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Alcatraz Island
Historic and Protected Site, Island, and National Park
San Francisco
Has a stamp of approval from Travel + Leisure and SF Weekly
"Kudos to audio tour too, very nicely produced and easy to follow."(115 Tips)
"The night tours are hauntingly creepy and the absolute best"(28 Tips)
"Get tickets in advance, get there early, get the audio tour"(31 Tips)
"Very good audio guide."(13 Tips)
419 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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Westfield San Francisco CentreJuly 10, 2012Take a trip back in time and see San Francisco’s colorful history come to life. Visit Westfield San Francisco Centre on 865 Market Street to watch our free light spectacular under the dome!
Hostelling InternationalJune 13, 2011Book Alcatraz in advance (online). We went there on the same day and it was sold out! We hadn't known that you have to book in advance (only very limited number of tickets sold on same day!)
Sandra KallmeyerNovember 6, 2014The audio tour is fantastic! Choose the English version to hear original voices of former inmates.
Dee ScaranoJuly 25, 2012Definitely worth it. Make sure you book at least 3 days ahead, especially in peak season. No tickets are sold on the day.
Allison KaminskiSeptember 5, 2015Go on the night tour! book months ahead. Sick views of the city. Remember it's always freezing on the island.
James GoochMarch 10, 2020Don’t rush the audio tour! Take some time to enjoy the gardens if it’s a sunny day.
MariaNovember 15, 2012When you disembark and don't want to wait for true false waste your time questions, head up the hill go underneath the tunnel and follow signs for the cell house audio tour.
C BaileyJune 30, 2015The audio tour is good, I learned a lot. Don't forget to check out the hospital
NéstorJune 11, 2015Be sure to take a coat and winter clothes with you. Even in summer. SF is very cold and Alcatraz is even colder!
Tony MichaelOctober 11, 2012Plan on staying as long as you can. I originally planned on being there 2 hours, I ended up staying for 6 hours and it flew by. There is so much to see.
Travel + LeisureSeptember 30, 2014Even if you have an annual national-parks pass, you’ll have to pay the entry fee here; the admission actually covers the ferry ride over. Read more- Allison KaminskiSeptember 5, 2015Go on the night tour & book months ahead. Sick views of the city. it's always freezing on the island.
Karina LopesAugust 3, 2015DO the guided tour. And it also has a really nice view of San Francisco skyline
Vitória SousaMay 3, 2013Take your time, do the audio tour! Very good! At spring the garden can not be explainable by words! Wonderful isn't enought...
William LindnerDecember 6, 2014Saw the Ai Weiwei exhibit here and really enjoyed it. Got pretty spooky when the fog rolled in.
Liz 🦎September 9, 2015The audio tour is great. Voiced by officers and prisoners who were in Alcatraz. Super interesting.
Synergy ByDesignJune 2, 2013Definitely take the audio tour and explore. It's amazing, the history and aura of the place.
Michelin LifestyleFebruary 24, 2011Lucky for you, unlike the former prisoners of Alcatraz, you can successfully escape! Make sure you have your comfy Michelin footwear with tire traction technology, to see all sites of the prison.
CristinaJune 29, 2016A MUST place to visit in SFO. Buy ur tickets on the internet about 1 month on advanced.
Thijs NiksNovember 4, 2013Take the English language audio tour, it's awesome. Former inmates and guards explain the events and their routines.
Dan Mondragón SomeraFebruary 5, 2016Tickets are mostly sold online. You could get them at the dock, but you should get there super early if you want to.
Tiffany KocielkoSeptember 1, 2015Amazing place! The audio tour ensures you get. To know all the best stories and history. Great day trip!
Amy YounghansMarch 27, 2013We happened to visit on the 50th Anniversary of the closing of Alcatraz. Such an incredible experience! The night tour is the best!
Chris OSeptember 16, 2014It was good to have said we have done it, but I wasn't blown away. The walking audio tour provides lots of history but results in frequent bunching of crowds.
The Criterion CollectionMarch 25, 2011When a highly-decorated squad of marines held San Francisco for ransom in Michael Bay's most morally complex film, THE ROCK, they chose this "escape-proof" prison as their impenetrable fortress. Read more
Felicity DOctober 13, 2012Save yourself 20 mins and skip the ranger lecture when you get off the boat, you need all of the time you can get on the island!
Brooke DeBoerJuly 2, 2014Best money spent while in San Francisco! Make sure you do the audio tour! So awesome!
Patricia Leite HuamaniApril 25, 2013A must go in San Francisco. Take the audio tour and learn a little more about The Rock.- Veronica VMay 3, 2013Absolutely amazing place! If you are in SF, you just have to go there! Its very windy, but wonderful.
Kelly Walker EverittApril 26, 2013Take the last boat out for the night tour. Great view of the city at night and there were a few different tours.
Manrique Josué Rivera FernándezAugust 13, 2015This place is unforgettable! You should go and see it by yourself!
Fi VeiNovember 15, 2015A place full of history, reserve with really enough time or you will not get in!
Ronald VeltenJuly 28, 2016Make sure you go early and book in advance! Also dont be late for boarding!!
Gayle BurkholderOctober 17, 2014The tour is well done and it is very interesting. Worth the trip but wouldn't do it again.
Vibeke PoulsenNovember 29, 2016Great idea with the audio tour! Remedier to book tickets months in advance
Jasmine PangFebruary 11, 2015A good walk into the history! Attend the talks by the rangers - they are totally entertaining!
Yaqoob AlobaidliSeptember 15, 2014Its must must must , really enjoyed the experience , such an amazing tour
Ayaz HyderJanuary 2, 2017There is relatively cheap meter parking right in front of where you take the ferry for Alcatraz.
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Alcatraz Island
Golden Gate National Recreation Area (San Francisco Bay)
San Francisco, CA 94123
United States
San Francisco, CA 94123
United States
Alcatraz Island offers a close-up look at the site of the first US built fort on the West Coast, the infamous federal penitentiary, and the 18 month occupation by Indians of All Tribes which saved the tribes.
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(415) 561-4900
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