Alcatraz Prison Tours

Take A Tour Of Alcatraz Prison

Alcatraz prison tours of Alcatraz prison teach you Alcatraz history including the Birdman of Alcatraz and much more. You can escape from Alcatraz prison without really being a prisoner. I have taken many Alcatraz tours over the years and I have enjoyed every one of them. This page teaches you about how to get Alcatraz tickets and what Alcatraz cruises are all about.

Tours

Taking a tour of Alcatraz is #1 on everybody's San Francisco things to do list. Going to Alcatraz is a wonderful experience.

You get a short ferry boat ride with a chance to take some great pictures of the San Francisco waterfront, an included fabulous two hour audio guide and the chance to learn about Alcatraz prison and history.

Me Behind Bars In Solitary

See a map to give you an idea of what Alcatraz is all about.

Important ticket information you need to know.

My tip about Alcatraz tickets is get them early! As soon as you decide you want to spend a couple of hours taking an Alcatraz prison tour book your tour! Alcatraz Cruises is the official company who runs the Alcatraz tours for the National Park Service. You will save money by purchasing tickets with them. You can buy tickets other places but you will pay about $10 or more.

You can reach Alcatraz Cruises at: (415) 981-ROCK or 981-7625

History

Alcatraz was a federal penitentiary for 29 years from 1934 to 1963. It was primarily built by the prisoners themselves. It has been the focus of many movies, novels, folklore and stories. There were 14 escape attempts over the years. You can go and see the jail cells where such famous inmates like Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and the Birdman of Alcatraz spent their days.

Birdman Of Alcatraz

His real name was Robert Stroud and he never worked with birds at Alcatraz prison! He wrote two books about birds while he worked with them in 3 different cells at Leavenworth Prison. He was sent to Alcatraz when they discovered alcohol and smuggled letters in his jail cell. You can see his cell on your Alcatraz tour also.

Photos

I took some pictures when I took the Alcatraz prison tour myself.

Make sure to take your camera with a fully charged battery when you take your tour. There are some great photo spots - especially in solitary confinement where you can take a picture of yourself behind bars like I did here! What fun!

If you would like to see a map of what there really is on Alcatraz go to the above link. I like to do a quick preview before I take a tour or go to a San Francisco attraction so I know what to expect.

Tips For Your Alcatraz Prison Tour

Here are my tips to make your tour great!

Bring layers of clothing - a warm jacket, long sleeve shirt, and sweater. It gets cold and chilly in San Francisco Bay - even in the middle of summer! And you can always take something off!
Bring a bottle or two of water and some snacks. On the ferry they sell water and snacks for more than you could buy them yourself. Once you get Alcatraz Island you can only drink water once you leave the dock.
Bring your camera with a fully charged battery.
Bring comfortable walking shoes as there is a steep hill to get to the top. There is a shuttle if you are unable to climb to the top so don't worry!

Alcatraz prison tours are something you definitely don't want to miss when you visit San Francisco. It takes a little bit of planning to get Alcatraz tickets in advance but I'm more than happy to share my experience from my Alcatraz tours. I love learning about the history of Alcatraz and Alcatraz island. This is definitely the most fun of the San Francisco things to do so plan ahead and don't miss out!