The Ultimate Guide To Visiting and Touring Alcatraz Island
Welcoming more than 1.4-million people annually since opening its doors to tourists in 1973, Alcatraz is one of the undisputed top rated attractions in San Francisco.
Its rich, yet complicated history makes it appealing to anyone with even a remote interest in the subject. While its gone through multiple stages of claims and ownership, what it’s most famous for is its service as a Federal Penitentiary.
From 1933 to its closing in 1963, Alcatraz, or simply, “The Rock”, housed some of the most notorious inmates in the United States, including; Al Capone, George “Machine-Gun” Kelly, Bob Stroud, and Roy G. Gardner.
Though many have tried, Alcatraz was considered inescapable. Most escape attempts ended in surrender or death of the escapee. Five inmates, however, were never found. Assumed to have drowned in the frigid waters of the bay.
These days, visitors are welcomed and tours of the cell house and island are offered daily. With the click of a mouse, you can visit this historic place for yourself.
This guide will cover everything you’ll need to know, including; making reservations, prices, tour types, and history. You’ll also get sneak peaks of what you’ll see during the tour of the cell house tour.
NOTE: This post is long. At the top of the page, you’ll find jump links to the four major sections of the post. While we encourage you to read the whole thing, if you’d rather skip to what you’re most interested in, just click or tap to go to that specific section.
History of Alcatraz
Military Period (1850 - 1933)
Alcatraz’s notoriety started back in 1850 when, at the behest of a joint Navy and Army commission of implementing a “triangle of defense” to guard San Francisco Bay, President Fillmore signed an executive order to secure land around the bay for such use. This included Alcatraz.
Construction on the lighthouse was completed in 1854, beginning its service as the first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast. By 1859, 87 men of Company H, Third US Artillery took post on the island and by 1863 would take their first prisoners by seizing a confederate ship and imprisoning its crew.
The prison was heavily used during the Spanish-American War and by its conclusion in 1898, Alcatraz would be severely overcrowded. This resulted in the building of the upper prison on the parade ground at the turn of the century.
In 1912, the new cell house (the one you see today) was built. It was constructed using convict labor and finished in the same year. This would be the final cell house built under Military supervision.
By 1930, the Federal Government was in need of a tough prison that could house a criminal population that was either too dangerous, too difficult, or had a high potential for escape. So in 1933, Alcatraz was transferred to the Feds and began its service as a Federal Penitentiary.
Federal Penitentiary Period (1934 - 1963)
The whole goal of the Federal Government was to have a prison that criminals feared. ‘The Rock’, fit the bill and quickly earned a reputation of being tough, miserable, and impossible to escape from. The cells were small (even by prison standards) and frills were minimal.
A man by the name of James A. Johnston would be appointed as its first Warden and would go on to serve for 14-years, nearly half of its operating years. Warden Johnston implemented many rules and other security features such as fortified bars, strategically-placed guard towers, and a dozen inmate counts per day.
Though it had a reputation of being “escape-proof”, some inmates challenged this as several attempts were made, most of which resulted in surrender or death of those involved. There are two notable attempts we will briefly cover.
Battle of Alcatraz
In 1946, several inmates planned and executed an escape attempt that quickly went awry and resulted in the deaths of all inmates directly involved and two guards. Not to mention over a dozen additional guards getting severely injured.
The three main inmates never made it out of the cell house and, after refusing to surrender, died in a hail of gunfire in a small utility corridor by Guards and U.S Marines. If you would like to read about it from the point of view of an inmate who was there, read:
Inside Alcatraz: My Time on the Rock: by Jim Quillen (highly recommended)
Frank Morris & The Anglin Brothers
Probably the most famous escape attempt, due to a Clint Eastwood film being made about it, is the one by Frank Morris and brothers John & Clarence Anglin. The men spent several months chipping away at the deteriorating walls around the vent at the rear of their cells.
They also made dummy models of their heads out of paper, plaster, and real hair, placing them in their beds to fool guards into thinking they were asleep. Sometime after final count on June 11th, 1962, the three men made their move by squeezing through the vent and to the roof through the utility corridor.
They successfully made it to the island’s north shore without being detected, hastily constructed a raft made from 50 raincoats, and headed out into the frigid waters, never to be seen again.
The official conclusion from the Warden was the men drowned. In reality, no one knows for sure. The water temperatures in the Bay are notorious for being very cold with strong currents. Their fate remains a mystery to this day.
Book - Escaping Alcatraz: The Untold Story of the Greatest Prison Break in American History
While successful in building an image feared by criminals, Alcatraz would prove itself to be too costly. The salty ocean air was slowly deteriorating the prison. Rising maintenance costs and other ongoing expenses proved to be too much. By order of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, Alcatraz was closed in 1963.
Tribal Occupation Period (1969 - 1971)
In 1969, an activist group called, “Indians of All Tribes”, landed on Alcatraz with the intent of reclaiming it as Native-American land. They did so in the name of an 1868 treaty that allowed for Indians to reclaim unused federal land. They wanted to redevelop the island into an Indian cultural center and school.
As is often the case, the federal government didn’t agree with their interpretation of the treaty and swiftly began negotiating with the group. It soon became clear that the group would settle for nothing less than complete ownership of the island. Soon, the group of activists on the island would swell to over 300 people.
When negotiations went nowhere, the Feds cut power to the island and used other tactics in an effort to remove the activists. In 1970, after the death of his young Daughter on the island, the leader of the group, Richard Oakes, left the island.
Eventually, more activists would leave and by 1971, just a handful of men, women, and children remained. At this point, the Feds moved onto the island and removed them. While technically defeated, the actions here inspired many Indian related protests at locations across the country, including Mount Rushmore and Plymouth Rock.
If you want to read about the Indian occupation in greater detail (and we suggest you do), read this article. They give a great account of what happened, why it happened, and the end result.
National Park Period (1973 - Present)
During Alcatraz’s operational years, there were only a few ways you could go to the island; you were either working there, incarcerated there, or visiting an inmate. That changed in 1973 when Alcatraz was transferred to the National Park Service and began offering public tours.
The NPS has done a wonderful job maintaining the island and keeping the facilities as authentic as possible while allowing the public to get up close and personal to what was once described as, “hell on earth”.
You, too, can visit and tour Alcatraz for yourself. However, there is a lot to know and you’ll need to be prepared. Now that we’ve gone over the general history of the island, lets get to the information you’ll need to know in order to go.
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Visitor Information
Buying Tickets
Much like anything else, there is a fee to tour the island. The fee you’ll pay includes your entrance to Alcatraz, the cell house tour, and the round-trip ferry ride. Prices for the day tour are as follows (subject to change):
$41.00 - Adult (12 years old and up)
$38.65 - Senior (62 years old and up)
$25.00 - Child (5 - 11 years old)
$119.60 - Family Pack (Two adult & two child tickets)
As far as purchasing tickets go, you have two options:
Online: This is the preferable and easiest way. Often times, it’s the ONLY way. Tickets are known to sell out months in advance. So purchasing your tickets right when you decide on a date is the only sure-fire way. Alcatraz City Cruises is the official concessioner for Alcatraz tickets. You’ll see many others but they’re middle-men and you’ll end up paying more.
Purchase Day-Of: As stated above, tickets have been known to sell out far in advance. We’re not saying it’s impossible to get day-of tickets, but it’s not worth risking the disappointment. If you decide to go this route, head to Pier 33, scan the QR code at the entrance with your phone, see if there’s availability and if there is, make your purchase.
After you make your purchase, you’ll be emailed a receipt with a QR code (your tickets are contained within it). Simply screenshot it with your phone and present it to the ticket booth upon arrival. They’ll scan it and send you on your way. As always, be sure to print a copy just in case your phone dies.
Types of Tours
While the day tour is the most popular, there are two other types of tour you should be aware of:
Night Tour: Limited to just a few hundred visitors per night, the night tour gives you the opportunity to see a sure-to-be spectacular sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge and experience the island in the dark. Prices are similar to that of the day tour but cost just a bit more.
Behind the Scenes Tour: Ever walk by a spot on the tour with the dreaded, “closed to the public”, sign? Here’s your chance to go to THOSE areas. While pricey, you and a group of no more than twenty are taken to areas of Alcatraz seldom seen by the public. Areas such as special gardens, the underground jail, and the tunnel that stretches from one end of the island to the other.
Best Time to Go
There’s really no bad time to visit San Francisco but in our opinions, September - November is best. Temperatures are warm but not unbearable and crowds are minimal.
Winter is when you’ll get the best deal on hotels but you’ll also be contending with regularly occurring rain showers. Spring is good due to mild temps and rain is nearly non-existent.
Summer, as you guessed, would be our least desirable time of year to go. It’s hot, crowded, and everything is pricier than usual. If you can help it, try either spring or fall.
Pier 33 - Alcatraz Landing
Location
Your journey to Alcatraz begins and ends at Pier 33 on the Embarcadero. The simplest and best ways to get there is by either walking, taking public transit, or a ride sharing option.
If you need to drive, parking can be found at Pier 29.5 (adjacent to Pier 33), across the street from the Exploratorium, a parking garage across from Pier 39, behind the ferry building, and other locations nearby. They all charge their own fees.
The boarding area contains multiple informative displays and a scaled model of what the island looked like when the prison was operational. There’s plenty of seating scattered about and portable restrooms.
You’ll see the boarding queue up front and at the entrance will be a sign indicating which group is boarding (your group is the time you selected during your ticket purchase).
You can arrive as early or as close to your departure time as you like. However, it is recommended to arrive one hour prior as the vessel is loaded on a first come-first serve basis. You could end up having to wait for the next one if it’s full.
*Side Note: It is here where you can request a Braille and American Sign Language transcript of the cell house tour.
Arriving at Alcatraz
The Ferry Ride
The ride to Alcatraz is scenic and short, maybe 12-15 minutes. In fact, you’ll spend more time embarking and disembarking. If you’re going on a particularly busy day, be prepared for a cramped ride.
*Side Note: As of December 2021, masks are required in all boarding areas, on the vessel (ferry), and in all interior areas on the island. Vaccination status is NOT being checked.
Building 64 will likely be the first thing you’ll notice as you pull into the dock. The upper section was where the military barracks were. Soldiers protecting the bay and guarding the prisoners slept here.
The lower section was part of the fortification protecting the bay. Looking closely, you’ll notice large square holes around the lower section. Those were canon ports.
Before taking off, stop and listen to the Ranger presentation held in front of the bookstore. In it, the Ranger discusses the Indian occupation that took place on the island. You’re asked to take part in this but it isn’t required.
The small building across from the bookstore is the first of three restrooms on the island. There’s another adjacent to the entrance of the cell house and one more across from the administration building.
*Side Note: Take note of the sign displaying ferry return times. They vary according to day and the type of tour you’re on. Unless you grabbed a brochure, it would be a good idea to take a picture of this so you’ll know the next available ferry.
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Cell House Tour
Getting There
To start the tour, walk parallel to Building 64 on East Road towards the guard tower. Before the tunnel (Sally Port), you’ll see a door on your left. This is the theater exhibit room. It wasn’t in operation when we were here, but we’ve seen it before and it’s worth checking out.
Here’s a few important details about the pathway to the cell house:
The walk from the dock to the cell house is a quarter-mile.
During this, you’ll have 130-feet of elevation gain.
This is the equivalent to climbing a 13-story building (spread out over a quarter-mile).
It does get a bit steep in some places but honestly, it isn’t difficult to get up there. I only mention this because most people don’t realize how the walk to the cell house is.
On the way up, the pathway spurs off in different directions. At these crossroads, you’ll see signage indicating the correct way to the audio tour. Just follow those.
If you have mobility issues of any kind, you can utilize the shuttle. It picks up at the dock and drops you off right at the cell house entrance (and vice versa). Oh, and it’s free.
Cell House Entrance
Audio Choices
When you see rotted bars with a sign stating, “Main Prison”, you’ve reached the beginning of the tour. Before heading in, you’ll need to make a decision on how you’ll plan to take the tour. You have two options:
Utilize their audio device.
Download the app and use your phone.
Each comes with they’re own negatives and positives. The audio device is small, but it’s in a thick plastic sleeve and due to covid, they no longer include headphones. So you’ll continuously need to hold it against your ear.
Downloading the app means you won’t have to worry about hearing the narrator through a sleeve as you'll able to use your headphones. The downsides are that it’s known to be buggy and the connection gets lost in some spots.
Neither is perfect but in order to hear the tour, you’ll need to do one or the other. We opted to use the audio device as we didn’t know about the app ahead of time and already drained the batteries on our AirPods.
Alcatraz Showers
After walking through the entrance, you will enter the shower room. The queue wraps around the showers to the other side, where you will pick up your audio device. Each person in your group will be given one.
When you reach the front of the queue, inform the attendant if you’ll be using the app or the device. If you choose the app, you’ll go right through.
If you want the device, inform the attendant of your language preference. You can choose between:
English
Spanish
Mandarin
Japanese
Italian
German
French
Dutch
Once you’re set, head up the stairs to the cell house (there’s an elevator for those with mobility issues). At the top of the stairwell, go left and look for a red sign (pictured below). Do not start the device/app until you reach this point.
Michigan Ave
When you reach this point, the tour officially begins. After you hit the green button, you’ll be introduced to the narrators, four former inmates of Alcatraz. They are:
Leon “Whitey” Thompson (Weapons charge, 1960 - 1962)
John Banner (Bank Robbery, 1954 - 1958)
James Quillen (Kidnapping, 1942 - 1952)
Darwin Coon (Bank Robbery, 1959 - 1963)
You’ll also hear from a couple former guards as well (unfortunately, we didn’t catch their names). Also, park officials swap narrators from time to time. So they may be different when you go.
The cell block you’ll see in front of you is B Block. Behind you is A Block, which was seldom used during the island’s run as a federal prison. Unfortunately, it is not part of the regular tour. To see A Block, you’ll need to book the “Behind the Scenes” tour.
The tour narrators will tell you when to stop, what to look at it, describe what you’re looking at, and which direction to go in next. This is why it’s imperative to pay close attention.
You will have the ability to pause the tour and rewind in case you get turned around, missed something, or want to linger in one spot for a while longer.
To the left of the sign with the narrators on it is the, “cut-off”, a passageway through the middle of B Block. You’ll go through here and turn right coming out.
Broadway
After going through the cut-off, you’ll turn onto, “Broadway”. This is the aisle between B and C Blocks. Your narrator will guide you to a few different cells with notable occupants.
Each cell on B and C Blocks are some of the smallest you’ll ever see. Grown men lived in cells that were 5 feet by 9 feet and 7 feet high. Most inmates could stretch their arms and easily touch each side of their cells.
You’ll work your way up Broadway towards what is known as, “Times Square”. When you reach this point, you’ll turn left and head towards the doorway leading to the Recreation Yard.
Recreation Yard
The Recreation Yard (or simply, “Rec Yard”), is where most inmates would spend a portion of their days. Some would play cards while others played handball. Some, simply, would sit and stare at the impressive views of the city and Golden Gate Bridge.
You will want to pause the tour and spend some time looking around the yard. If you look towards the back wall, you’ll notice an open, rusted door leading to a steep stairwell.
This is the door where inmates would march through to go to whichever job they held. They would have to go up and down these stairs on a near daily basis.
Feel free to spend all the time you want exploring the yard. Once you’re ready to resume the tour, simply head back the same way you came in. When you reach the doorway, hit start on your device and head straight to D Block.
D Block & Prison Library
Inmates who proved to be problematic for guards, i.e, got into fights, assaulted guards, or just didn't follow a specific rule, were sent to D Block. It was quickly given the nickname of, “Punishment Block”.
These cells were much bigger than the ones in the other blocks, but inmates were confined to them 24 hours a day (with the exception of their twice weekly showers).
Since they were completely confined to their cells, everything was brought to them by other inmates or guards. On top of that, the only two activities allowed here were reading and quietly talking to the inmate next to you.
The other feature of D Block, specifically on the upper tiers, was the view of the city. Inmates, however, said this was the worst part because when the wind blew towards Alcatraz, it carried sounds of people talking and laughing from the city, reminding them of how isolated they were.
Further down D Block is where you’ll find the infamous solitary confinement cells, also known as the, “prison within a prison”.
These cells were solid concrete with nothing but a toilet, sink, and a bed inside. No light source was provided so when the solid door was closed, inmates were in total darkness and could hear nothing.
If you want a small taste of what it was like, go to the cell at the very end. Both doors are left open and you are allowed to step inside. Although you cannot shut the door behind you, it will give you a sense of what the inmates experienced.
After D Block, your next step will be the prison library. It’s another example of a, ‘prison within the prison”, as you feel like you’re walking into a cage.
On arrival at Alcatraz, inmates were given a library card and were allowed three books at a time. This was in addition to a bible, text books, and approved magazine subscriptions (newspapers were prohibited).
Inmates weren’t allowed to come and go as they pleased, though. If they wanted to check out a book, they would fill out a slip and turn it in. The Librarian would find the book(s) and deliver them to that inmate’s cell.
There are benches in the library that you’re free to use if you need to sit-down for a bit. When you’re ready to move on, exit the Library and go right on “Park Ave.”
Park Ave., Good-Time Cells, & Visitation
Coming out of the library, the narrator will have you view a few of the cells on C Block on what is known as, “Park Ave.” These cells are referred to as, “Good-Time Cells”, as inmates in these cells were allowed paint supplies and other privileges.
From here, you’ll round the corner to view the visitation area, also known as, “Peek’n Place”. Here, inmates would visit their loved ones by talking to them through a phone and thick, glass barriers. Under most circumstances, inmates were allowed only one visit per month.
Head to the opposite side of the wall to see it from the visitor’s perspective. There would be a guard stationed here listening to all conversations. Among other topics, discussing current events was prohibited and could’ve resulted in privileges.
The area behind the visitation is where the administrative offices are. You can come back here after the conclusion of the tour. For now, head back down broadway.
Broadway & Dining Hall
Before arriving at the Dining Hall (the final room of the tour), you’ll take one last stroll down Broadway. On the way, you’ll stop to see the cells of Frank Morris and the Anglin Brothers. They took part in the greatest escape attempt in the history of Alcatraz.
You’ll see the vent in the back of their cells where they squeezed through to gain access to the corridor. They took advantage of Alcatraz’s deteriorating state by chipping away at the wall around the vent.
You’ll also see the plaster molds of their heads they constructed. They placed them in their beds at night to fool the guards into thinking they were asleep. In reality, they were in the corridor behind the cells working on the next phase of the escape.
The final section of the cell house tour is the Dining Hall. Here, hundreds of men would gather together for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, everyday. The guards would tell you that this was always the most tense part of the day as fights or riots could break out at any time.
To deter this, tear gas canisters were positioned in the rafters throughout the room that could be set off remotely. There was also an abundant of armed guards present. Despite these security features, a few riots have broken out here.
Inmates were given 20-minutes to eat and were not limited in how much food they could consume. The only caveat to this was no matter how much they took they had to eat it all, leaving no waste. If they made a habit out of doing that, it could result in the removal of privileges.
Hanging above the entrance to the kitchen is the menu of the final breakfast served at Alcatraz. Inmates reported the food here to be the best of any Federal Penitentiary they’ve been to.
By now, the narrator has concluded the tour and from this point forward, you’re free to explore the island at your leisure. Turn in your device to the booth in the middle of the room and head back down the stairs.
From there, you’ll come down the stairs and back into the showers. You’ll be directed to exit through the gift shop and when you do that, you’ll be right back where it all began at the cell house entrance.
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Exploring the Island
Your visit to Alcatraz doesn’t end with the cell house tour. You’re free to spend as little or as much time here as you please as long as you’re off the island by the final ferry departure time.
At the conclusion of the tour, simply head back down the path and go from there. Having a map of the island would come in handy here but if you don’t have one, just follow the signage.
Southwest & Northwest Side
On the southwest side of the island (facing the Bay Bridge) is the administration building, the remains of the Warden’s house, the historic Lighthouse, and the ruins of, ‘Officer’s Row’ (where housing for the guards and their families used to be).
In the admin building, you’ll see the Warden’s office, control room, and other offices. You can also access the cell house from here if you want to see it again.
Outside the admin building is the former home of the Warden. As you can see in the image above, the elements and nature have taken over. As you’ll see when you’re here, though, the Warden once had an amazing view of the bridge and city.
Take the west road (pictured above) to see the Northwest side of the island. Here you’ll find a beautiful garden that was once maintained by the inmates.
The west road eventually terminates near the stairwell that leads back to the Recreation Yard. If you like, you’re welcomed to go back up there. If not, you’ll need to turn back and go the way you came in.
Southeast and Northeast Side
These are on the opposite side of the island. To get there, you have two options:
Go up the stairs through the recreation yard and cut through the cell house to the other side. You’ll go back down the stairs in the Dining Hall and out through the gift shop. Or….
Take the west road back to the Warden’s house and loop back to the other side on east road.
There are multiple historic buildings on this side of the island. Building 64, the Sally Port, the old Boat Dock, and (pictured above) the remains of the Officer’s Club.
Continuing straight away from the Officer’s Club is where you’ll find the Powerhouse, Model Industries Building, and Water Tower. A bit further up the road (going towards the cell house) you’ll find the Morgue.
The Model Industries Building is fenced off so you’re not able to go in and see it. We did see a lot of construction material nearby so that may possibly change in the future.
At this point, you have no other recourse but to turn around. From here, it’s completely up to you where to go.
As stated above, you can remain on Alcatraz for as long as you wish. You can explore the island some more, do the cell house tour again, you can hike the Agave Trail (starts near the ferry dock), or head back to the city.
*We’re often asked about the kind of camera equipment we use to capture the photos used on our website. Below are Amazon links to what we use. If you decide to purchase, Amazon pays us a small commission and it doesn’t cost you anything extra.
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Conclusion
Phew! That was a long one. If you read that entire thing, you rock! If you skimmed through it, you still rock! We’ve been wanting to add Alcatraz to our website for a long time and we’re excited for you to read it. Be sure to let us know in the comment section if you’ve been to Alcatraz or are now wanting to go.
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