Tour Alcatraz Island
What to See When Visiting the Infamous Prison-Turned-National Park
Sep 28, 2009
Alcatraz Island, also known as "The Rock," occupies a strategic position in San Francisco Bay. A US Army fort was built there in the nineteenth century, which later evolved into a military prison. The island became famous as a maximum-security federal prison before closing in 1963.
Now administered by the National Park Service, Alcatraz Island is open as a tourist attraction year-round, except for Christmas and New Year's Day, as well as in instances of extreme weather.
Tickets and Getting to Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz can only be reached by ferries departing from Pier 33, along The Embarcadero in San Francisco. Tickets for the ferry – whose price includes admission to the island and tours of Alcatraz prison – can be purchased at Pier 33, or reserved and bought online.
Although ferries depart daily every half hour or so, space is limited. Tickets are for specific departure times and can sell out. If possible, tickets should be purchased a few days in advance during the summer. Those trying to get same-day Alcatraz tickets may only be able to take an early morning or late afternoon ferry.
Touring Alcatraz Prison
Visitors to Alcatraz can watch an orientation video co-produced by the Discovery Channel, Alcatraz: Stories from the Rock, once they disembark from the ferry. From there, a steep climb up a service road takes visitors to the cellhouse of Alcatraz Prison.
Upon entering the cellhouse, visitors can take a self-guided audio tour. Narration is supplemented with interviews with former inmates, guards, and residents of Alcatraz Island, and leads visitors through all the major parts of the prison complex.
In addition to the self-guided tour, there are walking tours and talks given by park rangers and volunteers. These cover specific aspects of Alcatraz Island's history, and change from day to day. Visitors can check schedules posted at the dock or cellhouse for more information upon arrival.
Other Attractions on Alcatraz Island
Though the cellhouse of the federal prison is the most famous building on Alcatraz Island, there are other attractions found there as well. Guards and prisoners alike tended plots on Alcatraz, and volunteers maintain these historic gardens. What was once a barren rock in San Francisco Bay is now home to many species of plants and birds.
Some of the island's flora can be seen on the Agave Trail, open seasonally. Leading down from the Parade Ground to the dock along the eastern edge of the island, this walking path was added in the 1990s.
Special programs are also featured on the Alcatraz Night Tour, which boasts extra topics, smaller crowds, and dramatic evening views of the island and of the San Francisco skyline. However, the Alcatraz Night Tour is not available every day, and some parts of Alcatraz Island open during the day are closed.
An Alcatraz Tour is Enlightening for Anyone
No trip to San Francisco is complete without taking a tour of Alcatraz Island. The national park has a storied history and is a geographically spectacular and unique site. So in spite of once housing one of America's most notorious prisons, Alcatraz appeals to more than crime buffs – though fans of Al Capone or Robert "The Birdman of Alcatraz" Stroud won't be disappointed either.
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