Alcatraz Day Tour

The Alcatraz Day Tour is a classic experience. You’ll take a ferry from Pier 33 (Alcatraz Landing) over to Alcatraz Island and explore the notorious former prison by day. 

This tour includes round-trip ferry transport and entry to the island, where you can roam various areas at your own pace. 

Key features of the Day Tour include:

Cellhouse Access with Audio Tour

Step inside the main cellhouse and walk the prison corridors. An award-winning audio guide, “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour,” is included, featuring firsthand stories from former inmates and guards. 

This 45-minute audio tour brings the prison’s history to life and is highly recommended (available in 11 languages. You can always choose to explore without audio, but most visitors find it enriching.

Historic Sites and Exhibits

You’ll see places like the mess hall, the recreation yard, solitary confinement cells, and more. Outdoors, you can visit Eagle Plaza, the old water tower with its 1969 Native American Occupation graffiti, the Sally Port, and gardens planted by former inmates. 

Exhibits such as “The Big Lockup” detail the history of U.S. incarceration. Park rangers are on-site offering free interpretive talks and answering questions.

Stunning Views

From Alcatraz, you get panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. Bring your camera – you’ll see the city skyline, Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, and Angel Island on clear days. (Tip: Morning can be foggy; afternoons often have clearer skies.)

Time to Explore

Alcatraz Day tour tickets are “open ended” for the return ferry. You select a specific ferry departure time to the island, but you can return on any later ferry you like that same day. 

This means you can stay as long as you want up until the last ferry, allowing ~2 to 3 hours average visit (or longer if you catch one of the last boats). There is no guided end – you’re free to join any ranger programs or wander around until you’re ready to leave.

Ticket Prices

All visitors 12 years and above pay the same price while kids up to 11 years and seniors qualify for discounts. 

Your ticket includes the ferry and island entry; the standard audio tour is included in the price.

When to book Alcatraz Day tour tickets?

It’s best to book Day Tour tickets well in advance, especially for summer or weekends. Tickets are released 90 days ahead and can sell out weeks (or months) in advance during peak season. 

If you show up without a ticket, same-day spots are unlikely (except maybe a handful of walk-up tickets on very quiet days). 

Schedule

Day Tour ferries run frequently each day. In peak season (spring and summer), the first ferry departs as early as 8:20 AM and then about every 30 minutes throughout the day 

The last Day Tour ferry to the island is at approximately 3:50 PM (after that, only night tour boats go). 

In the off-peak months (late fall and winter), the schedule is shorter – first ferry around 8:40 AM and last departure around 1:30 PM.

Return ferries leave Alcatraz roughly every half hour. The final return ferry from Alcatraz is about 6:30 PM in summer, or 4:30 PM in winter. 

This gives even late-afternoon visitors enough time to explore before heading back. Always double-check the exact ferry times for your date (the schedule can vary slightly by day or season).

What to Expect on the Alcatraz Island

Upon arrival at Alcatraz, a park ranger will give a short welcome orientation. 

You’ll then walk up a steep hill (about 0.25 miles, 0.4 km long with a 130-foot elevation gain) to reach the prison at the top of the island. It’s equivalent to climbing a 13-story building, so wear comfortable shoes and take your time.

There are places to rest along the path, and an accessible shuttle (the S.E.A.T. Tram) is available for visitors with limited mobility. 

Once at the cellhouse, you can pick up the audio tour headset and explore at your own pace. 

Don’t miss stepping inside an actual cell or checking out the solitary confinement “dark cells”! 

Outside the cellhouse, you can wander to scenic overlooks and historic buildings (some may be closed for restoration – check signs). 

Rangers often set up in the recreation yard or other spots to share stories. 

Before you leave, the gift shop on the island offers books and souvenirs related to Alcatraz’s history. 

There’s no food for sale on the island (only water), so plan to eat before or after (or bring a light snack to enjoy at the picnic tables near the dock).