With the dollar on the slide in Europe and Canada . . . passports taking 15 weeks to arrive . . . a tank of gas costing upwards of $30 . . . it seems Paul Theroux was right when he said that "a lot of travel is misery and delay."

If logistics are keeping you home this summer, consider a different approach to travel -- as in turning a fresh eye toward the new or inspiring amenities of our own city.

One such gem is the Ferry Building Line Cruise, inaugurated just last year by Red and White Fleet. The Ferry Building Line is three tours in one. There are three official audio tracks guiding you through different aspects of San Francisco culture and history.

On a 90-minute tour, there's a substantial amount to enjoy, not to mention photographic angles you simply can't get as a landlubber. The cruise sails right past the construction of the new Bay Bridge East Span which is worth seeing at least once from the water's perspective.

Read more about the Ferry Building Line Cruise.

See photos from the Ferry Building Line and the Golden Gate Bay Cruise.

^{Photo © Ingrid Taylar}