Yosemite Day Tour + Alcatraz Island Tour and Aquarium

Visit some of the most iconic places in California with a trip to beautiful Yosemite, Alcatraz Island, and the Aquarium of the Bay!

ABOUT YOUR YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK TOUR

Yosemite is a magnificent wilderness only a few hours’ drive from San Francisco. A Yosemite Day Tour from San Francisco will complete your trip to Northern California.

Your day in Yosemite park includes a guided tour of Yosemite Valley with our informative and professional guides providing history and insight into one of the earth’s best examples of a glaciated valley.
You will stop to photograph Yosemite’s amazing rock formations, expansive skylines, and astounding waterfalls. You will also have free time alone to walk, hike, bike, swim and reflect on the beauty and grandeur of this natural wonder.

From door step to door step, the breathtaking beauty of one of California’s most unique landscapes will give you memories to last a lifetime!

ABOUT YOUR ALCATRAZ TOUR

Alcatraz is a must-see for any traveler visiting San Francisco.

You’ll take the ferry out to the island, with amazing views of the San Francisco skyline, Golden Gate Bridge, and Angel Island.

Upon arrival, you’ll learn a brief history of “The Rock” and then head up to the prison. You’ll be equipped with an audio tour titled “Doing Time”, in which you’ll hear interviews from former inmates and learn more history about Alcatraz. You may explore for as long as you want (the ferry departs for the mainland approximately every 30-40 minutes).

The tour generally takes people about two and a half hours. Don’t forget your jacket – it can get chilly out on the bay!

Alcatraz Info:

• For security purposes, a government-issued photo ID is required for all guests to board the Alcatraz ferry
• Alcatraz audio tour is available in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Mandarin, Portuguese and Korean
• You may leave Alcatraz Island at any time; ferries depart every 30 to 40 minutes; the last departing ferry is usually 6:30pm

Alcatraz tickets are subject to limited availability, so book your tickets today!

ABOUT THE AQUARIUM OF THE BAY

You’ve crossed the bay, now see what’s swimming below!

On the first day of your tour, you’ll visit the 20,000 animals living in the Aquarium, from 8-foot native seven gill sharks, to eels, rays, and jellies – all of which can be found in the San Francisco Bay.

The Aquarium of the Bay is the ONLY aquarium dedicated to the diverse marine life of the the San Francisco Bay and its watershed. Like us, Aquarium of the Bay is a certified San Francisco Green Business, doing its part by educating guests about endangered animals and habitats, participating in ongoing research, distributing information about sustainable seafood sourcing, and partnering with America Cup’s “Healthy Ocean Project” to educate about marine protected areas and the effects of marine debris and plastics.

It is just as fun and entertaining for the whole family as it is educational, and you’ll definitely walk away learning something new about our Bay and its ecosystems!

DAY 1 – ALCATRAZ AND THE AQUARIUM

The Aquarium of the Bay is at Pier 39, and you may spend as much of your day there as you like.  When it’s time for your Alcatraz Cruise, make your way to Pier 33 in Fisherman’s Wharf to pick up your Alcatraz tickets from the Group Services Window and meet the ferry. You may pick up your tickets any time the day of your tour, but they MUST be claimed no later than 30 minutes prior to the tour departure. You will need a valid ID and your paid voucher to pick up the tickets.

Departing for Alcatraz

Board your ferry and ride across the San Francisco Bay to Alcatraz Island. See the San Francisco Skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Angel Island from the ferry! Depart the ferry at Alcatraz and follow your guide up into the prison.

On Alcatraz Island

Enjoy the audio tour “Doing Time” with commentary from inmates and guards that experienced the prison when it was operational. You may take as much time as you’d like on the island; the ferries return to SF approximately every 30-40 minutes.

BONUS: If you are departing for the Alcatraz Night Tour, you’ll have access to areas of the island that are not open to the public on the day tours.

DAY 2 – YOSEMITE DAY TOUR

6:15 – 7:00am: Pick up from San Francisco hotels.

7:00 – 10:00am: Heading east across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge offers great views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge. En route to the park we cross through the Central Valley, the largest agricultural region in the United States and famous for its rich volcanic soil. The section we drive through is best known for specialty fruits and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cherries, and strawberries. We will make a stop at a fruit stand where you can experience the local produce. After this quick rest stop, we drive into the rolling foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

10:00am – 11:30am: Continuing into the mountains brings us to California gold country and through towns that began during the gold rush before we wind our way into Yosemite National Park. Your guide will provide history, stories, and practical information as you enter Yosemite’s glaciated valley. Because of our small group size, we can incorporate multiple photo stops into our tour so you can better enjoy your time in the park.

12:00pm: During the tour you will see Yosemite Valley from a number of great vantage points, perhaps the best of which is a photo stop at Tunnel View. At 4,500 feet above sea level, this viewpoint gives you a spectacular view looking east into the valley.

12:45pm: From the drop off location, you will have approx. 3 hours of free time to explore the valley as you choose. You can walk to the base of Yosemite Falls, check out the visitor center, visit the Ansel Adams Gallery, stop in at the Ahwahnee Hotel, rent a cruiser bike, or hike some of the trails that originate from the valley. Although you could spend three weeks in Yosemite, the three hours you get on your own is enough time to understand why Yosemite is one of America’s most popular national parks.

3:30pm: Regrouping again in the late afternoon, we head back to San Francisco, stopping for a short break before arriving back in the city.

8:30 – 9:00pm: Arrive back at your lodging

**Sample Itineraries: Please note that due to conditions outside of our control (special events, traffic) and the small size of our vehicles/groups, we allow our guides the flexibility to tailor your itinerary to best suit the needs of the group. While we guarantee that we’ll do our best to provide you with all of the highlights within this itinerary (conditions permitting), we do not guarantee them in this specific order. *
*