If you’re going to San Francisco, why not take one of our Alcatraz tours to learn about the city’s landscape? If you’re a history buff or a true crime fan, see the past come to life on an Alcatraz guided tour.
Embark on a fifteen-minute ferry ride to Alcatraz from San Francisco’s Embarcadero. You’ll have amazing views of the classic San Francisco skyline, including Angel Island and the famous orange arches of the Golden Gate Bridge.
When you reach Alcatraz Island’s shore, all visitors view an orientation video and can embark on ranger-led and docent tours. There is also a multi-language audio tour available on all Alcatraz guided tours called “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour”, which paints a vivid scene with interviews from former inmates and employees. Once you’re through with the sights, simply catch a ferry back to land. They run every 30-40 minutes, so there’s no chance you’ll be trapped here!
If you’re brave enough, join us on our Alcatraz Night Tour & San Francisco Bay Tour to encounter ‘The Rock’ by moonlight. The night shift gives visitors exclusive access to parts of the former jail not open to the public by day. This atmospheric Alcatraz trip is like no other.
Incredible Adventures also offers multi-day tours to extend our Alcatraz excursions with highlights from the surrounding areas. Fancy yourself a tech whizz? Try our Silicon Valley Tech Tour + Alcatraz Tour to visit the world’s tech capital and visit global giants Google, Facebook, and Apple, after you’ve done time.
Perhaps you’d prefer to sample the region’s delicious grapes on an idyllic wine tour? Immerse yourself in the sunny vineyards and wine caves on our Alcatraz Island Tour and Napa and Sonoma Wine Country Tour.
If you’re keen to head to The Rock on your San Francisco vacation, let us help you plan your visit! Get in touch to find out more about our Alcatraz trips.
Alcatraz was initially documented by Juan Manuel de Ayala, a Spanish naval officer and explorer, in 1775 when California was under Spanish rule. He called the island, “La Isla de Los Alcatraces,” or “The Island of the Pelicans,” due to the birds that roosted on its rocky crags. The name was later shortened to Alcatraz.
The island is just 1.25 miles off the coast of San Francisco, which made it a useful military asset. Alcatraz was bought by the United States government from its private owner in the 1850s after the Mexican-American War. United States Army Corps of Engineers began fortifying the island until Fort Alcatraz was completed in 1958, a perfect place to position coastal protection.
Although it functioned as a military arsenal and holding place for military prisoners during the American Civil War, Alcatraz is most famous for its time as a Federal Prison from 1934-1963.
Designed to house prisoners that caused continuous disruption in other federal prisons, The Rock housed famous criminals including Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly.
While there are urban legends aplenty about Alcatraz escapes, it is believed that no inmate ever successfully left The Rock without permission.
After closing as a federal prison in 1963, the island was occupied by Native American activists from 1969 to 1971. They protested federal policies that denied land rights to Native tribes, which sparked similar protests across the country. The protestors were forcibly removed by the government and the Native land rights battle continues to this day. The island’s cultural exhibits recognize the native people’s former occupation and highlight their political cause.
In 1968, Alcatraz was declared a National Historic Landmark, shortly after, the island became a recreation area in 1972 under the protection and management of the National Parks System.
Now, more than one million people visit Alcatraz Island annually to learn about its rich history.
Outside of its socio-political history, Alcatraz is also home to the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States. Its natural features include rock pools and a seabird colony comprised mostly of western gulls, cormorants, and egrets. Keep your eyes peeled for the wildlife that inhabits this otherwise isolated island!
If you’re keen to step foot into American history, book your Alcatraz tour tickets today! Your visit to The Rock will be unforgettable.
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