A Visitor Guide to Alcatraz Island in San Francisco

When you visit San Francisco, there are several options for the tourists, apart from walking on the piers and going for a Golden Gate Bridge Cruise. Have you ever wondered about the first lighthouse built on the Pacific Coast? Have you ever thought of visiting famous Al Capone's prison cell? Have you heard about the sharks that swim around San Francisco Bay but do not eat mammals? Then you should be planning a visit to Alcatraz!

The Lighthouse at Alcatraz was the first of its kind on the Pacific Coast area in 1854. Though there were over 330 remodeled prison cells in Alcatraz, they never reached to its full capacity. It is interesting to note that there were suicides and murders but no executions on Alcatraz. There have been many movies and books about Alcatraz but there is a lot of fiction mixed with the facts.

If you plan to visit the Alcatraz Island, you will need to book one of the Alcatraz tours on Pier 33 operated and authorized by the Federal Government. You can choose from various tour options such as the early bird tour, Alcatraz day tour and evening tour. Apart from these options, you can also avail package tours that include other attractions like a Bay Bridge tour along with Alcatraz or a Napa Valley Tour along with Alcatraz.

The prices of the tours depend on the packages, age of the visitor and you can enquire about group discounts and deals. It is important to note that the tickets to Alcatraz get sold out very soon and you might have to book them at least a week ahead. Hence, you might have to book them a week ahead if you wish to make it a weekend trip. You can buy them either online or at the ticket counter on Pier 33 in San Francisco.

You can buy maps and guides after reaching the Alcatraz for $1 each and are available in five different languages other than English. Visitors can also enjoy the guided tours on the Island. You can take a tram ride instead of walking all the three levels on Alcatraz Island. You can also avail a walker for the seniors or the disabled. There seems to be no additional fee for this facility.

There is no food available on the Alcatraz Island. The cruise staff and those at Alcatraz also mention this before the visitors begin the trip. Food and refreshments are available on the cruise boat or at the food joints at Pier 33 before boarding the boat. You can drink water anywhere on Alcatraz but coffee, tea and soda are restricted to the dock area. No alcohol is allowed anywhere on the island and smoking is allowed only on the dock near the ashtrays.

It can take around 2 hours or more to walk the whole island, listen to the audio tour as you walk around the prison cells and take pictures. There are benches on the island and inside the main prison to relax. If you get too tired after walking, you can sit on these benches and watch the visitors, birds, flora and fauna. Thus, Alcatraz Island can be a memorable, nostalgic trip and is definitely worth the price and time.