No trip to San Francisco is complete without a trip to the famous Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz Island is located in the San Francisco Bay, 1.5 miles offshore from San Francisco. The facility was a federal prison until 1963 and housed very famous criminals like Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (the birdman of Alcatraz), Machine Gun Kelly, Bumpy Johnson and Alvin “Creepy” Karpis who served more time at Alcatraz than any other prisoner. Now, the Island is managed by the National Park Service.
The only way to get to Alcatraz Island is by a ferry operated by Alcatraz Cruises. Their web site is www.alcatrazcruises.com . You will board the ferry at Pier 33. There is no parking in this area, so arriving to Pier 33 by public transportation is strongly advised. You will definitely need advance reservations for any of the Alcatraz tours.
All Alcatraz tours include a self-guided audio tour. You are given headphones and an audio device and go at your own pace. You may return to Pier 33 on any returning boat. The time you leave is determined by your ticket, the time you come back is up to you.
Here are the tours that are offered:
The Early Bird: This is the first trip to Alcatraz of the day, it departs Pier 33 at 9:00 a.m. The advantage to this tour is that it is the least crowded, as crowds increase as the day goes on. Price: $28.00
The Day Tour AM & PM: This tour includes a 45 minute audio presentation “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour,” featuring actual correctional officers and prisoners who lived and worked on the Island; orientation video by Discovery Channel and a tour of the gardens. Price: $28.00
Night Tour: This tour is extremely popular (and a little spooky, too). It’s considered one of the best tours of the Bay Area and provides a more intimate, engaging Alcatraz experience. This tour includes a narrated boat tour around the island; guided tours from the dock to the main prison building and the Cellhouse Tour. Also, several programs and presentations are only offered at night. Visitors may choose to attend one or two during the course of their evening. The boat leave Pier 33 at approximately 4:30 p.m. and you will enjoy the sunset and breathtaking views of San Francisco as night falls. Price: $35.00
Alcatraz & Angel Island Tour: Angel Island is located in San Francisco Bay and offers expansive views of the San Francisco skyline, the Marin County Headlands and Mount Tamalpais. In addition to a tour of Alcatraz Island, this package includes a one hour narrated Tram tour of Angel Island. Price: $60.00
The average visitor should allow 2.5 hours for the first three tours listed above and 5.5 hours for the Alcatraz & Angel Island Tour. Reservations for any of these tours can be made by visiting www.alcatrazcruises.com or by calling directly at 415.981.7625