Alcatraz Island located right in the middle of the San Francisco Bay is possibly one of the most known “images” of San Francisco. Also called “the Rock”, the island was a very infamous federal penitentiary from 1933 to 1963.

Many famous criminals of the 30s, 40s, 50s were here incarcerated, such as Al Capone, Mickey Cohen, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Bumpy Johnson and many others.

How can I visit the Alcatraz Island?

Today, Alcatraz Island, just like Liberty Island in NYC, is part of the National Park System. There is 1 official Ferry that reaches the island and tickets sell out fast. If you decide to ride the official ferry to Alcatraz, you will have the chance to get an audio tour of the prison cells as well; and you will see where these infamous prisoners were locked up and you will also learn of famous, successful & unsuccessful, escape attempts!

You can also take one of the many Sightseeing Bay Cruises to snap close-up pictures of Alcatraz, or perhaps you might want to indulge in one of the Helicopter Tours that will for sure give you the best aerial view not only of Alcatraz Island and the Bay but of all the City of San Francisco. You can also combine the Ferry Ticket with the cell tour to your City Tour for a day into the history of San Francisco!

And remember that it is extremely important that you plan in advance; during the summer months, the sought-after Ferry to Alcatraz Island sells out months in advance; when it comes to Alcatraz “time is of the essence” indeed!

The Top Tour to visit Alcatraz

INSERIRE TOUR

Map: Location and Admission

• LOCATION: Alcatraz Island - Golden Gate National Recreation Area - B201 Fort Mason - San Francisco, CA 94123
• HOURS: The hours of operation vary with the season - Call 415-981-7625.
• ADMISSION: Adult Day Ticket (Ferry plus audio tour) - Adult Night Ticket (Ferry plus audio tour) - $47.30 - Adult Behind the Scenes Tour Ticket (Ferry plus audio tour) - $92.30