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Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

4.7
#1 of 6,059 in Nature in United States
Must see · Island · National Park
Tour the infamous former maximum-security penitentiary on Alcatraz Island. Nicknamed The Rock, this small island in the San Francisco Bay is now a national park. After taking a ferry to the island, follow the audio guide, available in ten languages. You'll go through the inside of the old prison's facilities, which include a lighthouse, military fortifications, and cellblocks. Though long considered escape-proof, the prison suffered an irreparable blow to its reputation in 1962, when three inmates mysteriously disappeared using a makeshift raft. Explore the protected recreation area with a park ranger, who can enhance your visit with little-known information about the island's current inhabitants: the black-crested night herons and western gulls. Using our custom trip planner, San Francisco attractions like Alcatraz Island can form part of a personalized travel itinerary.
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Tours to Alcatraz Island

FROM $214 BOOK WITH VIATOR San Francisco Golden Gate Seaplane Tour
5.0
Duration: 30 minutes
Tours from $214 »
FROM $160 BOOK WITH VIATOR Alcatraz and Walking Craft Beer Combo Tour
5.0
Duration: 9 hours
Tours from $160 »
FROM $485 BOOK WITH VIATOR Wine Country by Helicopter with Wine Tasting and Food Pairing
4.9
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes
Tours from $485 »

Alcatraz Island reviews

Rate this attraction
TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
55,325 reviews
Google
4.6
TripAdvisor
  • By Ken M
    Great tour. Narrated tour on the ferry over. Once on the island you take a recorded guided tour. You wear a headset and follow along. I was skeptical but this was great! So informative. Modern day....  more »
  • By OldProChef
    I think the history and stories behind this place as far more interesting places self. Have to really get into the folklore when you're standing in a cold damp dilapidated cement building. The...  more »
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Google
  • By Sifat Hasan
    Alcatraz Island, San fransisco, USA
  • By Far Crane
    Decent! I did not like the treatment by the cops there though, even if I did commit 42 war crimes. I still feel like the food service there was kinda awful, and would definitely not want to escape it again.
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