Sailing the San Francisco Bay on a huge catamaran is the experience of a lifetime. It’s exciting on several levels: First, the Bay is literally beneath your feet if you’re standing on the net grid. Second, the views of the Golden Gate Bridge from underneath make you realize how massive the span really is. Not a view you can even begin to compare from the top.

To my surprise, the Adventure Cat was bigger than I expected and a much smoother ride, given that it’s not as big as a ferry. The only real difference to my inexperienced sailing mind was the pontoons on either side and a net grid in the middle where you could sit if you didn’t mind getting your backside wet. The water is literally beneath your feet. You can also sit inside to get out of the wind. The Adventure Cat crew anticipates that some folks don’t consider bringing something to keep warm and provides nice cozy warm jackets to the passengers at no cost. That could mean the difference between enjoying yourself or returning to port as a human popsicle.

You’ll sail completely around Alcatraz and then out to sea, pass other boats, and experience the fog rolling into the Bay—a very cool experience, different from watching the fog come in on land. And the views of the city from the water? In a word, spectacular.

Go. You know you want to.