because I read the map upside down (classic). But when we finally found the right pier in downtown Seattle, our guide—Mike? Mark?—just grinned and waved us over like he’d seen it all before. The air smelled faintly of salt and something fried from a food truck nearby. We lugged our bag of snacks and an ambitious bottle of rosé on board, feeling slightly sheepish but mostly excited.

The boat itself was bigger than I pictured—a real racing yacht, not just some touristy thing with plastic seats. As soon as we pushed off, you could hear the city fade behind us: just soft voices, gulls, and that flapping sound sails make when they catch wind. The crew was laid-back but knew their stuff; one of them pointed out Mount Rainier in the distance (I squinted—still not sure I saw it), and another told us stories about wild crossings to Alaska. At some point someone spilled chips on deck and nobody cared. It felt easy.

I didn’t expect how much I’d love seeing Seattle’s skyline from the water—the way the glass buildings caught that weird gold-pink light as the sun started dropping behind the Olympics. A couple next to us shared homemade cookies (chocolate chip, still warm somehow?), and there was this little moment where everyone just went quiet watching a ferry glide by. I kept thinking how different everything looks from out here—familiar but totally new. If you’re looking for a sunset sail in Seattle that lets you bring your own wine or snacks, this is honestly it.