Visit Alcatraz
Get ready for a hair-raising visit to the world's most famous prison - here's how to get tickets!
Alcatraz emerging from the water in the bay | ©Nikolay Tchaouchev
You don't always get the chance to visit a prison as iconic as Alcatraz: within its walls Al Capone served time while playing the banjo for other inmates, none of whom managed to escape from this prison despite the various escape attempts scattered throughout its history.
How to buy tickets for Alcatraz
Visiting Alcatraz is a must on your trip to San Francisco. Here's how to get the best Alcatraz tickets and some tips and tricks for visiting.
Tour of San Francisco with visit to Alcatraz
This bus tour of San Francisco includes tickets to Alcatraz with the official audio guide, making it a highly recommended two-in-one experience. You'll start the day by visiting the main sights of San Francisco, take a one-hour tour of the beautiful redwood forest of Muir Woods, and in the afternoon you'll take the ferry to the famous prison.
Tour route
- Fisherman's Wharf: the old wharf famous for its sea lions.
- Muir Woods National Monument: a redwood forest for which San Francisco is famous.
- Chinatown: the largest and most colourful Chinatown in the US
- Pacific Heights: San Francisco's poshest residential neighbourhood with panoramic views of California
- North Beach: an area of charm and Italian heritage
- Mission District: San Francisco's lively Latin Quarter
- The Castro: the city's LGBT area with a wealth of bars and restaurants
- Twin Peaks: here you'll see the most beautiful views of the city and its skyline
- Haight-Ashbury: the neighbourhood where hippie culture began in the '60s
- Fort Point: a military fort below the Golden Gate Bridge
- Golden Gate Bridge: an architectural marvel that is synonymous with San Francisco
- Alcatraz: the prison on an island in San Francisco Bay
As you can see, this is quite a comprehensive tour, with 10-15 minute stops at each site and a one-hour walk in Muir Woods. The only disadvantage of this tour is that the entrance fee to Muir Woods is not included (it costs 15 dollars per person, about 13 euros).
Duration: 10 hoursPrice: 129Recommended: If you want to combine a full tour of San Francisco and a visit to Alcatraz.
Muir Woods and Sausalito tour with visit to Alcatraz
This tour of Muir Woods and Sausalito with visit to Alcatraz is another option to visit Alcatraz if you have already toured San Francisco or prefer to do it on your own, where you will tour Muir Woods National Monument and its surroundings, where you will be amazed by the majestic sequoias of this natural park.
Then you will visit Sausalito, a coastal town on the other side of San Francisco Bay, famous for its fishing pier, its little houses floating on the water and its charming atmosphere. On your return to San Francisco, you'll head to Pier 33 where you'll board the ferry to Alcatraz. With admission included in the tour and the official audio guide, you'll be able to explore the island at your leisure and discover the impressive history of this famous prison.
Tour route
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Muir Woods National Monument
- Sausalito
- Alcatraz Island
Duration: 7 hoursPrice: 125Recommended: If you prefer to see San Francisco on your own and book the additional tours for a guided experience
What is the Alcatraz tour like?
The famous Alcatraz prison ceased to function as a penitentiary in 1963, was abandoned for a few years and in 1972 the island was declared a U.S. National Park. Upon arrival at "The Rock", you will receive a short briefing on the history of the prison and its importance today, and then you are allowed to start the tour up the small hill to the entrance of the prison.
Inside the prison, you will be given the official audio guide in which ex-convicts and prison guards narrate part of the tour through the cells, which gives the tour an authenticity and interest far beyond that of a conventional audio guide.
The self-guided tour lasts about 45 minutes and takes you through the entire prison, where you will see the cells, guards' sentry boxes and common areas, while hearing the amazing story of Alcatraz's most dangerous inmates and how they lived in this prison.
Highlights
- The Courtyard
- Seabird colonies
- Ruins of keepers' houses and officers' clubhouse
- The oldest lighthouse on the West Coast
Duration
A visit to Alcatraz usually takes 2-3 hours plus the ferry ride (a total of 30 minutes combined round trip). If you go on an organised tour, the length of the tour will depend on the itinerary, and if you visit Alcatraz on your own you can extend the experience as much as you like.
Timetable
In case you are visiting Alcatraz on a tour or a full experience, Alcatraz is always visited in the afternoon, which in my opinion is the most beautiful time (but also the most touristy).
How to get to Alcatraz on your own
If you are visiting Alcatraz on your own, please note that the first ferry to Alcatraz from Pier 33 departs at 8:45am and runs every 30 minutes until the last departure at 6:30pm. Please note that the last ferry is always full as the sunset visit is a very popular activity.
The last ferry back from Alcatraz to San Francisco is at 21:25. You will have to swim back to San Francisco. Just kidding, there are some independent boaters and water taxis that will take you back to the city, but they can charge quite high prices.
How to get to Pier 33
The ferry to Alcatraz leaves from Pier 33. If you're visiting Alcatraz on your own, these are the best ways to get to the pier:
- By tour bus: one of San Francisco's tour bus stops is Pier 33, so you can combine a bus tour with a visit to Alcatraz quite easily in one day.
- By tram: The Powel-Mason and Powel-Hyde lines both terminate at Pier 45, from where you can walk to Pier 33 in about 20 minutes.
- By City Bus: The F bus is the most direct bus to Pier 33, getting off at the Bay Street stop. Buses 8, 39, 82x and 88x are also a short walk from Pier 33.
Tips for visiting Alcatraz
- First of all, take a jacket or something light and warm if you visit Alcatraz in the summer, because even if it's sunny it's usually breezy and cool on the island.
- From the ferry there are some great views of the bay, San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, so you know it's going to be a perfect spot to post a couple of Instagram stories.
- If you want to avoid most of the tourists and still see Alcatraz in a nice light, go on the first ferry instead of the afternoon.
- Book your tickets or combined tour in advance, as it's a popular attraction and sells out quickly.
Other activities you may be interested in
Visiting Alcatraz on your trip to San Francisco is a must, but don't forget to discover the city, its most beautiful spots and its surroundings. For this I recommend you to read about the best tours and excursions from San Francisco, and book an experience to make the most of your holiday.
I also recommend you to take a tour of San Francisco by Hop On Hop Off bus. Does this sound like something for tourists? That's because you don't know all the advantages of doing this kind of tours. Read more about them and you'll learn a trick or two to get around San Francisco like a pro.