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Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, CA

Photo: Chris6d, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory Buff

Alcatraz Island

Ferry from Alcatraz Landing, Pier 33, The Embarcadero · San Francisco, CA

Why you should go…

Alcatraz held a federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963, and today the National Park Service runs the island as a historic site. You reach it by ferry from Pier 33, then walk the cellhouse with its tiers of cells and see exhibits on the Civil War era fort and the 1969 Native American occupation. The island also has the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast and colonies of gulls, cormorants and egrets. There is no entrance fee, but a ferry ticket is required.

  • #historic prison
  • #island ferry
  • #national park site
  • #san francisco bay

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Alcatraz Island, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Pier 39

    Free

    A waterfront pier at Fisherman's Wharf with shops, restaurants, and a resident colony of sea lions.

    1.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    Simco Restaurants

    $25–$50

    Family-owned group of Fisherman's Wharf seafood restaurants at Pier 39, including Pier Market and Fog Harbor Fish House.

    1.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Attractions
    Quirky Fun

    Ripley's Believe It or Not! San Francisco

    $25–$50

    A Fisherman's Wharf museum of oddities, illusions, and strange-but-true artifacts from around the world.

    1.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Blue & Gold Fleet

    $25–$50

    San Francisco Bay sightseeing cruises past Alcatraz, the sea lions, and under the Golden Gate Bridge.

    1.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Lombard Street

    Free

    Walk the side stairs or drive down eight brick hairpin turns on a single steep block of Russian Hill.

    1.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Coit Tower

    Under $25

    Ride the elevator up this 210-foot Art Deco tower on Telegraph Hill for 360-degree views of the city and bay.

    1.9 mi awayMore like this