Alcatraz Guide: Tickets, Tours and What to Expect

Short answer: book directly with Alcatraz City Cruises, the only ferry company authorised by the National Park Service, as soon as your dates are fixed. Boats leave from Alcatraz Landing at Pier 33 on the Embarcadero. Allow at least three hours, including the 15-minute crossing each way.

Around Fisherman's Wharf you'll see plenty of "Alcatraz cruises" that sail around the island without landing. Unless you only want a photo from the water, check that your ticket lets you set foot on the island. Resale sites often charge well above the official price, too.

Is it being turned back into a prison?

In May 2025 President Trump said he had ordered the federal Bureau of Prisons to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz, and several senior officials toured the island that summer. In April 2026 the White House asked Congress for funding for the project in its 2027 budget proposal. As of September 2026, Congress had not approved the money, no construction had started, and the island was open to visitors as usual. The prison closed in 1963 partly because it was so expensive to run, and the plan faces heavy criticism. If you're booking far ahead, check the National Park Service's Alcatraz page for any alerts.

Which tour should I book?

The day tour is what most people take, and you can stay on the island as long as you like before catching any return boat. The night tour has smaller groups, some areas that aren't open by day, and the city lights across the water on the way back. It's our favourite. The Behind the Scenes tour, led by park rangers and open to visitors aged 12 and over, goes into parts of the prison normally closed to the public.

What you'll see

From the dock, a steep path climbs to the cellhouse, and a small tram carries visitors with limited mobility. Inside, the audio tour, narrated by former inmates and guards, walks you along the cell blocks, into the dining hall and past the cells used in the 1962 escape by Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers, who left papier-mâché heads in their beds and were never found. Outside, look for the graffiti on the water tower left during the 1969 to 1971 occupation by Native American activists, and the gardens tended by generations of guards' families. Some paths close in spring for nesting seabirds.

Practical tips

The first boat of the morning is the calmest. There's no food on the island beyond snacks from the bookstore, and eating is only allowed at the dock. The ferry deck is cold and windy in every season, so bring the layers from our what to wear guide. Our three-day itinerary puts Alcatraz on the first morning, so a sold-out week doesn't wreck the plan.