I've lived in this city for 16 years and this was the first time I visited this magnificent island. It's definitely more than just a prison. They landscape and bird sanctuary is quite remarkable. After the heavy rains the island is just so lush and green. There's so much history to Alcatraz. It's definitely worth a visit. One recommendation is to ensure you get to the ferry 20 minutes before so you don't get bumped to the next ferry. I got there 4 minutes before our designated time and they turned us away because the ferry was full even thought we reserved for a slotted time. Bring your own food and picnic there if you'd like since there aren't refreshments to purchase on the island. Enjoy!

This is an island rich with history and cultural significance. The island is littered with ruins and relics from its history as a military establishment and federal penitentiary. The audio tour is well worth the time. I also enjoyed walking through the gardens and enjoying a great view of the Bay. The island is also significant in the fight for Indian rights.

We had a nice trip to the island. The fog was heavy on the bay which added an eerie atmosphere to the visit. It was interesting to see how the inmates lived-the housing is quite simple to say the least. Walking the grounds outside the cell block was peaceful with some nice gardens and nesting birds all around. The mix of beauty and sinister are inspiring. There are a few gift shops and restrooms located throughout the tour. It’s a powerful and beautiful way to explore a national historic site.

Such a cool and unique experience. Went here on a family vacation. It's just so interesting that you can visit this island that was made as a prison. It's unlike any other tour. It's cool and spooky and you learn a lot! Would definitely recommend others to try it out!

Highly recommended!! An immersive and educational adventure. The island’s scenic views of San Francisco add to the experience. The staff’s knowledge enhances the tour, making it a must-visit for those intrigued by the infamous prison’s past. It’s a very popular tour. So, the tickets need to be purchased a few days in advance.

Absolutely loved my day here! I bought a ticket online although I could have easily saved the $8 processing fee and bought it at the gate. I’m sure that’s because I was there in the off season (mid-Jan). I signed up for an 11am slot but when I got there at 10:30 they were loading the boat and we ended up leaving at 10:45 so I was happy I arrived early. The trip over and back is only about 15 minutes but very windy. You can choose to stay inside the boat or on the deck. It took me around 2.5 hours to leisurely explore the nooks and crannies as well as do the audio tour, which was the highlight. The gardens were amazing despite it being January so I can only imagine how pretty they are in full bloom. It’s a steep walk up to the cell house but there is a tram that can take you if needed. No food for purchase on the island, only water, so plan ahead. You can purchase both on the boat ride though. Sections smell like bird poop since it is a nesting site. Overall, a wonderful experience and interesting part of history!

Love the history!! The audio tour was actually really good and informative. From the moment you step on the island you can feel the history. That’s something I love about old, historic locations. The boat ride was smooth and fast. The island is a walk, so be prepared for that. But, my oh my, what an experience.

Overall this was a great way to experience Alcatraz. From the moment we got on the boat, to the moment we returned from the island, it was fun and educational. The tour boat itself that shuttles passengers to the island is solar powered, which is pleasant to know it’s operating with less of a carbon footprint. On the way to the island, there’s amazing indescribable views all around the San Francisco bay area. When you get to the island, it's great that you can venture around the island at your own pace. At first it was a little strange to be offered hand held devices for the self tour, but after getting into the tour, it actually was convenient to be able to explore at our own pace. The tour was very informative and interesting when learning more about the island's history. Before the tour, I didn’t realize there was more tied to the island other than the history of the prison. If you’re into history and exploring landmarks, this is an excellent place to visit. The costs were reasonable and the staff were very helpful. If there were ever any questions, there’s always someone nearby to help. This is a great experience for families and friends. When we arrived, we got an creepy feeling from the island. It was somewhat spooky and unsettling to be on the island, as it should be. Exploring the prison sells and different parts of the prison, it gave a feeling that’s worth discovering on your own volition. Definitely recommend experiencing this tour.

Really really enjoyed the tour! It was an amazing experience and it was one of the things I wanted to do since I was a kid. The ticket includes a round trip with the ferry and everything on the island. Once you are there you are free to roam around wherever you want except the closed areas wich are unsafe. You have an audio tour of the cell blocks also which includes real audio footage. It is worth seeing it once in a lifetime and I totally recommend it!

First ride on Saturday morning had not too much people. So keep it in mind if you don't like crowd. We were lucky. It was beautiful weather -- warm, calm and sunny. We spent about four hours in there and could stay even longer but not all the buildings were open to see them. I liked their gift shop much more than the one on pier 39.

This is an absolutely stunning oasis in the middle of San Francisco Bay. It’s so peaceful and so very beautiful with the gardens that the prisoners planted, and all the seabirds which call this island home. The historical aspect was very fascinating, and the audio tour was very interesting although a bit loud. Personally I really like historical sites, and this one was one of the most notorious that just has to be visited!

Worth every dollar. You get to go around the whole island, in the prison and other buildings. The audio self guided tour is included with the ticket at no charge. I’d recommend that you take the 1pm boat ride or earlier. It takes a while to go through the island and enjoy the views of the San Francisco Skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge.

This is something I've always wanted to do. Just the ferry ride alone was worth the price of the admission ticket, because the views are spectacular! There's so much beauty in the place that had so much ugliness. The audio tour was very well done. You really do get a sense of what it was like as a prisoner there. Plus it is an excellent History lesson. The gardens around the penitentiary are beautiful and the vies of SF and the bridges are amazing. Also, this is a fantastic place for anyone who loves birds, as it is also a bird sanctuary. It was a very interesting trip. I highly recommend. Wear comfortable shoes, as you will walk a few miles in total if you walk the entire island tour.

Dropped with the boys beside factory, had an amazing experience. We were getting third-partied a lot by some randoms in the prison itself but managed to take a W. Servers getting busy around 10am, so dropping on the island at around 9:20 is the best time. You can ignore the NPCs at the dock and go straight for the prison and get some team wipes there.

I've seen the smaller Alcatraz Prison tour in Tennessee and that was cool alone but this was AMAZING! The grounds themselves are breathtaking alone. The history behind it was amazing too. Guards and inmates alike both worked on the grounds and in the garden. Of course you see the room where the famous escape happened in 1962. It was super cool to see all the different shades and layers of paint on the walls. Building itself was beautiful and such an amazing piece of history!!

Definitely get there 30 minutes early. The ferry ride was really cool. You could see all of San Francisco. We did a lot of walking around Alcatraz. Almost 3 miles. Definitely wear comfy shoes. Was really cool and eerie. The audio tour was really interesting and informative.

We did the day tour to Alcatraz. It was worth every penny. You get the audio tour which was very helpful in telling the stories of past. Everything is preserved in an amazing way with lots of stories to read there. You can easily spend 3 to 4 hrs to cover everything. There are restrooms and water filters there but no food. So get your snacks if you want.

Great historical place. The rangers are very knowledgeable about everything the rock was about and the audio tour really brings the place to life. Make sure to bring a mask otherwise you will have to pay for one, also have water with you the walk is long. Food is not allowed on site so eat prior to getting there

Lots of history here. Great audio tour telling some interesting stories. The agave garden path was open but fair warning you might want to skip it. The smell from the breeding birds sucked the beauty right out of it. You can catch the great view of the city from up top at the lighthouse.

Had an AMAZING time the photos do not do justice for just how beautiful the island is. The views here are outstanding. It is a bit of a walk up the hills so be ready! They do have a tram (it has very little capacity) that can take you up to where the audio tours start. I would definitely recommend doing the audio tour )it’s included in admissions).

So interesting! I was not aware that the island was taken over by a community of protesters! There were beautiful views of the city from the ferry on the way to and back from the island. The ruins that are left are hauntingly beautiful. It makes you consider the families that lived on the island alongside the prisoners.

Great tourist spot and very informative. Highly recommend the audio tour. The ferry is there about every half hour so the wait time to go there or come back aren't that bad. The rangers have a lot of useful information so ask questions if you have any. It's a bit of a hike up the hills to get to the prison but there is a free tram available for those that need it.

We were lucky enough to get a night tour ticket with perfect weather. It was in October and the tour was great. The crowds are smaller at night because there are less boats out to the island. You can also walk around and see a little bit more as you have time to ghost hunt! Tickets were about $65/adult. The boat ride is less than 20 minutes and the staff and crew were great.

Very interesting tour. A great deal of history here. It really brings you back to that point in time, and makes you think of the mindset of the individuals who did time here. I did pass on the audio tour, and did things at my own pace. It was a bit crowded at the time I went, but everyone was respectful and many jokes were shared by all.

Very cool to visit but the 2.5 hour tour didn’t seem long enough. We will have to come back to explore other parts of the island. Very informative staff and interesting talks/audio tour.

A great one day trip place. Book your ticket online in advance. Come prepared with a cap cuz the seagulls here are wild, watch out! Look around the seagulls before you eat. The prison itself is historical and well maintained. Highly recommended!

This is an absolute must do if you love history in you don't its still a great experience. I highly recommend the audio tour. We went in a big group ages ranging from 6 to 54 all of us enjoyed the trip. Make sure to wear comfy shoes and layer clothing.

Great experience - a must see spot for locals and visitors alike. The guided tours are early in the day but audio tours are great too. I suggest getting the first ferry out to get everything you can from the island.

A definitely must do while visiting San Francisco. Highly suggest booking in advance, way in advance. The island itself is very historic. The self guided tour is a must, after that your on your own to walk around the whole island. No time limit in how long you can stay and ferries depart to and from the island every 30 min.

Alcatraz experience was definitely awesome. Short boat ride over about 20 minutes, boat is large accommodates about 500 people. Pretty large island there is a lot to see and experience. Great amount of history to learn. They have night tours as well which I did not do but the eerie feeling was still there even during the day.

I took a tour of the island and it was very interesting! Facilities are clean, sanitizers everywhere and people following the protocols. History of this place is amazing and the the devices available for the tour are great, i love the fact that they they give you the information like a story which makes it really fun.

The park rangers there were very knowledgeable and kind. The audio tour is very informative. There's a tram for those impaired every 45 min. Beautiful flowers all over. Recommend making it a day in order to take your time thoroughly if you enjoy the history and scenic pictures.

Do the tour, learn the history, refresh your knowledge on the historical and modern prison systems. Honestly the value of the boat ride and the experience all together is a steal. Super high value for your money. Also, I took the evening/night tour, which gave me the San Fransisco sunset experience from the boat, which was BEAUTIFUL. Seriously, do the tour. I can't recommend it enough.

My husband and I really enjoyed the tour. It was self guided, and you get audio to go over the prison cells. You could easily be done in an hour, depending on how fast you go. There are some experiences you can do aside from the main audio tour. The night tour does give you some beautiful sunset pictures over the Golden Gate Bridge.

One of the top spots in the city, tickets go quick so either book early before you arrive or try someone like StubHub to see what you can get. The ferry ride is short and provides some great views of the bay area and the audio tour is really well done. We found the additional incarceration section at the end very informative and important. The site is simply fascinating due to the crazy nature of the facility and you simply can't get any closer to things as you can even enter a few cells. Really great learning experience for everyone.

Looked forward to visiting here from the UK and was not disappointed. Great trip on ferry set the scene for how formidable this place was in its time. Audio tour was excellent & brought the place alive. It is good to see the rangers and the restoration projects in progress. Had a great visit & excellent value for money.

Really great tour through CityExperiences (the official Alcatraz Island tour website that takes you to the actual island to explore)! We really enjoyed the in-depth, self-paced/guided audio tour. The meeting spot to depart from inland to the island is at pier 33 where they begin setting lines for tours an hour ahead of time. I recommend getting tickets online ahead of time, up to a week just in case weather changes, so you don’t have to wait in the lines to purchase tickets the day of and most likely will have to choose a later tour time (tickets were about $50-60/person for the day tour). We spend in total about 2-3 hours on the touring the island at our own pace with breaks. It is advised to bring a sweater/jacket as it gets really windy and chilly up in the building and wear comfortable running shoes. You’ll be walking up an inclined slope appx 13 stories to the top of the hill, to the main building and throughout the building. The condition of the building and maintenance of the structure was in great shape, despite weathering through the years and tours. It was interesting to learn about the grim history of Alvarez and fascinating to learn about the infamous prisoners who spent time here. There is a bookstore and gift shop with souvenirs as well as plenty of areas for beautiful pictures of the Sf Shoreline from the hill. Departure ferry times back to the inland were staggered 30 minutes a part, throughout the afternoon and we didn’t have any trouble finding a time to head back. Recommend this tour for anyone visiting SF!

Such an amazing peace of history. I was really enjoying the visit, I would highly recommend going with the guide once you get there, our guide was awesome, and so knowledgeable. You have a museum store where you can buy some goodies to have as a memory of your visit.

Amazing historical site and tour. The audio tour is phenomenal and the walk around the island is extensive. It's all up hill though so bring walking shoes as the shuttle is only for people who really need it.

Alcatraz came to me very highly recommended, and I'm glad I went, the audio tour in the main building is excellent - comprehensive but manageable, a really well curated experience. Apart from that, however, the experience was mediocre, lots of stinky birds if you're into that, the gardens are looking a little tired and some of the older exhibits are in need of some TLC. Ferry journey is nice and speedy, but the whole experience is a little steep at just under $100. The guides and rangers were very well informed and plenty charming.

What an awesome experience. Starting with the ferry ride over with all the beautiful views. We did a day tour and it was pretty amazing and full of so much information. The kids and us did the audio tour which made it more interesting to learn and follow along as you walk the halls. This was a really neat experience and so many great pictures to be taken there and all around.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Alcatraz Island during my trip to San Francisco, and I must say, it was an absolutely unforgettable experience. From the moment I stepped foot on the ferry to the time I left the island, every aspect of the visit left me in awe. Alcatraz Island's historical significance as a former federal penitentiary adds an intriguing layer to the visit. The audio tour, narrated by former prison guards and inmates, was incredibly informative, providing fascinating insights into the lives of those who lived and worked on "The Rock." It truly transported me back in time and made me appreciate the rich history that this place holds. Exploring the prison cells, dining hall, and the exercise yard gave me a chilling glimpse into the harsh realities faced by the inmates. The authenticity of the preserved structures and artifacts added to the overall ambiance, creating an atmosphere that was both eerie and captivating. Beyond its notorious past, Alcatraz Island also boasts breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay. The panoramic vistas of the city skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Pacific Ocean were simply stunning. I couldn't help but pause and take in the beauty of the surroundings. I was also impressed by the well-organized and efficient operations on the island. The ferry service was punctual, and the staff members were friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. The entire experience was seamless, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the island's history. One tip for future visitors would be to plan ahead and book tickets in advance, as Alcatraz Island tends to be popular and can get crowded. However, the effort is undoubtedly worth it. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a fan of the supernatural, or simply someone who appreciates stunning views, a visit to Alcatraz Island is a must-do when in San Francisco. It's an experience that will leave an indelible mark, offering a glimpse into a fascinating chapter of American history.

Fascinating place. If you like history you’ll love this place. Audio tour is highly recommend, especially for first time visitors. We spent about 3 hours here but you could really spend more time just taking it all in. If it’s a nice day, even more so. Dress warm. The wind is what really surprised us. Wearing good hiking shoes helps. But not too many stairs to climb, most just an uphill walk to the main jail.

So worth going! The tour was audio and you had to hike this phone to your ear the whole time, headphones would have been nice. The island seems a lot larger in person. There's some walking involved but it wasn't too bad. There's a tram in case you require assistance. Great gift shop!

Brilliant! One of my bucket list places! Great boat ride over and the tour was excellent. I suggest going early so you can come back on a later boat. We left later and wasn’t rushed around but I could have done with a another hour.

OK, the walking tour was great and gave TONS of information. As homeschooling parents we always look to add fun education bits wherever we go on vacations. The day we were there the west road was open and really was worth exploring. The audio tour did not go there so we paused it and just went exploring for a while. There was a really nice park ranger that was walking around and sharing stories and random facts. Once we got back up to Broadway (the cell blocks) it was easy enough to sync up the audio tour and picked up where we left off before or little exploration. Also, not a great historical learning moment but we watched The Rock before going out there and it made it fun to spot the filming locations.