is alcatraz night tour scary

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Alcatraz Night Tour - Scary?? - San Francisco Forum

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Alcatraz Night Tour - Scary??

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Hi there - We will be in SF for a few nights, late September and would like to do the night tour (as I've heard this is a lot better)on the Sunday night with our 2 daughters, 13 and 10. I have a few questions regarding the fact that my 10 year old gets scared quite easily (we did a gaol tour at night once and it scared her for months - it was very dark so we had torches and many ghost stories were told - after this she had issues with nightmares :( - if we had known it was a 'ghost tour' we wouldn't have done it!!) ) so basically I am wanting to know;

Is Alcatraz lit up at night or is it quite dark?

Is it a 'ghost tour'? i.e.. will these types of stories be told??

I know this may seem strange for some but I don't want to go through the endless night of nightmares again! I've tried to research these question but can't seem to find the info. Without the 'haunted' side of it I know she will be fine.

Thanks for any info.

Alcatraz is a National Park, not a haunted house.

That said, the evening tour does lean toward the eerie. Is it a ghost tour? No.

OTOH, you know your kids best. We've had reports of people who took their 7, 8, 9 year olds on the evening tour and had a great time. But yours sound a bit more sensitive to spooky environments. Which would make me probably lean toward the day tour.

If you take the first or second tour on Friday or Sunday you can join the "Gardens of Alcatraz" tour which includes access to parts of the island not otherwise open to visitors. And it emphasizes and talks about those who cultivated the flowers on the island -- both prisoner and wardens alike. That might suit your kids.

I was just watching Ghost Adventures: Aftershocks over the weekend because they visited Alcatraz. I remember seeing the first run of the show where very little happened. This was the revisiting of the episode with new interviews where two separate people claimed that something from cells 13-15 followed them home. Creepy!

People will say anything to be on TV. LOL at "two separate people" not just two people. I'm assuming there were many more people than this on that tour, and others who didn't feel they were being followed.

Well, two different groups of "investigators". They weren't on the regular tour.

Who you gonna call_____GHOSTBUSTERS !

It makes for a pretty boring program of ghosts if it's just a bunch of people saying they didn't see any ghosts.

I found it creepy. We also almost missed the ferry (the hospital wing tour we were on ran a bit long) and I didn't love that idea. The darker it got, the more creeped out I felt. It could have been the hospital wing tour though that made me gel uneasy though. Very neat but I wouldn't pick for kids.

My mother spent the night on Alcatraz in the 1930s and lived to tell the tale. :)

Was she in a cell WD ?

She should have been. LOL

It was still an army DB then. Her family was moving to Honoulu and a good friend of her father's was the CO on Alcatraz. They stayed in his home which is now, sadly, a burned out shell from the Indian occupation. As a side story, when they sailed to Honoulu the GG Bridge hadn't yet been built. When they returned a few years later, there it was! She said everyone was on the deck at dawn to get the first glimpse of it and it was amazing.

Back to Alcatraz. One thing that I find fascinating is the families that lived there. Both Army and in its penitentiary days. There were kids that took the ferry every day to get to school. And the kids who grew up there always felt very safe!

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• Alcatraz Prison Tours
• Night Tours

Alcatraz Night Tour: What to Expect from this Popular Tour of The Rock

by Jill Loeffler   •

Updated: March 18, 2024

The Alcatraz night tour offers a more personalized option for visiting this top San Francisco attraction. This is also a great option for anyone who has already visited during the day and is looking to experience something a little different. 

I love visiting Alcatraz at night because the groups are smaller and the only people on the island are the people from your ferry. This way, you can get around quite a bit better and squeeze in more photos that aren't crowded with other visitors. 

One question I get a lot is if I like the day or night tour better. My response is always the Alcatraz night tour.

It's such a cool feeling to be on the island at night, as you get a better idea of what it was like to be a prisoner here. I also like it better because there are fewer people around.

It costs a little more than the Alcatraz day tour and does not run as frequently, so it's a little more difficult to fit it into most people's schedules. 

However, if you do have the choice between the two, go on the night tour. I know you will have a great time and LOVE it! 

Disclaimer : I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.

What to Expect on the Alcatraz Night Tour

Two perks that are not offered on the day tour are the boat taking you around the island before you dock and the simultaneous live narration on the ferry ride.

After you get off the ferry, the Alcatraz night tour starts with a brief overview of what to expect given a park ranger. This is the same as during the day but includes information on additional things to do that evening.

Tip: It can get pretty windy and chilly on the ferry and island at night, so bring a warm jacket or windbreaker. I also recommend wearing long pants and comfortable shoes.

Even though they call them night tours, they are really evening tours as you will arrive on the island before it gets dark and leave shortly after dark.

Special Programs at Night

As you walk up the steep hill to the main cell house, additional rangers are on hand giving details on the history of this old federal and military prison and its famous prisoners .

Just to give you an example of what to expect, during my last visit, they had a very informative talk about Al Capone ( learn more about him and why he ended up here ) at a stop along the steep hill to the cell house. 

After two or three stops for these talks, you will reach the main cell house. This is where you will pick up your self-guided audio tour headset for your walk around this iconic landmark.

Self-Guided Cellhouse Audio Tour

Once you pick up your audio you will head to the main floor of the cell hours on a self-guided tour at your own pace. The audio tour takes you on a designated path where you will learn even more about Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelley, and Robert Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz. 

On the Alcatraz Island night tour, you will explore this former federal prison to see what it was like to be a prisoner here. You will walk past and get the chance to enter a few of the solitary confinement cells. 

You will see the cell block and the cells where Frank Morris, John Anglin, and his brother Clarence Anglin plotted and attempted their escape. Learn more about this and other escape attempts here before your visit .

Along the way, you will see the library where books were stored for the inmates. You will also spend some time in the food service area where they ate all three meals daily. 

Even though it's a self-guided tour, it usually takes about 45 minutes. 

Want to learn more about the history of Alcatraz before you visit? Check out this page  which talks more about the prisoners and life in this maximum-security prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay.

Finishing Up Your Tour

Once you complete your audio tour, you will have some time to explore on your own. You will find a few more special programs given by the forest rangers. You will also have access to a few special areas that aren't open during the Alcatraz day tour.

During my last Alcatraz night tour, they opened some of the rooms in the medical area upstairs, where many prisoners stayed when they were ill. Rangers were also on hand to answer questions and provide additional information about these areas.

You can also roam around outside. You will get some great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco city lights, and all around the San Francisco Bay Area.

They don't publish which additional area will be open during these tours, but you can usually expect to see more of the island on the Alcatraz night tour than by day.

Alcatraz Night Tour Tickets

The challenge with the night tours is getting tickets. They only run a few nights a week and only one or two ferries a night.

Not only do they run on a limited schedule, but they also only allow around 300 people per tour. This creates a more intimate visiting experience, but it also creates a high demand for these tickets.

Limited access to these tickets and this tour also make it a more special trip. 

Alcatraz is part of the National Park Service. However, you cannot visit with your National Parks Pass. You must purchase tickets before your visit.

Winter Schedule: Early November - Early March

During the winter months, Alcatraz City Cruises only runs one tour a night to the island, only Tuesday through Saturday. This means that only 300 people a day can take this tour. 

The departure time is 3:50 pm from Pier 33 and the return time is 6:40 pm from the island. 

They do offer a second tour at 4:45 pm only during the busy holiday weekends. 

Summer Schedule: Early March - Early November

In the summer, they run three ferries. The first one usually leaves at 5:55 pm, the second at 6:30 pm, and the third at 7:05 pm. 

The return ferries leave the island at 7:55 pm, 8:40 pm, and 9:25 pm.

They will tell you all of this when you arrive, so you don't have to worry about writing it all down or bringing it with you.

I just want to give you an idea of how long you get to stay on the island during the Alcatraz night tour.

>> More about taking the ferry to Alcatraz

Tickets for the Alcatraz Night Tour

In the past, tickets would only go on sale 90 days in advance. Right now, they are releasing them about six months in advance so you can book them earlier.

I don't know when or if they will switch back to the 90-day lead time, but wanted to make you aware in case you don't see any tickets for your time frame.

Here is the current pricing (subject to change at anytime):

• Adults: $56.30
• Juniors, 12 - 17 Years: $55.15
• Kids, 5 - 11 Years: $33.00
• Seniors (62+): $52.25

The only place to purchase these is directly through the official site on Alcatraz Cruises ( find tickets ). Book them as soon as you can, so you don't miss out on the amazing adventure!

Your Alcatraz night tour will leave from Pier 33 at Alcatraz Landing, which is an easy walk from San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf district .

Other Alcatraz Tickets

In addition to the Alcatraz night tour tickets, you will also find these other official ticket options. You can purchase all of these directly through the official website for Alcatraz City Cruises. There are some retailers that are also allowed to sell Alcatraz combo tickets that I explain in the section below. 

Day Tours : The day tour is the most popular Alcatraz cell house tour. They run daily (except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Several tickets are available each day. All Alcatraz Prison tickets include roundtrip ferry transportation. Learn more about this tour here . 

Behind-the-Scenes Tour : The Behind-the-Scenes tour is another great option. This one offers a personally guided tour that lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours. It's also a small group tour with only about up to 20 people per tour. It runs during the day, costs a bit more, but is an amazing way to really get to see a lot of Alcatraz.

Note : I get questions all the time about purchasing Alcatraz day and night tours from other venues. There are a handful of designated resellers that will allow you to find tickets when they are sold out (a few are recommended below). However, not all tickets are legitimate. If you are unsure, please reach out to me and I'll help you decide if where you plan to buy is offering real tickets. I usually answer back within 24 hours.

More Alcatraz Combo Ticket Options

If you find that the Alcatraz night tour is booked or you would prefer to go during the day, then check out some of the great combo tour tickets available. These are also great for last-minute purchases or if the day tours are sold out as well.

The one I recommend often is the one through GetYourGuide. This Alcatraz tour package includes the day trip to Alcatraz as well as a 1-day ticket for their Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour. You can see several of our most popular attractions with the ease of their bus tour that takes you right to each one. Find out more about the tickets on GetYourGuide .

Other combo tickets are available on GetYourGuide. They've created a round-up of the best offerings from agencies all around town. Some include a visit to Alcatraz as well as a ferry ride to Sausalito, a wine tour, or a bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge. Find their ticket selection here .

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Alcatraz Night Tour 5 / 5 Read 28 reviews

Enjoy a tour of Alcatraz Island after dark on one of our Alcatraz night tours from San Francisco.

The Alcatraz night tour is a unique program limited to just a few hundred visitors per evening. It includes special programs, tours, and activities not offered during the day.

This tour includes: roundtrip ferry transportation, a live boat narration, a guided tour from Dock to Cellhouse, the Cellhouse Audio Tour, a keepsake souvenir brochure, recreation use fee, and a variety of special programs and presentations offered only at night.

Restoration Alert : Certain areas of Alcatraz prison are currently under restoration. Portions of the West Wall are temporarily shrouded. With the exception of the hospital wing, all areas traditionally open at this time of the year will remain so. The restoration efforts do not hinder daily tours. For your safety, the National Park Service asks that you do not enter the closed areas.

*Face coverings are required at all times in boarding areas, onboard vessels and in all indoor spaces on Alcatraz Island.  Please bring your face mask with you or you may purchase one at the ticket booth.

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Tour / activity details.

This tour does not include hotel pick up. Alcatraz ticket confirmations are sent 10 to 30 days prior to your tour. If you order is less than 10 days prior, we will make every effort to send your ticket confirmation within 72 hours from receipt of your order. Alcatraz tickets must be picked up by the cardholder. If you are purchasing tickets as a gift, please note that in the Comments section. Children ages 4 and under are admitted free, but they do not receive audio headsets. Alcatraz asks that you arrive one hour prior to your departure time. call to order or for more information.

There is a $6.95 USD processing fee per order. This is a flat fee regardless of the number of tickets or tours purchased on an order. There is a service charge per ticket. This charge will be reflected on your summary before you checkout. The total shown at checkout includes any fuel surcharges, service charges and tax. There are no additional charges, unless otherwise specified.

Tour / Activity Policies

Cancellation Policy: There is no refund on Alcatraz tickets or tours. All sales are final. There is no refund if you cancel the tour or if you do not show up on time for the tour.

Change Fee Policy: If changes are allowed on a tour or activity, a $20.00 per reservation change fee will be applied for any change to a reservation. Please note that some tours and activities do not allow any changes. Date changes can only be made only if we can confirm availability on the new date. While we cannot guarantee any changes can be made, all change requests must be submitted a minimum of 24 hours prior to the tour departure and must be handled on an individual basis through our Reservations Center.

Tour / Activity Description

PLEASE NOTE:

**Covid Updates

• Face coverings are required at all times in boarding areas, onboard vessels and in all indoor spaces on Alcatraz Island.  Please bring your face mask with you or you may purchase one at the ticket booth.

AlcatrazTickets.com has been sold out of Alcatraz Tickets for as much as two weeks in advance for most of this year. Reserve your tickets today!

Night Tour Description

Alcatraz has a different look and feel when you make an evening visit to the Island. You'll enjoy the beauty of a sunset silhouetting the Golden Gate Bridge. You'll hear interesting stories about the Island's history and residents. The views of the whole Bay Area lit up at night are truly special. You may even find it a bit spooky.

The Alcatraz Night Tour is a unique program limited to just a few hundred visitors per evening. It includes special programs, tours, and activities that are not offered during the day. The Alcatraz Night Tour includes roundtrip ferry transportation, a live boat narration, a guided tour from Dock to Cellhouse, the Cellhouse Audio Tour, a keepsake souvenir brochure, recreation use fee, and a variety of special programs and presentations offered only at night.

Alcatraz Highlights:

Today Alcatraz swarms with tourists -- about a million a year -- but for 30 years it was the most infamous prison in the country. It housed prisoners too notorious or dangerous to be held elsewhere. Its inhabitants included Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert Franklin Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz. In 1933, the Federal Bureau of Prisons used the facility as a maximum security prison. It was closed in 1963 due to its expense.

Your trip to Alcatraz departs on a ferry from the dock at Pier 33. The ferry across the San Francisco Bay takes about 10 minutes. Alcatraz Island is a 25-acre island located just 1 1/4-miles from San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Upon arrival, a National Park Ranger will provide a brief welcome and orientation. You are then free to explore the island and the prison at your own pace. We recommend that you stop at the theatre to see the Alcatraz video following the orientation. The video provides an excellent overview of what you will see. The 35-minute audio headset tour of the Alcatraz cell block is a real highlight. This tour is available in six languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. During the tour, you will hear stories from former inmates and prison guards as you walk through the cellblock. After the Cell Block tour, there is time to see all the sites around the island and visit the Alcatraz museum and bookshop.

To reach the Cell House, you walk from the wharf up the steep hill on the old service road. The Cell House is at the top of the island. Along the way, you can stop and visit exhibits, see a variety of buildings that were used for various prison uses, and enjoy the views. Access: SEAT (Sustainable Easy Access Transport), is available for wheelchair users and visitors with a mobility need who are unable to walk up the quarter mile, 12% grade hill. Another option is to walk along the Agave Trail. The trail begins near the ferryboat landing on the east side of Alcatraz Island and continues to the southern tip of the island. The Agave Trail passes through a protected bird sanctuary and features beautiful plants and flowers. This trail offers fabulous views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Be sure to bring a camera because you will definitely want to remember your tour to the Rock!

Important Alcatraz Tour Information

This tour does not offer hotel pick-up or drop-off. The Alcatraz ferry departs from Pier 33.

Please note that we will be sold out of Alcatraz tickets many days this year. Order your Alcatraz Tickets today to avoid missing out on the opportunity to see the most popular tourist attraction in San Francisco.

Alcatraz Schedule Information

Departure Times Available for Day Trips to Alcatraz from Pier 33: Ferries depart & return approximately every half hour continuously throughout the day. You may return on any ferry you choose, so stay as long as you like. ***Please check availability calendar for the complete list of available times for each month. Alcatraz tour times are subject to change. If times change you will be rescheduled on the nearest scheduled time closest to your preferred time.

Other Alcatraz Tours Available

We have several different tours that include a tour to Alcatraz. For more information, please click on one of the following links:

• Alcatraz Tour & San Francisco City Tour
• Alcatraz Tour & Muir Woods - Sausalito Tour
• Alcatraz Night Tour
• Alcatraz Ticket & Souvenir Package

The weather in San Francisco and at Alcatraz can change suddenly. It can be cold and foggy one morning and sunny that afternoon. Be prepared, and dress in layers. Fog is common from June through September; temperatures may range from 38 degrees F (3 degress C) to 75 degrees G (24 degrees C).

On-street parking can be difficult to find, and parking spaces usually have a two-hour maximum time limit, which doesn't work for this tour. There are numerous commercial lots. Please arrive early to find a parking space, exchange your E-Ticket Receipt for the boarding tickets, and wait in line for boarding.

What to Wear

Be prepared, and dress in layers. We suggest comfortable walking shoes with grip-type soles. It is an outdoor, uphill walk to the prison. Sunglasses and sun screen are recommended.

Food and Beverage

There is no food service on Alcatraz. Eating is restricted to the dock area. Snacks are sold on the ferries. Drinking fountains are located at the island dock and near the lighthouse.

Alcatraz Tour Cancellation Policy & Terms

• Your order does not guarantee availability of tickets. Alcatraz tickets are often sold out for specific dates and times. Your order is not confirmed until you receive a second email from us advising that the order has been placed and confirmed. You will receive two emails from us; the first will confirm that your order was placed and your credit card was charged. It is the second email that will confirm the availability of the tickets and that the tickets were secured for you.
• Alcatraz tickets sell out very quickly and often far in advance. If tickets for the date and/or time you need are not available, your order will automatically be canceled and your money refunded.
• There are absolutely no refunds on Alcatraz tickets, unless tickets are not available for the date and time you requested.
• There are no exchanges or refunds after a ticket has been purchased or for lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed tickets. So once you buy a ticket, that's it -- no changes at all.
• There can be no changes on Alcatraz tickets. Once you have purchased the tickets, that's it. You have tickets for that date and time, and we are unable to change the date or the time.
• Tickets shall be null and void and of no value unless utilized by the customer on the date and time on the tickets.
• Ticket sales for Alcatraz are limited to 8 tickets per household within any 30 day period. If you order more than 8 tickets, we may need to contact you to obtain an additional name, address, and credit card per each 8 tickets to comply with this National Park policy.
• Resale of tickets is strictly prohibited.
• To the extent permitted by law, the management reserves the right to refund the purchase price of the ticket and to revoke the rights granted herein.
• Please click here to read our complete Terms and Conditions .

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFORMATION

• Please read this information BEFORE ordering Alcatraz tickets. By purchasing, you are indicating that you have read and agree to the following.
• We provide a booking service for purchasing Alcatraz tickets. The price includes our per-ticket booking fee and processing fee of $6 to $10. Your order authorizes us to purchase the tickets in your name.
• TICKETS MUST BE PICKED UP BY THE CARDHOLDER . If you are using your credit card to purchase Alcatraz Tickets, you must be present to pick up the tickets. You will pick up your tickets at the Will Call Window at Pier 33. You will need the credit card used to order the tickets as your identification and a valid photo ID (driver's license or passport). Tickets may not be picked up prior to the tour date.
• There is a $6.95 USD processing fee per order. This is a flat fee regardless of the number of tickets or tours purchased on an order.
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• >Attention Debit Card Users Please be aware that an attempted purchase of Alcatraz tickets with a bank debit card, even if the purchase is declined, will result in a temporary deduction from the account associated with the debit card. This deduction will be credited back to the account within several days of the attempted transaction. The time frame of the charge being reversed is determined by the bank or institution issuing the debit card. Customers with duplicate charges on their debit card must contact their bank or institution with questions about the status of these charges. City Info Experts is not responsible for duplicate charges to any account associated with a debit card. In order to avoid duplicate charges please only click on process order once.

This tour does not include hotel pick up. Alcatraz ticket confirmations are sent 10 to 30 days prior to your tour. If you order is less than 10 days prior, we will make every effort to send your ticket confirmation within 72 hours from receipt of your order. Alcatraz tour times are subject to change. If times change you will be rescheduled on the nearest scheduled time closest to your preferred time. Children ages 4 and under are admitted free, but they do not receive audio headsets. Alcatraz asks that you arrive one hour prior to your departure time. call to order or for more information.

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• Alcatraz Night Tour

By  Karen

Updated December 27, 2023.

The Alcatraz Night Tour

The night tour has been voted the best tour of Alcatraz, and it books up even faster than the day tour.

So, how much better is the night tour, and should you make an effort to get night tour tickets? 

The Night Tour vs. the Day Tour. What's the difference?

In many ways, the night tour is pretty similar to the day tour. But as the sun starts to go down, and the crowds thin out, it takes on a magical quality not present during the daytime.

I'd been out to the Rock many times, but seeing it at night had a very different feel; the prison was eerier and the island more charming somehow.

Plus, it was cool getting to see areas not open during the day and hearing stories about the prison and its inmates from the park rangers.

Included in the night tour:

• Transportation out to Alcatraz on the ferry.
• A narrated tour as the ferry circles the island.
• A guided tour up to the cell block.
• Audio self-guided tour inside the prison.
• Extra programs like guided tours of areas not accessible to the day tours. 

Visitors are also able to explore areas outside the prison, including the Civil War buildings, gardens and the area around the lighthouse and ruins of the warden's house.

There is an interesting film about the history of Alcatraz, shown in the theater on the dock, which you can watch before or after the tours.

How the Night Tour works:

Getting to alcatraz....

The night tour ferries leave from Alcatraz Landing on Pier 33. In summer , there are two sailings out to the Rock (Tuesday through Saturday) at 5:55 and 6:30 pm, and in winter (starting Nov), only one sailing (Tuesday through Saturday) at 3:50 pm (two over the Christmas holidays).

Normally, the ride out to the island takes about 15 minutes, but on the night tour, the captain sails around Alcatraz before docking on the island. 

On the trip out, there's a live narration about the history of Alcatraz and what's available on the island, but I have to say it was pretty hard to hear it over the noise of the engines.

It's fun seeing all sides of Alcatraz, which you don't see on the day tour. 

On the island...

When the boat arrives on Alcatraz, the passengers are divided into three groups so that the entrance to the cell block is staggered.  The first group is assigned a guide, who gives a brief intro talk, then leads them up the hill. 

On the way up, the guide gives a presentation about the island and what to expect on the evening's tour. Then the first group enters the cell block and gets their audio gadget and headset to do the self-guided exploration of the prison.

Same process for the second and third groups, so they don't all arrive at prison at the same time.

The tram is also available on the night tours for visitors with difficulty walking up the steep hill. They run about every 30 minutes, and meet the ferries at the dock.

The Audio Tour of the Prison

When you enter the cell block at the top of the hill, you'll find yourself in the prisoners' shower room, where the audio tour gadgets and headsets are handed out.

You can choose from English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Mandarin and Korean.

When you get your audio device, you are directed to a sign near the entrance to the cell block which says Tour Starts Here  and told to turn on the recording.

The whole audio tour lasts 45 minutes.

The gadget is delightfully simple: red and green buttons. It's either going or not going. Beautiful!

You can pause it any time, and rewind or fast forward. You don't have to put in a number for a location like in many museums.

The audio narration tells you where to go and plays recordings of actual prisoners and guards from Alcatraz telling their stories. 

You'll hear the sound effects of the shoot-outs, clanging doors, etc. Very well done.

Tips for avoiding the crowds...

One  advantage of the night tour is that only two boats go out to the island during the evening (and only one in winter), whereas 15 (!) boats go out during the day, and numbers can build up as the day goes on, since visitors can take any boat back.

But all the day tour folks have to leave the island before the night tours start going out.

Even so, I found the crowds pretty intense, because the corridors are not that wide, and everyone in the group is trying to see the same cell at the same time.

One solution: (which I didn't think of until later)... be one of the last ones off the boat to be in the third group.

Then once you get into the cell block for the audio tour, hang back and let the group start ahead of you.  Start your audio tour after most of the group has moved on.

Otherwise, you may find yourself waiting for a turn to see each place on the tour and trying to peer over people's heads.

Another idea : head outside when you first get to the cell block, explore the island, then come back inside after 7:30 pm (summer schedule) when the visitors on both boats will have finished their audio tours.

Here's what the corridors look like later in the evening (after 7:30 or so) when most people are outside.

It's really cool to wander through the prison when there's hardly anyone around. You can go into the open cells and explore on your own; it's a bit haunting and you can get a better feel of the prison atmosphere.

Special programs

The night tour gives you a choice of extra guided tours to areas not normally available during the day.

It used to include the hospital, but they're doing repairs on it at the moment, so you'll see other areas like the second floor cells and A Block which is usually closed off.

On one of our night tours, there was a guided tour of areas associated with Machine Gun Kelly. 

There are also extra lectures on various topics. For our first night tour, there was a talk on the lives of the guards and families, and another one on a notorious kidnapper sent to Alcatraz.

Tidbit: kidnappers of rich tycoons were looking at $250,000 in ransom money, quite a haul in the 1930's. 

On our second night tour, a ranger gave a talk on the 1930's gangsters' method of robbing banks vs. the modern pattern (the gangsters were more organized, and more violent, and a number of them ended up in Alcatraz), and another ranger gave a talk on escape attempts.

The guide announces the times for these tours during the trip up to the cell block, and they are also posted in the building, near the prison entrance and in the bookstore/gift shop in the prison building.

Exploring outside the prison.

When you finish the audio tour inside the cell block, you can head outside to the area where the Alcatraz lighthouse sits.

From there, you can see the ruins of the warden's house and can follow the paths down to other areas of the island.

Other things to see: buildings from the Civil War era, gardens, and nesting areas for birds.

If it's a clear night, the views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge are spectacular as the sun goes down. 

Note:   There's been a fair amount of construction going on at Alcatraz for the past couple of years to repair the damage done by decades of salty air, but it's winding down now. 

Consequently, certain areas may not be accessible on the night tour, depending where repairs are being done at the time. But most of the areas normally open on the tour are available now, including the prisoners' exercise yard. 

The Birds on Alcatraz

Alcatraz is a major nesting site for large numbers of sea gulls, snowy egrets, cormorants and other sea birds. It's not so obvious during the day, but as the sun goes down, the resident birds come in for the night and the numbers are impressive.

The squawking of the gulls and flapping of all the wings makes you realize just how many are living on the island.

The birds are building nests and laying eggs in April and May, and the chicks are born in June. There's a good map that shows their nesting areas on this  Park Service publication .

Very few birds lived on Alcatraz while it was a prison (the Bird Man didn't keep any birds while he was here; that happened in Leavenworth).

The cormorants spend their whole lives out on the open ocean and only come to land during the spring to nest and raise their chicks.

The Bird Man of Alcatraz didn't raise his birds on Alcatraz. He did that at another prison prior to his time on Alcatraz.

This article contains affiliate links and I get a small commission if you book through them, at no additional cost to you. This helps me provide all the free information on the site. Thank you!

Tickets for the night tour

Alcatraz night tour tickets can be purchased 3 ways:

• Online from City Experiences, the official company that has the tour concession from the Park Service, at cityexperiences.com
• By phone at 415 981-7625.
• At the ticket booth on Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing (9 am-6:30 pm).

Current night tour prices:

• Adults: $56.30
• Ages 12-17: $55.10
• Kids (5-11): 33.00
• Seniors (62+): $52.25
• Under 5: free

Night tour departure times:

As the length of daylight changes during the year, the departure times change as well. The night tours run 5 evenings a week , year-round.

Most of the year,  t he night tour runs Tuesday through Saturday, with two sailings each night; departures are at 5:55 and 6:30 pm.

In winter , the tours leave once a day at 3:50 pm (with two sailings over the Christmas and New Years holidays).

The return times  also vary with the seasons; they're posted at Pier 33 and on the dock on Alcatraz. You can return on any of the boats. But check the notices for the current departure times.

Holiday schedule. There are two sailings a night from Dec 16-Jan 7. 3:50 and 4:45 pm, last boat returning at 7:40 pm.

Getting night tour tickets

It can be a challenge. Alcatraz night tour tickets are the toughest to get because there are a lot fewer of them.

By mid May, they are usually sold out two months in advance, often almost three months, and aren't included in most of the combination tours. But now there are a few packages that include the night tour! See night tour combos below for a list.

Winter is easier; you can probably snag some night tour tickets just a few days away (as of late December 2023, they are available one week out).

Insider tip: the night tour is included in the Behind the Scenes tour, so if the night tour tickets are sold out, check for Behind the Scenes tickets. They tend to be scarce as well, but you might get lucky. 

More info on the Behind the Scenes tour.

Night tour tickets sold out?

There are ways to get  night tour tickets even if they're sold out for the day you want.  

Here are three ways to score tickets for sold out days:

• Check for canceled tickets  on sold-out days on the official website, cityexperiences.com. And keep checking. You might get lucky!
• Check the combination tours (see below) for tickets. Now there are combo tours that include the night tour.
• Night Tour standby tickets . You can still get same-day tickets for the night tour and there's  a good chance of getting on the boat.  See standby tickets  for more details.

Night Combo Tours

Another option:  do the night tour together with another activity, in a combination package.

This is one of the ways of getting those hard-to-get night tour tickets when they're sold out.

Until 2018, it wasn't possible to find a combination deal that included the Alcatraz night tour, but now there are a smallish number of them.

They disappeared during Covid, and are just starting to return.

Two night tour combos are now available (December 2023):  

Alcatraz Night Tour combos:

Alcatraz Night Tour & SF Bay Cruise.

  Go on the Alcatraz Night Tour and do a boat tour of the bay.

Sail around San Francisco Bay, out under the Golden Gate Bridge, and along the waterfront, with a great view of the city skyline.

See Alcatraz Night Tour & SF Bay Cruise  for info and booking.

Alcatraz Night Tour & HOHO City Bus Tour.

Alcatraz by night, plus a ticket to ride the Hop On Hop Off bus to a long list of San Francisco attractions. 

See  Alcatraz Night Tour & HOHO Bus Tour  for info and booking.

Otherwise, you can book a Day Tour by itself or a Day Tour combined with other San Francisco attractions, like the popular Alcatraz/Muir Woods/Sausalito Tour , or the Alcatraz/Bay Cruise Tour .

See Alcatraz day tour combos for a list.

Is Alcatraz haunted?  There aren't any ghost tours on Alcatraz, but there are plenty of ghost stories about it!

Check out the  spooky encounters  some visitors and staff have reported.

Heading home

There are currently two return boat to get back to the city after the night tour, but don't miss the last one!

Return times vary by season. In summer, the return boats leave at 8:40  and 9:25 pm, but the winter departure is at 6:40 pm, so be sure to check the signs for the current times.

They blow a warning horn and do a search of the island each night before the last boat leaves to make sure there aren't any overnight visitors!

We went out in summer on the 5:55 pm ferry and found 2.5 hours was plenty to see and do everything, so we took the 8:40 pm boat back.

It was pretty dark by that time, but Alcatraz is well lit at night, so finding our way back down to the dock was easy.

In mid-summer, you'll have to take the last boat back to see the city lights.

It was so pretty out on the island with the lights of the city sparkling in the distance.

Alcatraz seemed more intimate and magical after dark; not at all scary, but very welcoming and friendly. Almost like being on a private island. Highly recommended!

For information on the other  Alcatraz tours available, see Alcatraz prison tours .

For more tips for visiting the island,   including where to catch the ferry, transportation and parking, see  visiting Alcatraz .

Is Alcatraz sold out , for both the day and night tours?

See my suggestions on getting the tickets .

The Dinner Cruise

If you want to experience the city lights at night from the bay, City Experiences has a fun dinner/dance cruise .

We had a great time on it. See my dinner cruise page for info and photos for my experience

Check rates and availability to book it.

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Alcatraz and Ghost Hunting Tour

Recommended by 98% of travellers.

San Francisco Tour

• Meets near Chinatown
• Free cancellation
• 700+ 5-star reviews
• Starting at $85
• Low price guarantee

PLEASE NOTE : This tour regularly sells out. Book as soon as possible to avoid missing out!

Questions? Text, call or email:

• 415-446-1580
• [email protected]

Get your Alcatraz Tickets here for your afternoon visit to San Francisco’s most famous attraction and then join The Haunt on a real ghost hunt by nightfall. Experience the supernatural with a storyteller-ghost hunter on a nighttime adventure that’s perfect for believers and skeptics alike …

At a Glance

• Alcatraz packages are only available with 4 days or more advance notice.
• Your Alcatraz ticket is for an afternoon departure (2pm-5pm), possible) and our Ghost Tour departs at 8pm.
• You should take the 6:00pm ferry back from Alcatraz to arrive in time for your tour
• Retail price of a ticket to Alcatraz is $45.25. The combo package is $85.

from $85, plus tax

Departure Times

Nightly at 7pm, 8pm, or 9pm See calendar for current schedule

What’s Included

• EMF meter for Ghost Hunter tickets
• Collectible pin
• Post-tour recommendations

What’s Not Included

Gratuities for your guide

Alcatraz meets at Pier 33 at Alcatraz Landing Ghost tour meets at Transamerica Building 

Suitable for children Paid ticket req’d for all

Max Group Size  

25 people  

What to Bring

• Warm layers and jacket — San Francisco is very cold and windy

Book With Confidence

The lowest price. period..

Book directly on thehauntghosttours.com or call our office to get the best price on our tours. Find it cheaper? We’ll refund the difference!

Free Cancellations

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a FULL REFUND . We know that plans can change, that’s why we offer one of the most generous cancellation policies in the tour industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

We regularly stir up energies and interact with spirits.

The tour ventures through some of the oldest and most haunted streets of Chinatown, where residual ghost impressions are felt, poltergeists heard, and after death after consciousnesses are witnessed.

Using our ghost hunting tools, this tour attempts to contact spirits and invite apparitions.

We’ve had guests report strange sensations (dizziness, feeling pinched, tapped or grabbed), hear shrill sounds and voices, see apparitions, and document unexplainable images in photographs from the tour.

Generally no — our tours are led even in rain, unless it is unsafe to do so.

We will cancel if the air is unhealthy according to the air quality index, due to California wildfire smoke.

Meet us by nightfall in the Jackson Square Historic District — a Gold Rush-era neighborhood of eerie Victorian architecture.

Your tour guide will outfit everyone with an EMF meter that you’ll use throughout the paranormal investigation, and explain the types of hauntings and ghosts that we encounter in San Francisco.

From there we’ll enter the old neighborhood, hearing about the forgotten graves and ships buried beneath us.

Down quiet alleyways, we’ll learn of the destruction of the Great Earthquake of 1906, and the residual hauntings that still plague the neighborhood.

At any point, we might detect EMF activity, and we’ll investigate further using tools such as dowsing rods and a Spirit Box.

In Chinatown, we’ll learn of the tragedies that mark the neighborhood’s past, including the true crimes whose energies still linger, from a mysterious death in a historic theatre, to the city’s biggest massacre at the Golden Dragon.

We’ll end the investigation with a ceremony to honor whatever spirits joined us, with a ritual to ensure that nothing follows you home.

Absolutely! We run tours for corporate teams, friends, family, weddings and funerals. Email [email protected] to learn more

We think so! The tour does include some talk of violence and the macabre, but is generally considered family-friendly.

There are no shock/scare moments.

Babies in strollers may join for free, but children ages 4 and older must have a paid ticket.

Yes, we allow well-behaved dogs on leashes 🙂

Sure! Have them book for the same date/time, you’ll be in the same group! We only run one tour at a time.

Explore Chinatown! We recommend:

• Drinks – General Lee’s and Melody Lounge for cocktails and DJ’s
• Food – Suehiro Mini (ramen), Full Moon House (Chinese)

The tour is entirely outdoors, and you are encouraged to socially-distance to your level of comfort.

You are not required to wear a mask if you are fully vaccinated.

Tour guide will carry hand sanitizer for your use after touching our ghost hunting tools.

In short, yes!

We joke that the most dangerous part of the tour is crossing the street. Please pay attention to your surroundings 🙂

There aren’t many unhoused folks in these neighborhoods, but we have respectful interactions when we do meet any.

We’ll end with a ceremony to ensure that no evil ghosts/spirits follow you after our tour concludes.

Yes, the tour is wheelchair- and stroller-friendly.

Refunds must be requested at least 24 hours before the tour.

If you didn’t have a great time on the tour, email us at [email protected] and we’ll make it right.

• Are there bathrooms? Nope, please do this before the tour.
• Can we drink? This ain’t New Orleans! We will remove guests who are noticeably drunk and disruptive.
• Is this the best ghost tour ever? Probably.

Learn more if you dare…

The Haunt is San Francisco’s #1-rated, real ghost hunting excursion, with engaging storyteller guides sharing dark tales of the city’s haunted past.

Explore  the eerie Victorian architecture of the Gold Rush-era Jackson Square under the cover of night.

Investigate  ghostly phenomena with several tools and learn about the different types of hauntings in San Francisco.

Uncover the hidden history of forgotten graves and buried ships as you navigate the old neighborhood.

Delve into Chinatown ’s dark past, uncovering true crime and tragedies that still haunt the are

Participate  in a closing ceremony to honor the spirits encountered and ensure a safe departure without any lingering entities.

Why you’ll love this tour…

Escape The Mortal World

Break free from the monotony of everyday life with an immersive ghostly experience that will leave you wide-eyed and wondrous.

Real Paranormal Experiences 

Feel your heart race as we seek to communicate with the city’s otherworldly residents, open our minds and open the portal to the other side.

See San Francisco Like Never Before

Explore the lesser-known, macabre side of San Francisco’s past, as we reveal chilling tales of tragedy and mystery beneath the city’s beautiful surface.

Enriching Cultural Insights 

Our tour takes you on an illuminating journey from the Gold Rush and Great Earthquake of 1906 to today, offering you valuable insights into the city’s rich heritage and the captivating legends that have shaped it.

Hauntingly Unforgettable Memories 

Share the thrill of exploring the city’s most mysterious sites with your loved ones, while conquering your fears and reveling in the excitement of the supernatural.

Group-Friendly Fun 

Unite your group with an unforgettable experience, as The Haunt creates a captivating, mysterious, and entertaining adventure that caters to everyone’s interests, leaving lasting memories for all.

Award-Winning Guides 

Your tour guide, a skilled storyteller and friendly host, is a wealth of knowledge, able to answer any questions you have throughout the tour.

Armed With Ghost Hunting Tools

Enhance your supernatural adventure with cutting-edge paranormal investigation equipment, as you seek out spirits and mysterious energies throughout the tour.

Safe Nighttime Exploration 

The Haunt ensures the safety and well-being of our guests, providing a carefully planned journey through San Francisco’s eerie streets. Put your mind at ease knowing that your safety is our top priority.

Ghost Adventures with Zak Bagans

Tripadvisor, certificate of excellence, best of the bay, winner - best tour.

• Starting at $49

TESTIMONIALS

What They're Saying...

Getting Spooked by Alcatraz at Night: My Alcatraz Night Tour Review

• Now Week Month

• The Alcatraz night tour is definitely worth checking out if you're into weird travel.

Alcatraz at Night: The Alcatraz Night Tour Review

Alcatraz at night was seriously one of the best tours I’ve ever been on, hands down. I’ve found myself in San Francisco a few times, but I never made it to Alcatraz. For some reason, I wrote it off as “too touristy” for me. This turned out to be a totally wrong assumption.

And then we planned a totally last minute trip to the West Coast and upon doing a small amount of research, I learned that Alcatraz offers tours at NIGHT.

As a self-proclaimed ghost story and paranormal nerd, the idea of touring Alcatraz, this abandoned prison on an island, alone, at night was just too exciting to pass up. In an odd way, I even found myself more excited about this upcoming tour to Alcatraz than actually going to watch the Northern Lights last January. Giddy excited.

It was rainy that day which added to the grim mood of the tour as our boat toured around the island and docked. I looked up and had a flashback to the movie Shutter Island. The sky was grey with rain and my eyes fixated upon the words written in graffiti,  Indians Welcome,  on the facade of the water tower.  

I felt a chill as I gazed upon this abandoned prison that has both stopped time on the inside for many souls, yet also remains a bulwark against modernity and progress on the outside.

The fascinating part about Alcatraz is its taunting nature. It’s not isolated in some remote part of the world like Siberia with no other life. Prisoners here were forced to confront on a daily basis, the fact that life, as they knew it outside of prison, would never be the same.

Stories are told about prisoners who could so easily hear the celebration and chatter of New Year’s Eve celebrations happening a mere mile away.

You can’t miss the remains of the 19-month political occupation by the Native Americans in 1969, an etched history onto the prison.

Ironically when we docked the island, I expected it to feel desolate of life, but it felt oddly tropical with the seagulls and colorful flowers draped in mist.

Our boarding group was rather large so we worried about having any privacy on the tour. When we docked, everyone walked at their own pace up to the prison. We were marched through the prisoner’s original check-in where we were given headphones with plenty of self-guided tour information, instead of jumper suits and prisoner numbers.

The crowd dispersed and for the remainder of the next two hours, we explored the prison, and in many parts, alone. No, it wasn’t too good to be true; we got to explore Alcatraz Prison, at night, and completely independent. It was awesome.

Another perk of taking an Alcatraz tour at night is that a couple of different time slots exist at night. We went on the earlier tour, but you can technically stay several more hours if you wish, so long as you don’t miss the last ferry home.

One last but super AWESOME perk of taking the night tour is that you get to explore the hospital wing which apparently isn’t open during the day. After spending over an hour exploring the prison, walking upstairs to the hospital, everything changed and felt colder and much creepier.

I wasn’t really spooked out exploring the prison and even stepping into the solitary confinement cells. But this was like a real-life horror house filled with hospital gurneys, chipping wall paint, and an eerie coldness. I stood alone in this dark room trying to shoot some pictures, but I’ve watched way too many paranormal TV shows because all I could think about was some presence standing behind me, watching me. I felt a simultaneous rush of excitement and fear.

My husband wouldn’t walk into this room. He didn’t walk into any room alone, and he didn’t step foot in any of the solitary confinement cells. I did though. I live for this kind of stuff, hehe.

I recommend planning enough time at the end of your tour to check out the hospital floor before it closes. There were times when I was roaming around rooms in the hospital, at night, in the dark, all alone. Not going to lie, I wish I brought my EMF detector.

How To Make a Reservation for Alcatraz Cruise at Night

Tickets to Alcatraz can be purchased here from Alcatraz Cruises , and I, fortunately, snagged a couple of spots since we went on a weekday. Alcatraz Cruises is the official ticket holder for the U.S. Park Service which oversees the island.

IMPORTANT TIP:   The Alcatraz Night Tour is hugely popular and often books up far in advance. If you want to tour Alcatraz at night, it’s best that you make an advanced reservation as soon as you can.

BEWARE: There are OTHER tour agencies that sell tickets, BUT they buy them from Alcatraz Cruises and then resell them back at higher prices. So make sure to purchase your ticket from this designated vender.

There are other Alcatraz tours for sale. Another option if this booked up or if you simply want to explore Alcatraz independently without crowds is through Viator, who also offers a Viator VIP: Early Access to Alcatraz Tour . This tour is also unique in that you can beat the crowds and explore independently.

What made the night tour extraordinary was the freedom you had to explore, so going in the morning and having the ability to explore independently is a good alternative to the Alcatraz at night tour. One of these is probably the best Alcatraz tour you can find.

Alcatraz Cruise Boarding

Your tour also comes with an Alcatraz Cruise. We sailed around the island which gives you a nice panoramic view of the island. You board on Pier 33 at the Embarcadero. I was quite impressed with this tour. The operators were funny and super nice. The tour itself was incredibly organized.

You can pick up your tickets at will call or print them out, but be sure to bring a photo ID to confirm your identity.

Alcatraz Cruise Ticket Prices

Check the official website for current prices but they run approximately $40 per adult. What do you do if Alcatraz Tickets are sold out? Click Here to figure out how to see the island in other ways.

More Alcatraz Information & Tips

Alcatraz at night is seriously one of the coolest tours i’ve been on. it blew me away and i had so much fun. i totally recommend it..

Super Creepy

Free to Explore Alcatraz at Night

You Can Visit the Hospital

Might Not be Fit for Children

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Love this! Our son lives in San Francisco and we go up there to visit as time allows. This would be perfect. We almost went on a daytime tour a few months ago but you gave me a better idea.

Glad you found it helpful!

No sh*t! You really looked like the real deal there with that hospital picture. Now I’m scared of you!

Ha yea it kinda freaked me out too when I first saw it

Great post! Really interesting and inspiring!

Ever since I first read about Alcatraz I’ve wanted to visit, I never knew they did night tours. This is now on my travel bucket list, and I can’t wait to take my own pictures of the prison!

Thanks for the inspiration!

Thanks Rob! I hope you can make it, it truly was one of my favorite tours!

So amazing! I’ve been to SF a couple times but haven’t yet been able to schedule in a tour of Alcatraz. The night tour sounds like something I’d really enjoy, as I absolutely love horror/abandoned places and all of that good stuff. Great photos 🙂

Thank you! I LOVED it, I hope you can go next time! 🙂

So awesome! We did the day tour and loved it but the night tour sounds right up my alley with ghost and haunting things 🙂

You have to try the night tour, it was so fun!

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Honest Alcatraz Island Tour Review: Tips for Visiting Alcatraz (2024)

One of America’s most infamous maximum security prisons on an island with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Alcatraz Island is one of the best things to do in San Francisco, whether you’re interested in its history as a fort and military barracks or you’re really here for the Al Capone stories.

Not only will those who visit Alcatraz experience a bleak and unforgiving cellhouse, but they’ll also discover the beauty of the lighthouse and Military Chapel, as well as awesome views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate bridge from this island in the middle of the bay.

Alcatraz prison tours (currently self-guided) will take you behind the cells that housed dangerous criminals throughout the years as well as show you the recreation areas, the cafeteria, intake room, and more.

Keep your eyes peeled for the wildlife as well, as an absence of four-footed predators has made this a haven for birds who want a more peaceful life and today it houses mice, salamanders, and insects as well.

💰 Top tip: our favorite way to see Alcatraz is this combined Alcatraz and San Francisco Bay tour .

Check it out here to save time and money (fast-track lines and discounts that you’ll need once you see the price of the rest of SF!)

What is Alcatraz? Prison Island’s Troubled History

From the dark pasts of prisoners like Al Capone and Robert Stroud to what life was really like on this foggy, mysterious island, Alcatraz Island has a fascinating past.

The island, just over a mile away from San Francisco and situated in the heart of San Francisco Bay, has been used for everything from a fort to a prison.

In the early days, native people in the Bay area would paddle to Alcatraz to hunt and fish from its shores, but it wasn’t until the Gold Rush that Alcatraz was used as a fort in a defensive strategy for San Francisco Bay.

At this point, more than 400 soldiers were stationed here and it was all about weapons and defense, not prisoners (though there were prisoners on the island at this time, in the basement of the fort).

The history of Alcatraz as a prison as it was known in the 1900s began around 1915, when objectors to World War I were inmates here.

By 1934, it had opened as a federal penitentiary for over 1500 men until it closed down in 1963.

Alcatraz functioned well as a prison for security reasons, as the cold and unforgiving currents of the bay meant that escape from the prison, much less the island, was practically impossible.

Today, Alcatraz escapes are something of lore, and on the island you can see replicas of how prisoners attempted to escape, the most famous being the escape of 1962 when three men got out of their cells and used raincoats as flotation devices to attempt to make it to the mainland (their bodies were never found).

Today, the history of the actual cellhouse as well as the other buildings on the island like the Warden’s House, Guardhouse, Post Exchange and Officers Club and the military chapel are all on display at this National Park.

Practical Tips for Visiting Alcatraz

To get to Alcatraz, the foggy island in the bay, you’ll have to do some prior planning to make sure that your journey there and back goes off without a hitch.

How to Book Alcatraz Tickets

The easiest way to book Alcatraz tickets is to do it online on the Alcatraz Island website if you’re looking to do the Alcatraz Day Tour (the most popular one), the Alcatraz Night Tour (where you are on the island in the dark!), or the Alcatraz Behind the Scenes tour (a guided tour).

This review and experience below is of the popular Alcatraz Day tickets entry.

However, if you want to combine Alcatraz with some other San Francisco sights or get unique Alcatraz tour options, read below where I’ve got more ideas of how to make your time on Alcatraz memorable.

Alcatraz Tickets Price (all includes ferry)

• Day tour: $49 for adults, $33 for children
• Night tour: $56.40 for adults, $36.60 for children
• Behind the scenes tour: $101.40 for adults, $97.35 for children

Alcatraz Hours

The island hours range from 9 or 10am to around 5pm or 6pm depending on the time of year.

What’s most important is the ferry hours, which for the day tour typically depart from around 8:50am to 2:00 or 3:00pm (giving you a couple of hours to explore the island before coming back).

Again, you can’t just waltz onto the island by yourself without taking the ferry, so it’s the ferry booking time that you should concentrate on.

Alcatraz Booking Tip

Book one of the earliest ferry times you can. This way, you can explore as long as you want without worrying about needing to come back for the last boat.

How to Get to Alcatraz Island

The only way to get to Alcatraz Island is by ferry, and the sole ferry operator licensed to take you there is Alcatraz Island cruises.

Other tours will either use this ferry to get you there while bringing their own guides along, or they will take you past Alcatraz without stopping on it.

Alcatraz Cruise & Ferry Experience

When you arrive for your ferry to Alcatraz island, you’ll join a line that wraps around quite a few times.

They recommend arriving at least 30 minutes prior to departure time, and this rang true for us in order to make sure you’d actually make it onto the ferry you meant to (if you miss it, you’ll have to wait for the next one which will probably be in another 30 minutes).

When it’s time to board, you’ll show your ticket and hop on.

Spread out and sit or stand wherever you’d like.

We stood outside to get some amazing pictures of the island and of San Francisco from a vantage point that you probably hadn’t seen it from before.

The ferry doesn’t take long, about 12-15 minutes each way.

Self-Guided Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour Review

Tours around the cellhouse are done via audio guide with the Alcatraz audio tour, narrated by some past Alcatraz prisoners and officers.

While much of what you look at is very stark and, well, prison-like, the audio guide really brings everything to life and helps you imagine what life would have been like behind these walls.

At the time it was built in 1912, the cellhouse was the largest steel-reinforced concrete building in the world, largely built by unskilled inmates.

With easy-to-read signs and the audio guide telling you exactly where to go, you wind your way through the rows of cells (you can even go in one), learn the stories of the prisoners who attempted to escape, explore the outside grounds with actually beautiful views, and see where the prisoners ate.

This was a maximum security prison, and there were also areas of the prison for even more dangerous prisoners who needed to be in complete solitary refinement.

This was known as the D Block, and one step inside one of these completely pitch black rooms will give you a tiny glimpse of the psychological anguish that these prisoners would have felt.

Other Things to See on Alcatraz Island

In addition to the actual cellhouse and prison area, you can walk around the island to explore other areas.

Make sure to check out the bookstore and exhibits at the old military barracks near the dock, which were used to house soldiers and cannons.

The guardhouse is the oldest building on teh island, built in 1857, and was one of the areas that held Confederate sympathizers and U.S Army prisoners in the late 1800s.

What is now left of the Post Exchange and Officers Club (it was destroyed by fire in 1970) shows the remains of an area where soldiers and their families would buy food and personal items.

During the federal prison days, it was a recreation hall with a dance floor and bowling alley for the prison officers (yes, they and their families lived on the island too!)

In fact, you can see where these officers would have lived, which was the barracks and apartments about halfway up the hill to the prison.

There was a tiny post office and small market, and this part of the island was fenced off for security of the families during the federal prison days.

Don’t forget to see the lighthouse, first lit in 1854 to help guide ships through the Golden Gate.

It was the first one in operation on the Pacific Coast, and the keeper often lived in a home at the base.

The lighthouse keepers left the island when the island was home to the prison, and the lighthouse was automated from that point.

There are also some beautiful gardens to explore, especially on the western slope below the cellhouse and at the warden’s house, as well as beautiful views.

These historic gardens have been restored by efforts from the National Parks Conservancy and others.

The southern part of the island is closed during bird-nesting season to make room for the animals who now call the island home.

Unique Alcatraz Tour Offerings

If you want to combine a visit to Alcatraz with other things to San Francisco, check out some of these awesome tours.

• One Day in San Francisco with Alcatraz Tour – if you only have one day in San Francisco and want to “do it all,” the best thing you can do is take this tour which takes you all around the city in the morning, then off to Muir Woods to see the redwoods, and finishing up at Alcatraz for the afternoon. Genuinely, this is the best way to work in Alcatraz to an itinerary that would be hard to manage on your own.
• Alcatraz Inside with Fisherman’s Wharf lunch – this tour allows you inside Alcatraz to explore around the island, but it also includes lunch credits for restaurants at the popular Fisherman’s Wharf area (near where the ferries depart). Fisherman’s Wharf is a fun, vibrant, and popular place for visitors to hang out, and this way you can have both your lunch and your Alcatraz tour planned.
• Alcatraz Tour with a San Francisco Bay Cruise – this option , which allows entry into both Alcatraz and a San Francisco Bay cruise, lets you get up close and personal with the cellhouse and other buildings on Alcatraz while also allowing you to take a longer cruise on the Bay.

Is Alcatraz Island Scary for Kids?

Many parents wonder if Alcatraz is somewhere they should take their kids.

With such a history, is it all too much for the little ones to handle?

The historic part of it is really mostly appreciated by children old enough to understand the audio guide, so toddlers and early elementary aged will likely feel “dragged” around here.

It’s not that it is scary on its own, but it is a very intimidating structure and bleak-looking (it wasn’t built to be welcoming!), so take note if you have a particularly sensitive child who may be frightened at a replica of a prison cell or the cold and unforgiving nature of the place.

There are no “actors” or replicas of prisoners or people (besides one example of a prisoner who created a ‘copy’ of himself to try and trick guards into thinking he was in his cell), so nothing spooky will pop out at them during the regular tours, but you may want to avoid the night tours if your children scare easily.

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Alcatraz night tour – tickets, prices, ferry timings, what to expect

The Alcatraz night tour is a unique activity limited to just a few hundred tourists per evening and includes special activities and presentations not offered during the day.

Alcatraz Island night tour is one of the fascinating things to do in San Francisco.

This article covers everything you must know before booking tickets to the Alcatraz Night Tour.

• Top Night Tickets

# Alcatraz Night Tour with SF Bay Cruise # Muir Woods, Sausalito & Alcatraz Night Tour

Table of contents

Alcatraz night tour tickets, what to expect on a night tour, where do night tours start from, alcatraz night tour timings, how long does the alcatraz night tour take, night tour vs day tour, what to wear for night tour, alcatraz night tour reviews.

Since the night tour of Alcatraz is a limited-edition activity, there is enormous demand, and the tickets sell out soon.

During the peak summer months of April to September, night tours get booked several weeks (if not months) in advance.

As a result, only combo tours such as this are available. For instance, this ticket includes nightly access to Alcatraz and a Bay Cruise any day later.

This night tour to the prison off the city of San Francisco starts at three times – 5.55 pm, 6.30 pm, and 7.05 pm.

Once on the island, expert historians host nightly talks covering various topics.

This night tour includes a special “around the island” route, an experience not offered during daytime tours of Alcatraz.

Alcatraz night tour ticket price

Adult ticket (12+ years): US$159 Youth ticket (5 to 11 years): US$149 Child ticket (up to 4 years): Free entry

If you are trying for an Alcatraz night tour ticket at the last minute, rest assured it will be difficult. Check out how to buy Alcatraz Island tickets at the last minute .

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The night tour starts with a scenic ferry ride against the glittering San Francisco skyline.

Wander through the penitentiary walls under the haunting glow of lamplight, where former inmates’ tales take on an eerie layer of intrigue.

The award-winning audio tour, narrated by those who lived it, echoes through the dimly lit cells, sharing secrets of escape attempts and the penitentiary’s storied past.

What the night tours include

Your Alcatraz night tour includes the round-trip ferry ride to and from the Island.

Before you land on the island, you enjoy a guided tour around Alcatraz Island.

The onboard narration points out the hidden spots used for attempted prison escapes and prison structures unreachable by foot.

Once the ferry docks, a Ranger will lead you up a steep 400 meters (1312 feet) uphill walk.

The walk up to the Cellhouse includes many stops to explore the history from pre-Civil War, Military cannon, family life on the Island, etc.

You will also stop for breathtaking views of San Francisco city and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Once you reach the Cellhouse, you explore it at your own pace using the Alcatraz audio tour.

The Award-winning audio presentation ‘Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour’ helps you learn about the Cell House, the inmates, the living conditions, the escape attempts, and the riots.

Once the audio tour is over, you can explore the optional programs and exhibits at the Alcatraz Cell House.

As a bonus, you see the Bay Area all lit up in its glory during your return.

Some visitors who have been to Alcatraz Island during the day and at night found the night tour a bit spooky.

The nocturnal guided tour of Alcatraz is open to a limited set of tourists every day.

You must hurry if you want to book your seat on the nighttime ferry.

Both day and night tours to Alcatraz Island start from Pier 33, also known as Alcatraz Landing.  Get Directions

It is just 400 meters (a quarter of a mile) from Fisherman’s Wharf.

Alcatraz Landing has a ticket booth, waiting area, and finally, the boarding area from where you get on the cruise boats.

During the peak months of March to October, Alcatraz Island night tours sail out at 5.55 pm, 6.30 pm, and 7.05 pm, and from November to March, the ferry departs at 3.50 pm and 4.45 pm. 

Visitors can book night tours from Thursday to Monday during the summer months and during the winter months from Tuesday to Saturday.

Most visitors spend three hours on the Alcatraz night tour.

Since only two ferries leave the island after the night tours are over, you can’t cut short the time.

Most of the days, the first ferry that leaves Alcatraz island after dark reaches capacity.

Tour duration in summer

During the summer months, the Alcatraz cruises designated for the night tour depart Pier 33 at 5.55 pm and 6.30 pm.

The return trips start from Alcatraz island at 8.40 pm and 9.25 pm.

If you start from the earliest cruise departing at 5.55 pm and return by the last cruise departing the island at 9.25 pm, your Alcatraz tour will be over in three and a half hours.

And if you depart at 6.30 pm by the second available cruise, the maximum duration of your Alcatraz night tour will be three hours.

Tour duration in winter

During winter, only one cruise makes the trip to  Alcatraz island , taking tourists on their night tour.

It departs at 3.50 pm from Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing and reaches the island at 4.05 pm. The same cruise then returns to the mainland at 6.40 pm.

In short, a night tour of Alcatraz in winter also lasts three hours.

Occasionally, there may be a second cruise, depending on demand.

There are four significant differences between the Alcatraz day tours and after-dark tours – the night tour is costlier, exclusive, scarier, and offers better views on the horizon.

Cost of the tour

One of the significant differences is in the cost of the night tour ticket. An adult’s night tour ticket costs $7 more than the day tour tickets.

The higher price tag is because of the limited availability and access to special programs.

Exclusivity of the tour

The night tour is more exclusive than the day tour because of the lesser number of tickets.

For instance, during the summer months, 14-15 ferries start from Alcatraz Landing to take the tourists on day tours.

In sharp contrast, only two ferries depart for Alcatraz Island carrying the night tour ticket holders.

The creepiness factor

The creepiness factor of Alcatraz multiplies manifold at night.

The fact that there is a lesser number of people touring with you makes it scarier.

The human guides who take you through the Alcatraz night tour capitalize on the ‘darkness’ factor.

They give special presentations, such as making all the steel doors close together as they would when Alcatraz was a real prison.

The loud sound of these doors closing is disturbing and stays with you even after returning from the tour.

Exceptional views

During the summer months, the Alcatraz night tour starts at Alcatraz Landing Pier 33 at 5:55 pm or 6:30 pm.

In the winter months, there is only one ferry at 3.50 pm.

Since you are on Alcatraz Island during sunset, you see exceptional views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco city when the sun goes down.

During the return ferry, visitors get to see the glittering San Francisco skyline.

Since you will be walking on all kinds of roads – gravel, mud, paved – and climbing stairways, it is better to wear comfortable and covered walking shoes during your night visit to Alcatraz.

Sandals, high heels, open-toe shoes, etc., are a strict no-no.

The weather on Alcatraz is unpredictable and subject to change at short notice, so it is better to dress up in layers and bring along a light jacket or sweater.

If you are visiting during winter and early spring, be prepared for rain.

According to TripAdvisor, Alcatraz Island is the number one landmark in San Francisco.

It is rated 4.5, with some very positive reviews.

The Alcatraz Night tour has also got some great reviews. Here are two such reviews –

Night tour – a little chilly but lots of fun

We did the night tour during the summer and it was amazing. We sailed into the fog and arrived on the island, and after about an hour or so, the fog had dissipated, leaving some amazing views of the city. – Maxsimmo

Night tour was stunning!

Simply amazing! The audio tour was awesome, esp. listening to former wardens and prisoners caught my heart. Recommend the night tour so u can watch the sunset. The best viewpoint is from the entrance to the courtyard. It is completely worth the money and is highly recommended. DominikaSVK

Sources # Alcatrazislandtickets.com # Cityexperiences.com # Inside-guide-to-san-francisco-tourism.com # Parksconservancy.org The travel specialists at TheBetterVacation.com use only high-quality sources while researching & writing their articles. We make every attempt to keep our content current, reliable and trustworthy .

Popular attractions in San Francisco

# Alcatraz Island # San Francisco Zoo # California Academy of Sciences # Monterey Bay Aquarium # San Francisco MoMA # San Francisco aquarium # Exploratorium # De Young Museum # San Francisco Bus Tours # Madame Tussauds # San Francisco Bay Cruise # San Francisco Ghost Tour # The Tech Interactive # San Francisco Dinner Cruise # SFO Go Car Tour # Legion of Honor Museum # Walt Disney Family Museum # Museum of 3D Illusions # 7D Ride Experience

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This article was researched & written by

Shobha Mahapatra

She loves traveling in groups - of friends and relatives. The destination doesn't matter much as long she has her fun group around. She loves to try the local cuisine and clothes and also builds friendships wherever she goes. Favorite Cities: Istanbul, Hanoi, Cape Town, Singapore

Edited by Rekha Rajan & fact checked by Jamshed V Rajan

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• Alcatraz Day Tour

Alcatraz Night Tour

• Bay Discovery Cruise
• Alcatraz Behind The Scenes Tour
• Book Your Tour Now!
• About Alcatraz
• Park Programs
• Alcatraz History
• Alcatraz Ferry Schedule
• Before You Visit
• Accessibility & Parking

The Complete Alcatraz Tour

Duration: Approximately 2 ½ Hours Available: Tuesday thru Saturday. Until March 9th: 3:50 PM check-in. Beginning March 12th: 5:55 PM, 6:30 PM and 7:05 PM check-in.

• E-Ticket Mobile Check-in
• Alcatraz Island roundtrip ferry
• Access Inside Alcatraz Prison
• 45-minute Cellhouse Audio Tour
• Orientation video
• Ranger and docent tours
• Onboard narration
• Guided tour
• Other special activities

The Alcatraz Night Tour provides an engaging evening Alcatraz experience with special programs. This tour includes a personally narrated boat tour around the island; guided tours from the dock to the main prison building; "Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour". Also, several programs and presentations are offered only at night. Visitors may choose to attend one or two during the course of their evening. Enjoy a sunset and breath-taking views of San Francisco as night falls. A truly exceptional experience.

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• Alcatraz Tours
• Plan Your Visit
• Frequenty Asked Questions
• Accessibility
• Check Confirmation

A Terrifying Tour Of This Haunted Prison in San Francisco Is Not For The Faint of Heart

Julian Garr

San Francisco-based freelance writer doing ESL. I love traveling, exploring, and coffee.

More by this Author

Alcatraz Island offers a close-up look at the infamous federal penitentiary, which was long off-limits to the public. Although Alcatraz is now a popular tourist attraction, hearing the tales and stories behind the prison and seeing its inner workings is definitely not for the faint of heart. Gangster Al “Scarface” Capone and murderer Robert “Birdman of Alcatraz” Stroud are among those who served time at the maximum-security facility. Because of its isolation from the outside by the cold, strong, hazardous currents of San Francisco Bay waters, Alcatraz was used as early as 1861 to imprison prisoners of war. No inmate ever successfully escaped The Rock.

Alcatraz Island is located in the San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles offshore from San Francisco. Hop on a ferry to take a truly terrifying Alcatraz ghost tour of this infamous prison! And if you’re really brave, book a night tour…

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If you’re interested in an Alcatraz ghost tour by day or at night then check out Alcatraz Island Information and Tours . Also, check out these 10 incredible places in San Francisco that will bring out the explorer in you. And don’t forget to check out these unique places to stay in San Francisco !

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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More to Explore

Alcatraz ghost tour.

What are some other haunted places in Northern California?

Some haunted places in Northern California include:

• Fort Humboldt Historic State Park
• Battery Point Lighthouse
• Humboldt Brews
• Crescent City
• Chinese Camp
• MacCallum House
• Bodie (one of the coolest ghost towns in California )
• Placerville

After you've completed a haunted tour of Alcatraz, it's time to tour some of NorCal's most legendary haunted places. If you're into creepy cemeteries, Cherokee Cemetery is thought to be the most haunted cemetery in NorCal; there are two different legends surrounding how Cherokee Cemetery earned its reputation as a haunted burial ground.  The first is that back in the early 1800s, a woman or young girl (the stories vary on this as well) was brutally murdered. The townsfolk, outraged at such a heinous act, imposed a death sentence by burning at the stake. The spirit of the accused was said to have been so strong, that even from the other side of the veil he lurked around the grounds at night making blood-curdling sounds meant to scare the daylights out of everyone. The other involves the story of the young child who unfortunately lost his father, and is now believed to haunt the grounds, albeit, a bit more benevolently.

Are there any abandoned places in NorCal I can explore?

Some of the most notoriously haunted abandoned places in Northern California include Point Reyes Shipwreck, Chemung Mine, Fannette Island, Marshall Gold Discovery State Park Jailhouse, and Falk.

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Featured Addresses

Alcatraz Tours Review: Is The Day Or Night Tour Worth It?

By: Author Mark and Kristen Morgan

Posted on Published: September 2, 2020  - Last updated: October 20, 2023

Categories Travel Planning Blog

Alcatraz Island has a story so intriguing that it draws in over 1.5 million visitors each year. But are the Alcatraz day and night tours worth your valuable time and money ?

In short, the answer is yes. But you are not here for the short answer.

San Francisco is not a cheap place to visit and with limited time to explore, you need to know exactly how to spend your time and money wisely.

Not only have we been to San Francisco multiple times, but we have personally visited Alcatraz for both a day and night tour on separate occasions.

You can consider us experts when it comes to helping determine which of the Alcatraz tours is for you.

Let’s dive deeper into what you can expect and why the tours of Alcatraz are worth putting a dent in your San Francisco travel itinerary.

Alcatraz Island Fact File

City : San Francisco

State : California

Nickname : The Rock

Prison Opened : August 11th, 1934

Prison Closed : March 21st, 1963

Annual Visitors : 1.5 million tourists

Prisoner Capacity : 336 (never reached max capacity

Famous Prisoners : Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Robert Stroud, Whitey Bulger, The Anglin Brothers

History Of Alcatraz

Much like the air of mystery that surrounds the entire Island of Alcatraz, the history of the San Francisco Bay and the buildings of Alcatraz make for a dramatic story.

Fort, military prison, maximum security federal penitentiary and freedom all play a role in the colorful narrative of the eerie, forbidding and isolated island a mile offshore in the center of the San Francisco Bay.

Grab a comfy seat and a bit of popcorn because this one is going to a doozy. But our guide is loaded with photos and we hope to inspire you to visit this interesting part of US history someday.

The Founding Of Alcatraz Island

Juan Manuel de Ayala was the first man to sail into San Francisco Bay and lay eyes upon what is now Alcatraz Island.

When the Spanish explorer mapped the bay in 1775, he named the tiny island Alcatraces. At this time, this word meant ‘Gannet’ in relation to the North Atlantic seabird.

But over time, the original name Alcatraces was anglicized to Alcatraz. There has been debate about the exact meaning of Alcatraz, but this term typically refers to a ‘pelican’ or ‘strange bird.’

This term seemed to fit as Brown Pelicans are extremely common in the San Francisco Bay area.

The name Alcatraz feels slightly less sinister now you know it means Pelican, right?! You can ignore this fact if you want the name to retain its mystique.

Use As A Military Fort

Following the Gold Rush and booming of San Francisco in the 1850’s, the US military built a fortress at the top of Alcatraz to protect the bay from naval invasion.

On June 1st, 1854, the Alcatraz Light became the first lighthouse built on the West Coast of America. By the late 1850’s, Alcatraz had received its first military prisoners.

No shots were ever fired from the enormous cannon at Alcatraz fortress and its requirements as a defensive installation become obsolete.

The US army demolished Alcatraz fortress in 1909 and military prisoners at the time built what would become ‘the Rock.’

Punishment To Fit The Crime

Following rampant crime in the 1920’s and 1930’s, Alcatraz was the perfect symbol for the Department of Justice to show its citizens they were taking crime seriously.

The prison was categorized as maximum security as well as minimum privilege and opened in 1933.

Alcatraz would be the new home for those who were incapable of reform or who had gained culture repute.

Native American Occupation

Alcatraz prison was finally closed on March 21st, 1963 after almost 30 years of operation. Its closure had nothing to do with escape attempts (which we will get into later) and everything to do with finances.

It simply just wasn’t cost effective to maintain the prison any longer. Following the closure of Alcatraz prison, the island was left deserted and abandoned for 6 years.

In 1969, a group of Indigenous activists known as ‘the Indians of All Tribes’ occupied Alcatraz and raised awareness of the troubles they faced.

Support for Natives grew throughout their 19 month stronghold on Alcatraz until they lost control and buildings were burned down. Federal Marshalls intervened and removed all people from Alcatraz in 1971.

Alcatraz Museum And Tours

In 1973, Alcatraz was opened to the general public as a museum under the National Park Service and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

You can visit the official Alcatraz NPS website for more information.

Alcatraz remains one of the most popular park service sites and receives over 1 million visitors each year.

Travel Tip : If you collect the National Park Passport Stamps , be sure to pick up your stamp on Alcatraz island. There are two stamps to collect, one for the Alcatraz Island Lighthouse and one for the Golden Gate Recreation Area .

How To Get To Alcatraz From Pier 33

There is only one way you can reach Alcatraz Island as a tourist and that is from Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing.

Google Maps Location for Pier 33 .

Pier 33 is located halfway around San Francisco’s Embarcadero, between Fisherman’s Wharf and the Ferry Building.

Alcatraz Cruises owns sole rights to ferry crossings from Pier 33 to Alcatraz Island under contract with the National Park Service.

It’s not worth looking into chartering a private boat to access the island because you won’t be able to enter the museum.

Pier 33 is also equipped with an accessibility drop off zone for those with special needs.

Alcatraz Tour Parking

If you are planning on driving your own vehicle with the aim of parking nearby, be warned there is no parking available directly at Alcatraz Landing.

You may be lucky to find on-street parking in the Fisherman’s Wharf area, but it can be extremely difficult to find. Every parking space also has a parking meter which won’t give you enough time for your Alcatraz tour.

Another option is a commercial parking lot. There are 15 commercial lots with 3,000 parking spaces within a 5 block radius of Pier 33.

The closest commercial parking lot is 80 Francisco at Kearny about one block away across the Embarcadero from Alcatraz Landing.

However, the best way to get to Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing is by foot or using public transport. The historic San Francisco streetcars of the MUNI F Line run right past Alcatraz Landing.

Planning to visit more of California? Don’t miss our popular guide featuring 23 stops along the legendary Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to San Diego .

4 Types Of Alcatraz Tours

Alcatraz is open for tours every day except Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s day.

When you purchase an Alcatraz tour ticket, the time on the ticket will correspond to your Alcatraz Ferry.

Each Alcatraz Ferry departs for the day from Pier 33 daily about every 30 to 60 minutes beginning at 8:45am for the Early Bird Tour. Keep in mind times will vary depending on the time of year.

There are 4 different types of tours available at Alcatraz Island. Each tour will have a varying cost, access and privileges.

You can choose between the following 4 Alcatraz tours:

• Alcatraz Day Tour (Early Bird included)
• Behind The Scenes Tour

Alcatraz Night Tour

• Alcatraz & Angel Island Tour (currently unavailable)

Next, we will briefly discuss the Alcatraz Ferry schedule followed by a description of each Alcatraz tour.

The last sections of this guide will then walk you through exactly what to expect on both a day and night tour to Alcatraz. We hope to point out the major differences between these Alcatraz tours.

Ferry Schedule For Alcatraz Tours

The Alcatraz ferry is run on a winter and summer schedule. The early bird tour always begins at 8:45am no matter the season, but the summer season will have more ferry crossings later in the day when the daylight is longer.

Alcatraz Summer Ferry schedule

This summer ferry runs from mid-March to mid-October.

• Early Bird Tour : 8:45am (considered a day tour)
• Day Tour : 9:10am, 9:30am, 10:00am, 10:30am, 11:00am, 11:30am, 12:00pm, 12:30pm, 1:00pm, 1:30pm, 2:10pm, 2:40pm, 3:20pm and 3:50pm
• Behind The Scenes Tour : 4:20pm and 4:50pm
• Night Tour : 5:55pm and 6:30pm (Tues to Sat)

Alcatraz Winter Ferry Schedule

The winter schedule for the Alcatraz Ferry is very similar just with modified service. The winter ferry runs from mid-October to Mid-March.

• Day Tour : 9:10am, 9:30am, 10:00am, 10:30am, 11:00am, 11:30am, 12:00pm, 12:30pm, 1:05pm, 1:35pm
• Behind The Scenes Tour : 2:10pm and 2:40pm
• Night Tour : 3:50pm (Tues to Sat)

You can also check the Alcatraz Ferry Departure schedule on the City Cruises official website.

Alcatraz Day Tour

The Alcatraz day tour is a 2.5 hour long tour option which gives you the chance to freely explore Alcatraz Island on your own. A round trip ferry service to Alcatraz Island is included in the ticket.

As you investigate Alcatraz, rangers are stationed throughout the island to help assist visitors and answer questions.

There are many interpretive signs and exhibits scattered around the island to keep your interest. You can also attend the cellhouse audio tour or a themed special program to learn more about Alcatraz.

The Alcatraz day tour includes:

• Doing Time: The Alcatraz cellhouse audio tour 
• Admission to the Alcatraz cellhouse and permanent exhibit ‘The Big Lockup: Mass Incarceration in the United States’
• Entrance to outdoor spaces such as Eagle Plaza, the Recreation Yard, the Sallyport, and the Rose Garden
• Entrance to the New Industries Building highlighting influential Occupation of Alcatraz by Indians of All Tribes
• Close up views of the exteriors of the Cellhouse, Building 64, Warden’s House, Water Tower, Officer’s Club and Model Industries Building

Day tour tickets for Alcatraz begin at $42 for adults and $25 for children (5-11).

During the Alcatraz Night Tour, you get a little more bang for your buck. But the night tour is only available Tuesday to Saturdays.

Similar to the day tour, a round trip ferry service to Alcatraz Island is included in the ticket. However, you will enjoy a narration on the ferry as the boat takes a special route around Alcatraz Island.

At the dock, you are greeted by a park ranger or docent for a personalized guided tour straight from the dock to the cellhouse. During this guided tour, you will learn about the history of Alcatraz and the people who have lived there.

After the guided tour, you can choose to attend the cellhouse audio tour, explore the additional special exhibits or explore the island on your own.

The Alcatraz night tour includes:

• Doing Time: The Alcatraz cellhouse audio tour
• Optional full length programs and exhibits
• Docent guided tours and talks
• Ability to watch the sunset from Alcatraz Island

Night tour tickets for Alcatraz begin at $53 for adults and $31 for children (5-11).

Alcatraz Behind The Scenes Tour

The behind the Scenes Tour of Alcatraz is a unique opportunity and limited to a maximum of only 30 people.

This 1.5 to 2.0 hour small group tour is led by a National Park Service Ranger or expert historical educator.

The behind The Scenes tour is a great way to capture unusual photos and explore many areas that are off limits to the general public as you hear stories about Alcatraz.

After the tour you will also have the chance to explore the island further.

The Alcatraz Behind The Scenes Tours includes:

• Optional programs and exhibits throughout the island
• West side views from Alcatraz Island facing San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge

As a Behind the Scenes Tour guest, you have the two options after your tour. You can extend your time on Alcatraz Island by joining the night tour or you can return to San Francisco on any departing vessel from Alcatraz.

Please note if you choose to stay for the night tour, you will be on Alcatraz Island for about 5 hours. There is food available on the Alcatraz ferry, but not on the island. You will need to plan accordingly.

Behind The Scenes tour tickets for Alcatraz begin at $98 for adults and $94 for children (5-11).

Alcatraz And Angel Island Tour

This 5.5 hour tour offers a round trip ferry to Alcatraz and Angel Island as well as an audio guided tour and an Angel Island Tram tour.

Unfortunately, this the Alcatraz and Angel island Tour is currently unavailable due to health and safety reasons.

Alcatraz Island Tickets

City Experiences are the official provider of Alcatraz Island Tour tickets. The best way to book Alcatraz tickets is directly with City Experiences on the official website.

However, a combination tour is an extremely popular option if you want to see everything San Francisco has to offer. Each tour we mention is an authorized seller of Alcatraz Cruises through City Experiences.

Here are several top rated San Francisco tour options which include an Alcatraz Tour:

• Alcatraz Ticket + 2 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and Night Tour – Explore the island of Alcatraz and enjoy 2 days of sightseeing with insightful commentary from a live guide.
• Small Group Tour: Alcatraz, San Francisco and Muir Woods with Lunch in Sausalito – See everything in one day… the main sights in San Francisco, a lunch break in Sausalito, a walk around Muir Woods and the Official Alcatraz tour in the afternoon.
•  Waterfront Guided Tour and Alcatraz Ticket – Walking tour to top attractions including Ghirardelli, Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 followed by Alcatraz.
• Alcatraz Inside and Golden Gate Bridge Express Visit – Combine visits to Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge into one day.
• Golden Gate Bike Tour and Alcatraz Ticket – Explore San Francisco by bike and visit Alcatraz for two tours over the course of two days.
• San Francisco City Tour and Alcatraz Ticket – Climb aboard an air conditioned coach for a 4-hour guided tour of San Francisco then board a ferry and sail to Alcatraz Island.
• Alcatraz Island and SF Madame Tussauds – This two in one pass includes ferry transport to Alcatraz Island and access to the island itself as well as admission to the world-famous Madame Tussauds wax museum.

Walkthrough Of Alcatraz Island Day Tour

We don’t want to give too much of the Alcatraz day tour away so instead of going into great detail, we will simply give you an idea about what you can expect. You can then determine if this is the tour for you.

We took the Alcatraz day tour in the fall of 2019 and while the tour has slightly changed with one way systems after the pandemic, the day tour experience has remained the same.

Welcome to the Rock!

Upon arrival to Alcatraz Island, you will disembark and find a crowd amassed outside of Building 64.

Also known as Residential Apartments, this 3 story ex-military barracks and prison officer accommodation was the first building to be built on Alcatraz.

Next, a guide or park ranger will explain important information for your visit before you can explore freely. Be sure to listen so you can find out which special programs are available for the day.

You also want to take note of the boat schedules at the dock or in the cellhouse. You need to know when to be back at the dock to catch the return ferry.

Pick a reasonable time to break away from this group otherwise you will be in a very long line for an audio tour headset once you reach the old shower room.

Travel Tip : After you hear about the special programs for the day, beeline it for the cellhouse audio tour so you can spend the rest of your time exploring the island (you will see plenty of signs directing you where to go).

The Alcatraz Prison Tour Begins

Walk up and around the slaloming walkway as you head straight to the main prison entrance. There should be a sign outside stating the start of the cellhouse audio tour.

This will be your first real taste for the prison of Alcatraz. As you cast your eyes on the rusting grey-blue metal doors, you will immediately feel your insides crawl and shudder.

Once inside, make your way to the long narrow and very open shower room. Imagine taking a shower with some of the most hardened and creepy criminals in the history of the United States.

“Hey Mr. Scarface, could you please pass me the soap?”

Line up here until you reach the front to pick up your audio headset which is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Mandarin.

This is where your Alcatraz tour will officially begin. But if you are interested in any of the special programs taking place, you will need to consider your timing.

The cellhouse audio tour runs on a one way system and you should have time to finish this audio tour before any of the special programs take place.

But if you have any questions about timing, feel free to ask the rangers how you should schedule your time. The rangers and guides are incredibly helpful.

We attended two special programs during our Alcatraz day tour:

• Sounds of the slammer
• Escape attempts

Personally, we enjoyed the special programs more than the audio tour because the guides telling the stories were extremely animated. There was also a small Q&A section at the end for any questions you many have.

Sounds Of The Slammer Special Program

The Sound of the Slammer special program discussed a typical cell in Alcatraz along with the different prion blocks.

Alcatraz housed four main cell blocks (A,B, C and D) each with three tiers of cells. Some cells in Alcatraz measured no more than 9ft by 5ft wide.

Imagine a bed, toilet and sink inside those tiny dimensions. This certainly doesn’t leave a lot of room for maneuvering.

Cell blocks B and C were the longest rows and contained the most cells. In between cell blocks, each corridor was a given a famous street name such as Broadway, Michigan and Park Avenue.

Cell block D is where misbehaving prisoners were sent. If they had a particularly serious offence, they would find themselves in one of the six segregation cell units, also known as ‘the Hole.’

Each hardened steel cell door was operated by a series of levers and mechanisms located at the end of that particular row of cells.

Individual or multiple cells (not necessarily next to each other) could be opened at the same time using this mechanism at the end of each row.

This was innovative technology at the time, replacing the traditional lock and key method.

We enjoyed the Sounds of the Slammer because this program discussed the opening and closing of cell doors. But it also included a practical demonstration plus stories from during and after the operation of Alcatraz prison.

Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to open the cell door using bed sheets and a wheel to lasso the level like Sean Connery in the Rock !

Escape Attempts Special Program

Alcatraz was officially dubbed the ‘inescapable island’ but there were a series of attempts.

Did anyone make it our successfully? Well, that still reamins a mystery.

Are you a romantic who wants to believe that someone managed to escape, despite the fact they were in prison for committing a serious and heinous crime?

Or are you a firm believer of facts, logic and physics that suggest no one made it out alive?

The escape attempts special program takes place in the dining hall next to the cell house. If this talk is on during your visit, do not miss it.

This special program was the highlight of our Alcatraz day tour thanks to some fantastic storytelling by the park ranger who led the program.

As you can see, the room was packed full of tourists utterly engrossed in a wide semicircle.

In a nutshell, there were 14 escape attempts made by a total of 36 inmates throughout Alcatraz prison history. Some of the stories are sad while other stories are downright hilarious and full of ingenuity.

We will not divulge any more information here so you can hear all about these crazy stories for yourself when you visit.

Or if you can’t wait, you can read more about each escape attempt here in detail.

Views From Alcatraz Island

For the rest of our Alcatraz day tour, we spent our time exploring the island on our own.

Sections of this tour include walking around external areas, such as Alcatraz Lighthouse. You can also explore the recreation yard and parade ground after the audio tour has finished.

But remember you are in the center of San Francisco Bay, which means you have 360 degree views around the entire Bay Area.

Depending on the time of day and positioning of the sun, you can snap photographs of Oakland Bridge, San Francisco city and of course, the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge.

But don’t expect Alcatraz to be one of the better views of the Golden Gate Bridge, instead you will need to head one of these 5 best photography locations .

Further Reading : Is the Warner Bros Studio Tour in Los Angeles worth it?

Walkthrough Of Alcatraz Island Night Tour

We returned to San Francisco in October 2022 to take the Alcatraz night tour. We loved the day tour so much we just had to experience Alcatraz at night as well.

After experiencing the Alcatraz night tour ourselves, we can confirm the night tour is a slightly different experience compared to the day tour. But just like everything, each tour had its perks.

We took the Alcatraz night tour on October 11th which falls during the seasonal change schedule (Oct 11th to Nov 5th).

This time of year is the best of both worlds because we had the chance to explore areas usually closed at night due to increased lighting from daylight savings time.

A Better Ferry Experience

The first thing we instantly noticed about the Alcatraz night tour was the impressive narration on the ferry as we sailed to Alcatraz Island.

During the entire trip, we learned about the history of San Francisco and Alcatraz. Without giving much away, this narrative is certainly worth a listen.

On a side note, we were starving when we arrived to Pier 33 for our night tour because we had been relentlessly exploring San Francisco. So we tried the snack bar on the Alcatraz ferry.

To be honest, our hot dogs were pretty good and fairly priced considering we were on a tour.

We were also able to fill up our reusable water bottle on the ferry so be sure to bring one and fill up if needed. Water on the ferry is not cheap, yikes.

The ferry had many snacks available and while the line was quite long, it moved quickly.

Already a great start to our Alcatraz night tour!

Circling Alcatraz Island

Another highlight of the night tour, before we even docked on the island, was the route the ferry took after leaving Pier 33.

We completed a full circle around Alcatraz Island which is not done on the day tour. The narration on the ferry also explained additional parts of the island we had not previously learned about.

This is where you will look for sea caves near Alcatraz Island which may be have been important in one prisoners escape.

Look closely at the buoys in the water because you may get a glimpse of a sea lion sunning himself.

Audio Tour And Special Programs

There was only one boat on the island during our entire night tour which was a welcome relief from the large crowds you can experience during the day tour.

The boat was divided into two groups with the first group heading one way on the island and the other group heading another way on the island. Each group had about 100 people.

Our tour guide met us right by the dock and we had a short intro to the island with stops in multiple locations. This small guided tour took about 20 minutes and we ended at the entrance of the cell house audio tour.

Similar to the day tour, we picked up our audio guide headsets in the shower room and listened to the familiar voices once again.

When we ended our audio tour and handed in our headsets, we were met by a docent who was was about to give a special program in just a few minutes.

Perfect timing, we stayed for the special program and chatted with the park ranger. We won’t be disclosing the special programs on the Alcatraz night tour so you can be completely surprised.

The best advice we can give you is to speak with the rangers and tour guides because they always know the ins and outs of the island.

Following our own advice, the ranger we spoke to gave us some great advice about how to maximize our time on Alcatraz island. However, this won’t pertain to every night because programs and experiences are constantly changing.

As long as you attend the cellhouse audio tour, one or two special programs and spend a little time exploring in your own, you have done extremely well. Anything else will be a bonus!

Bonus Hospital Entrance

In between the two special programs we chose to attend, we learned the old Alcatraz hospital was to be opened at 5:30pm which is an area we had never seen.

So we hot footed it to the hospital just in time to see the the rememntats of the Alcatraz operating room, exam rooms, pharmacy and sick wards.

As former scientists , we enjoyed seeing how the hospital operated. This experience alone was certainly worth our visit.

More Time To Explore

Another great part about the night tour is you have a little more time to explore the island compared to the day tour. So even after our audio tour, two special programs and the hospital visit, we still had time to visit a few other areas.

Many of the same outdoor sections were open, but it was interesting to see the buildings on Alcatraz light up as the sun started to set on the horizon. The colors in the sky were just starting to become bright pink and orange.

At this point, we started to watch our time a bit more closely because we certainly didn’t want to be spending the night on the island if we missed the ferry.

Sunset On Alcatraz

Our ferry was scheduled to leave the dock as the sun was setting behind the Golden Gate Bridge. This night tour was the perfect ending to a day in San Francisco.

After we both had boarded the ferry back to Pier 33, we asked one another if the Alcatraz night tour has been worth it.

What do you think we said?!

Are The Alcatraz Day And Night Tours Worth Your Time And Money?

Yes, both the Alcatraz day and night tours are worth your time and money.

Personally, we have to say we were genuinely surprised by how good the Alcatraz day and night tours are put together. We had high expectations but they were easily surpassed.

We would recommend the Alcatraz night tour over the Alcatraz day tour for 5 reasons:

• Onboard ferry narration
• Ferry circles around entire Alcatraz island
• Smaller tour sizes make for an intimate experience
• Ability to see San Francisco bay as the sun sets from Alcatraz Island
• Chance to explore bonus areas often closed to general public

But if you can only fit one Alcatraz tour into your schedule, the day tour is still a great option.

While the prices of the Alcatraz tours appear to be a little on the steep side, we think the price point is fair considering everything you get.

Be sure to attend at least one of the special programs on the day you visit to make the most of your Alcatraz experience.

Famous Inmates At Alcatraz

Last but not least, we have to mention the famous inmates once held in this prison.

Many inmates at Alcatraz were relative unknown as were sent to the ‘supermax prison of the 30s’ because they were escape threats or committed serious offences at other prisons.

However, some inmates were of higher renown and gained a reputation through popular culture in years to follow their time on the Rock.

Here are some of the most famous Alcatraz inmates:

• Al Capone – Gained notoriety as the modern day Robin Hood while making millions in bootlegging illegal alcohol. Nicknamed ‘Scarface’, Capone let the Chicago mob outfit during prohibition but was jailed on tax evasion offenses after being named public enemy #1.
• Robert Stroud – Nicknamed ‘the Birdman’, Stroud only became famous when a movie called Birdman of Alcatraz was made. But he never actually kept any birds at Alcatraz, he kept 300 birds in his cell at Leavenworth, Kansas. A dangerous murderer, Stroud was in jail from 19 years of age until his death in 1963.
• George Kelly – A model inmate at Alcatraz, ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly was only transferred to the Rock after half joking with guards at Leavenworth that he would escape in time for Christmas. His joke was taken all too seriously. Kelly was imprisoned for kidnap and is believed to have only turned to crime because his wife pushed him into it.
• Alvin Karpis – In prison for conspiracy to kidnap, ‘Creepy’ Karpis was a near genius IQ member of the Barker-Karpis Gang along with fellow inmate ‘Doc’ Barker. They would rob banks, gunning down anyone who stood in their way. Karpis spent 26 years on Alcatraz, more than any other prisoner.

Alcatraz In Popular Culture

Before visiting Alcatraz, you might want to watch some of these old movies to get in the mood:

• Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
• Point Blank (1967)
• The Enforcer (1976)
• Escape From Alcatraz (1979)
• The Rock (1996) – Our personal favorite!
• The Book of Eli (2010)

Even the Harry Potter Franchise created by JK Rowling features Azkaban prison which can only be based on one place…

Alcatraz Island Photos

We took hundreds of photos on Alcatraz Island during our day and night tour.

This next section is nothing but photos from Alcatraz Island to further peak your interesting about this fascinating area.

What Is It Like To Visit Alcatraz Today?

Alcatraz has changed several times over the years, from fort to military prison and from maximum security federal penitentiary to tourist attraction.

Now, Alcatraz is run by the National Park Service and the Island hosts hundreds of visitors every day who are curious about its colorful history.

If you’re wondering what it is like to visit Alcatraz now, there’s only one way to find out!

Can I Go To Alcatraz Without A Tour?

It is extremely difficult to go to Alcatraz without a tour. While Alcatraz id open to public tours, the docks at Alcatraz are only available to one ferry line, Alcatraz Cruises run by City Experiences.

The only way the public can visit Alcatraz is by purchasing a tour ticket and taking on of the official ferries to the island.

Alcatraz FAQ’s

Let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about Alcatraz Island and tours.

Contrary to popular belief, Alcatraz prison was shut down due to financial reasons. Millions of gallons of fresh water had to be shipped to Alcatraz weekly and eventually the government decided it would be cheaper to just build a new prison!

The water around Alcatraz Island has an average temperature of around 54°F (12°C) with little variation that would prove challenging for escapes. However, avid open water swimmers do swim across the bag regularly.

Yes, there have been several escape attempts from Alcatraz. You should book an Alcatraz tour to hear the details of these very escapes.

Yes, there are sharks around Alcatraz but usually only Leopard sharks. Man eating Great Whites are frequently found nearby in the Pacific Ocean and rarely venture into the SF bay. That being said, there is footage of Great Whites close to Alcatraz. Would you swim the channel?

If you booked a day or night tour, you should plan on 3 hours for your total visit to Alcatraz.

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We hope this review for both the Alcatraz Day and Alcatraz Night Tour helps you plan your time in San Francisco!

Please let us know if you have any question about the Alcatraz Tours or San Francisco in the comments below.

Happy Planning ,

Mark and Kristen

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Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.

Where Are Those Morgans has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications. Read more about us .

Share this article!

Tuesday 11th of April 2023

Thank you so much for this post! I didn't realize the website I almost bought tickets on was not the official tour company, so I saved money and was able to book the behind the scenes tour that the website I was looking at said wasn't available!

Mark and Kristen Morgan

Monday 17th of April 2023

You're very welcome, Elizabeth. We hope you have a fantastic trip to San Francisco and enjoy the Alcatraz tour!

Sunday 7th of November 2021

Alcatraz is easily one of our favorite San Fran attractions. We've been 2x. I'm always blown away by the walking tour. Absolutely love the step by step information. I always highly recommend visiting Alcatraz.

Monday 8th of November 2021

Yes we thoroughly enjoyed the tour of Alcatraz and would do it again. Highly recommend for first time visitors to SF!

Graham Bedford

Thursday 3rd of September 2020

Alcatraz seems like a great place to visit, so much history in one place. It must of been a harsh place to serve time but also to work, not your average commute.

Mark & Kristen Morgan

You're right, not a typical commute! We were worried the Alcatraz tour wouldn't hold up to our expectations but it did with room to spare. Definitely recommend it if you get a chance to visit San Francisco.

Alcatraz Tours: Day, Night, and Behind the Scenes – Which is the Best Way to Visit The Rock?

Alcatraz Island is known worldwide for its infamous federal prison that formerly housed some of the most notorious criminals of the 20th century. It’s lesser known for the national park unit that now protects, preserves, and shares these stories, and so many others.

That’s right: Alcatraz Island is a national park unit. It became a part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972, opened to tours in 1973, and it is one of the most unique national parks you can visit.

Haunted by the ghosts of its dark past, Alcatraz Island lures millions of people to its rocky shore every year hoping to get a glimpse of what life was like for notable criminals like Al Capone, Robert Stroud (the Birdman of Alcatraz), Ellsworth Raymond “Bumpy” Johnson and more inside their cramped and secluded cells.

There are three main Alcatraz tours offered to explore Alcatraz Island: the Day Tour, the Night Tour, and the Behind the Scenes Tour. Each tour offers different experiences, along with some similarities, and raises one main question: which is the best?

We’re going to break down all three and give you all the inside information so you can decide which is right for you and/or your group for your trip to the Rock.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information, view my privacy policy .

Table of Contents

Golden Gate National Recreation Area Overview

California is teeming with national parks , and a cluster of them are located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Established in 1972 to bring parks to the people of urban settings, Golden Gate National Recreation Area protects numerous diverse ecosystems in and around the city of San Francisco.

It is the third most visited park unit in the country, regularly seeing more than 12,000,000 visitors annually, and for good reason! Sprawling more than 80,000 acres of land, featuring beautiful beaches and captivating coastlines, gorgeous groves of Coastal Redwoods, magnificent military history in old fort structures, and so much beyond, this park is an urban oasis that has something for everyone who recreates here.

There are several individual sites inside of this park, including Alcatraz Island, the Presidio, and more.

The Bay Area features other national park sites outside of Golden Gate as well, like San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument , John Muir National Historic Site, Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site, and Point Reyes National Seashore .

Overflowing with opportunities for exploration, education, and adventure, the most highly trafficked of these park sites is Alcatraz Island.   

When to Visit Alcatraz Island

Most people would expect summer to be the ideal time to visit any national park, Alcatraz Island included, but it’s vital to know the weather in San Francisco often does what few would expect.

Here’s a sample of what you might expect during the seasons in San Francisco.

While the temperatures never normally go below freezing, winter in San Francisco often see’s a lot of precipitation and gloomy overcast skies. More than 75% of the Bay Area’s annual rainfall occurs in winter.

Despite the higher rain chances, San Francisco has a very stable climate, and winter can actually be a pleasant time to visit.

The main perk is that the city and its attractions will be much quieter as winter is not peak travel season, and it may be the easiest time to score tickets for Alcatraz.

The early stages of spring have a chance to see some rainy days, but winter eases its grip on the region as spring blooms and bursts into life.

The historic gardens in particular really shine in the springtime, and you’ll be able to beat the onset of the massive summer crowds that are sure to follow.

Summer in San Francisco usually brings the cooler times of the year. While pleasant temperatures/days can and do appear, there is often an overcast of fog and blustery winds.

Locals tend to refer to the summer months as “no sky July” and “Fogust.” It’s common to see a chilly, breezy, overcast morning, with a clearing in the early afternoon, and fog returning by early evening.

Aside from the temperatures, summer on Alcatraz Island is also the fly season. Thousands of pesky flies inhabit the island, attracted to the Brandt’s Cormorants colonies.

These flies are completely harmless, though they tend to be extremely annoying, and many visitors find this to be an unpleasant surprise, but the bottom line is the flies are unavoidable.

If you’re looking for great views from the island, a lack of bugs, and less crowded times, summer may not be the peak time of the year to visit Alcatraz Island.

This is also when tickets tend to be booked up months in advance, so if you are planning to visit in the summer, book as early as you possibly can.

It may seem odd, but Autumn is what most consider to be San Francisco’s true summer season. This is due to an abundance of warmer days and sunnier skies.

Autumn is also the end of the fly season, meaning a much more enjoyable experience in the city, and on Alcatraz Island.

Autumn just may be the best season to visit Alcatraz Island for the warmer temperatures, clearer skies, and dispersing of the summer crowds.

No matter when you visit, you’ll want to keep a jacket with you. You never know when the chill of the Pacific Ocean air will creep in.  

A Brief Timeline of Alcatraz Island History

A majority of the people who come to Alcatraz from around the world tend to have only one thing on their agenda when visiting “The Rock,” and that’s to tour the Alcatraz Cell House.

Yet, when these visitors arrive on the island every day, most are stunned to see Alcatraz has far more layers of history than just an old cell house. 

In the year 1775, ​​Spanish naval officer and explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala became the first man to document the rocky island in San Francisco Bay.

He dubbed a neighboring island, “La Isla de Los Alcatraces” after observing the immense seabird population dominating the craggy isle, but the name was later applied to what we now know as Alcatraz Island, which also is home to large colonies of seabirds.

Decades later, in 1846, the United States purchased Alcatraz Island for $5,000. 

A Civil War Fort

Little known fact: Alcatraz Island did not begin as a prison, but rather as a stronghold created during the American Civil War as a defensive strategy.

You read that correctly: Alcatraz Island began as a Civil War fort, designed to protect the Bay as the Gold Rush ran its course.

The original fortification was designed with bunkers, tunnels, 111 canons, a fort on the summit, and several cells throughout the island to discipline disorderly army recruits, but the original intent was never to become a prison.

As the Civil War ended, and advancing war technology outran the fort’s capabilities, the future of the island seemed uncertain, until the commanding officers realized Alcatraz had great potential as an actual prison.

The island’s citadel was torn down by its then-current military prisoners, who then built the iconic Alcatraz Cell House atop its remaining dry moat and basement.

This was when the brutal military prison era of Alcatraz began, and the legends and lore of the mysterious and horrifying prison on Alcatraz Island were born.

This military prison operated until the Federal Bureau of Prisons took over in 1933. 

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary

Beginning the era the island is most known for, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary opened in 1934. The reign of the federal prison saw some of the most dangerous criminals locked up behind its walls.

Seeking the stories of those men and the conditions in which they lived is what attracts most visitors to the island today.

The federal prison years of Alcatraz Island lasted for a mere 29 years, before rising costs and other factors finally shut the prison down for good, and its remaining prisoners were sent to other institutions to continue their sentences. 

It was over six years after the federal prison closed when Alcatraz Island reclaimed the world’s attention, but as a sanctuary rather than a penitentiary.

Indigenous Occupation of Alcatraz

On November 20th, 1969, a group of Native American activists calling themselves the Indians of All Tribes claimed the island for all American Indians in a fight for Native American sovereignty.

Their protest and plight reached all corners of the world, drawing support for the Red Power Movement and fueling their fight for over 19 months.

When the occupation dwindled and came to an end on June 11th, 1971, the world wondered, What would come next for Alcatraz Island?

National Park Service

And what came next was the birth of a new national park attraction. Alcatraz Island was added to Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972 and opened to tours in 1973. 

Today, visitors come in search of answers to questions about this mysterious place, then discover this place truly is so much more than just a notorious old prison.

It takes advance planning to get to what’s been called “the most infamous island in the world.” Step one of your trip to The Rock is securing tickets to the island.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area Sticker

Tips for booking alcatraz tour tickets.

Book With the Correct Company

First, you want to make sure you’re buying tickets from a legitimate source. Alcatraz Island is federal land, and those allowed to dock on its shores are strictly supervised.

Simply put, no random person is allowed to drive a boat up to the island, and not every Bay cruise company has permission to come.

PRO TIP : There are several different vendors that will promise you “the Alcatraz experience,” but be wary; there is only one concessionaire company authorized to sell real Alcatraz tickets and to bring visitors to Alcatraz Island: Alcatraz City Cruises.

Whether you’re trying to book a Day Tour, Night Tour, or Behind the Scenes Tour, you need to purchase your tickets online from Alcatraz City Cruises . You can also call (415) 981-7625 to make your reservation.

If you purchase tickets from another source claiming to be “Alcatraz Island Tickets,” you are risking buying tickets that will not actually get you to Alcatraz Island, but possibly just a boat ride around it.

Some third-party sellers will actually buy and resell tickets from Alcatraz City Cruises, but for a hiked-up price. There’s usually no way to know if the risk you’re taking will actually pay off and get you on any of the Alcatraz tours.

We know it’s tempting to try to outsource because it’s common to see Alcatraz tickets “sold out” on the City Cruises website, but just be aware you may not make it to the island.

Check Current Conditions

Check the island schedule before you book. Generally, it is open daily from about 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. but is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

It’s also a good idea to check Golden Gate National Recreation Area’s current conditions and the weather .

Fees and Park Passes

For National Park Pass holders, your annual pass is not a ticket for Alcatraz Island. You will need to purchase tickets from the authorized concessionaire to bring you to Alcatraz.

Why is there no discount? There is actually no park entrance fee to visit Alcatraz Island. You are paying for the boat ride over and the audio tour. Your annual pass does not grant you a discount for these non-entry fee purchases.

Reserve Tickets as Early as Possible

Here’s the best and most important tip for securing Alcatraz tickets : BOOK EARLY!

Tours are often sold out weeks or months in advance. Especially during the busy summer season, tickets tend to be sold out several months ahead of time.

If you’re trying to book last minute, your best chances will always be on weekdays or in slower travel seasons like winter.

Are Alcatraz walk-up tickets available? Are there ever last-minute tickets?

The short answer is maybe. There are times when hopeful visitors are able to buy walk-up Alcatraz tickets from the ticket booth on Pier 33.

This is not a guarantee, though, and more often than not, people are turned away. If you’re planning to gamble on the chance of being a walkup, prepare to be disappointed. 

Lastly, if you check Alcatraz City Cruise’s website early enough, and plenty of tickets seem to be available on your preferred date, don’t hesitate! Buy them at that moment. There is a strong chance they will sell out.

Don’t risk missing out on your chance to tour Alcatraz Island. Buy them as early as you can.

Comparing the Different Alcatraz Tours

Each of the three Alcatraz tour experiences can be vastly different, with some similarities. Knowing the details of what each offer will help you choose which tour is right for what you want to get out of your visit to Alcatraz Island.

Every Alcatraz Tour Includes: 

• A round-trip ferry ride from Pier 33 to Alcatraz Island
• Access to the award-winning Alcatraz Cell House Audio Tour (available in 11 different languages)
• Optional, free park ranger/docent-led programs and/or walking tours
• Entry into other island exhibits, like the award-winning “The Big Lockup: Mass Incarceration in the United States” Cell House exhibit
• Free access to use S.E.A.T, the accessibility tram that can take anyone with mobility needs or health conditions to the top of the island should they need it
• The option to participate in the Jr. Ranger Program and earn an Alcatraz Jr. Ranger badge

Alcatraz Day Tour

Alcatraz Day Tour Rates :

Adults : $42.50

Children (ages 5-11): $25.80

Juniors (ages 12-17) $42.15

Seniors (ages 62 and up): $39.80

Family Pack (2 adults and 2 children): $123.10

The most common and easily accessible of the Alcatraz tours is the Day Tour, and while this may seem unexciting compared to the Night Tour and the Behind the Scenes Tour, this particular adventure offers nothing short of incredible opportunities on Alcatraz Island. 

During the daylight hours, Alcatraz Island gives off an entirely different impression from what one may think. The true beauty of the island is in full sight during the daytime. This includes the chance to explore and truly appreciate the colorful flowers and diverse plants of the historic gardens.

You’ll also see the breathtaking views of the City of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the San Francisco Bay, plus the chance to observe nesting seabirds all across the island. 

Once you arrive at Alcatraz and step off the ferry, you’ll be greeted by a park ranger who will give a mandatory orientation to the island and will tell you all of the things you can experience on your day there, like what exhibits are open, which programs are happening and when, etc.

Some days, programs may not be offered on the island due to low staffing or other reasons, so there is never a true guarantee for walking tours or programs on the Day Tour. If you see a park ranger, know they’re happy to answer any question you may have about the island and its history.

From there, you get to decide how you want to organize your time on the island. More sections of the island are open to the public throughout the day as opposed to the Night Tour and/or the Behind the Scenes Tour.

If you want to go straight up to the cell house for your audio tour, you can. If you want to take some time and explore different parts of the island, you can do that as well. 

Alcatraz Island has so much to offer during the day, and visitors spend an average of 2-4 hours on the island. You can make your trip last as long as you want.

Return ferries will run throughout the day, and you’re free to choose any boat at whatever time you wish to return. 

Certain sections of the island are only open during the day, and these places are inaccessible to those who go on the Night or Behind the Scenes tours, like the North Road and upper level/exhibits inside the New Industries Building (the workshop where the prisoners of the island were sent to work labor jobs).

As of September 2022, the exhibits inside include one that educates about prison labor while the other commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Native American Occupation of Alcatraz (installed in 2019), though these exhibits are subject to change. 

The two best features of the Day Tour are that these tickets are the cheapest option to visit Alcatraz, and they provide you the most freedom to explore more of the island on your own and at your own pace.

Book official Alcatraz Day Tour tickets

Alcatraz Night Tour

Alcatraz Night Tour Rates : 

Adults : $52.70

Children (ages 5-11): $31.00

Juniors (ages 12-17) $51.55

Seniors (ages 62 and up): $49.00

When the sun starts to set, a creeping feeling of the mystique of Alcatraz Island and its dark past comes to life. The cell blocks barely illuminated by a darkening sky give visitors the true sense of the desolate feelings of Alcatraz prisoners who were trapped behind the bars.

The Alcatraz Night Tour offers its guests a firsthand look at the gloomy cell house at dusk and dark. 

When you make it onto Alcatraz Island for the Night Tour, the boat you’re on will be divided into large groups (usually up to 100 people), and you’ll exit the boat with whichever group you find yourself in.

Your group will be greeted by a guide (either a park ranger or expert tour guide), and they’ll guide you up the hill to the infamous cell house telling you stories along the way.

You cannot leave the group and go on your own; you must stay with your group until you get all the way to the top of the hill.

Once your group makes it to the main prison entrance, your guide will depart and leave you to take the Cell House Audio Tour. 

After the groups finish the audio tour, the real fun of the Night Tour begins. Unlike the Day Tour, when you may or may not have ranger/docent-led programs throughout the day to choose from, the Alcatraz Night Tour is chock full of different talks and walks you can attend.

Visitors have the option to check out various topics, like daring escape attempt stories, history talks, and everything in between.

Don’t forget to take some time and explore the West Road of the island to try to catch the sun setting over the Golden Gate Bridge!

You do have the option to traverse down the hill on your own when you’ve had your fill of adventures, but there are also guided treks down if you’re looking for more stories to hear along the way.

If you go on your own, keep in mind you’re in for a straight shot back to the dock area, as sections and paths on the island open during the Day Tour remain closed at night for safety reasons. 

When you look at the Day Tour compared to the Night Tour, the key difference is the freedom to explore more of the island vs. having more interpretation of the island and its stories from an expert guide. While programs like this can be available during the Day Tour, you are guaranteed them at night.

You’ll also have the chance to see Alcatraz Island settle down as the sunlight fades and the darkness takes hold of the infamous and spooky island.

Book official Alcatraz Night Tour tickets

Alcatraz Behind the Scenes Tour

Alcatraz Behind the Scenes Tour Rates : 

Adults : $97.70

Juniors (ages 12-17) $93.55

  Seniors (ages 62 and up): $91.00

The hardest Alcatraz Island tour to obtain is, without a doubt, the Behind the Scenes Tour, and it’s for good reason, too.

These tickets may be the most expensive of any tour option, but you’ll also get the most bang for your buck.

The Behind the Scenes Tour allows you to not only experience the lesser seen parts of Alcatraz Island but to really dive in-depth into the stories of this place through the experience of an expert guide in a small, intimate group. 

Limited to a group size of 30 or less, your tour will start right as you step off the Alcatraz ferry and are greeted by your guide. Your guide will either be a park ranger or an expert tour guide.

From there, you’ll be brought to several exclusive areas of the island, like the last remaining communication tunnel, the lower level of the industries building, the prison chapel, a gun gallery overlooking the cell blocks, the A-Block of the prison, the citadel (often called the “dungeons”) and the prison hospital (some of these areas, like the hospital or the A-Block, may open during the Night Tour, but there is never a guarantee).

The exclusive access you get to these secluded areas as well as the unforgettable stories you’ll hear from your guide are just the beginning of this tour. 

After you’ve visited all these exclusive areas, you will have the option to leave on an earlier departure ferry or stay on the island for longer.

If you need to get back to San Francisco for other reservations or you’ve just had enough, that early departure ferry is a nice option.

Should you choose to stay, you’ll also get to experience all the features of the Night Tour.

This makes for a longer time (an additional two hours at least) spent on Alcatraz Island, but it is absolutely worth it to experience the most of what you can get out of your Alcatraz Island tour tickets. 

You’ll get to do the famous Cell House Audio Tour and get involved in other programs given throughout the Night Tour as well. 

All-in-all, the Behind the Scenes Tour can be a hefty time commitment and a pricey ticket endeavor, but it’s undoubtedly the best way to experience the private and closed-off sections of Alcatraz Island that very few people get to see.  

Book official Alcatraz Behind the Scenes Tour tickets

The Verdict: Which is the Best Alcatraz Tour?

Every tour of Alcatraz Island offers something exciting, and no matter which you choose, you’ve made a good choice.

It can be hard to say which Alcatraz Tour is truly the best, as they all offer something special and exciting for anyone who’s able to secure tickets, and it really depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for. 

If we had to pick one overall, we’d say the best tour you can take on Alcatraz Island is the Behind the Scenes Tour. This not only allows you to get a firsthand experience viewing areas that are not open to the general public, but you’ll also get to partake in the full Night Tour experience as well (audio tour included).

It gives you the most of Alcatraz and the most guidance on the island, and it’s an experience well worth the price of admission.

It is important to remember the Behind the Scenes Tour, because of its limited space, is often sold out months in advance. Walk-up tickets are never available for this private tour of the island.

If you’re hoping to snag a spot on an upcoming date, start trying to book as early as you can for your best chance to go. 

If you don’t manage to book a spot on the Behind the Scenes Tour, remember the Alcatraz Day Tours and Night Tours are also incredible ways to visit an incredible island.

The Day Tour offers you the most openness and freedom to explore the island, and the Night Tour will offer you the most stellar stories and guidance into The Rock’s past. 

Pin Our Guide to Alcatraz Island Tours

Alcatraz Island is a fascinating and haunting place in our national park system. The stories and legends about this place are sure to make any visit to the island unforgettable.

A little time spent planning your trip in advance can mean the difference between seeing the island from afar, or actually stepping ashore and getting to dive head first into an endlessly fascinating place. 

Have more questions about visiting Alcatraz Island, Alcatraz tours, its history, or more? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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Alcatraz Tour Prices | Which Alcatraz Tickets Should You Buy?

This guide covers how to visit the prison on Alcatraz Island and what to expect with each ticket option.

We include what you will see, what to do if Alcatraz tickets are sold out, which tours are the best, and how to find deals on admission.

As local walking tour guides , questions concerning Alcatraz Prison are posed to us on just about every tour.

So, we used our expertise in answering these questions to help create this post.

• Alcatraz Island Tickets
• Sold Out Tickets
• Deals and Ways to Save
• Other Boat Cruise Options

Alcatraz Tours Compared

• Things to Do in San Francisco

ALCATRAZ TICKET OPTIONS

While several entities are authorized to offer Alcatraz tickets for sale, there is only one company authorized to visit Alcatraz Island and provide an official Alcatraz tour: Alcatraz Cruises.

Though several boat tour companies offer guided commentary on the island as they cruise past it, none are allowed to dock there.

Private boats are also prevented from landing on the island.

There are 5 ticket/tour options. We list 4 in the next section below . Click here for a detailed explanation of the night tour ticket .

NOTE: Free Tours by Foot does not offer tickets to Alcatraz Island. Please follow the links on this page for help organizing your tickets.

You could buy your tickets through Alcatraz Cruises or with any of a number of sightseeing tour companies in San Francisco that offer Alcatraz Island as part of a combination ticket .

The National Park Service provides a Cellhouse Audio Tour that is included in the cost of your ferry ticket.

Hear the tales of Machine Gun Kelly, Al Capone (Scarface), and even Robert Stroud (the Birdman of Alcatraz) as you drift closer to the island.

At your own pace, you can follow in the footsteps of former prison guards and inmates.

This tour is very well done and worth the time.

The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour (also an audio tour) is available in English, Spanish, German, Mandarin, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, and Portuguese. The tour is also provided in Braille in English.

You can even experience the audio tour right now.

Early Bird Tour

Beat the crowd, be the first one on the island during the less busy, Early Bird Tour.

Includes a ferry ride to and from Alcatraz (20 minutes each way), a self-guided audio tour of the prison lasting 45 minutes, and time for self-exploration of the grounds.

Most guests typically spend about 2 hours on the island. Departs from Pier 33.

Ticket Prices:

• Adult (18-61) - $45.25
• Junior (12-17) - $45.25 (must be supervised by an adult)
• Senior (62+) - $42.65
• Child (5-11) - $27.55 (must be supervised by an adult)
• Toddlers (4 and under) - Free
• Family Pack (2 Adults + 2 Kids) - $131.85
• Get tickets or learn more .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alcatraz City Cruises (@alcatrazcruises)

Reviews of the Early Bird Tour: 

Alcatraz is one of the most popular attractions for tourists visiting San Francisco, so it's no surprise that it comes highly rated on TripAdvisor.

The Early Bird Tour is ideal for early morning risers as it allows visitors to beat the crowds and still have a free afternoon to pack with other fun activities.

In fact, the Early Bird Tour is so popular that there are only 4 and 5-star reviews written about it. TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 stars.  

The Day Tour has the same content as the ‘Early Bird’, but with higher attendance rates and 12 departure opportunities.

You won’t be alone on the island as you self-explore during these times!

Departure Times (from Pier 33) | April - Early October

8:45 am, 9:10 am, 9:30 am, 10:00 am, 10:30 am, 11:00 am, 11:30 am, 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm, 1:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:10 pm, 2:40 pm,  3:20 pm, 3:50 pm

Departure Times (from Pier 33) | Late October - March

8:40 am, 9:20 am, 9:45 am, 10:10 am, 10:35 am, 11:00 am, 11:30 am, 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm, 1:05 pm, 1:35 pm

Reviews of the Day Tour:

Identical to the Early Bird Tour but with a later start time, the Day Tour is also very well-liked by most guests.

Don't be disappointed with the fact that this is an audio tour!

"Doing Time" is an award-winning audio tour that is described by some visitors as the "best audio tour possibly worldwide" and the "highlight of the tour."

Negative reviews are rare and usually come from guests who find the island too crowded.

If you're worried about this, opt for the Early Bird Tour instead! TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 stars. 

Behind the Scenes Tour

The Behind the Scenes Tour offers guests a much more intimate look into the history of Alcatraz.

The tour includes everything offered in the Early Bird and Day Tour, such as the ferry ride to and from Alcatraz (20 minutes each way), a self-guided audio tour of the prison lasting 45 minutes, and time for self-exploration of the grounds.

In addition, it offers a personally guided small group tour that lasts approximately 2 hours and takes guests “off the beaten path” and “behind the scenes” of Alcatraz.

Also included are special programs and presentations offered by staff as part of the Alcatraz Night Tour, which lasts approximately 1.5 hours.

This is advertised as a "physically strenuous tour" that lasts between 4-5 hours in total.

Alcatraz Cruises suggests that guests eat before the tour, as there is no food service on Alcatraz. Departs from Pier 33.

Departure Times (from Pier 33) :

4:20 pm from mid-April until mid-October | Tuesday - Saturday

2:15 pm from mid-October until mid-March | Tuesday - Saturday

View this post on Instagram A post shared by City Experiences (@cityexperiences)

Ticket Prices: 

• Adult (18-61) - $101.30
• Junior (12-17) - $97.10 (must be supervised by an adult)
• Senior (62+) - $94.25
• Children (under 12) -  not applicable. This tour has a minimum age of 12 due to its lengthy duration.

Reviews of the Behind the Scenes Tour:

This is the perfect tour for those hoping to really maximize their time on Alcatraz.

Though reviews of this tour are limited, they are all extremely positive and praise the tour for offering such thorough insight into the history of the prison.

A really fun tour, but be sure to bring snacks as it's a long day on the island and there are no food and beverage facilities.  TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 stars. 

Alcatraz Cruises offers night tours of the island, departing twice a day, Thursday through Monday.

Departures for the night tours leave from Pier 33.

Be sure to check out our post on other things to do at night in San Francisco.

Night Tour (Tuesdays - Saturdays at 5:55 pm and 6:30 pm)

This tour offers more features than the Early Bird Tour and Day Tour for a little extra money.

On the night tour, you receive a narrated boat ride to the island to learn more about the history of Alcatraz, before it was a prison.

You also receive a guided tour from a specially trained National Park Ranger.

Additionally, Alcatraz Prison hosts special talks and lectures during the evening tours that are not offered during the day.

The 6:30 pm (18:30) departure time limits your time allowed on the island. The last ferry leaving Alcatraz departs at 9:25 pm (21:25).

Winter hours are at 3:50 pm from Tuesday - to Saturday.

They also have a holiday schedule from Late November to early January which includes an additional time slot at 4:45 pm.

• Adult (18-61) - $56.30
• Junior (12-17) - $55.10 (must be supervised by an adult)
• Senior (62+) - $52.25
• Child (5-11) - $33 (must be supervised by an adult)
• Learn how to get the night tour .

Reviews of the Night Tour:

The Night Tour of Alcatraz is especially highly rated as it includes perks not otherwise included in the daytime tours.

For example, visitors of the Night Tour comment on the added pleasure of seeing the skyline and two bridges on a clear evening as they return to the mainland, as well as visiting the hospital and cell lockdown.

Though this is not a ghost tour, some guests report that they found the Night Tour to be a bit creepy, especially when visiting the solitary confinement area.

However, most seem to think the experience is more educational and interesting rather than scary, so it really just comes down to personal preference! TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 stars. 

How scary is the Alcatraz night tour?

Alcatraz is a national park and not a spooky place, so there is nothing to feel frightened about.

That said, many people have reported an eerie feeling when walking around the prison after dark.

Is the Alcatraz night tour better than the day tour?

Visitors can view areas of Alcatraz prison that are typically off-limits during the day on the Alcatraz night tour.

However, the majority of Alcatraz Island's outdoor activities and viewpoints are inaccessible during the night trip.

So It all depends on your personal opinion.

How long does the night tour take?

Night tours last for around 2.5 - 3 hours.

Alcatraz & Angel Island Tour (Seasonal)  

This is a combination tour that visits 2 of the most well-known islands in the Bay Area: Alcatraz and Angel Island.

The tour includes the ferry ride to and from Alcatraz and Angel Island, a self-guided audio tour of the prison lasting 45 minutes, and a one-hour narrated Tram Tour of Angel Island.

The total tour lasts approximately 5.5 hours and departs from Pier 33.

NOTE: This tour option is not currently available, but it might be offered again in the future.

• Adult (18-61) - $78.65
• Junior (12-17) - $78.65 (must be supervised by an adult)
• Senior (62+) - $76.40
• Child (5-11) - $52.40 (must be supervised by an adult)

Reviews of Alcatraz & Angel Island Tour: 

Though only offered seasonally, this tour is also extremely popular with guests who want to experience Alcatraz but also witness the beautiful scenery available on Angel Island.

Many reviewers write that they opted to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on Angel Island after their Alcatraz visit - making for a perfect afternoon!

TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 stars.  

HOW TO BUY TICKETS:

There are 3 options to purchase tickets to Alcatraz Island. There is also a chance for standby tickets .

This section will provide details about each ticket option and tips on which options you might want to choose.

1. Buy Direct Tickets

First, you can get tickets directly from the Alcatraz Cruises website . This is the most common way to purchase.

Unless you are planning on purchasing a bus, bike, or boat combo ticket , this is also the most affordable option.

We recommend that you get your tickets at least 90 days in advance, as they tend to sell out very quickly during the busy season (summer and holidays).

If tickets are sold out, there are some other ways to get tickets. Read our section below .

2. Get a Combination Package

Second, you can also obtain a ticket to Alcatraz as part of a combo package with other tours, such as a hop-on-hop-off bus, popular attractions, and/or for a day trip to Muir Woods or Wine Country.

These combo packages are an excellent option for anyone who wants to enjoy multiple activities.

They are also typically a bit more affordable than 3rd party vendors, as there are not as many fees involved.

Check out our section on Tour Company Combos to learn more.

3. Third Party Vendors

Lastly, you can buy tickets from a 3rd party vendor. These companies buy bulk tickets from Alcatraz Cruises, so their prices may be slightly higher.

One of the biggest 3rd party vendors is none other than Stubhub, and they sell day tickets , night tickets , and (sometimes) behind-the-scenes tickets for around $10-$15 more on average.

There are reports that the 3rd party vendors selling these tickets may not technically be allowed to do so.

However, they have been selling Alcatraz tickets this way for years, and Stubhub themselves have set up individual pages for these tours.

Chances are that even if it's frowned upon, StubHub still allows it.

If you are planning to buy 3rd party, we recommend comparing prices with those offered in combination packages .

When you factor in fees from Stubhub, combo deals could easily be more affordable!

Near Pier 39 you can find 3rd party vendors that typically sell pre-arranged packages, which means you’ll have to buy Alcatraz tickets along with something else, usually a Bay cruise).

NOTE: Free Tours by Foot does not offer tickets to Alcatraz Island.  Please follow the links on this page for help organizing your tickets.

What pier do Alcatraz tours depart from?

The Alcatraz Cruises boats depart from Pier 33, on the northern waterfront of San Francisco.

NOTE: All boarding members must have an ID present to board with their ticket. 

Regardless of which form of transportation you choose to get here, we recommend using this Google Maps link for directions to the pier .

Streetcar ($2.25):

In our opinion, this is the easiest way to get to Pier 33.

If you are starting your trip anywhere on Market Street or along the waterfront, the streetcar can take you right to Pier 33.

Just get off at the Bay Street Station.

See our post on how to ride the streetcars  to get more information on schedules, maps, and prices.

Bus ($3.00):

There are three Muni buses you can take. Click on any of these links to go to a route map and schedule for each bus.

• 10 Townsend (only weekends)
• 8X Bayshore Express
• 82X Presidio & Wharves Express

NOTE: 10 Townsend and 82X Presidio & Wharves Express are currently suspended, and we do not know when they will return to full service.

You can drive directly to Pier 33 and you can get dropped off right in front of the boat loading zone.

You can reserve a guaranteed parking space in advance through Spot Hero .

We have also put together a map of the closest parking lots in the area:

Note: If you have to park, be sure to arrive early! We would suggest arriving up to 45 minutes before your scheduled departure.

Parking can be extremely difficult along the waterfront, especially in the busy spring and summer months.

You don’t want to miss your departure time, so be sure to give yourself enough time to find parking and walk to the dock.

How much time do you need for an Alcatraz Tour

An Alcatraz tour is a four-part trip:

1. The ferry ride to Alcatraz 2. The audio tour of the prison 3. Exploring the island 4. The ferry ride home

The ferry ride takes about 20 minutes each way. The audio tour is a 45-minute self-guided tour.

The biggest variable in how long your journey will take is your exploration of the island.

While on Alcatraz, we would encourage you to take one of the many ranger-led talks in the prison dining hall.

These talks usually run for about 20 minutes and cover topics as wide-ranging as escape attempts, the types of plants on the island, and the history of the island itself.

In general, we would recommend that you plan about 2.5 hours for the entire trip.

Can you walk around Alcatraz without a tour guide?

Yes, Alcatraz tickets includes the ferry transportation service by Alcatraz City Cruises and the cellhouse audio tour provided by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy which can help you to get around Alcatraz on your own.

How long are Alcatraz tours?

A tour lasts for 2.5 to 5.5 hours depending upon the tour you select.

Can you take the ferry to Alcatraz without a tour?

Yes, Alcatraz City Cruises offers ferry services to Alcatraz Island which can be used to reach.

Is there a lot of walking at Alcatraz?

Yes, the roads and walkways on the Island are steep. Also, the distance and elevation change make the overall trip equivalent to climbing a 13-story building.

For those with mobility concerns, the island offers tram services.

SOLD OUT TOUR/LAST-MINUTE TICKETS

Due to the island's huge popularity, Alcatraz Cruises advises visitors to book their tickets 90 days in advance, especially during high season.

However, for those who aren't able to secure tickets ahead of time, there are a few last-minute booking options.

Buy a Combination Tour Ticket:

This is the option if your time is worth more than your money.

Several companies sell combo tour tickets that combine Alcatraz with other tours, such as a hop-on-hop-off tour, or an activity, such as a day trip to Muir Woods or Napa Valley.

This is a reliable option, as many of these companies buy tickets in bulk to have certainty for their guests.

Therefore, when Alcatraz Cruises is sold out, these companies may not be.

Check out our combo ticket section to find out more.

Check for Cancelled Tickets:

Alcatraz Cruises updates its website several times a day to add tickets that have been canceled by guests.

Be sure to check their website periodically to see if your preferred dates open up.

Same-Day Tickets from Alcatraz Cruises:

Alcatraz Cruises tickets are often sold out months in advance and they no longer offer same-day ticket options for walk-up guests.

Standby Tickets for the Night Tour:

Guests can also get standby tickets for the night tour by lining up before the box office opens at 7:30 a.m.

You are then given a standby ticket and told to come back right before 5:55 pm and 6:30 pm departures to see if there are any no-shows.

The standby tickets are honored in the order by which they were purchased in the morning, from first to last.

Due to its popularity, a very limited number of tickets are available via standby every day.

This option is also a gamble, as you are not guaranteed tickets, even if you get standby status.

Tickets for the night tour are usually  available on StubHub , but you will pay more for these.

NOTE: Purchasing tickets on StubHub is apparently against the no re-selling rules, but considering that there seem to be no complaints online, it doesn't appear to be enforced. StubHub also guarantees refunds for tickets.

People also sell Alcatraz tickets on Craigslist, but we do not recommend this option as the chances of a scam are high.

TOUR COMPANY COMBO TICKETS 

Combo packages are actually one of the easiest methods for getting your tickets to Alcatraz Island.

You can get tickets to the island separately, but they are very popular and can be difficult to obtain.

Alternatively, a combo tour helps guests secure Alcatraz tickets, while also enjoying other popular sites.

Below, we list 3 affordable options. There are many more options to choose from if these don't suffice.

TIP: If you are thinking about a tourist combo ticket or pass, you should read our comparison post to help understand which one, if any, is best for you.

Even though Alcatraz Island Tour tickets are not included, some include boat trips around the island.

Big Bus and Skyline Sightseeing combine their hop-on-hop-off bus tours of the city with a ticket to Alcatraz and offer the best value for most readers.

Extranomical Tours and Tower Tours, on the other hand, combine other day trips such as Muir Woods and Wine Country with an Alcatraz ticket.

Learn more about combination tours by checking out our pages on day trips to Muir Woods , Yosemite , Sausalito , Sonoma Valley , and Napa Valley .

Skyline Sightseeing Tours (formerly City Sightseeing)

Skyline Sightseeing offers an Alcatraz Combo Tour which includes a 3-day hop-on-hop-off tour featuring 4 different loops: The Official City Tour, Downtown San Francisco Tour, San Francisco Night Tour, and Sausalito Bus Tour.

The ticket also comes with an Alcatraz Island tour, which includes transportation to and from Alcatraz, a 45-minute audio tour, and free time to explore on your own.

This option is very similar to what Big Bus has to offer, though it is a 2-day pass rather than a 24-hour pass.

Combo Tours: 

San Francisco Hop-on, Hop-off Alcatraz Tour    

Online prices:

• Adult $139.99
• Child $104.99

Reviews: 

Skyline Sightseeing is a very popular tour company with a fairly good reputation.

The quality of the guided commentary varies depending on the driver, though most visitors find it informative and enjoyable.

Some guests had trouble hearing the driver due to a poor PA system on the bus.

However, most of those comments come from several months ago, suggesting that the problem has likely been remedied.

Overall, visitors who traveled with Skyline Sightseeing found the experience very enjoyable and straightforward. TripAdvisor Rating: 3.5 stars.

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Big Bus Tours 

Big Bus Tours offers an Alcatraz Package Tour that combines an Alcatraz Island ticket with a 1-day hop-on-hop-off Big Bus Tour.

The latter includes a live English-speaking guide, pre-recorded commentary in 10 different languages, drop-off and pick-up at 20 different key landmarks, and a voucher for free 'pint and play'.

Buses are meant to arrive at each stop every 10-20 minutes, making it extremely easy to travel around the city.

Additionally, guests also receive a ticket for the Alcatraz Day Tour at an available time.

This package isn't quite the cheapest package (at least during the summer), but it just may be the best value out there.

Alcatraz Combo Ticket

• Alcatraz Ferry and Entrance Ticket
• Big Bus Premium Ticket (good for 1 day of hop-on-hop-off bus service)
• Free walking tour
• 1-Hour Bike Rental
• $120 for Adults (online price)

Big Bus Tours receives lots of positive feedback for their reasonable prices and ease of transportation.

While reviewers recommend this package for all of its activities (kid-friendly!), there is a consistent complaint of buses taking more than the 10-20 minutes promised to reach certain stops during high traffic or busy weekends.

However, guests who were aware of potential delays found the issue less problematic.

We recommend this package for the planner who knows how to use a map and plan a day to maximize time, since hopping on and off this bus to cross the city may eat up a lot of it.

TripAdvisor Rating: 4 stars.

This company is relatively new to San Francisco, but they have a great reputation internationally and so far have received several excellent reviews for tours offered in the Bay Area.

Currently, they are offering a combo ticket which includes a ticket to Alcatraz Island along with a Chinatown tour and a visit to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.

This is a great alternative to some of the other combo deals because it doesn't require you to take a day trip or pay for a hop hop off bus tour.

• $104 per person
• Availability: Sun & Sat
• Hours: 10 am - 6 pm
• Duration: 4 hours
• Includes Alcatraz Island ticket.
• Includes Chinatown walking tour.
• Includes a visit to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.
• Not currently available.

This combo tour has received very favorable ratings, with guests typically referring to their guide as knowledgeable, funny, and informative.

Some customers described the service as smooth and quick, indicating that everything was easy to enjoy.

Extranomical Tours 

Extranomical Tours usually sells several different types of day trips from San Francisco, most of which can be combined with an Alcatraz ticket.

Though sold as a package, the ticket for Alcatraz is good for the day after whatever day trip you choose to combine it with.

They also offer pick-up and drop-off at almost any hotel in San Francisco, making the door-to-door service very convenient.

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• Alcatraz Island and City Highlights Tour - from $139 per person
• Yosemite with Alcatraz Tour - from $210 per person
• Muir Woods, Wine Country, and Alcatraz Tour - from $158 per person
• Wine Lovers with Alcatraz Tour - from $203 per person
• More info and to book .

NOTE: Extranomical Tours is only offering their Alcatraz Island and City Highlights tour at the moment. This will likely change in the future as tourism starts to open up a bit more.

Reviews for Extranomical Tours are generally very positive, with many guests referring to their experience as “wonderful” and something that “should not be missed.”

The company’s guides also receive high praise for being “knowledgeable, humorous, and well organized.”

Though some guests complained that the microphone on the bus was inadequate, the infrequency of these comments suggests that this issue has been fixed. TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 stars. 

There are many more options to choose from if these don't suffice.

Dylan’s Tours

This is one of the most popular tour companies in the Bay Area, and they currently offer one of the best combo tickets which includes a trip to Alcatraz.

In addition to the Alcatraz ticket, you’ll also receive a day trip to Muir Woods and a full tour of San Francisco.

If you're also interested in seeing the redwoods of California, this is an excellent opportunity.

Both tours will take place on their comfortable minibusses, ensuring a more personable experience.

With the trip to Alcatraz included, this outing will take approximately 10 hours to enjoy. Their tour departs daily at 8 a.m. from Fisherman’s Wharf.

San Francisco, Muir Woods and Alcatraz Tour

Includes a San Francisco bus tour, a Muir Woods bus tour, and an Alcatraz Island Tour.

• $189 – Adults | $129 – Children 
• Departs daily at 8 am
• Duration: 10 hours

Dylan’s Tours has received an overall rating of just over 4 ½ out of 5 stars for this service. 

Most customers are very pleased with their tour guides, referring to them as both fun and knowledgeable.

Even those who weren’t as impressed still enjoyed their trip, as there aren’t any truly negative reviews of this outing.

BOAT CRUISES THAT PASS BY ALCATRAZ 

If you are unable to secure tickets to visit Alcatraz or if you are not interested in taking a tour of the former prison, then a boat cruise that passes by the island might be a great alternative.

There are several different boats that go by Alcatraz -- most of which also feature guided commentary about the history of the place.

These cruises are also a great way to get an excellent view of the city's skyline.

Blue & Gold Fleet and Red & White Fleet are the 2 major boat tour companies in the Bay Area.

Of their many different cruises, the following feature is Alcatraz.

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Blue & Gold Fleet :

• Escape the Rock - The ONLY boat tour dedicated specifically to Alcatraz.
• SF Bay Cruise Adventure – A 1-hour sightseeing cruise of all the major attractions in the Bay

Red & White Fleet : 

• California Sunset Cruise – A 2-hour sunset cruise around the Bay to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, Tiburon, Angel Island, and Alcatraz at sunset.
• Bridge 2 Bridge Cruise – A 90-minute audio tour covering the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the Ferry Building, Bay Bridge, and AT&T Park.
• Golden Gate Bay Cruise – Their original 1 hour San Francisco Bay tour with views of the San Francisco waterfront, the Golden Gate Bridge, and notorious Alcatraz Island.

To learn more about different San Francisco cruise options, check out our post listing the best boat tours in the Bay , as well as our posts about boat tours with the Red & White Fleet  and the  Blue & Gold Fleet .

So what's the difference between a tour of Alcatraz during the day and a trip to the island at night?

Well, according to several TripAdvisor reviews, there are some notable variations.

Quite a few guests have indicated that visiting the prison after dark is pretty creepy and eerie.

There was at least one notable escape attempt during the night, so it's definitely interesting to see what those prisoners might have experienced after the sun went down.

Other visitors noted that views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco were phenomenal during the sunset, going so far as to say that the scenery was at least as enjoyable as the trip to Alcatraz.

During the Alcatraz night tour, live guides provide a special presentation that focuses on the loud steel doors of the prison as they all close at the same time.

The sound of these doors is apparently very disturbing, adding to the already spooky atmosphere of this prison after dark.

Certain services (such as the audio tour and cruise around the island) are offered during every Alcatraz tour.

That being said, several people indicated that the atmosphere of this historic prison changes after dark, making even the regular activities a little spookier.

If you're interested, we recommend booking several weeks in advance to avoid sold out tickets.

There is also a Behind the Scenes tour which lasts longer and includes every service offered during the night tour.

This trip features special programs that you won't experience on other Alcatraz tours.

During these activities, a park ranger will introduce you to hidden tunnels, underground jails, and secret gardens.

If you can't get tickets for the night tour, this is an excellent option, but it's important to keep in mind that this tour is not available for children.

Both the behind the scenes and night tours are more expensive than daily excursions.

The higher price tag is likely the result of limited availability and access to special programs.

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Alcatraz Tours

Escaping to Alcatraz ? Enjoy the trip. And make sure to check out the Parks Conservancy's award-winning "Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour." The audio tour is included with the purchase of an Alcatraz tour ticket. Get your Alcatraz tickets from Alcatraz City Cruises here  or call (415) 981-ROCK (7625). 

Also try our unique Alcatraz Night Tours  and Behind the Scenes Tours . You’ll get access to hidden areas of the island on small tours led by NPS rangers and historical experts from the Parks Conservancy. No two tours are ever the same, perfect for a birthday or other special occasion. Get tickets today from Alcatraz City Cruises  and find more info about how you can Escape to Alcatraz !

To purchase Alcatraz tour tickets and for tour schedule information, call (415) 981-7625 or visit Alcatraz Cruises .

Be sure to buy tickets several days in advance (up to several weeks in summer), as tours sell out quickly. Wear warm clothing and comfortable walking shoes, bring your camera, and get ready to have an exciting and memorable visit to The Rock!

Guided tours are offered each day by park rangers and other staff. You’ll learn about:

• The island’s natural history
• San Francisco Bay
• Civilian life of correctional officers
• Escape attempts
• Restored historical gardens

Alcatraz Tour Features

Fresh-air ferry ride Speed across the bay through the wind and salt spray as the ferry takes you from Pier 33 to one of the most infamous island prisons of all time. The make-believe home of Clint Eastwood in Escape from Alcatraz, the prison housed many a bad guy in its heyday.

Walk-in prison experience Step behind bars into the depths of a maximum-security cell house. See where prisoners ate, slept, exercised, or did time in the isolation of the “Treatment Unit,” or worse still, in the complete darkness of the “Hole.” Learn how some of the convicts made their escapes.

Sound and light Take advantage of the audiovisual aids to learn some history: the cell house audio tour features voices and stories of actual inmates and guards, and a video exhibit explains the birth of the Native American Red Power movement at Alcatraz.

Special Alcatraz Tours

Alcatraz Historic Gardens Tours Join a garden docent for a walk through the restored historic gardens and learn about the softer side of the Rock. Tours leave the Alcatraz dock every Friday and Sunday at 9:30 am. On Wednesdays from 11 am–2 pm, have your questions answered by a gardener at the Officer’s Row overlook and enjoy a personal tour of these gardens.

Alcatraz Night Tour You can also experience the island at night on the Alcatraz Night Tour , a unique program limited to just a few hundred visitors each evening. Called the “best tour of the Bay Area” by the San Francisco Chronicle, it includes special programs, tours, and activities offered only to the island’s night visitors.

The Alcatraz Night Tour operates year-round, Thursday-Monday evenings. The evening includes roundtrip ferry transportation, a live boat narration, a guided tour from Dock to Cellhouse, the Cellhouse Audio Tour, a keepsake souvenir brochure, recreation use fee, and a variety of special programs and presentations offered only at night. To purchase tickets visit Alcatraz Cruises or call (415) 981-7625.

Proceeds from the Alcatraz Night Tour support preservation and restoration projects on Alcatraz and throughout the Golden Gate National Parks. For general (non-ticket) Night Tour information, please call (415) 561-4926.

Become an Alcatraz Night Tour volunteer —Volunteers with the Alcatraz Night Tour work in one of America’s most famous sites. Activities include welcoming and orienting arriving visitors, showing them some lesser known areas of the island as well as performing resource protection duties. If you would like to join our team as a VIP, please call the NPS volunteer hotline at (415) 561-4755, the Night Tour directly at (415) 561-4927.

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Horrifying Tales From Alcatraz, The Notoriously Haunted Island Prison

For the 29 years Alcatraz functioned as a federal prison , creepy stories derived from its remote austerity and contributed to its legend. But the spooky mythos began long before the famous penitentiary opened in 1934. Today, Alcatraz is considered one of the most haunted places in America thanks to all the death, torture, and misery that went on behind its walls. From beatings to murders to a handful of escape attempts made by Alcatraz's prisoners , the terrifying history of Alcatraz prison contains plenty of ghosts.

Alcatraz's history started long before the prison. It was formerly used as a military prison and fort, and the harsh waters of the San Francisco Bay and often foggy surroundings made the island the perfect place to house some of the country's worst criminals. Soldiers, inmates, and guards have all perished on Alcatraz Island. Whether these deaths were due to natural causes, murder, or suicide, many say the ghosts of the dead contribute to the many Alcatraz prison horror lore. Like other creepy prisons with ghost stories , supernatural sightings on Alcatraz are the result of some horrifying incidents and prison conditions. Al Capone, dungeons, and one intensely haunted cell are just a few of the chilling ghost stories to be found on the Rock.

D-Block Was A Place No Prisoner Wanted To Go And Has Since Become One Of The Most Haunted Places On Alcatraz

Cellblock D in Alcatraz was known as "the hole" and held the solitary confinement cells  reserved for the most poorly behaved prisoners. These five cells were extremely cold: the prisoners were forced to strip naked and their mattresses were removed each morning, forcing them either to stand all day or sit on the cold floor. One of these cells was known as the "Oriental" and unlike the other solitary cells, prisoners were left completely in the dark with only a hole in the floor in which to relieve themselves.

At some point in the 1940s, an inmate began screaming as soon as he was locked inside but the guards ignored him, believing he was just upset about the conditions. The next morning, they found the prisoner dead with a terrified look on his face and an autopsy revealed he had died from strangulation that could not have been self-inflicted. Whether it was a guard who killed him or a ghost (possibly that of former prisoner Rufus McCain since he had stayed in that cell) will never be known, but many report feeling uncomfortable and tingly when entering his 14D cell, and the room is often much colder that any of the others. A ghost hunter investigating cell 12D down the hall reported feeling icy fingers on his neck upon entering.

The 1946 Battle Of Alcatraz Lasted Two Days And Killed Five People

Bank robber Bernard Paul Coy carefully observed the guards' patterns for several months as he was planning his escape attempt. In May of 1946, he and five other men managed to break into a gun cage in cellblock C and stole a guard's keys. Unfortunately for them, the key they needed to get out of the prison building was missing and they were unable to escape. Not letting that stop them, the men took several guards hostage and killed two before the Marines were called. Three of the attempted escapees eventually became trapped in a utility passage where they were killed by gunfire. The event lasted two days and became known as the "Battle of Alcatraz," the bloodiest escape attempt in the prison's history. Although the passage is concealed from visitors' view with a heavy door, bangs and clanging noises are often heard but disappear once the door is opened . Many believe the ghosts of the three men killed in the passage are responsible.

The C-Block Laundry Room Holds The Ghost Of Abie Maldowitz, A Prisoner Who Was Violently Murdered

Alcatraz has become a must-see destination for paranormal enthusiasts, researchers, and investigators, and psychic Sylvia Brown was among them. She felt a very intense presence in the laundry room in Cellblock C and also received an impression that something very violent had happened there. Brown accurately described a tall bald man, the exact appearance of a prisoner named Abie Maldowitz.

Maldowitz was also known as "Butcher" and was a hitman before he was arrested. Prison records indicated he had, in fact, died in the laundry room when he was brutally murdered by another inmate. Other mysterious incidents from the same room include the heavy smell of smoke in the air even though nothing is burning.

A 1938 Escape Attempt Resulted In A Guard Being Beaten To Death With A Hammer And A Prisoner Getting Fatally Shot

In 1938, three men including Rufus Franklin attempted to escape by  attacking the guard in the woodworking shop where they were laboring. Franklin beat the unarmed guard to death with a hammer and the three prisoners broke a window and climbed onto the roof. They didn't get very far as a guard in one of the towers open fired on the men. Two of the prisoners were shot and one died. Up until the 1946 incident that started the "Battle of Alcatraz," this was the deadliest escape attempt in the prison's history.

Rufus McCain Was Fatally Stabbed In The Gut By A Former Partner From A Failed Escape And Now Is Said To Haunt D-Block

In 1939, prisoner Rufus McCain attempted to escape Alcatraz along with Henri Young, Arthur Barker, and two other men. They managed to get to the shore but guards caught up with them as McCain suddenly realized he couldn't swim. Two guards were murdered during the incident, Barker was killed, and both McCain and Young were put into solitary for almost an entire year. Young blamed McCain for the failure of the escape and tension between the two men grew.

In December of 1940, Young snuck out of the furniture shop in which he'd been put to work, crept down to the tailor shop where McCain was working, and stabbed him in the gut. McCain was seriously injured and lived another painful couple of hours before finally dying in the hospital. Some believe either or both men haunt the solitary D-Block  in which they spent so much time.

Many Alcatraz Prisoners Went Insane And Several Committed Gruesome Suicides

Due to the harsh conditions and treatment prisoners received at Alcatraz, many of them ended up suffering from mental illness. Warden Johnson believed insanity, no mater how severe, was being used an excuse from working and refused to acknowledge that his prison was tormenting and abusing its inmates.

Some men, like Rube Persful, worked out their anguish through physical activity. Persful was hospitalized after purposely cutting off all the fingers on one hand with a hatchet while working in one of Alcatraz's work shops. Laughing, he asked a guard to take care of the fingers on the other hand. Others, such as Ed Wutke who used a pencil sharpener blade to slice through his jugular, successfully killed themselves. Joe Bowers attempted something similar using his eyeglass lenses and when he failed, climbed the outer fence knowing he'd be shot. He fell 75 feet to certain death. With so much negative energy and tragedy at Alcatraz, it's no wonder the island prison is considered one of the most haunted places in America.

Alcatraz Was Formerly A Military Prison Where Civil War Soldiers Were Kept In Horrible Conditions And Many Died

The US military first took over Alcatraz Island in 1847 and built a military prison, later used to hold captured Confederates during the Civil War. As many as 50 soldiers and sympathizers were imprisoned in the basement of the guardhouse and many died due to the horrible conditions. Forced to live without heat, running water, and bathrooms, the prisoners were given very little food, bound together with six-foot chains, and squeezed into a small space with a cold stone floor. Those who acted out against this treatment were put into "sweatboxes" as further punishment. After the Civil War but before the federal prison was built, Alcatraz was used to imprison captives from the Spanish-American War and rebellious Native Americans. People have reported seeing apparitions of men in military uniforms and have heard mysterious cannon and gun fire, so the ghosts of many of these prisoners may still be on the island.

The Dungeon Of Alcatraz Possibly Holds Many Lost Souls Who Died Alone And Are Still Screaming

Alcatraz was all about punishment and what the prisoners went through is a horror story in itself. Underneath the A-Block was an area known as "the dungeon." These catacomb-like basement areas were left over from the days when Alcatraz was a military fort and were used as punishment areas for those that deserved worse than "the hole." Prisoners were stripped naked, chained to the wall in a standing position, and given very little food. While the screams of the inmates who were unfortunate enough to spend time there couldn't be heard in the rest of the prison, they can still be heard today. A worker claimed to have heard a horrible scream coming from the dungeon but found no one there. Even Ghost Hunters heard noises in the area and received an audible "no" when asked if the noise could be made again.

Although Al Capone Didn't Die Inside Alcatraz, People Have Reported Hearing His Banjo

Notorious crime boss Al Capone was one of Alcatraz's most famous residents. When he began his four-and-a-half-year stay in 1934, he was unprepared for unsympathetic guards and being stripped of the privileges he enjoyed in other prisons. Capone was put in "the hole" three times during his stay for breaking the "no talking" rule and for bribing a guard. He was in several fights with other inmates and the conditions at Alcatraz began to wear on him. A banjo his wife sent seemed to be the only thing keeping him from insanity and guards reported seeing him making his bed over and over or crouched in the corner softly strumming his instrument. Capone spent most of his last year in the prison in the infirmary being treated for syphilis but took his banjo with him . He was transferred to a prison in Los Angeles in 1939 and died several years later at his Florida estate, but both Alcatraz visitors and guards have claimed to hear banjo music in several parts of the prison.

Alcatraz's Most Famous Warden Didn't Believe In Ghosts, But Couldn't Explain The Creepy Experience He Had

James Johnson was appointed the first warden of Alcatraz and his hard stance on punishment set up many of the rules and regulations to which prisoners were subjected. As the longest-serving warden of Alcatraz, he had seen many things take place in his prison but refused to believe in ghosts . He could never account for what happened when he was giving a group of people a tour once, though. As they passed by the dungeon, Johnson heard the sounds of a woman crying that seemed to be coming from the wall. Just as the sobbing stopped, an icy wind blew through the room and startled everyone.

Later, the house Johnson lived in on the island also became a frequent spot for ghosts to allegedly appear, as several guards experienced during a holiday party. An apparition of a man with mutton chops and a gray suit was allegedly seen by the men just as the fire extinguished itself and the room turned cold.

Long Before Anything Was Built On The Island, It Was Believed To Be A Native American Burial Ground

People who visited the island on which Alcatraz was eventually built  experienced dark sensations long before the prison was built. Early explorers noted the atmosphere on the tiny island was heavy and depressing. Members of the Ohlone Native American tribe told tales about the island and believed it was a gathering spot for evil spirits . They had such distaste for the area that it's believed indigenous Americans who broke tribal laws were sometimes sent there as punishment. Since human bones and artifacts have been discovered buried on the island, it's very possible it served as some sort of Native burial ground. The famous fog that often hangs around San Francisco, as well as the cold, cruel waters of the Bay add to these eerie tales and make Alcatraz all the more creepy.

Between B And C-Blocks Lies Broadway, An Eerie Place Where Many Visitors And Guards Have Seen And Heard Things

The passage between B and C-blocks, the cell areas where most Alcatraz prisoners were kept, was affectionately called Broadway. Many visitors, guards, and park rangers have experienced something eerie in this area. Night watchmen have heard what sounds like men running on the upper levels, only to find nobody there. Visitors have also heard voices talking, moaning, or sobbing in these areas, as well as experiencing unexplained cold areas or strange smells. Prisoners had been known to witness ghostly events as well , claiming to have seen strange floating lights and heard whispers and slamming doors even after they were shut. Apparitions have also reportedly appeared, and at least one guard believed he saw a group of marching Native Americans that mysteriously vanished.

A British Couple Allegedly Captured A Lady Ghost In A Photo While On A Tour

British couple Sheila Sillery-Walsh and Paul Rice were vacationing in San Francisco and decided a tour of Alcatraz was a must on their "to do" list. Sillery-Walsh immediately experienced an uncomfortable feeling as she stepped into the prison. Then, while on an audio tour, she saw a neat photo opportunity in a small cell window and took a picture with her phone. She immediately noticed the face of a woman looking out the window from the other side, but there was no one in the room. At first Rice brushed it off as a reflection of either Sillery-Walsh or another visitor, but the woman in the photo had clothing and a hairstyle from the 1930s or '40s. The couple asked some of the Alcatraz staff who had been there around that time if they recognized her, but none did. Both Sillery-Walsh and Rice are certain the woman was a ghost, but since there were never any female prisoners on Alcatraz, it may never be clear who she really is.

Robert “Birdman” Stroud Is Believed To Still Be Hanging Around The Hospital Along With The Souls Of Other Inmates

Robert Stroud, another of Alcatraz's famous residents, is also known as the "Birdman" and arrived at the prison in 1942 after he murdered a bartender , then threatened other inmates and murdered a guard at another prison. By the time he arrived at Alcatraz, he had already developed a somewhat bizarre interest in canaries and completed years of research. Stroud was kept mainly in solitary confinement and in the hospital area of Alcatraz and wrote several books which the warden refused to let him publish. In 1959, he was transferred off the island and to the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners where he died. Several people have claimed to see his ghost wandering the hospital area , as well as voices, screams, and other apparitions. Park rangers who have heard strange sounds coming down the stairs from the off-limits hospital section have investigated only to find no one there . 

Native Americans Occupied Alcatraz In The Late 1960s And The Daughter Of One Leader Died After Falling Down Some Stairs

Alcatraz prison shut down in 1963 and six years later, Richard Oakes and a group of Native Americans occupied the empty island . They demanded a college for Native students and a cultural center be built on the land that was once sacred Native American property. About 100 people, including many students, set up camp on the island but the longer the government refused to give into their demands, the more the people grew restless. When Oakes's 13-year-old daughter fell down a stairwell and died, the government cut off the water supply and electricity and a large fire broke out which destroyed several of Alcatraz's buildings. Eventually, there were reports of assaults and theft of copper wiring from the remaining buildings. Finally, in 1971, the remaining Natives were forcibly removed from the island and the occupation ended, but it's reported that a few ghosts still remain.

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Shining a flashlight on real places around the world that are really haunted and really spooky.