Alcatraz tours and tickets

Our tour was truly tailored to our group, and Chet Peeples was the best tour guide! He gave us all the perfect tips and tricks. Highly recommend booking this tour early on in your trip.

— TJ

Rob was GREAT! He was very upbeat and made the long walk worthwhile. He took our pictures and emailed us the pictures. He also made sure we made the ferry to Alcatraz on time.

— Vicky

I would highly recommend this tour. Seth, our tour guide, was very friendly and easy to talk to. Alcatraz was the highlight. You are given an audio guide, which was included in the price and was great for stories of the prison.

— Allie

We loved our Fisherman's Wharf Walking Tour with Eric! He's extremely knowledgeable of the area and an excellent guide. It was great to hear recommendations of food and activities in the area from someone who actually lives here.

— Madison

Great tour. Fun morning with the guide. Learned some history and had a nice look around. We really liked the walking part of the tour.

— Vlad

This was a great start in SF. Dara made the turn interesting and fun. We upgraded with Alcatraz tour and it is not to be missed. I would highly recommend this tour your first day in SF.

— Dorothea

We loved our walking tour! Eric had so many interesting facts that it was one of the highlights of the trip! It was really cool to hear about the city from someone whose family has lived there for generations.

— Katie

Walking tour of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf was awesome. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting San Francisco.

— Timothy

This was a great way to start our anniversary trip. It gave us a lot of good info about Fisherman’s Wharf that allowed us to plan the rest of our trip. Great time and would highly recommend it.

— Nazario

John Hurst was an excellent tour guide. Helpful to get us where we need to be and where we can eat fresh fish, crab, and other great places to see.

— Trevor

Guide spotlight

“My favorite part of visiting Alcatraz is actually the ferry ride there and back. And a walk along the waterfront with a stop at Fisherman’s Wharf is a great prelude to heading out onto the bay”

Jamie

SF native and tour guide

Your Alcatraz cruise

Ready to visit Alcatraz, San Francisco’s prison island? Here are some tips. Your Alcatraz tickets are included with your Alcatraz day tour, so just have them on your phone or printed out.

Your guide will take you to the pier, where you’ll scan your Alcatraz ferry tickets before entering the line to board. For the best views, head to the top deck, but bring a jacket as it can get windy!

Arriving at the island

The cruise takes about 15 minutes, and you won’t need Alcatraz Island tickets or anything else when you disembark.

A park ranger will share a quick, optional overview to orient you to the island. After that, you’re free to enjoy your self-guided Alcatraz day tour. Most people spend 2-3 hours, but you can stay as long as you like.

Group at Alcatraz Island during Fisherman's Wharf Tour

Alcatraz audio guides

If you want to listen to the free NPS audio guide of the island, we recommend downloading the app before you go. There are also brochures of the island available in several languages for $1.

However, there’s no need to do the app or brochure — most people don’t. But you shouldn’t miss the award-winning cellhouse audio guide. It’s free and provided in multiple languages via a handheld player when you enter the prison.

Alcatraz audio guide inside the cellhouse

Latest Alcatraz stories

Alcatraz Gardens: When To Go and What’s in Bloom

Alcatraz Island is famous for the harsh, rugged landscape that inspired the construction of one of the most notorious prisons ever constructed.

Best Birdwatching on Alcatraz Island According to a Local

When people think of Alcatraz, the first thing that generally pops into their minds are criminals and concrete — not natural beauty and wildlife.

Meet 8 of Alcatraz’s Most Notorious Prisoners

For nearly 30 years, the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, off the coast of San Francisco, was America’s most infamous maximum-security prison. Ever heard of Al “Scarface” Capone? Or George “Machine Gun” Kelly? Both did time on Alcatraz Island.