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Can You Bring A Camera To Alcatraz

Visit Alcatraz Like an Insider

Before yous visit Alcatraz, check out these tips from a local...

  • How to get to Alcatraz .
  • Where to catch the boat  to Alcatraz.
  • Driving or public transportation ?
  • Tips for taking the ferry .
  • What to expect on the island .

Ticket status during the Coronavirus menses.

Alcatraz Island isopen once again, Day Tours, Night Tours and Behind the Scenes Tours only.

The Behind the Scenes Tour but resumed mail service-Covid in November 2021.

The Alcatraz/Angel Isle Tour is non currently running.

They are selling tickets on a more limited schedule, and the Cell Block is open now for the audio tours.

Entrance to Alcatraz exercise yard at sunset Entrance to the Exercise Area


How to Visit Alcatraz

The just way to visit Alcatraz is to accept one of the ferries operated by theHornblower visitor. Other Bay cruises may include a trip past or around Alcatraz, but they don't let you go off on the island (see other San Francisco Bay cruises ).

The boats go out fromPier 33 on the San Francisco Embarcadero, the waterfront boulevard running from Fisherman's Wharf to the Ferry Building. Pier 33 is likewise chosenAlcatraz Landing. See maps below.

Alcatraz ferry leaving Pier 33, city view Leaving Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing


Alcatraz Tours

Hornblower offers iv ways to visit Alcatraz:

  • Twenty-four hour period Tour of Alcatraz
  • Alcatraz Night Bout
  • Behind the Scenes Tour
  • Alcatraz and Angel Island Tour

For information on what is included during these tours and the costless guided tours on the isle, also as data on what you'll run across in the prison house, come across Alcatraz Prison Tours .

To observe out more nearly what the thenighttime tour is like, and photos, meet Alcatraz dark tour .

For the scoop on the newest tour, see the Backside the Scenes tour .


Taking the Alcatraz Ferry

The Hornblower Yacht visitor operates the ferries to Alcatraz. This ferry simply goes to Alcatraz (and Angel Isle on the combination tour).

Reservations are required via Hornblower at cityexperiences.com .

Boat Schedule

Day Tours. The Alcatraz ferries for the 24-hour interval tours depart from Pier 33 daily, every thirty or 60 minutes (depending on the day) from 9:30 or 10 am to 3, iv or 6 pm and return every 30 or 60 minutes.

Departure times for the return boats are posted at Pier 33 and at the dock on Alcatraz. You can take whatever boat dorsum, justdon't miss the last i!

Night Tours. The night tour runs Thursday through Monday, at 6:00 p.m, and lasts about 2.5 hours. Return boats leave Alcatraz at 8:twoscore pm.

It varies with the seasons; winter has only 1 sailing at four pm, Thursday through Monday, returning at 6:40 pm.

TheBehind the Scenes tour also runs five days a calendar week, Thursday through Mon, in fall leaving at 1:35 pm or two pm. In winter, it runs Thursday through Monday, at 12 pm. four.v hours.

Alcatraz ferry at Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing Pier 33, Alcatraz Ferry Landing


Alcatraz Tour Tickets

Buying Tickets to Alcatraz

Hornblower is the official concessionaire for the U.South. Park Service which administers the island and prison house. They sell the Alcatraz tickets online, at www.cityexperiences.com , by phone at 415 981-7625, or at the ticket berth on Pier 33, 9 am to 6:30 pm.

How the Tours and Tickets Piece of work

The ticket that yous buy from Alcatraz Cruises includes:
  1. The ride to and from the island
  2. The Audio Tour of the prison

The Dark Tours and Behind the Scenes tours have additional activities.

See Alcatraz tours and tickets  for tips on ownership Alcatraz tickets and what to expect on the diverse Alcatraz island tours.



Insider Tip:

If you don't plan on doing theAlcatraz Audio Tour (which is excellent) because of time constraints, language difficulties, restless children, etc.,you can get a refund for that portion of the bout ($viii.00 for adults, a bit less for others). The Audio Tour is bachelor in English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese and Mandarin.

How to become the refund: Unfortunately yous can't become it when you buy your tickets. When you enter the prison, you will exist offered the headsets for the tour. Tell them you don't want ane and you will become the voucher. The refund is only available on the Twenty-four hour period Tours.


The rest of theactivities on the island aregratuitous:
  (a) Guided Tours: volunteers with the National Park Service requite 45 minute tours on various topics (English only).
  (b) Videos on the history of Alcatraz.
  (c) Walking through the prison cell cake and recreation area.
  (d) Exploring the isle, including the one-time Civil War fort and the nature preserve.

When you get in at Pier 33, you lot can go a brochure with a map of Alcatraz and other data. Booklets about Alcatraz are available on the Alcatraz dock for $1, in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Japanese. At that place is also a bookstore on the island with a large selection of textile most Alcatraz.


Alcatraz Philharmonic Tours

Another mode of getting Alcatraz tickets is to purchase a combination tour, where Alcatraz tickets are paired with one or more other San Francisco attractions or activities.

Since there are no discounts for Alcatraz tickets, getting a packet deal can be one way of saving some money, if there are other tours you programme to practice while you're here.

Also, it'due south i way to get tickets for Alcatraz when the official seller, AlcatrazCruises.com, is sold out.

Alcatraz tin can exist be paired with a big variety of other activities, where the total cost can exist less than ownership the tickets individually.

If you're planning to do acity tour, or seeMuir Woods orSausalito, or keep abay cruise, you lot tin notice tours like that combined with Alcatraz. As well things like nutrient tours, Segway tours, beer pub tours, and lots of other fun things may be bachelor forth with Alcatraz.

Note: I may earn a pocket-size commission if you make a purchase through some of the links on this page, at no extra price to y'all. This helps me provide all the free information I mail service on this website.

Alcatraz & SF Urban center Bout. Yous can get Alcatraz tickets and a bus tour of the main SF attractions, with pickup from your hotel. See Alcatraz & City Tour  for more than info and booking.

Alcatraz & Bay Cruise. See Alcatraz and likewise spend 90 minutes sailing around the bay on a catamaran (and under the span). Gorgeous views! $96. Encounter Alcatraz and Bay Cruise  for info and booking.

Alcatraz and Wheel Tour. Do Alcatraz one day and another day do a guided bicycle bout, along the SF waterfront, across the Gold Gate Span, and down into the charming town of Sausalito. $105. Meet Alcatraz and Bike the Bridge  for info and booking.

Alcatraz, Muir Woods & Sausalito. Tour Alcatraz and explore the ancient redwoods of Muir Woods all in one day, with a stop in the mannerly, seaside town of Sausalito. $125. Meet Alcatraz, Muir Woods & Sausalito Tour  for info and booking.

To check out thebachelor Alcatraz combo tours, see combination tours  (lots to cull from!).


Other side of Alcatraz Island Other Side of Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz tickets sold out?
Don't despair! There are means to get tickets. SeeLast Minute Tickets

The Alcatraz ferries and tours run all yr circular, but the island is airtight on Christmas Day, New year's Twenty-four hour period, and Thanksgiving.


Best Time of Year to Visit Alcatraz? SF Conditions...

The ferries run rain or shine, merely some months are rainier than others.

Equally a general guide,September andOctober are the warmest and sunniest months,November, December, January and February are the coldest and wettest,March can be moisture, simply not that cold,April is variable (often sunny, with occasional rain), andMay, June, July and August are frequently foggy, but no rain.

Our rainy flavor is zero like Seattle's; even in a typical "wet" year, it volition rain off and on for two or three days, and then we go a few sunny days.

Only blessed as nosotros are with a quasi-Mediterranean climate, fifty-fifty in moisture years the rain ordinarily disappears past May, ofttimes past April, and doesn't showtime upwardly again until November.


What to Bring With You lot When Yous Visit Alcatraz

No matter what fourth dimension of yr you lot visit Alcatraz,be sure to bring a jacket! What may wait like a warm sunny day when you first out oftentimes turns into a cold, foggy and windy afternoon, especially in the "fog season": May, June and July. Besides, information technology tends to be colder and windier out on the Rock.

If yous forget, however, y'all can e'er buy one of those "Alcatraz" sweatshirts one time you get in that location, in the bookstore on the dock or in the gift shop at the prison!

Alcatraz Dock, Red and White ferry passing Red & White Ferry Passing Alcatraz Dock

exclamation point Reminder:

Alcatraz Cruises has some requirements for boarding the ferries:

 # one. Don't forget tobring an ID with your photo on information technology when yous visit Alcatraz. It is required as a safety precaution, outset to purchase or option up your tickets at Pier 33, and equally you are boarding the ferry if yous accept a pre-printed ticket. If you used a credit card on the phone, y'all volition demand to show them the card used to buy the ticket. Just the person who purchased the ticket on the telephone or online needs to show ID.

 # ii. Certain itemscannot be taken on the boat, in improver to the obvious ones like weapons. They include:

  • Oversized backpacks (larger than 16" past 20", or forty by 50 cm)
  • Suitcases
  • Coolers
  • Bicycles
  • Skateboards
  • Roller Blades/Skates
  • Andparents take note:
  • Shoes with Wheelies

There is no place to store stuff at Pier 33 while you visit Alcatraz. A few bike racks are available, but they tin can fill up.

practical tip Practical Tip:

 There is a place to store luggage  at Pier 39. The California Visitors Heart on the second floor volition hold your luggage for $5 per bag.

More than things to bring:

Bottled water and a snack.
You can become food and drinks on the boat and some very express munchies on the dock on Alcatraz, merely it'due south non a bad idea to bring along your own food (see Food and Drink on Alcatraz below).

Your mobile telephone or other camera.
The best  views of San Francisco (in my stance) are from a boat out in the Bay. It's worth going to visit Alcatraz just to meet the City from this astonishing vantage signal.

View of San Francisco skyline from end of Alcatraz View from Alcatraz

The usual items.
Sunglasses, sunhat, sunblock, etc. Anything you think you might need for the adjacent three or 4 hours. Shopping isvery limited on the island, unless you lot need a shirt, baseball hat, bottled water or a special Alcatraz prison house cup!


Getting on the Ferry

Covid rules: as of December, 2021, no vaccination proof is required to get on the gunkhole, but masks must be worn in the loading surface area, on the boat, and on the dock at Alcatraz.

30 minutes before departure, at that place will be a long line waiting to get on the boat. Should y'all become there early on and so you tin can be at the front of the line and get a adept spot?

No.Adept News! In that location is plenty of seating and the all-time spots are continuing along the railing anyway. People rush on and take the seats on the open up decks upward above. When the boat starts, many people leave their seats to become over to the track where the view is better, or walk effectually the gunkhole, then the seats will open upward if you want 1.

You too have a choice to sit outside on the decks or within and look out the windows.

The ferry company asks yous to be at the pier 30 minutes prior to boarding, but you don't have to be in the line for 30 minutes. There is a snack bar and shop on Pier 33 next to the departure point, and then you tin relax and have a cappuccino while you're waiting to visit Alcatraz.


Food and Drink on Alcatraz

The Park Service has strict rules about food and drink when you lot visit Alcatraz.No eating or drinking other than h2o is immune anywhere on Alcatraz, except on the dock surface area where you get off the boat.

On the ferry, there is a snack bar serving sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos and snacks, plus beverages (beer and wine are served simply on the return trip).

Once on the island, your only opportunity to go food is a bag of almonds in the bookstore on the dock.

Your visit to Alcatraz may last several hours, so I suggest bringing a snack or sandwich with you to eat on the dock before or afterward yous explore the island. The ride out to Alcatraz is only xv minutes and the views are spectacular, so you won't want to spend the voyage in line at the snack bar!

The simply beverage immune by the dock area is h2o. Common cold bottled water is for sale in the bookstore. Good idea to take some with you lot; it can be a warm hike up the hill to the prison.

View of Alcatraz Dock from the Ferry Alcatraz Dock



Insider Tip:

A word to the wise, especially those traveling with children: at that place areonly two restrooms on the island. One is on the dock, but the other one is at the top of the hill near the Alcatraz lighthouse, a long fashion from the dock. You lot won't get to it until after the climb upwardly the colina and at the very stop of the Audio Tour in the prison house.


The climb up to the prison house is a rather steep and long: a altitude of i/four mile (.four km) with one switchback. You volition exist climbing a loma xiii stories tall.

Wear comfortablewalking shoes when you lot come up to visit Alcatraz.

Prior to the federal penitentiary, the island was used as anarmy fortress, and afterward as a military prison. Confederate prisoners were held hither during the Civil State of war. You tin can explore some of the buildings still remaining from that menstruation.

View from Alcatraz, gardens and Angel Island Gardens and View from Alcatraz

Some of the buildings were burned during the Indian occupation of Alcatraz in 1969-1971. The warden's house on tiptop of the colina was one of the casualties; only the shell remains.

Indians Welcome Sign from the Alcatraz Occupation Sign from the Occupation

Ruins of the Warden's House, Alcatraz Warden'south House

Special transport is available for those with difficulty walking. An electrical vehicle pulling two small cars carries passengers from the landing dock up to the prison every 35 minutes. Ditto going down.

SEAT tram, Alcatraz disabled transportation S.E.A.T. Tram


Shopping on Alcatraz

If yous're interested in gettingAlcatraz souvenirs, there is a large option for sale on the island. The bookstore has some, but the biggest drove is in the souvenir shop at the top of the hill, but as you leave the prison house.

Along with the usual T-shirts, hats, mugs and posters, you tin can stock upwardly on replicas of prison clothing, prison cell keys, official guard pins and tin prison cups! There are lots of books and DVDs nearly Alcatraz also.


Getting to Pier 33

Pier 33 is located on the Embarcadero, virtually Francisco and Beach Streets.


Going by Auto - Parking Tips

Street parking in this area is dismal. There are a few metered spots, but not long enough to visit Alcatraz, and then plan to use a parking garage or lot (expensive) or park on the street without meters in another neighborhood (similar the Sunset District) and take public transportation.

Pier 33 Parking

In that location is a cluster of parking garages in the general area of Pier 33 and a couple of parking lots that are possibilities, price-wise.

In that location are almost a dozen garages and lots within a few blocks of Alcatraz Landing at Pier 33 that I would recommend.

Run across my page on Embarcadero parking for details and maps showing their locations.

I think the easiest parking is at one of the nearby piers that offer spaces:

Pier 27 (very close to Pier 33). The new cruise ship last has a big lot exterior that is fairly reasonable: $fifteen kickoff 2 hours, $twenty per day weekdays, $25 per day weekends. Open 6 am to eleven pm You would need more ii hours for Alcatraz.

Pier 27 closes when a prowl ship is docked there. See transport schedule for unavailable days.

Pier 23 (6 minute walk to Pier 33). Cavernous parking area within the pier building. $20 flat rate. Weekdays 7 am to viii pm, Sat. 8 am to 8 pm Dominicus. x am to six pm



Insider Tip:

Something to try: there's aparking lot right across the street from Pier 33 (at 2 Bay Street), which is normally full and more often than not quite expensive. But I've had luck getting good deals using parking apps along the Embarcadero. Twice on visits to Alcatraz, I got 8 hours of parking in that lot for $8. See what you can observe on Spot Hero .

Merely ii suggestions:book it in advance anddon't leave anything visible in the machine. When we got dorsum subsequently dark, one of the cars in the lot had been cleaved into. This is becoming an epidemic in SF, unfortunately.

Parking Caveat  for self-park lots. In that location accept been instances of thieves pretending to exist parking attendants and collecting parking fees at unattended lots and garages. Check advisedly to run across what the payment arrangement is for the place you're parking. You'll see signs telling you to get a ticket from the machine to place in your car (and see the machines) if it'due south a self-park lot or garage. This has happened at the Pier 27 lot and other places.


Taking BART

If you're coming into the City on BART, get off atEmbarcadero station and come up to the surface on Market place Street. At that place is an F-Line trolley stop in the aforementioned cake (run across map below); you will want to be on the south side of Market Street (going towards the terminate of Market Street where the Ferry Building is).

The next F-Line streetcar stop is Steuart Street, simply past the end of Market Street towards the Ferry Building and the bay.

Accept the trolley along the Embarcadero to the"Bay Street" Finish at Pier 35, and walk back a short distance to Pier 33.

(Also see Map of F-Market Line and Bart Stations for the unabridged F-Line route).

Standard developed fare on San Francisco buses and streetcars is$3.00, exact change required. Youths v-xviii, and seniors 65 and over, pay $one.50.

Marketplace Street Trolley
San Francisco has a collection of antique streetcars from U.Due south. and European cities that run on the F-Line, from the Castro District forth Market Street to the Embarcadero, past Pier 33 and Pier 39 to Fisherman'south Wharf.

The Alcatraz stop is "Bay Street" at Pier 35, close to Pier 33.

Buses
The #10 Townsend motorcoach stops at Pier 33.

You can go to a folio to download a Downtown Transportation Map showing the BART, bus and streetcar routes.

Using public transportation in San Francisco.  There are now alternatives to needing exact change on the buses and trolleys. See getting around SF  for my transit tips and a clarification of the passes, mobile apps, and cards you lot can utilise instead of cash.

Walking from Embarcadero BART station . Come up up on Market place Street and caput for the Ferry Building, straight ahead one block at the end of Market Street, then go left and walk along the Embarcadero to Pier 33. About a sixteen minute walk at a brisk step.


Coming from Fisherman's Wharf

Accept the "F-Line" Trolley along the Embarcadero and get off at theBay Street stop at Pier 35, and walk a brusque distance farther to Pier 33. If you desire to take the trolley, get on at the commencement stop on Jones Street and Jefferson Street. It gets really full and for later stops you probably won't get a seat and sometimes tin can't get on at all.

Orwalk the whole way (nigh 7 minutes along the Embarcadero from Pier 39, and 20 minutes from the Hyde Street Pier at the other end of Fisherman'due south Wharf). In that location are likewise pedicabs that get from Fisherman's Wharf down the Embarcadero.

Enjoy your visit to Alcatraz!


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Source: https://www.inside-guide-to-san-francisco-tourism.com/visit-alcatraz.html

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