bahia belle after dark cruise

Bahia Belle

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Bahia Belle - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

San Diego Travel Blog

Local insight to help you plan your next San Diego vacation.

September 17, 2020 By Brent Bernasconi

7 Ways to Experience Mission Bay After Dark

Mission Bay, San Diego’s water wonderland, offers plenty of awesome activities during the day. But the fun doesn’t stop when the sun sets. The 4,600-acre aquatic playground, the largest of its kind in the world, offers plenty of outdoor and exciting opportunities well into the night.

Before visiting, please check with each point of interest on their operating status based on  Covid-19 safety requirements .

1. Have a Family Bonfire

Gather family and firewood for a cozy beach bonfire at one of the many pits along the beaches of Mission Bay and Fiesta Island. Snag a pit early in the day and enjoy the sunshine and calm bay waters. Once the sun begins to set, get the bonfire lit and gather around for a relaxing evening filled with warmth, smiles and plenty of s’mores.

2. SUP into the Night

Paddle into the night on a paddle board tour with  Mission Bay Sportcenter  using the Nocqua SUP lighting system. With the lights on, you’ll be able to see things you have never seen before like a whole array of wildlife that only comes out at night, while keeping track of your family as they join you on this unique night-time SUP adventures!

3. Kayak with an Underwater View

Paddle out on the peaceful waters of Mission Bay aboard neon-lit 2-person kayaks from  See Bottom Kayaking . This one-of-a-kind outdoor experience is complete with the lit up strand, starry night sky, and smell of bonfires on the beach. 

4. Tee Off with Nighttime Golf

Golf is a daytime activity almost everywhere in San Diego County. However, when you’re up for a round of golf after the sun has gone down, tee off at  Mission Bay Golf Course . The facility is lit for night play , allowing golfers to hit balls at the driving range and play the course until 9:30 PM. The par-58 course, including four par-fours, is short enough that you don’t lose sight of your ball and long enough that it still represents a challenge.

5. Waterfront Dining under the Stars

When in Mission Bay, it doesn’t take long to walk from the water to a restaurant table! Cool off after a day in the sun with delectable dishes, local craft beers and incredible cocktails served on spacious, open-air patios at  Oceana Coastal Kitchen ,  Red Marlin Restaurant Bar & Terrace and  Barefoot Bar & Grill  just to name a few. 

6. Belmont Park

Looking for a little more action? Just a short walk away sits  Belmont Park , San Diego’s waterfront amusement center for almost 100 years! Home to 12 thrilling rides, 6 adventurous attractions, and 3 oceanfront dining experiences, families can play well into the warm evenings with extended hours during the weekends.

7. Cruise Mission Bay

The grand tradition of Mississippi riverboats comes to life on Mission Bay aboard  Bahia Belle Cruises . The sternwheeler Bahia Belle offers family-friendly sightseeing cruises for hotel guests for $10 per person. With departures from either the Bahia Resort Hotel or its sister property the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, this relaxing boat cruise is a scenic way to spend an evening with friends or family.

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Sternwheelers - of Evans Hotels

An unforgettable experience on mission bay.

Operating seasonally, the Bahia Belle is a turn-of-the-century, Mississippi-style boat that provides guests a unique cruise experience on Mission Bay. The 74-foot, 3-story sternwheeler boat offers an observation deck to view the beautiful sites of the 4,200-acre aquatic park. With departures from either the Bahia Resort Hotel or the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, guests can jump aboard for a family-friendly Sightseeing Cruise or for a 21+ party cruise during Bahia Belle After Dark.

Mission Bay Family Cruise $10 Hotel Guests | $20 General Admission

Perfect for gathering with friends or family, the Sightseeing Cruise aboard the Bahia Belle takes guests on a 45-minute journey of Mission Bay. With several departure times to choose from, this special boat cruise is a relaxing and scenic way to spend an evening in San Diego. https://www.bahiahotel.com/bahia-belle

After Dark Cruise $15 Hotel Guests | $25 General Admission

Fridays + Saturdays

After 9:00 p.m., the Bahia Belle transforms into Mission Bay’s ultimate party boat. Navigate the peaceful waters with a cocktail in hand and enjoy DJ and live entertainment on the vintage sternwheeler boat. Guests of Bahia Belle After Dark must be 21 years or older with a valid ID. https://www.bahiahotel.com/after-dark

Neighborhood: Mission Bay and Beaches

998 W Mission Bay Dr San Diego, CA 92109

Contact Info

(858) 488-0551 [email protected]

Bahia Belle | 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. $10 HOTEL GUESTS | $20 GENERAL ADMISSION Bahia Belle After Dark | 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. $15 HOTEL GUESTS | $25 GENERAL ADMISSION

Departing from Bahia:

• Sightseeing Cruise Boarding Schedule:
• 6:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. | 8:00 p.m.
• $10 Hotel Guests
• $20 General Admission

Departing from Catamaran:

More information.

• Destination Weddings
• Total Number of Seats: 450
• Private Room Capacity: 450
• Advanced Reservations Required

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Mission Bay Sightseeing Cruise

Mission Bay Cruise - Hotel Guest

All guests must have ticket, regardless of age. Hotel guests must present room key or...

All guests must have ticket, regardless of age. Hotel guests must present room key or wristband. 

Reservations required. Boarding times may vary; check with front desk for details. Guests boarding must disembark after approx. 1-hour cruise. Outside food or beverage not permitted. CA law recommends face coverings when indoors in a public setting regardless of vaccination status. Cruise subject to availability, capacity limitations, and weather conditions. Must be 21+ with valid photo ID to consume alcohol. Hotel reserves the right to refuse service in accordance with applicable laws. Other restrictions may apply.

Mission Bay Cruises - General Admission

All guests must have ticket, regardless of age.

Reservations required. Boarding times may vary;...

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Operating seasonally, the Bahia Belle is a turn-of-the-century, Mississippi-style boat that provides a 45-minute sightseeing cruise of Mission Bay. The 74-foot, 3-story sternwheeler boat offers an observation deck to view the beautiful sites of the 4,200-acre aquatic park, cash bar and light snacks. Departing from the Bahia Resort Hotel, this relaxing boat cruise is a scenic way to spend an evening with friends or family. Sightseeing Cruise Boarding Schedule:

To learn more about this event visit:  Bahia Belle Sightseeing Cruise

Guests boarding must disembark after approx. 1-hour cruise. Reservations required and all guests must have ticket, regardless of age. Hotel guests must present room key or wristband. Boarding times may vary; check with front desk for details. Outside food or beverage not permitted. CA law recommends face coverings when indoors in a public setting regardless of vaccination status. Cruise subject to inclement weather and if cancelled, you may reschedule. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Must be 21+ with valid photo ID to consume alcohol. Hotel reserves the right to refuse service based on applicable laws. Other restrictions may apply.

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From the Archives: The sinking of the Bahia Belle

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Forty years ago a pleasure cruise around San Diego Bay ended with the rescue of 11 people from the swamped Bahia Belle in rough seas off Point Loma.

After the wreck, the only the original wooden hull was saved. The Bahia Belle was rebuilt as a turn-of-the-century, Mississippi-style sternwheeler and put back into service cruising Mission Bay within the year.

From The San Diego Union, Saturday, January 31, 1981:

Sightseeing Boat Sinks Off Point Loma

By Henry Fuentes, Staff Writer

A pleasure cruise around San Diego Bay ended yesterday with the rescue by air of 11 persons from the sinking Bahia Belle in rough seas off Point Loma.

There were no injuries reported among the four crew members and seven passengers airlifted to safety by a Coast Guard helicopter.

The passengers aboard the 65-foot wooden-hull vessel were employees or relatives of employees of the Bahia Hotel, one of several hotels along the bay that regularly use the boat as a sightseeing pleasure craft. The Bahia Belle, which recently completed a week in drydock for repairs, is a mock sternwheeler.

Although the hull of the vessel was being towed to shore last night, the superstructure, including the top three decks, was drifting, Coast Guard officials said.

It was not immediately known what led to the sinking of the flat-bottomed vessel, but Coast Guard officials said a wooden plank under the water line may nave opened up and given way. The boat began taking on water about three-quarters of a mile south of Point Loma in open seas, an area that had 5-to 7-foot swells at the time.

The rescue was made an hour and a half after the Bahia Belle’s 3 p.m. departure from the Bahia Hotel.

Despite the rough weather, Bob Parsons, the 47-year-old captain of the Bahia Belle said he had made the same cruise before under similar weather conditions. “I started to lean and the boat felt sluggish — that’s how I knew we were sinking,” Parsons said after giving his report to Coast Guard officials.

The trip to Point Loma and back to Mission Bay, Parsons said, normally takes about two hours.

The Coast Guard operations center received the first report that the Bahia Belle was in trouble at 4:20 p.m. from a pleasure craft that had pulled alongside the stricken vessel, Coast Guard operations reported.

That pleasure craft was greeted With cries for help from the passengers and crew, most of whom were huddled together on the top deck of the Bahia Belle. All were outfitted with lifejackets.

A Coast Guard helicopter returning to the air station from a routine search and rescue mission was diverted to the Bahia Belle, and at 4:30 p.m., 10 minutes after receiving the initial distress call, the rescue began.

When the aircraft arrived at the scene, a red distress flag already had been raised and a smoke signal had been launched. The Bahia Belle did not carry a radio and was not equipped to sail in open seas, Coast Guard officials said.

From the moment the helicopter arrived at the scene, it took only 17 minutes to hoist the passengers and crew aboard the helicopter. A basket was used to lift each of the 11 from the vessel, and at 5 p.m. all stepped safely on land outside the Coast Guard air station hanger.

Mark Rose, 23, a crew member, said he took the wheel of the Bahia Belle while Parsons, the captain, went below to check the engine.

“We started to turn (off Point Loma, back toward the bay) around when the water level began rising fast.’’ Rose said. “And once we turned around it seemed to take a drastic nosedive.”

Rose, who said there was no panic among the crew or passengers, said the bow began sinking first. He said that after both engines failed, the generator broke down. “And once the generator went out, the pumps didn’t work any more.

“By the time they (Coast Guard rescuers) got there, we were already up on top with everybody wearing their lifejackets,” be said. “I couldn’t believe it was happening to us. I’ve heard of it happening to other people, but not us.”

For several hours after the rescue, the Bahia Belle remained afloat, apparently kept from sinking by an air bubble. Coast Guard officials said that 80 percent of the boat was under water, with only a few inches above the surface.

The owner of the vessel, William D. Evans, was said to have hired a tow boat last night in the hope of moving the hull to either Shelter Island or the tow craft’s yard.

Evans, also the owner of the Bahia Hotel, could not be reached for comment last night.

The City Council in October of 1976 granted the boat operator a five-year permit to operate the pleasure craft on Mission Bay. The permit covers excursion and sightseeing as well as the sale of food and beverages to passengers. The city received the greater of a minimum rent of $2,900 a year, or 7 percent of the gross income, for the permit. William D. Bell is listed as the operator of the Bahia Belle.

Allen Sutherland, former president of the old Security Trust and Savings Bank, and his wife, Estelle, are two of the many passengers that have in the past enjoyed moonlight cruises above the Bahia Belle. the couple, who gave a party 15 years ago for their daughter and son-in-law were saddened by the news yesterday.

“I think it will be a loss for San Diego,” Estelle Southerland said. “I am really sorry about it. There were so many good times aboard that boat.”

Although Coast Guard personnel were careful not to criticize the decision to sail the Bahia Belle, at least one Coast Guardsman said that he personally would not have taken the craft out in open seas with the reported 5- to 7-foot waves.

“That’s rough, and it’s even rougher if you’re in a flatboater (like the Bahia Belle),” said Coast Guard Chief Dennis Shirrel. “It would be like going out there in a canoe.”

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2023 Season | Departing from Bahia Resort Hotel

  October Tickets! November Tickets!

Guests boarding must disembark after cruise. Reservations required and all guests must have ticket, regardless of age. Hotel guests must present room key or wristband. Boarding times may vary; check with front desk for details. Outside food or beverage not permitted. Cruise subject to inclement weather and if cancelled, you may reschedule. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Must be 21+ with valid photo ID to consume alcohol. Hotel reserves the right to refuse service based on applicable laws. Other restrictions may apply.

No refunds, cancellations, rebooking or retroactive discounts.

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RESERVATIONS: (858) 488-0551

Jingle Belle Family Cruise December 21 - 25, 2023 | $45 Per Person

All aboard for the Jingle Belle Family Cruise – a San Diego holiday tradition on Mission Bay! This family-friendly one-hour sightseeing cruise celebrates the merriest time of year with songs from spirited carolers, photos with Santa Claus, and exciting activities for the whole family. Kids of all ages can look forward to visiting the cookie decorating station, balloon artist, and face painter. Sip on hot cocoa, an espresso drink, or a libation from the cash bar and simply enjoy time with friends and family on this festive voyage!

A portion of the event's proceeds benefits Mama's Kitchen, a San Diego nonprofit that provides medically tailored meals to individuals and families vulnerable to malnutrition due to critical illness.

Departing From Bahia Departing From Catamaran

Jingle Belle Family Cruise Schedule

Departing from Bahia Resort Hotel: 

• 12/21: 2:30 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. 
• 12/23: 4:30 p.m. | 6:30 p.m.
• 12/25: 9:30 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. | 5:30 p.m. | 7:00 p.m.

Departing from Catamaran Resort Hotel: 

• 12/22: 2:30 p.m. | 4:30 p.m. 
• 12/24: 4:30 p.m. 
• 12/25: 10:15 a.m. | 6:15 p.m.

Meet and Greet with Santa, Carolers, Kids Crafts, Cookie Decoration, Face Painting, Balloon Artist, Espresso Coffee Bar, Hot Chocolate with Toppings, Assorted Holiday Treats, and Cash Bar

Reservations required and all guests must have ticket, regardless of age. Outside food or beverage not permitted. Cruise subject to inclement weather. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Must be 21+ with valid photo ID to consume alcohol. Hotel reserves the right to refuse service based on applicable laws.

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