National Museum

Alcatraz By Night

Because of Alcatraz's fame, visitors to San Francisco might have worries about it being super touristy, overrated, or simply not worth the effort; luckily none of these are true, and Alcatraz is an absolute must-see sight in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The tour is great at any time of day, and the audio tour is one of the best I've encountered, but for the full experience I highly recommend the night tour. This tour leaves late afternoon from San Francisco, getting you to Alcatraz just in time for sunset and a bit of darkness at the end. The light and time of day add to the already atmospheric qualities of the island and the prison, and the sunset and night views of the Golden Gate and San Francisco are priceless.

A few tips to maximize your experience:
1. Book well in advance online to ensure that you get to go at all - Alcatraz generally sells out in advance.
2. Search around online - the ferry company and pier has changed a few times in recent years and a lot of published information is out of date.
3. Bring a jacket. It's rarely warm out on Alcatraz.
4. Once in the prison itself, before you start the audio tour, go straight through the cell block to the special tour sign-up table and get yourself a spot on some of the space-limited tours (e.g., the kitchen or the spooky hospital wing).
5. Talk to the guides: they know a lot and are often willing to show you things you would never see on your own.