How To Explore The Rock – Is Alcatraz Worth Visiting?

A Bit of Alcatraz History

It is believed that Native Americans from the Ohlone and Miwok tribes made visits to Alcatraz Island before it was first seen by Europeans. Since then, Alcatraz has been the site of a lighthouse, military fort and military prison and federal prison.

Here’s a high level summary of the history of Alcatraz:

• 1775 – the Spanish chart San Francisco Bay including a small rocky island labelled as ‘Isla de Alcatraces’. This name was later applied to the island now known as Alcatraz
• 1853 – construction began to fortify the island and create a triangular defense system to protect San Francisco Bay. Alcatraz Fort was completed in 1858 but later became a military prison during the Civil War
• 1854 – the first operational lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States was built on Alcatraz
• 1934 – Alcatraz is designated a federal prison with the first 137 prisoners arriving from the penitentiary in Leavenworth on 11 August 1934
• 1963 – Alcatraz closes as a federal prison
• 1969 – Native American occupation of the island to protest federal policies. The occupation lasted until 1971
• 1972 – the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, of which Alcatraz is a part, is created
• 1976 – Alcatraz Island is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• 1986 – Alcatraz Island is designated as a National Historic Landmark

Is Alcatraz Worth Visiting?

In a word, yes! Alcatraz is such a unique attraction, it would be a shame to visit San Francisco and not visit The Rock.

As you will see when you read on, you do have flexibility when it comes to the types of tours available for visiting Alcatraz Island and in one case, the amount of time you spend there. The overall cost to visit Alcatraz is not prohibitive, however those with mobility issues may find visiting a challenge but not impossible. In addition, visiting Alcatraz will mean catching a ferry across San Francisco Bay with lovely views of the bay itself, its bridges and the San Francisco skyline.

My overall opinion….add a visit to Alcatraz to your San Francisco itinerary!

How To Visit Alcatraz Prison

Alcatraz is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is managed by the National Park Service. The only way to visit Alcatraz is to purchase a ticket for one of the Alcatraz ferry tours operated by Alcatraz City Cruises. They are the official government concessioner and the only company permitted to disembark visitors onto Alcatraz. Other cruise companies may offer tours to see Alcatraz, but they are not permitted to land on the island.

Alcatraz City Cruises offer the following Alcatraz Island tour options – note that all tours depart from and return to Alcatraz Landing at Pier 33 on the Embarcadero, not far from the well known Pier 39:

1. Day Tour

The Day Tour option is a very popular one and is the one I chose when I last visited.

The main features of the Day Tour are:

• they operate throughout the day
• the earliest current departure out to Alcatraz at 8.40am and the latest at 3.50pm. You can stay on Alcatraz for as long as you like, however you will need to return by the last day tour return ferry (this may be different to that shown in the photo below)
• the sailing schedule is seasonal so do check the official Alcatraz City Cruises website for up to date visitor information
• tickets cost $47.95 for adults (concessions are available). If you do not wish to use the included audio tour, you can seek a partial refund but only once you are on Alcatraz
• tickets include round trip ferry transportation – travel time to and from Alcatraz is about 15 minutes each way
• tickets include an audio tour of the cell house
• plan to spend 2-3 hours on the island

2. Night Tour

If you are wanting to combine visiting Alcatraz prison with watching the sun setting over San Francisco Bay, and in particular, over the Golden Gate Bridge, then a Night Tour may be just what you’re looking for.

The main features of the Alcatraz Night Tour are:

• tours depart San Francisco at 5.55pm, 6.30pm and 7.05pm during the summer season and are available Tuesdays to Saturdays
• tickets cost $59.65 for adults (concessions are available)
• round trip ferry transportation is included in the ticket price
• the ferry circles Alcatraz before docking
• tickets include on board narration (which isn’t included in the Day Tours)
• the cell house audio tour is also included in the ticket price
• docent guided tours and talks are included
• optional programs and exhibits are included
• tours are limited to a few hundred visitors each evening
• Night Tours take about 3 hours

3. Behind the Scenes Tour

For something all together different, you can opt for a Behind the Scenes Tour.

The main features of the Behind the Scenes Tours are:

• tours depart at 4.20pm or 5.20pm during the summer season and are available Tuesday to Saturday.
• tickets cost at $104.65 for adults (concessions are available)
• tours are limited to 30 people per tour and at the conclusion, the group joins the Night Tour
• the tour accesses areas off limits to the public and is fully guided by a National Park Service Ranger or history expert. They are described as fairly strenuous tours so do check the official website for more information as to what is involved
• tours last 4-5 hours if you choose you join the Night Tour

You can book Alcatraz tours on the official Alcatraz City Cruises website.

Alternatively, if you are interested in combining a tour of Alcatraz with something else then consider including a harbour cruise, hop on hop off bus tour or a visit to Muir Woods.

Best Time To Visit Alcatraz

In determining when is the best time to visit Alcatraz there are a few things to consider:

1. Weather

The best time to visit Alcatraz in terms of seasons is in the Autumn (September to November) and Spring (March to May). There’s generally less fog than over the summer months and less rain than in winter. Read more about San Francisco weather in my post How to Spend an Amazing 4 Days in San Francisco.

2. Crowds

Alcatraz is a popular destination so consider:

• visiting during the week and not on the weekend (or on holidays)
• departing on an early ferry
• joining the Night Tour or the Behind the Scenes Tour

3. How Brave You Are!

If the thought of being on an island and in a former prison at night appeals, then you may prefer to tour Alcatraz on the Night Tour rather than take the day time option!

Infamous Alcatraz Inmates

Surprisingly, only a small number of the men who were imprisoned on Alcatraz were notorious. I think popular culture may have us believing there are more, yet those identified as such are:

• Al “Scarface” Capone
• Arthur “Doc” Barker
• Alvin “Creepy Karpis” Karpavicz
• George “Machine Gun” Kelly
• Floyd Hamilton
• Robert “The Birdman” Stroud
• Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson
• Meyer “Mickey” Cohen

You will learn more about these men during a visit to Alcatraz.

Escape from Alcatraz

Prisoners with a history of successful or attempted escapes were often sent to Alcatraz as its offshore location (about 2km from San Francisco) gave it the reputation of being impossible to escape from. During its history however, there were 14 escape attempts made by 34 prisoners. The most notable are:

1. The 1946 Battle of Alcatraz

In May 1946, several prisoners overpowered two guards in C Block and stole keys to the gun gallery which they then raided for weapons. Moving to cell block D (also known as the Segregation or Treatment Unit), they forced other guards to let other prisoners out. They took more guards as hostages, however they lacked the keys necessary to get out into the recreation yard (the key having been hidden by one of the guards held hostage), down to the dock and away from the island. On realising their plan to escape using the prison’s launch would not work, they decided to shoot their way out.

Authorities meanwhile worked to get Alcatraz back under control, using grenades to attack cellblock D. In the end, 2 guards and 3 inmates were killed with 14 guards and 1 inmate injured. Two of the prisoners involved in the Batter of Alcatraz were later executed.

2. The June 1962 Attempt

In June 1962, three inmates, Frank Morris together with brothers Clarence and John Anglin, tunneled out of their cells and into San Francisco Bay in a makeshift inflatable raft. Whilst they did get off the island, it remains unknown as to whether they ever made it to the mainland.

You will learn and see more about this event when visiting Alcatraz, in particular how they dug the tunnels and fooled the guards!

What Can You See When Visiting Alcatraz

What you see during a visit to Alcatraz will depend on which of the tours I summarised above you take. Generally, all of the tours will offer a similar experience to the one I had on the Day Tour, however the Night and Behind the Scenes tour options offer extras.

On arrival at the dock on a Day Tour of Alcatraz you will be met by a National Park Service Ranger who will give a brief orientation and make any announcements regarding activities etc. that day. You are then free to explore those areas accessible to the public.

Most visitors will head up from the dock toward the cellhouse and to collect the included audio guide. On the way up, be sure to see:

1. Barracks/Apartments

The original building was constructed in the 1860s and added to in the early 1900s. The building was remodelled into apartments for guards and their families in preparation for Alcatraz becoming a civilian prison.

2. Guardhouse and Sally Port

The Guardhouse dates from 1857 and is the oldest building on Alcatraz. Never tested in battle, the building was used during the Civil War to hold suspected Confederate sympathisers and US Army prisoners.

3. Post Exchange & Officers Club

The Post Exchange (PX) was built in 1910. It was a local general store where soldiers and their families shopped for food and goods. The PX was converted into a recreation hall and officers club when Alcatraz became a federal prison. In 1970 it was destroyed by fire.

4. Gardens

The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, National Park Service and Garden Conservancy have been collaborating since 2003 in the preservation and restoration of the gardens on Alcatraz. I thought the Rose Terrace was a very nice space…you have to admire the hardy plants that survive in those conditions!

5. Morgue

Built in 1910 at the entrance to a Civil War era tunnel, the morgue was a place to store bodies before they were transported off Alcatraz for burial elsewhere.

6. Cellhouse

The main attraction on Alcatraz is of course the cellhouse. Built in 1912, it was then the largest steel-reinforced concrete building in the world. It was renovated in readiness for Alcatraz becoming a federal prison. Tool proof bars replaced flat, soft-steel barriers of the military prison and gun galleries were built at either end of the two main cell blocks (B and C). Guard towers were also built, barbed wire installed and fences erected. D Block was remodelled in 1939-40.

The included audio guide “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour”, takes you through the cellhouse with former guards and inmates narrating the tour. The audio guide, which is available in English and 10 other languages, is delivered using a traditional handset so you do not need to download it to your phone.

7. Recreation Yard

Access to the recreation yard is through the cellhouse. Be prepared for the strong wind which blows off San Francisco Bay…hold on to the hand rails as you walk down the stairs into the yard!

8. Additional Areas & Exhibits

There are several other areas and two exhibitions to view if you can (sadly, I ran out of time!), including:

• the Lighthouse – lit for the first time on 1 June 1854, the Lighthouse was the first one to operate on the Pacific Coast. The Lighthouse currently on Alcatraz stands 84 feet high and dates from 1909 (it replaced the original). The light is still operational and today is operated by the US Coastguard
• the Warden’s House – built in the 1920’s the Warden’s House was once a large, 17 roomed property. It was destroyed by fire in 1970
• American Indian Occupation Exhibition – commemoration of the Occupation of Alcatraz by Indians of All Tribes
• Mass Incarceration in the USA exhibition – a new permanent exhibition which examines Alcatraz Island as a military prison and federal penitentiary within the context of incarceration in the United States

Parts of Alcatraz are subject to seasonal opening times. These include the Parade Ground and Seabird Nesting Areas and the Agave Trail.

Be aware also that certain parts of Alcatraz may not stay open right up to the time of the last ferry departure. This was the case during my recent visit when access to the exhibitions and the western end of the island were closed off to visitors before I had time to see them. Therefore, if you are arriving during the afternoon, be sure to check what time exhibits may be closing and plan your time on the island accordingly.

Alcatraz Birds

One of the things you will definitely notice at Alcatraz are the seabirds and their droppings! According to the information brochure I bought at the dock, initially, the absence of predators made Alcatraz a welcome home for birds who built nests and raised young on the island. Over time, and as the island was developed, the introduction of soil led to the growth of plants. This in turn provided food for small mammals (the deer mouse and California slender salamander) whose presence attracted more birds.

Today, Alcatraz is visited by hawks, ravens, geese, finches and hummingbirds whilst activity in the colonies of western gulls and black crowned night herons during the breeding season means parts of Alcatraz are closed to human visitors in order to protect the nesting birds. Brandt’s Cormorants, Pelagic Cormorants, snowy egrets, pigeon guillemots and black oystercatchers are also seen on Alcatraz. Birdwatchers may want to consider taking the Day Tour option and factoring in some additional time on the island!

My Tips For Visiting Alcatraz

Here are a few things to be aware of and keep in mind when planning and making your visit to Alcatraz:

• tickets sell out quickly so book well in advance
• if selecting the Day Tour option, aim to arrive on the island late morning to ensure you have enough time to see it all before your return ferry
• weather can be unpredictable and change quickly so wear layers and take a jacket (I did not!)
• wear comfortable shoes and be careful as some surfaces are uneven
• some of the roads and paths are quite steep. According to the official Alcatraz City Cruises website the distance from the dock to the Cellhouse is approximately 1/4 mile (0.4km) and the elevation change is 130 feet (40 meters), the equivalent of walking up a 13-story building
• for those with mobility issues, there is a free shuttle however it operates on a first come, first served basis. Note that there are no wheelchairs to borrow or rent at either the Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing or on Alcatraz Island
• purchase the handy self-guiding information booklet from the stands at the dock for $1.00
• don’t eat food on the island other than in the designated picnic area at the dock

Final Thoughts

Alcatraz is definitely one of the unique things to see in San Francisco. For that reason alone, yes, Alcatraz is worth visiting. Be sure to book well in advance, manage your time on the island and dress appropriately and you too will have an excellent and worthwhile visit to Alcatraz.

If you are keen to discover more things to do in the Bay Area be sure to read my post on How to Spend an Amazing 4 Days in San Francisco, my post 13 Hidden Gems and Unique Things to Do in San Francisco and my post Discover 3 of the Best Mosaic Steps in San Francisco.

If you need any general assistance with planning a trip to San Francisco then check out my Resources page.

Disclaimer – Information correct at the time of writing but do check before visiting.