Guide to Visiting Alcatraz in San Francisco

Planning to visit the infamous Alcatraz prison in San Francisco? Don’t forget to check out this complete guide to visiting Alcatraz with plenty of great tips.

If you’re planning a visit to San Francisco, be sure to head out to Alcatraz. This prison island is among the very, very best things to do in San Francisco! Although an island, it’s located in the San Francisco Bay area just a few miles from the mainland.

Alcatraz, also known as The Rock, was once one of the world’s most notorious prisons. From 1934 to 1963, Alcatraz housed some of America’s most dangerous criminals, including Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud.

Today, the former prison island is designated as a national park and serves as a museum where you can learn about life behind bars. Over time, it has become one of the biggest tourist attractions in San Francisco.

To make your visit to Alcatraz Prison amazing, I’ve put together a complete guide to visiting Alcatraz. Here you’ll find plenty of great tips and important things to know before visiting Alcatraz in San Francisco.

Table of Contents

Guide to visiting Alcatraz:

History of Alcatraz

Originally, Alcatraz served as a military fort from around the 1850s. Later, however, it was converted into a military prison. The US Army used the prison until 1934 when they handed it over to the FBI.

Alcatraz was absolutely perfect, given that the FBI lacked a top-security prison. They were running out of space for the many gangsters who ravaged during the Great Depression and the Prohibition era in the United States in the 1930s.

Alcatraz served as one of the most notorious and best-guarded prisons in the United States for 29 years. There were 1,545 hard-boiled criminals behind bars in Alcatraz. The prisoners had no rights and could be deprived of their bed and light if they didn’t behave properly.

Rumor has it that no prisoner has ever managed to escape from Alcatraz. Nevertheless, three prisoners have never been found after their escape. Although the bodies were never found, the FBI believes they were most likely drowned in the stream of water in the bay. As a result of the financial cost of maintaining the prison becoming too high, the prison closed in 1963.

The island was later invaded by Indians dissatisfied with their rights. In 1972, Alcatraz was designated a national park. The first tourists arrived in Alcatraz in 1973. Since then, it has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States.

Getting to Alcatraz

The only way to visit Alcatraz is by hopping on one of the ferries from Alcatraz Cruises. The boat trip is included in the ticket price and lasts about 15 minutes. Ferries leave from Pier 33 near Fisherman’s Wharf about every half hour.

If arriving by car, please be aware that parking isn’t possible at Pier 33. In fact, parking in the area may be difficult to find. Even if finding a parking lot, there’s often a time limit on the parking meters. Therefore, I highly recommend finding a parking space a little further from Pier 33.

Fortunately, there are many parking garages and public parking lots with no time limit about a 10-minute walk from Pier 33. Another option to reach Pier 33 is by taking a bus or an old tram.

Alcatraz Tickets

Alcatraz is one of the most popular attractions in the United States. This means that the tickets are sold out quickly, especially during the summer months. Therefore, it’s a good idea to book your tickets well in advance. It’s possible to book your tickets for up to 90 days before visiting Alcatraz.

The best and cheapest place to buy your tickets is directly from Alcatraz Cruises’ official site. Tickets include access to the island, the ferry back and forth to Alcatraz, and a self-guided audio tour of the prison. You’ll be able to find all sorts of trips to Alcatraz. But honestly, the standard day trips are totally perfect.

Once you’ve pre-booked your tickets, be sure to show up at Pier 33 at least 30 minutes before the ferry departs. It isn’t possible to board Alcatraz Cruises until you’ve picked up your pre-booked tickets.

Also, note that you must present a photo ID of the person who ordered the tickets. It may be a good idea to bring a photo ID for anyone over the age of 18… Better to be on the safe side!

How long to visit Alcatraz

Of course, this guide to visiting Alcatraz isn’t complete without an overview of how long it takes to visit Alcatraz. The return trip to the prison island takes about 15 minutes each way. However, there may be quite a queue on the way back. The self-guided audio tour of the prison, on the other hand, takes about 1.5 hours.

One of the great things about visiting Alcatraz is that you decide for yourself how long you want to stay. However, it’s a good idea to set aside at least 3 hours including the ferry back and forth to Alcatraz. If you want to avoid the worst crowds, I recommend visiting Alcatraz as early as possible.

What to wear on Alcatraz Island

The weather in San Francisco is extremely erratic and can change markedly from one moment to another. The cold winds from the Bay of San Francisco can easily be much cooler on Alcatraz and the ferry. Therefore, it’s a good idea to bring a thin jacket or warm sweater, even if visiting Alcatraz during the summer months.

In addition to bringing warm clothes for your trip to Alcatraz, you should also remember to wear practical shoes. Alcatraz is a rocky island with uneven surfaces. Thus, it isn’t intended for high-heeled shoes or lousy sandals. You’ll be walking around for many hours, so it’s a great advantage to wear practical shoes.

Practical tips before visiting Alcatraz

Buy your tickets well in advance.
Remember to bring a photo ID for all people over the age of 18.
The ferries to Alcatraz depart from Pier 33 in San Francisco.
Set aside at least 3 hours to visit Alcatraz.
Remember warm clothes, even if the weather is good.
It isn’t allowed to eat on Alcatraz island. However, you’re welcome to bring a bottle of water.
Smoking is only allowed in a marked area by the quay.

That’s all in this complete guide to visiting Alcatraz in San Francisco. Have you ever visited the Alcatraz Prison? What are you looking forward to if planning a trip to Alcatraz? Feel free to leave a comment.

Planning to visit the infamous Alcatraz prison in San Francisco? Don’t forget to check out this complete guide to visiting Alcatraz with plenty of great tips.