virtual tour of alcatraz prison

• Skip to global NPS navigation
• Skip to the main content
• Skip to the footer section

Exiting nps.gov

Alcatraz island citadel virtual tour.

Alcatraz Island is located off the coast of San Francisco, California. Many people are unaware that beneath the prison block on the island sits the foundation of a U.S. Army fortification built in the 1850s. Once four stories tall and surrounded by a dry moat, the fort was razed to the foundation in 1909 to make way for the current prison building. The new cellhouse, built in 1912, was constructed directly over the first level of the Civil War-era citadel. The “dungeon,” as it is now called, is what remains of the original 1859 fort. From servant’s quarters, to storage to solitary confinement cells, this space was repurposed numerous times throughout the many eras of Alcatraz Island.

Project Information

Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) documented the Citadel during summer 2016. The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) field team was HABS architect Paul Davidson and summer architectural intern Avidan Fernandez. They used a combination of laser scanning and photogrammetry to record the site. Avidan Fernandez, a summer intern from Cal Poly Pomona, produced the animation. The project was sponsored by a Cultural Resources Preservation Program Grant administered by National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) , Golden Gate National Recreation Area , and HDP. The prison exterior and cellblock data was provided by the Texas A&M University College of Architecture. The student internship position was funded jointly through the National Park Service Youth Programs and the Hispanic Access Foundation's Latino Heritage Internship Program designed to engage the next generation of Latino conservation stewards

Panoramic tour of the Citadel at Alcatraz Island

Interactive 3D point cloud viewer

Animated video of 3D point cloud data

Archival documentation at the Library of Congress

You Might Also Like

• alcatraz island
• golden gate national recreation area
• virtual visit
• virtual tour
• point cloud

Alcatraz Island , Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Last updated: January 18, 2024

- Do you like it? Tell me: Gue stBook

Copyright©2005 Yes San Francisco,LLC . All rights reserved. Copying of images, or their parts, or any other content is prohibited.

Alcatraz Island and the Alcatraz Tour

Alcatraz Tour Fascinates Visitors to Alcatraz Island

Matteo Colombo / Getty Images

It's a former federal prison on a rocky island in the middle of the bay, steeped in legend and a popular tourist stop.

Spanish Explorer Manuel de Ayala named this barren rock in the middle of San Francisco Bay Isla de los Alcatraces (Island of the Pelicans). The island called Alcatraz has been used as a Civil War fort, a Federal prison and a symbol of Native American plight. Today, the National Park Service runs Alcatraz Island as a tourist attraction.

Things to Do on Alcatraz

You can get a look at what you'll see on the Alcatraz tour by visiting the Alcatraz slideshow.

The National Park Service schedules activities to help you learn about Alcatraz Island, including lectures and special tours. The schedule board at the ferry landing gives the times. The only guided tour is the audio tour, but you can also pick up a self-guided tour book near the boat dock.

Barracks from Alcatraz Island's stint as a military base, the cell house, lighthouse, and a few others remain. Many of the Alcatraz Island prison buildings are gone. Some burned during the American Indian Alcatraz occupation in the 1960s. The guard's residences, deteriorated beyond repair, were torn down in the 1970s. 

If the hospital area is open during your visit, don't miss it. It's a fascinating look at medical care during the prison's heyday.

To see two San Francisco Bay islands in one day, take the Alcatraz & Angel Island Tour which will also take you to Angel Island .

Alcatraz Island Tickets

The only way to tour Alcatraz is with the company called Alcatraz Cruises, leaving from San Francisco. Other bay cruise companies can take you by, but can't stop.  Find all the details and buy tickets at the Alcatraz Cruises website . Anyone else selling an Alcatraz Island tour is re-selling tickets and may charge a processing fee.

Alcatraz tour tickets sell out fast. The official brochures say tickets sell out as early as a week in advance in the summer and on holiday weekends. When checked on a July Friday, they were sold out until the following Tuesday. 

Tickets not used by hotels are released to the Alcatraz ticket booth just before it opens. Be first in line you may get a same-day tour ticket. Your hotel's concierge or front desk may have tickets. Or consider taking the Alcatraz and Angel Island tour, which doesn't fill up as fast.

The boat ride to Alcatraz takes about 15 minutes each way from San Francisco. Your tour can last as long as you like (or until the last boat leaves).

The Day Tour is the most popular. It includes round-trip transportation to the island and the audio tour.

The Night Tour includes extra activities — and is slightly more expensive. Taking it allows more time to visit other sights that close earlier, maximizing your sightseeing time. The only downside is that a few areas that are open during the day close after dark.

Get Ready to Visit Alcatraz

Most visitors spend at least a few hours on Alcatraz. Snacks and water are essential to keep everyone from getting "hangry" or thirsty.

If you don't know much about Alcatraz, stop to see the 17-minute introductory video before you go up the hill. You can also read up on these interesting facts about Alcatraz before you go and  explore the fascinating history of the Alcatraz lighthouse .

Watch the Clint Eastwood movie "Escape from Alcatraz" for a glimpse of how the prison operated during its busiest period.

Tips for Visiting Alcatraz

Pick up an audio tour and use it. You'll get a lot more out of what you're seeing. Pay attention to the audio directions. Otherwise, you could end up gabbing away with your friends and not able to figure out where you should be going. If that happens, ask a ranger or tour guide for help.

If you miss your boat, don't despair. The ticket office can direct you to the standby line for the next one.

To see Alcatraz, you'll walk — a lot. It's easy enough if you're in reasonably good shape. They offer a tram to get you up the hill, but you still have to walk after you get there. 

The boats are quiet, clean and smooth riding. The trip is short. But if you need a Dramamine just to sit on the dock and watch a boat bobbing up and down, take your favorite remedy. 

Those white spots all over the island aren't paint. Rangers say several people a day acquire a "white badge of honor" as a gift from a seagull. DON'T look up if you hear birds. Also, watch where you put your hands to avoid touching those same white splotches of yucky stuff.

The gift shop has some very stylish and clever souvenir items. They also sell the book "Hollywood Alcatraz" which details all the films made at Alcatraz and where their scenes were filmed.

Alcatraz Tour Review

In a poll, more than 2,000 Tripsavvy readers rated Alcatraz, 48% rated it awesome and 10% great. However, 26% gave it the lowest rating.

Alcatraz is likely to bore children under the age of five and is more fun for kids who are old enough to understand what it is.

On the plus side, the views of San Francisco and the bay are eye-popping. History buffs enjoy Alcatraz. So does anyone who's seen the movies about it and feel like it's a must-see. The audio tour is one of the best anywhere, using voices of actual guards and prisoners to tell the prison's story.

On the downside, it takes almost half a day to go there and back. If your trip to San Francisco is short, that may be more time than you want to spend on one activity. And it smells like bird poop during spring seagull nesting season.

Getting to Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island San Francisco, CA National Park Website

Alcatraz Cruises leave from Pier 33. If you've been to San Francisco before, be aware that the ticket booth and departure dock moved several years ago.

To drive, follow signs for Pier 39. Pier 33 is a few blocks east. You can find more than a dozen commercial parking lots within a five-block radius. Street parking isn't practical because the meters have a two-hour limit and you'll be gone longer than that.

If you're staying in San Francisco, take a taxi, use a ride-sharing service or public transit. Muni's F Line runs past Pier 33 and the Powell-Mason cable car stops nearby. Find more ways to get around San Francisco .

San Francisco Bay Cruises

Alcatraz Lighthouse

Day Trips and Vacation Side Trips from San Francisco

The 20 Best Things to Do in San Francisco

Guide to Visiting Angel Island in San Francisco Bay

Golden Gate National Recreation Area: The Complete Guide

Top 10 Haunted US Destinations for the Halloween Lover

June in San Francisco: Weather, What to Pack, and What to See

The 9 Best Day Trips From Napa and Sonoma

San Francisco CityPASS

18 Top Things to Do in San Francisco, California With Kids

Cruise With San Francisco's Best Bus Tours

Don't Miss These Great San Francisco Attractions

Disney Magic - Western Mediterranean Cruise Travel Log

18 Best Things to Do in San Francisco at Night

San Francisco Tourist Tips

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

One Way to Preserve Alcatraz? Capture Everything in 3-D.

The former prison known as the Rock faces seismic activity, climate change and general deterioration. A wondrous new map could help save it.

By Heather Knight

Reporting from Alcatraz Island

In May 1946, chaos erupted when six prisoners who were determined to escape from Alcatraz Island overpowered guards and grabbed weapons and keys.

They seized a cell block at the federal penitentiary for two days, prompting the Marines to respond and throw grenades into the building from the roof. By the end of the “Battle of Alcatraz” in the middle of San Francisco Bay, three inmates and two guards were dead.

Seventy-eight years later, tourists at the prison turned park can still see a spray of pock marks in the cement floor that were left by those hurled explosives.

The divots, shallow in size but deep in history, will now be preserved forever, along with every other nook on Alcatraz. Scientists and technology experts spent three weeks in December using cameras, drones and a robot dog to gather four trillion bytes of data to build the first 3-D map of the entire island in full color.

Every building inside and out was frozen in time. Every tunnel, every piece of cellblock graffiti, every rusted prison bar, every wildflower, every gull dropping. Every corner of “the Rock” was captured with precision within a centimeter.

The unusual project was born from worries over climate change and the sea level rise that will inevitably encroach on Alcatraz, where chunks of the perimeter wall are already eroding and falling into the bay. Scientists have warned that California could experience several feet of sea-level rise by the end of the century, along with ever more dangerous storm surges.

The 3-D map could help local leaders track the effects of climate change on the San Francisco Bay Area. It could also allow National Park Service officials to visualize potential flooding at Alcatraz and protect the island against future damage, said Pete Kelsey, a technologist who spearheaded the mapping endeavor.

For example, he noted, the dock would be at serious risk if waters rise, and the boats that land there not only bring tourists but also deliver fresh water and remove sewage. Without a dock, the island would quickly become unusable, he said.

Because Alcatraz is so well known worldwide, the map might be “a vehicle to wake people up, to snap people into a different sort of consciousness about climate change,” Mr. Kelsey, 62, said.

Alcatraz, which sits just over a mile north of San Francisco, has had many chapters. It was originally a fort and a military prison. During its most famous stretch, from 1934 to 1963, it operated as a high-security federal penitentiary and housed such notorious convicts as Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and Robert Stroud, known as the Birdman of Alcatraz.

In 1969, Native Americans occupied the site for 19 months to protest the government’s treatment of their people. After opening to the public in 1973, Alcatraz has become a popular tourist attraction and bird sanctuary that is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Like many National Park Service properties, Alcatraz is at risk on numerous fronts. It faces a possible earthquake. It is vulnerable to fires or floods. It could be the target of a terrorist attack. It also suffers from plain old wear and tear from its 1.5 million annual visitors, with some of its buildings and equipment badly deteriorating.

Traipsing around the island on a recent day, Mr. Kelsey said it was important to have a 3-D base line in order to track changes and damage to Alcatraz. Mr. Kelsey owns Seattle-based VCTO Labs, which has captured everything from military ships to football stadiums for the purposes of preservation, education and moviemaking.

“The data we capture can answer questions,” he said. “It can lead to discovery. It makes the invisible visible.”

The National Park Service will maintain the rights to the 3-D map, and no money changed hands in the making of the map, Mr. Kelsey said.

He believes the 3-D map provides the National Park Service with endless opportunities. It could be used by movie studios, which wouldn’t need to film on Alcatraz but could instead use the 3-D data with a green screen. It could be turned into a video game or a virtual reality experience using Apple Vision Pro or Meta headsets. It could be replicated with a 3-D printer.

“My selfish dream is that it’s the world’s first virtual national park,” Mr. Kelsey said.

Pete Gavette, a park archaeologist, said that smaller efforts to map the island had taken place before but that this was the first time that “every nook and cranny” had been mapped in 3-D. Mr. Gavette said it would be useful for the park’s staff to see all corners of the island since staff members aren’t allowed to enter spaces that are considered too hazardous because of asbestos, lead paint or structural damage.

For example, he noted, the apartments that once housed the families of prison guards are inaccessible because entire staircases and parts of floors are missing.

The 3-D map is nearly complete, but Mr. Gavette said a virtual reality tour of the island would take a while to create.

Getting permission for the project — particularly the right to fly drones, which isn’t normally allowed in national parks — took nine months. Then Mr. Kelsey had to wait for nesting season to end to avoid disturbing the island’s bird colony.

To gather the data, he recruited 26 scientists and technology specialists from around the world to work for free. Some, including Mr. Kelsey, lived on the island for three weeks in December and brought all of their food, did not shower and slept in prison cells. They were given a gold key that unlocked every door on the island.

They flew drones into hard-to-reach crannies like inside the top of the smokestack, where they had to shield the aerial devices with cages to guard against any damage that might have occurred from bashing into the walls. They sent a robot dog into other places where it wasn’t safe for humans to enter.

They mapped the power house and its “Alcatraz steam punk” vibe, as Mr. Gavette described it. They mapped the underground citadel and the dungeons where military prisoners were held. They mapped the prison hospital where inmates who were believed to be mentally ill were enclosed in tiny rooms, where their food trays were passed through skinny slots in the wall.

Mr. Kelsey said that the mapping had given him insight into the gruesome treatment of some of the people who were incarcerated there and that he sometimes still hears screaming in his head.

He has mapped other locations around the world, including Easter Island and Africatown, an Alabama community founded by former slaves. At the end of each project, he always gets a tattoo.

Soon, he said, he’ll get a new one: the key to Alcatraz.

Heather Knight is a reporter in San Francisco, leading The Times’s coverage of the Bay Area and Northern California. More about Heather Knight

Follow us on social for park news and fun

• Link to our Facebook
• Link to our Twitter
• Link to our Instagram
• Link to our YouTube

What can we help find?

Current Alerts

• About The Park

Plan Your Visit

• Explore Parks

Alcatraz, the former federal island prison that once held the likes of gangster Al Capone, offers national park visitors a close-up look at a maximum-security, minimum-privilege life.

The island, once an 1850s military fort, is the site of the West Coast’s first lighthouse (since replaced by the current lighthouse) and the birthplace of the Native American “Red Power” movement (sparked by an occupation of Alcatraz from 1969-1971). Gardens , tidepools, nesting birds, stunning bay views, and a compelling new exhibit addressing issues of incarceration in the United States today are also among its many attractions.

To protect the health of those who work and visit national parks, visitors must adhere to all current COVID-related CDC, state, and/or local public health ordinances.

The historic New Industries Building features the exhibit,  Red Power on Alcatraz: Perspectives 50 Years Later.  This exhibit recognizes the 50th anniversary of the Alcatraz Occupation by Indians of All Tribes, a key event in the Native American civil rights movement.  

Visitors must adhere to CDC, state, and local public health guidance by social distancing and wearing a face mask when in NPS buildings and facilities. 

Tips and Highlights

• Learn more about the Alcatraz Behind the Scenes and Night 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. 
• Transportation to Alcatraz is via ferryboats departing from Pier 33. The ferry trip lasts 10 to 15 minutes. Once on the island, you may take any available ferry back to San Francisco; during the day ferries depart the island approximately every 30 minutes. Schedules are posted throughout Alcatraz.
• A round-trip visit typically takes between two and three hours. Reservations are essential, especially in the summer; tickets can be purchased in advance by phone at (415) 981-7625 and online at www.alcatrazcruises.com with a major credit card. Alcatraz is open daily except for Christmas and New Year's Day.
• Be prepared for steep climbs and uneven walking surfaces; the roadway from the dock area to the cellhouse is a 12 percent grade. An accessibility tram is available for those unable to navigate this incline.
• Alcatraz’s current visitors experience an island that is alive with colorful plants gathered decades ago from around the world, and complemented by newly introduced plants. These historic gardens not only illustrate the importance of gardens to the human spirit, but also the ecological benefits and aesthetic possibilities of sustainable gardening.
• In addition to the cellhouse audio tour, Alcatraz provides staff-led programs, an orientation video, and an award-winning video exhibit, We Hold the Rock, which examines the island’s occupation by “Indians of All Tribes.”
• Wear warm clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Take the time to walk around the island! Alcatraz features some of the bay’s best vista points, with views of mountains, bridges, ships, and skylines. The most spectacular views can be seen from the Agave Trail (open October through February, when the birds are not nesting), the parade ground, and the lighthouse plaza.
• In the barracks building just above the Alcatraz dock, visitors can browse exhibits, see a video presentation and buy maps, guides, cards, and books about Alcatraz. There is a bookstore and exhibit at the dock level, as well as a “museum store” in the former kitchen food preparation area of the cellhouse.

Alcatraz Tours

Lighthouse Alcatraz was the home of the West Coast’s first lighthouse. Equipped with a simple oil lamp, the Alcatraz light began guiding ships in 1854. In 1909, when construction of the cell house threatened to block the light, the old lighthouse was replaced with the iconic 84-foot tower seen today. The tower’s automated rotating light continues to be a key navigational aid.

Fortress Alcatraz The oldest extant structure on the island, the sally port, dates to the 1850s when Alcatraz was fortified by the US Army. At the dock, look for Building 64, Fortress Alcatraz’s original barracks building. Other relics of the island’s military past include a parade ground, the ruins of officers’ cottages, and the first floor of the original military citadel (an inaccessible maze under the cellhouse).

The Cellhouse During Prohibition and the Great Depression, the federal government developed a new type of prison for the most incorrigible troublemakers. The maximum-security, minimum-privilege Alcatraz facility was specially designed for inmates so troublesome that other federal prisons couldn’t handle them. During its 29 years of operation, more than 1,500 convicts were incarcerated here. The expense of operating and maintaining such an isolated facility brought about the prison’s closure in 1963.

Learn more about the prison’s history through the self-guiding audio tour, which features the voices of inmates and correctional officers (and their families) who lived and worked on Alcatraz.

Native American Occupation While Alcatraz stood empty and the federal government debated its fate, a boatload of 89 Native Americans claimed the island as “Indian land.” Frustrated by lack of support and personal tragedies, and confronted by US Marshals, the last of the occupiers left Alcatraz in 1971. While the occupation was short-lived, its ramifications were not: Native American pride surged and the US government abandoned its attempts to eliminate the Native American reservation system.

The Gardens of Alcatraz Military and prison personnel transformed portions of Alcatraz from barren sandstone rock to gardens of lush leaves and colorful blossoms. Once the prison closed in 1963, the neglected gardens became overgrown and wild. Today, through the efforts of dedicated volunteers, the Garden Conservancy is partnering with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to bring the gardens back to life! Visitors can now see a host of unique plant varieties no longer commercially available. Learn more about the  historic gardens.

A National Park In 1972, Alcatraz was added to the newly created Golden Gate National Parks and was opened to the public in 1973.

Find your passion through the many events available at the park.

Alcatraz Historic Gardens

(canceled) alcatraz historic gardens, trails & activities.

Explore what kind of activities are available near the park.

Agave Trail

From the park store.

Alcatraz Island Fog Globe

Alcatraz Inmate Cup Replica

Related content.

'The Big Lockup' and more: New experiences at Alcatraz Island

Escape to Alcatraz

De-mist-ifying the Fog: Five Fun Facts

History of Gardening on Alcatraz Island

Visit the Alcatraz Historic Gardens

Shortening on Alcatraz by Nelson Saiers

Alcatraz Historic Gardens Landscape Preservation Planning

Support the alcatraz historic gardens.

Ron Levine, Prisoners of Age

@Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz

Your parks need you now.

Your support helps fight climate change and promote park sustainability—please give now.

Get 82,000 acres' worth of news.

Weather nearby.

Upcoming Events

Help restore and maintain gardens once tended by the island’s military and penitentiary residents—add life, color, and vibrancy to the Rock...

The Official Tour of Alcatraz Island and Prison

Step back in time and experience the legendary island that has been a Civil War fort, a military prison and one of the most notorious federal penitentiaries in US history. This memorable tour includes: 45 minute audio presentation “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour,” featuring actual correctional officers and prisoners who lived and worked on the Island; orientation video by Discovery Channel; ranger and docent tours; historic gardens and abundant wildlife.

CELLHOUSE AUDIO TOUR

No one can tell the Alcatraz tale like the men who actually lived it. The captivating Alcatraz Cellhouse Audio Tour brings history alive through the actual voices of the correctional officers and inmates who lived on the island during the infamous Federal Penitentiary era.

Hear both sides of life in the island prison including such famous events as escape attempts, “The Battle of ’46”, food riots, and surviving solitary confinement.

The Cellhouse Audio Tour is available in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

GARDENS OF ALCATRAZ

From the military to the penitentiary era, plants softened the Rock for those who called Alcatraz home. Through gardening, island residents created beauty in a place focused on defense, punishment, and confinement. The families of the guards enjoyed tea parties in the gardens, and gardening became a welcome pastime. For trusted inmates, the gardens were an escape from daily prison life. Even today, the thriving gardens are a stark contrast to the somber prison.

After closure of the prison in 1963, many plants survived decades without care. These survivors are excellent choices for gardeners in the Bay Area or other Mediterranean climates. Since 2003, The Garden Conservancy has been working in partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service to restore these wonderful gardens and to share the stories with visitors.

Join a garden docent for an up-close look at the restored historic gardens of Alcatraz. Learn about the softer side of the Rock and how gardens made life tolerable for residents of the barren island. Tours leave the Alcatraz dock at 9:30 am every Friday and Sunday.

GUIDED TOURS

Join the island staff for a guided walking tour of Alcatraz Island. Programs are offered throughout the day and generally start either at the dock or lighthouse. Topics may include Famous Inmates, Escapes, Hollywood’s Rock, 200 Years of Alcatraz History, and Fortress Alcatraz. Some programs even take visitors into restricted areas of the island.

Guided tours generally last 45 minutes to an hour, and may involve walking moderate distances.

Tours and times vary daily, so check the Program Board when you arrive on the island dock. No reservations are required, and all programs are free.

ALCATRAZ: STORIES FROM THE ROCK

Alcatraz: Stories From the Rock takes viewers on a journey through the Island’s many chapters: its early role as a military fortress, the famous federal penitentiary years, the Indian occupation that altered the course of history, and finally the popular National Park and wildlife refuge it is today.

Alcatraz stands as a powerful symbol of protection and change. The film explores Alcatraz as it began, as it evolved, and as it stands today and allows viewers to discover the many layers that make it an incredible time capsule of history and human drama.

VIDEO: WE HOLD THE ROCK

The occupation of Alcatraz Island from 1969 to 1971 by “Indians of All Tribes” changed the course of U.S. and American Indian history, and brought world-wide attention to the plight of American Indians. The award winning video/exhibit, “WE HOLD THE ROCK,” produced by the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, is shown continually in the China Alley exhibit behind the main theater area near the dock.

ALCATRAZ AND THE AMERICAN PRISON EXPERIENCE

“Alcatraz and the American Prison Experience,” a major interpretive exhibit, explains the place of Alcatraz in the evolution of prisons in America from Colonial days to the present. Produced in partnership with the federal Bureau of Prisons, the exhibit also looks at family life on Alcatraz and trends in American penology. The exhibit is housed in two historic fortress storerooms in the China Alley display area near the dock.

Photos show what it's like to visit Alcatraz Island, which once housed some of America's most notorious criminals

• Alcatraz Island is a National Historic Landmark most famous for its 29-year operation as a prison.
• The small island offshore of San Francisco, California , housed famous criminals including Al Capone.
• Today, tourists can see the former prison's small cells, dining hall, and warden's house.

The story of Alcatraz is a fascinating dive into US history. 

It was the site of a US military prison from the late 1850s to 1933, and later, between 1969 and 1971, it was occupied by Native American activists .

But Alcatraz Island, which is off the coast of San Francisco, California, is best known for its years operating as a maximum-security federal prison. From 1934 to 1963, it housed criminals, including the infamous gangster Al "Scarface" Capone and murderer Robert "Birdman of Alcatraz" Stroud . 

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area was created by Congress in 1972, placing Alcatraz Island under the control of the National Park Service. Today, it is a popular tourist spot, with more than 1 million people visiting the island every year, according to the ​​Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

Take a look at what it's like to visit Alcatraz Island.

Alcatraz Island sits in California's San Francisco Bay, approximately 1.5 miles off the coast.

When the 22-acre island was first explored by Spanish navigator Lieutenant Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775, it was a seabird habitat.

Source: Britannica

The US took control of the island from Mexico after the Mexican-American War in 1848. Two years later, President Millard Fillmore signed an order reserving the island for military use.

Source: US General Services Administration, Britannica

Before it became a federal prison, Alcatraz was used by the US military during the Civil War for Confederate sympathizers and citizens accused of treason.

Source: History.com

Today, Alcatraz is open to visitors every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Tickets for adults currently start at $45.

Ferries to the island leave piers 31-33 about every half hour throughout the day. When visitors reach Alcatraz, they're greeted by the guard tower.

Source: National Park Service, Alcatraz City Cruises

Visitors can see where correctional officers and staff entered Alcatraz prison through these front doors to the administration building.

Inside, they'll see the prison's control center, which was completely encased by bulletproof glass.

Visitors can take an audio tour, which uses interviews with former prisoners, correctional officers, and family members to depict the experience of living on the island.

Source: ​​Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

The island was designated a US military prison in 1907. In 1912, the 600-cell holding complex was completed, along with a mess hall and hospital. In 1933, it was transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Source: National Park Service

The cells measured about 10 by 4.5 feet. The prison had enough space for 450 prisoners, but there were never more than 250 at one time.

The cells in A-Block were used for prisoners who needed to be separated from others for short periods of time.

Source: Alcatraz History

Below A-Block was a set of cells called the Spanish Dungeon, which were mostly used when Alcatraz was a military prison. They were reportedly used for storage and solitary confinement in subsequent years.

Source: National Park Service, Alcatraz History

There were a total of 14 escape attempts from Alcatraz by 34 prisoners over the years. Of those, five prisoners were never found.

The most famous attempt was in June 1962, when Frank Morris and brothers John and Clarence Anglin escaped using a raft made from raincoats. Nobody knows what happened to them, although the FBI says it is "unlikely" they survived the journey to shore.

Source: FBI

Prisoners who broke rules could be punished with hard labor or solitary confinement, where they'd only be given bread and water.

The dining hall, nicknamed "the gas chamber" for the 14 tear-gas dispensers mounted on the ceiling, was considered a dangerous place.

With so many people convicted of crimes in a confined space, the guards had to take precautions. Prisoners were given limited utensils, and sharp bones were removed from their food.

Correctional officers supervised as prisoners working in the kitchens made three meals a day.

Public Health Service nutritionists helped create meals for the people inside the prison. A 1963 breakfast menu on display shows they could choose from dry cereals, scrambled eggs, stewed fruit, and toast.

Prisoners also worked in the laundry, or completed factory work or general maintenance. Wages were deposited into their prison accounts to buy items from the commissary.

The prison had strict hygiene standards, according to the National Park Service, and prisoners were expected to shower regularly and wear clean clothes.

Prisoners could take part in education and recreation programs. Some worked on the gardens on the island.

Source: National Park Service, The Gardens of Alcatraz

There was also a library stocked with 15,000 books and 75 magazine titles, according to the National Park Service.

Once prisoners had shown they could follow the rules of the prison, they were allowed to have visits from family members.

Prisoners with good conduct records would complete chores for the warden and his family at the Warden's House, a 15-room mansion next to the cell blocks. Today, all that's left of the building is its concrete frame due to a fire in 1970.

Alcatraz Prison was officially closed on March 21, 1963, by Attorney General Robert Kennedy, as it had become too costly to keep in operation. Over its 29 years as a prison, Alcatraz housed more than 1,500 men.

Source: San Francisco Travel Association

On November 20, 1969, dozens of Native American activists occupied the island to bring attention to their treatment by the US government. Almost two years later, on June 11, 1971, President Nixon sent federal troops to clear the island and the occupation ended.

Source: Britannica, San Francisco Travel Association

The prison and its grounds became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972. It opened to the public the following year.

Gardens that were installed and flourished when Alcatraz was a military and federal prison are maintained by volunteers today.

Alcatraz Island is now a designated National Historic Landmark.

• Main content

• Top Picks of the Week
• San Francisco Calendar
• East Bay Calendar
• Bay Area Calendar
• – North Bay Events
• – South Bay Events
• – Peninsula Events
• Free Museum Days

Take a 360-Degree Virtual Tour of Alcatraz Island

Your Alcatraz trip is hold for now, but you can still explore Alcatraz Island ’s complex history and natural beauty via a virtual tour from Google… without freezing your ass off on the boat ride over.

Explore Alcatraz Virtual Tour via Google Arts and Culture.

Take a virtual tour and closer look at the site of the first lighthouse and US built a fort on the West Coast, the infamous federal penitentiary long off-limits to the public, and the 19-month occupation by Indians of All Tribes which saved the tribes.

You may also see their collection  of objects made by notorious inmates, historic photographs and documents, escape materials and inmate artwork; items used by officers including correctional materials.

Check out more virtual museums Learn more about Alcatraz from NPS

Most Popular Upcoming Events

• Free Sail Boat Ride Day: Treasure Island Sailing Center’s Opening Day 2024
• Canceled for 2024: SF’s 420 Celebration at Hippie Hill (Golden Gate Park)
• SF’s 2024 Cherry Blossom Festival & Parade
• 2024 San Francisco Earth Day Festival
• Free National Parks Day: Muir Woods + Yosemite for National Park Week 2024
• Kawaii Night and Neon Lights (April 19-21)
• SF’s 2024 Cherry Blossom Festival (April 13-21)
• SF World Naked Bike Ride 2024 (Earth Day)
• Brand New “Stumpy Con” Festival: Short Dog Celebration (East Bay)
• $35 Tix: 4-Course Cannabis & Wine Tasting Event (4/20 Weekend 2024)

Sign Up For Funcheap Emails

Most popular city guides.

• 60 Tiny Homes Open at SF’s 16th Street BART Plaza
• SF’s Free Outdoor Movie Nights Return for 2024
• How to Get the NY Times for Free (Updated for 2024)
• SF’s Famous Revolving Rooftop Restaurant Is Finally Spinning Again After 17 Years
• Free Monthly Museum Days
• Seats from San Francisco’s Castro Theatre Are Now Up for Grabs
• SF’s “Chinatown Night Market” Returns for 2024
• Last Chance to Ride BART’s Old Trains is April 20th
• Popular Gastropub “Monk’s Kettle” Leaving SF After 16 Years
• San Francisco April Festivals & Street Fairs

• About Funcheap
• Jobs & Internships
• Terms of Service
• DMCA Requests
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Privacy Policy

• San Francisco

Behind bars: My review of Alcatraz Prison Tours

• Posted by by Elle-Rose
• Updated: June 26, 2020
• 5 minute read

Are you looking for an in-depth review of Alcatraz, from someone who has actually been there? If so – keep reading.

On our recent trip to San Francisco I knew one of the thing we absolutely had to do – was visit Alcatraz.

But the first bit of advice I’m going to give you (and it’ll save you time, money and tears) is this: YOU HAVE TO BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE. 

You can’t just ‘turn up’ for Alcatraz. If you want to ensure you get to go, and you want to pay ‘normal’ prices (and not extortionate third-party, last-minute prices) you need to visit the official website, and try and book tickets at least a month ahead of time. Don’t forget to do this, because if you do you’ll just be disappointed. 

But anyway – now onto the good stuff!

The first views you’ll get during your Alcatraz experience are actually from the ferry as you leave mainland San Francisco. Get a good spot stood at the sides of the boat (ignore everyone who sits down… they don’t know what they’re doing). You’ll get some incredible shots of the city, as well as the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge too.

When you first arrive at Alcatraz Island

The first thing you do when you get off the boat (after you take a selfie at the sign!) is listen to a park ranger give a little presentation and intro speech. It’s worth sticking around for this, it only takes 15 minutes.

In these first few shots, you can see me listening to the Park Ranger and familiarising myself with the Alcatraz Prison tour map. There is also the famous Alcatraz sign – definitely a worthy photo-stop.

It’s also worth watching the starter movie (housed in the gift shop halfway up the hill to the prison). Videos aren’t usually my thing, but it was only about 10 minutes long, and it was actually good to get a bit of context about the island before heading out and exploring it.

One of the things the Park Ranger told us about the sign you can see in the image above (apparently it’s pretty special) was that it holds all the layers to Alcatraz’s history. Not only does it show proof of the army base, and prison days (which is what you’re probably most familiar with) – but it also has graffiti left by the Indian protestors in the 1970s, along with the National Park signage – which is the status the island holds today. So that’s pretty cool – and something you wouldn’t know if you’d have run off without listening to him.

Now, into the actual prison… 

After about a 10 minute walk up the hill to the big prison building (it’s not too steep… so don’t worry) you enter the prison through an unassuming side door. The first room you get to see is actually the rooms where new arriving prisoners would’ve also walked through. You walk along the medical centre, and alongside the showers where prisoners would been hosed down.

Once you’ve been through this area, you get given your audio tour headphones and you’re free to follow it round when you’re ready. It’s kind of exciting to be honest – I’d never done an audio tour before (especially not in a prison) so I couldn’t wait to get going.

Tip: If you’re with someone, make sure you both press play at the same time. otherwise you’ll be walking away from each other throughout the tour! 

This photo (below) might seem a bit random, but I took it because of how incredibly thick the glass was. It was about 5 inches thick….

The tour leads you around various parts of the prison, and you listen to stories from both the prisoners and from the guards as you go. They’re real people telling real stories – and it makes for an amazing tour – unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. You almost find yourself lost in the prison, like you’ve been transported back there.

It’s really important to remember when you’re in the prison, that nothing has been changed. It’s exactly how it was – right down to the escape routes and holes in the walls!

My favourite part of the tour

My favourite part of the tour was seeing the outdoor recreation yard. That was so bizarre – so don’t miss the part of the audio tour that takes you out there. 

There I was stood in this yard, on the same ground where some of the most dangerous criminals to have ever lived once stood. There I was looking at the same view they did. Hearing the same sounds they had. It was a bit overwhelming to be honest, and a strange thing to get your head around. Pad captured the photos below when I wasn’t aware – and you can see the thoughtfulness in my face. I was absolutely lost in thoughts.

You know what though… the view from that yard was incredible. Maybe one of the best views we saw the entire time we were in San Francisco. It must have been torture to be locked away and have to stare out at such a beautiful city. The phrase ‘so close yet so far’ never rung truer…

Tip: The island is really windy (much more than on the mainland) so make sure you take a jacket or cardigan – and don’t wear a dress that will easily blow up. We got lucky because it was an exceptionally hot day so we didn’t feel the cold too bad, but my dress did blow up! 

Can you look around the actual prison cells?

Your next stop on the tour is the high security bit of the prison, or ‘solitary’ as they called it.

The tour invites you to step inside the cells (which was awesome and frightening all at once) and listen to the kinds of sounds the prisoners would’ve heard. At one point you listen to a prisoner’s own account of solitary, and how he used to cope with the darkness. It’s incredible to be stood where he stood, whilst he tells you about his own experience. Part of his account was that he’d start at the tiny bit of light was ages, and then suddenly close his eyes. With his eyes closed he’d let the little bit of light remaining turn into shapes, and a TV – and then he’d watch this fake TV in his minds eye.

He describes the experience as ‘tripping’ and as I tried to do what he explained, I couldn’t have agreed more.The solitary cells were darker than dark. It must’ve been a scary place.

Once you’ve seen the worst of the prison, you then get lead over to what might have been described as ‘the best’. The tour leads you into the staff quarters, and into the generals office. The staff of the island actually lived on the island too – including their  families and children. They show you photos of the children who lived on the island, with narrative from the children (who are now adults) describing how much they loved family life on Alcatraz.

Of course these families didn’t live in the prison – they lived in specially built houses which formed a small neighbourhood on another side of the island. I found this incredible to comprehend.The last stop, is the kitchen and dining room – which is where the tour finishes. Once you’ve had your fill staring through the white metal bars and taking it all in, you can begin the beautiful walk down to the harbour again.

Tip: The boats back to San Francisco leave at set times, so it’s worth snapping a photo of your phone before you head up to the prison of the schedule. That way you can make sure you get down to the harbour in time for a boat. We arrived just as one was leaving, which was a bit annoying – so learn from my mistake! Have you been to Alcatraz? Got any tips or advice? Please share them in the comments below!

Elle-Rose is the owner and editor of The World and Then Some! She has been a professional travel writer for over 12 years, writing for many different publications, including this one. Elle-Rose is a city break expert, and she specializes in popular locations such as NYC, London, Las Vegas and Dubai, regularly visiting to stay on top of new attractions, restaurants and hotels. Elle-Rose is super active on TikTok (@theworldandthensome), and loves filming video content in the cities she visits - so go and say hello!

Post navigation

20 Perfect Photos of the Las Vegas Skyline

18 Quirky and Fun Things to do in NYC

You might also like.

30 Fun Things to do in NYC in January 2023 (And 5 Things to Avoid!)

• December 8, 2022
• 12 minute read

• travel plans

15 of the Best Winter Vacations in the USA!

• June 21, 2021
• 7 minute read

20 Delicious Restaurants to Celebrate Easter Sunday in NYC!

• March 8, 2022
• 10 minute read

Absolutely loved my visit to Alcatraz, it really inspired me to learn a bit more about the history around it. Would highly recommend it for any San Fran visit, and definitely book in advance.

North of London – Beauty Blog

That view is so beautiful (in the bridge) but i feel sad when i see those prison pictures. :/ xo , Lovelacee purchase twitter favorites .

I went in March for the night tour, and I would totally recommend that! It’s extra eery to be on the island at night!

Great article! We are headed to San Francisco for the first time next month and I am looking forward to Alcatraz. Thanks for the tips! -Evanne

Comments are closed.

• My Instagram profile
• My Pinterest profile
• My Facebook Profile

Zest In A Tote

For the discerning family traveler, how to visit alcatraz prison: travel tips + review.

• by Shweta Singhal
• Posted on November 12, 2023 February 3, 2024

San Francisco has a lot going for it. The stunning views of Golden Gate bridge, the various city attractions, the boutique cafes and restaurants, the engaging museums: our 4 days in San Francisco just flew by. One of the rewarding experiences in the city was a visit to Alcatraz Prison. Yes, we took our daughter and she loved the Alcatraz Prison Tour. Here are my top tips and guide on how to visit Alcatraz Prison.

Disclaimer:  This helpful post contains some Affiliate links. If you click on any of the links in this post (AND make a purchase) I may receive a  small commission  at  absolutely no cost to you . As such I thank you in advance should you decide to click & buy .

Page Contents

Brief History

Once home to some of America’s most notorious criminals, the federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island was operated from 1934 to 1963. The presence of infamous inmates, like Al “Scarface” Capone and the “Birdman” Robert Stroud, helped to establish the Island’s notoriety.

During the period the Federal penitentiary operated, 36 prisoners were involved in 14 separate escape attempts. 23 men were caught, 6 were shot and killed, and 2 drowned. 5 convicts disappeared and were never seen again, but the overwhelming odds are that they drowned and that their bodies were never recovered.

Book Alcatraz Prison tickets in advance

Alcatraz Island is only accessible via a ticketed ferry. This is an immensely popular destination, so make sure you book the tickets to Alcatraz Prison tour much in advance. The ticket includes the ferry ride, the audio guide you get at the Alcatraz Prison Island and the tour fee.

These get sold out quickly especially, so make sure you book yours 2-3 months in advance. For our dates in early June, the Night Tour had already got sold out 2 months in advance, but there were plenty of day trip options left.

Here are some popular Alcatraz Combo Tours to check out:

• Alcatraz Prison Tour + Golden Gate Bridge Bay Cruise
• Alcatraz Inside with Fisherman’s Wharf Lunch Credit
• Alcatraz with Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour
• Alcatraz Inside and One Day Bike Rental

Ferry is the only way to reach Alcatraz Island

Every ferry ride to Alcatraz Island departs from Pier 33 near Fisherman’s Wharf , one of the landmarks in California . You can walk upto Pier 33 if you are staying close by in Embarcadero. Or take an Uber/Lyft to reach here or a F streetcar line from Union Square.

Your ticket is timed, so make sure you reach the ferry 15-20 minutes in advance. There are no storage lockers at Alcatraz Prison, so bring only a light daypack with you with a water bottle. Do carry a light jacket as the ferry ride to the island can get chilly. Wear comfortable walking shoes as there is a lot of walking in and around the prison building.

Subscribe to my monthly newsletter

Get travel tips, itineraries, best activities and more straight to your inbox., listen to the alcatraz prison audio tour.

When you arrive to visit Alcatraz, everyone on the ferry will get off at the one and only stop. Everyone goes to the main prison building after a quick briefing and welcome. You get an audio player for a self-guided tour at the main cell-house.

The audio tour really makes the visit to Alcatraz Prison interesting, so do listen to it. Lucid, with information delivered in a crisp and engaging way, the drama of the Battle of Alcatraz and another escape attempt comes through clearly.

The audio instructions direct you to various sections of the prison in a structured way so that even with the crowds, your experience doesn’t get diluted. At any point along the way, you can pause your audio player to spend a little more time in a certain area. 

Get to know about life at Alcatraz Prison

After collecting the audio guide, you first come upon the room where new prisoners would come, collect their prison clothes which they would put on after taking a shower. You see the rows and rows of cells across corridors and get a feel of what life for inmates here would have been like.

We then saw the recreation yard, the prison library, the activities that inmates did to kill time. 

Step outside the Main Prison Building

Make sure you have some time left to explore the garden area once you finish with the main prison building on Alcatraz Island. The 4 acres of gardens that thrive on the island today are flourishing. You also get beautiful views of San Francisco skyline and of the Golden Gate bridge from the island. If you are carrying some snacks on you, this would be a good place to have them.

Visiting Alcatraz Prison FAQs

Monday – Sunday, from 10 am until 9 pm. The Alcatraz Prison is open all ALL Days except January 1, December 25 and Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November).

Ticket cost :  $41 for adults, $25 for children (5-11 years), $41 for juniors (12-17 years), $38 for seniors (62+ years).

The ferry ride is about 15 minutes long.

There is NO food available for purchase. But you can bring your own snack and have it in the garden area outside the prison building.

There are bathrooms on all ferries, and also on the Alcatraz Island: one beside the ferry terminal and another outside the cell-house.

There is a small souvenir store at the end of the Tour. You could pick a T-shirt or a mug / plate (the same shape as used by prisoners) and several other items from here.

Planning a trip to California? Here are some other posts that would be helpful –

4 days in San Francisco: You can’t have a better introduction to the US west coast!

Amazing wineries & vineyards to visit in Napa Valley

18 California Landmarks for your USA Bucket List

Yosemite National Park with kids: Our top experiences

Disneyland Hacks: Planning a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth

Disneyland California Itinerary: Enjoy the best rides with your kids

________________________________________

Pin it for later!

Have you visited San Francisco? Which is your favorite season to visit the city?

Subscribe to  Zest In A Tote Digest , my monthly newsletter, for travel tips and inspiration.

Join me on  Instagram , Pinterest  and  Facebook  as I share my travel experiences.

Share the wanderlust!

• Share on Tumblr

Author: Shweta Singhal

Hi! I am Shweta, the zest behind this blog . I play several roles – parent to a 6-year old, adventure enthusiast, travel blogger, generally open to trying out new things in life. Besides travel, I love books and theatre and art. I would love to hear from you; do drop a comment. Join me on Instagram / Twitter @zestinatote. View all posts by Shweta Singhal

Join the discussion! I'd love to hear from you. Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Discover more from Zest In A Tote

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Standing in A Prison Paradise: A Virtual Tour of Costa Rica’s Infamous Alcatraz

By Micah B. Rubin

Located on a gorgeous island surrounded by turquoise water, traveling to San Lucas Prison – the Costa Rican Alcatraz – is a challenge. Few companies schedule organized tours and they’re so infrequently offered, private guides with their own boats are almost a necessity. In addition, finding English-speaking guides can be difficult since most visitors are locals. Sure they’re checking out the prison, but the islands pristine sandy beaches are a huge draw.

After much web searching and contacting tour agencies (with no tours scheduled), I found a guide through Facebook . A few days later, Ronald met me in his boat at the bustling Ferry Paquera dock, a 45-minute drive from my hotel. We motored through the beautiful Gulf of Nicoya , past untouched islands covered in towering cacti and nesting pelicans to Isla San Lucas. Between my rusty Spanish and Ronald’s creative English, I was able to learn the island’s sordid, violent history.

Visitors to the island disembark on the same crumbling jetty – then under armed guard -prisoners would have used. A one-minute walk down the dock and up sixteen stairs leads to two holding cells where prisoners were locked up for two days or until receiving their cell-block assignments. Hardened criminals were crammed with political prisoners, murderers, pickpockets, sometimes as young as 14-years old.

(Below are panoramic photos of the cells – be sure to go full-screen.)

From there, they were marched along Calle De La Amargura (the Street of Bitterness) to their assigned wing (minimum, medium or maximum security). Many of the original buildings remain but are in various states of (dis)repair. The crumbling doctor’s office is wrapped in mold while the church and commissary were recently restored – including the latter’s colorful stained-glass windows. Former storage areas and kitchens are succumbing to the ravages of time and bats careen through holes in the walls and 40-foot corrugated ceiling.

The medium security wing is full of collapsed structures and buildings wrapped in tree roots and strangling vines. Many walls are decorated with lewd art but not nearly as disturbing as in the maximum-security wing.

Check out photos of the prison here and stay tuned for a 360-degree walkthrough virtual tour of the prison’s maximum security ward and of its most infamous cell containing the blood-inked “Woman in the Red Bikini” mural.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Leave a Reply

Click here to cancel reply.