Okay, so it's not that far of a drive from Balboa Island to Balboa Peninsula, but the ferry's fun to take anyway—and it'll save you about five miles per car trip. The ferries have been making the quarter-mile (just less than 1,000 feet!) scenic ride since 1919, traveling at a mind-boggling, lightning-fast speed of 4 mph. Eighty-nine years ago, the ride cost a nickel per person—and people were loaded aboard what was called the Ark, a giant rowboat equipped with a small engine. Three double-ended wooden boats—the Admiral, the Commodore and the Captain (no Commander? What about the Seamen?) replaced the Ark in the '50s and are still in operation. Each ferry holds just three cars and about 75 people. Riders mostly consist of bicyclists, families and couples enjoying the view we all-too-often forget about, which includes the Ferris wheel and merry-go-round of the Balboa Fun Zone, the Balboa Pier and the Balboa Pavilion, which is especially pretty at Christmastime. Also: It's cheap (50 cents to $2), your kids will love it, and you can even bring your dog.
