Alcatraz Island

Did the Behind the Scenes Tour at Alcatraz Island and it was incredible. Access to restricted areas made it feel exclusive and much more immersive than the regular visit. The history, the storytelling, and the views of SF are unforgettable. Highly recommend booking this version! Expensive but totally worth it.

Although access to the island was closed during my stay, I still took a bay cruise around the island to see it and take in the sights. Would have loved to have gone on the island for the tour and audio guide, but it is still worth seeing and visiting close up. It is a historic place and is definitely one to see if you're in San Francisco.

As a museum Alcatraz is incredible. The display about the Indian Occupations taught me real history that I had no idea of, and gave me an entirely new outlook on the island and its place in the United States ongoing story with crime, punishment, and how we treat native people. The prison itself and its audio tour where more or less what I expected, old interviews with prisoners and guards. Still there where stories and detail I did not know before, and the entire tour gives a thesis without preaching which I think is important. Alcatraz holds a very particular history that feels incredibly present right now. Exploring the island itself is also great. There is much more to see then you expect, and the whole thing both feels frozen in time while still still crumbling into the bay. Be aware that accessibility here is non existent. Paths are long steep walks, and you can only access the island by ferry which for us cost $48. I think the history is well worth that cost. And from the touristy point of view, the island offers impossibly beautiful views of San Francisco and the bay.

Awesome attraction. The history of this place is amazing, and the audio guide in the main jail building is very interesting and not too long. You can enter a number of cells and see how the prisoners had to live. Views back across the city are beautiful and the boat ride there and back gives a great chance to see all the landmarks of the city. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who has the time when visiting SF.

Visiting Alcatraz in San Francisco was an unforgettable experience. The history of this place is fascinating and a bit eerie, which makes the visit even more interesting. Walking through the prison and listening to the stories about the inmates and life on the island was very impressive. The views of San Francisco from Alcatraz are absolutely stunning as well. I highly recommend visiting Alcatraz if you’re in San Francisco — it’s a unique place with so much history and atmosphere.