Really good trip. Bonus boat ride across the bay with great views of the Golden Gate Bridge too. The former prison has a really eerie feel to it when your inside. Views of the city from the courtyard areas and from some windows inside the prison only highlight how close civilisation was physically but how far away it was figuritively. Lucky enough to meet a former inmate doing a book signing in the gift shop too, strange experience but cool non the less!
Excellent audio tour of the prison which really captures the essence of the place. Make sure you take the time to walk around the grounds of Alcatraz, it's well worth it.
Fantastic, one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had. Am taking my 3 yr old and wife with me in December this year so they can experience it.
Must-do thing in SF Bay Area. Such a nice place for fans of the deactivated prison. Make sure to have a jacket just in case. Sometime it gets cold and windy even in the summer! Audio-guided tour in the beginning makes you feel you were there at the time it was still working. Brace yourself for a a lot of walking up and down hills.
So you're making your San Francisco (Alcatraz) trip a reality? PLAN EARLY...don't wait until you get to San Francisco to buy your tickets.(buy online or CALL) A must do if you are in the beautiful city by the bay. I traveled with a large, family group. My 5 year old granddaughter still talks about the visit. (especially the dummy heads..you'll get it later) Wear 'worn in' sneakers.TAKE A WARM JACKET/wear slacks or jeans. Folks, these people didn't escape because they KNEW they'd freeze to death. (yes, even in summer) Many steep slopes to climb. Lucky for me, I had been walking daily. I even pushed my granddaughter up the slope in a stroller (Personal accomplishment! Had to show off in front of my daughter.) Excellent audio tour. Plan a meeting place in case your family members fall behind or go ahead of you. Amazing history. Military folks, check ahead...you might be eligible for free entrance (not sure if it is for active duty only or not). If you have not made arrangements yet, and plan on staying outside of San Francisco, DO NOT DO IT. (unless with family of course). We had to drive into the city daily (over the Bay Bridge for 3 days). Took us almost 2 hours per day to do so. (we stayed at Travis AFB) I now loathe the concept of merging lanes. The ferry ride is exciting (especially if the current is rough!). It is a quick trip. Memorable. Ladies (and men with long hair), forget about a good hair day...your hair will do flips/curls/twists that only the wind in that city will cause hair to do. Wear a pony tail for good family photos. In most of my photos I look like 'Cousin Itt" in the Addams Family. Once you leave, it is all 'down hill' (literally). :) You line up for the exit ferry, Have fun foks. It is WELL worth every cent. For those of you who use the potty often, plan AHEAD...there are only 2 facilities on the island if my memory serves me correctly...and the lines are long...women know what I'm talking about. Take your anti-kill-everything-wipes with you -- especially to the Golden Gate Bridge stops...but hey, that is a different review. (some places have NO TOILET PAPER due to the amount of tourist coming through!)
