Alcatraz Island Tours - What is there to see on Alcatraz Island?
https://flic.kr/p/2mS8tVA, photo by Bernard Spragg. NZ
Alcatraz Island is the most popular ticketed attraction of all the places to visit in San Francisco - 1.6 million people visited in 2019! It is so popular that tickets sell out several weeks in advance during the summer. (If you can’t get tickets, just check out my previous post on how to find Alcatraz Island tickets.)
But why are Alcatraz Island tours such a big deal? Why is this such a popular San Francisco tourist spot?
History. The federal prison that was on Alcatraz Island gives the place its forbidding reputation, despite being active for less than thirty years. There are also lots of other military, political, and naval sights to see.
Nature. The island is home to thousands of local and seasonal migratory birds, as well as Eucalyptus trees, agave plants, and a beautifully restored prison garden.
Views. Alcatraz is intriguing from San Francisco, but San Francisco is spectacular from Alcatraz! The ferry ride over with Alcatraz Cruises alone is worth the price of admission.
So what should you see on Alcatraz Island? When you first arrive at the ferry dock on the north side of the island, you will receive an introduction from one of the park rangers on Alcatraz. They will detail the layout of the island, the special programs happening just that day, and tell you how to get around. There are a lot of things to check out, but I always suggest starting with the cell house.
It’s about a ten minute walk up a steep ramp to get to the entrance, and there is a little tram that can drive you up if you need help. When you arrive at the top, enter the prison building and start the audio tour. You will actually enter the same way that the prisoners did. This tour is included with your Alcatraz Island ferry ticket and takes you through the whole cell house over the course of forty-five minutes. In your ear are four former prisoners and four former guards, who talk about their time on the island, the life of the prisoners, and some of the famous escape attempts. It sounds cheesy, but trust me it’s a really fun experience.
When the audio tour is over, a lot of folks just hit the gift shop and head back to the ferry landing. If you do this, you will be missing out! The following are my favorite things to see outside the cellhouse.
Special exhibits. Hopefully, you paid attention to the ranger during your introductory briefing! Be sure to check out the industries buildings, which frequently have special art exhibitions, and any outbuildings like the morgue that may be open.
https://flic.kr/p/dwamXB, photo by MK Feeney
The gardens. When the island was a military and then a civilian prison, extensive gardens were maintained by the guards, their families, and prisoners with special privileges. After being abandoned for forty years, volunteers and park staff are restoring them with beautiful results. The main gardens worth checking out are on the east side of the cell house wall, overlooking the ferry dock.
https://flic.kr/p/SgfUzj, photo by daveynin
The occupation history. From 1969 to 1971, Alcatraz was occupied in protest by early members of the American Indian movement. These protesters left extensive graffiti paintings around the exterior and interior of the cellhouse. There is also a museum in the barracks building near the ferry dock that tells the story of the occupation and the sunrise ceremonies still performed on the island on Columbus Day and Thanksgiving.
The west side of the island. The audio tour invites you to look in the rec yard, but you can also explore it. If you go out the door on the far side, you will see ahead a view of the Golden Gate Bridge that you can only get on the Rock and a stairway leading down to the rocky west side of the island. This is where you feel like you have the island to yourself, especially compared to the mad crowds in the cell house!
Finally, walk along the edge of the island to the Agave Trail. This is only open part of the year, when migratory birds are not nesting nearby, and takes you right along the edge of the water back to the ferry landing. Some of the agave plants are ten feet high and when they are in bloom they are truly spectacular.
