Take A Ride On This One-Of-A-Kind Gondola Cruise In Southern California
By Natasha Kayes|Published December 21, 2022
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Natasha Kayes
Author
I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.
For many travelers, one of the most iconic and romantic images is riding in an Italian gondola through the canals of Venice. What many, even here in the Golden State, don’t know is that you do not have to travel halfway around the world for this dreamy experience. In fact, you can enjoy a romantic gondola ride in Southern California.
Gondola Adventures was established in 1993 in Newport Beach, California. The owner loves these elegant boats and is President of the Gondola Society of America.
The 15 boats that operate here in Newport Beach include authentic Venetian gondolas brought over from Italy, electric Venetian-style gondolas, and American rowing gondolas. When you book your cruise, you have the opportunity to choose which type of elegant boat to ride in.
Some of the gondolas even have canopy covers that shade the riders. When you book your cruise, you have the opportunity to choose which type of boat to ride in.
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This is the only gondola operator in the West with wedding gondolas, which are the most ornate of the boats.
One of the options available on these gondola cruises is to book a photo session by a student or professional photographer, or a drone video package.
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Cruise through the beautiful Newport Harbor with your own personal gondolier, who just may share some history about these special boats, or even sing you a song!
Evening cruises include two different dinner cruises, each with a three or four-course meal from a local restaurant. During winter, you can book the Winter Lights Cruise, and Parade of Lights Cruise. Enjoy gorgeous Southern California sunsets and watch the lights come up around the harbor and reflect in the calm waters.
Many of the cruises come with a choice of still or sparkling water, or sparkling cider, but you can choose to pay for a bottle of champagne or wine instead.
From the Casual Pizza Cruise or Newport Lunch Cruise to the Antipasto or Dessert Cruise, you can choose just the right cruise for you, and even customize your gondola experience with add-ons like roses, scattered rose petals, chocolates, or even a take-home blanket.
One of the "special enhancements" you can add on to your romantic gondola cruise is a message in a bottle. Your personal message is printed in a special font on a small scroll and placed inside a corked wine bottle. Your guest is surprised with the bottle during the cruise.
Can you say unique and romantic proposal idea? You can even purchase a decorative trunk-like box to store this memorable bottle once you get home.
Have you ever experienced a gondola cruise? What do you think of this gondola ride in Southern California? Let us know in the comments. Learn more and book your own gondola cruise on the Gondola Adventures website. You may also want to check out another water adventure on a Southern California party boat charter.
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