Take to the Water on St. Augustine’s Only Yacht Rock Cruise
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida (June 8, 2026) – From Christopher Cross’s “Sailing” to Michael McDonald’s “What a Fool Believes,” Yacht Rock is the official summer playlist. And what better way to enjoy the smooth sounds than on the deck of a boat? Florida Water Tours is offering a Yacht Rock Cruise on Friday, June 26, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. A live D.J. will spin a soundtrack of classic yacht rock hits, perfect for dancing or just kicking back with a cold drink.
“For so many of us of a certain age, this is the music of our childhoods,” says Jessica Jadick, Owner of Florida Water Tours. “Now it’s finding a new audience with our younger passengers. But for boaters, yacht rock was just what we played when we wanted to capture that chill vibe of the perfect day out on the water. We want to share that feeling with our passengers. It’s all about sunset views, summer breezes, and the soundtrack.”
While Jimmy Buffett was looking for his lost shaker of salt, artists like Kenny Loggins, Toto, and Michael McDonald were creating a less party-hardy, more relaxed genre of nautically adjacent music. Originally known as the West Coast sound from 1976 to 1984, yacht rock is smooth and melodic, combining elements of jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock. It’s characterized as melodic yet musically complex, with lyrics that are light yet intellectual, creating sounds that are at once ripe for parody and a total earworm. Many yacht rock hits have a similar sound because they share songwriters and session musicians. The name “yacht rock” was coined by a cult YouTube series of the same name from an L.A. comedy troupe that fictionalized accounts of 70s and 80s musicians writing their popular hits. Now, yacht rock is synonymous with a smooth, light sound that transports the listener to the deck of a boat, with sun-drenched skies, cool summer breezes, and, for a moment, no worries.
The 2-hour, adults-only Yacht Rock Cruise departs from Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor, 107 Yacht Club Drive in St. Augustine, located at the base of the Vilano Bridge. Guests can enjoy the smooth sounds of music while looking for local wildlife, seeing St. Augustine’s sights, and catching the sunset from the water. The cost is $49 per person and includes one complimentary drink from the onboard bar and complimentary snacks; additional drinks, including specialty themed cocktails, beer, wine, and canned cocktails, are available for purchase. Guests can also pre-order Graze Boxes, stuffed with a selection of charcuterie, nuts, fruit, chocolate, and more. The Yacht Rock Cruise is on Florida Water Tours’ newest vessel, Great Blue Heron, which features comfortable seating, a large deck for dancing, and plenty of space to relax. Passengers can explore the waterways on one of Florida Water Tours’ many cruises, departing daily from Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor, 107 Yacht Club Drive in St. Augustine.
