escape from alcatraz boat tour

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Escape from the Rock Cruise

On this Alcatraz Island tour, hear chilling tales of Alcatraz escape attempts and unscripted accounts of life on The Rock

On this Alcatraz Island tour, hear chilling tales of Alcatraz escape attempts and unscripted accounts of life on The Rock. This 90 minute cruise takes you under the Golden Gate Bridge and twice around Alcatraz Island to learn the intriguing stories of Al Capone, the Birdman of Alcatraz and more. Note: this tour does not go on the island.

What’s Included

•  Admission fee to the Escape from the Rock cruise
•  Cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge
•  Photograph Sausalito, Tiburon and Angel Island
•  Multi-language audio tour in nine languages
•  Daily departures (except December 25th)

What’s Not Included

• WiFi enabled device
•  Meals or beverages

Note: No reservations required. First come, first served basis. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your desired departure time. Cruises may not operate during inclement weather. Service animals allowed. No reserved seating available.

Description.

Escape from the Rock is a 90-minute cruise where you will sail around the infamous maximum-security prison, which once housed America’s most notorious criminals. This  Alcatraz  cruise is your best bet to get up close to The Rock and learn about Alcatraz without stepping foot on the island. This Alcatraz cruise departs from Pier 41 and sails under the  Golden Gate Bridge , passes by  Treasure Island , Angel Island, Sausalito, and provides a 360-degree view of Alcatraz Island. Not only do you get to enjoy the beautiful views of  San Francisco  Bay, but you will also sail around Alcatraz twice in the last 30 minutes of the cruise!

Escape from the Rock Tour provides you with information about Alcatraz from previous inmates’ audio commentary. This perfect alternative to Alcatraz tours includes sound effects and stories about the brutal life and the escape attempts of famous inmates, such as:

• Billy Cook the Killer
• Clyde Johnson

A free multi-language audio tour is now available in nine languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, German & Taiwanese.

Various Departures*

Please see the  schedule  for details.

Duration: 1.5 hours

Is the cruise accessible for a wheelchair?

All boats are wheelchair accessible on the first deck.

Can I cancel or change my reservation?

Escape from the Rock Cruise tickets are nonrefundable.

Where do I pick up the tickets for my Escape from the Rock Cruise?

Please exchange your voucher for a ticket at Pier 41 ticket window for Blue and Gold Fleet. Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the cruise departure time listed on your voucher.

How long is the cruise?

Escape from the Rock is a 90-minute cruise.

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This is the only Muir Woods tour with guided audio narration inside the park. Walk under the world’s tallest trees, then enjoy charming Sausalito.

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Escape From The Rock Boat Tour - Alcatraz Alternative!

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Alcatraz -Escape from the Rock Boat Tour

Find out more about the most famous prison in the world, Alcatraz, with an amazing viewpoint of the prison from San Francisco Bay. This is your chance to get closer to the island without having to actually spend time on Alcatraz Island. Instead, you’ll be circling the landmark on a boat tour right after you sail beneath the famous arches of the Golden Gate Bridge.

This is a boat tour you won’t want to miss!

It comes complete with stories about some of the prison’s most famous inmates and the most notorious criminals in America. These stories, along with the special sound effects, will give you a clear idea of the day to day lifestyle that took place within the prison walls.

Alcatraz was a maximum security prison holding well-known, grisly prisoners such as Capone, Clyde Johnson, Billy Cook the killer and many more. Learn about the chilling escape attempts that were made and why inmates were planning their escapes as soon as they entered the prison!

There are many stories about  Alcatraz  and you’ll be able to hear them as you see the island from various vantage points around it. If you find that all of the other Alcatraz tours are sold out, this is your best alternative option. It’s also the best way to see the prison without having to actually land on the island – for the faint of heart.

The site of the former Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary is located 1.25 miles off of the San Francisco coast. It first opened its doors in 1934 and closed for good on March 21, 1963. Inmates that were known to cause trouble at other prisons were often sent here and “accommodations” were available for approximately 1,600 prisoners. Prison staff members along with their families also lived on the island.

Take a boat tour and gain some valuable knowledge about one of the most famous landmarks in the United States! This is a fun and informative tour that won’t take up a lot of your day, giving you time to do other things, and is suitable for all members of the family!

Click here for Alcatraz tour details    or call  415.900.3475

Blue & Gold Fleet

Blue & Gold Fleet is the premier ferry service provider on San Francisco Bay. Visitors to the Bay Area always love an opportunity to see the City’s breathtaking views and surrounding marine beauty and Blue & Gold Fleet has been providing these services for over 40 years.

Sightseeing Cruises

San Francisco Bay Cruise: This fully-narrated, one-hour cruise sails past the world-famous sea lions at PIER 39, underneath the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, around mysterious Alcatraz Island, past Angel Island State Park and along San Francisco’s historic waterfront. Enjoy fantastic photo opportunities and breathtaking views.  Click here  for more information.

Escape From the Rock : A 90-minute journey that sails under the Golden Gate Bridge and then circles Alcatraz. This special San Francisco Bay tour is “fully-loaded” with harrowing stories and undisclosed secrets of life on “The Rock.”  Click here  for more information.

Multi-Language Audio Tour

Blue & Gold Fleet offers a multi-language audio tour on the San Francisco Bay Cruise and Escape from the Rock cruises.  The tour is available in nine languages and accessed using your smartphone, tablet or other Wi-Fi enabled device.

Ferry Service

Regular ferry service to Sausalito and through its contract with the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) service to: Vallejo, Oakland, Main Street Alameda, Seaplane Lagoon, Harbor Bay, Richmond, South San Francisco, Oracle Park (for San Francisco Giants games and special events) and Chase Center (for Golden State Warriors games and special events). Blue & Gold Fleet operates a fleet of 21 vessels.

Special Event Cruises

Blue & Gold Fleet offers a variety of seasonal and special events cruises.  Click here  for more information.  

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Escape from the Rock - Exterior Cruise Only

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Activity Level: Easy

Perfect for any fitness level

Hear chilling tales of Alcatraz escape attempts and unscripted accounts of life on The Rock aboard the 90-minute Escape from the Rock Cruise.

Blue & Gold Fleet’s 90-minute Escape from the Rock cruise takes you under the majestic Golden Gate Bridge and past Angel Island State Park before circling the mysterious Alcatraz Island to see every angle of this mysterious island and get an in-depth view of the prison. Hear intriguing stories about Alcatraz escape attempts by Al Capone , Billy Cook the Killer , Clyde Johnson and many others, giving you a clear picture of what life was like in this maximum-security prison when it was the most feared institution in the American penal system.  A free multi-language audio tour is now available in nine languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, German & Taiwanese. Please bring your Wi-Fi enabled device to access the tour. 

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• Ferry service to Sausalito, as well as cruise and sightseeing tickets can be purchased directly from this site and at the Box Office at PIER 39. Tickets to Harbor Bay, Main Street Alameda, Oakland, Richmond, Seaplane Lagoon, South San Francisco, Vallejo, Oracle Park and Chase Center can also be accessed on this site. General information is also available by calling 415-705-8200.
• Multi-language audio tours on the San Francisco Bay Cruise and Escape From the Rock Cruise around Alcatraz Island, are available in nine languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, German & Taiwanese. Please bring your Wi-Fi enabled device to access the audio tour.
• Boat tours are offered daily and there are special seasonal events and charter boats available for your private event or celebration. For charter information and custom tour services, please call 415-705-8203.

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For groups of 12 or more, you may send us an inquiry at [email protected]. Although we do not guarantee bulk deals for all our tours, there are some tours for which we can offer discounted pricing. Ordinary hop-on-hop-off bus tickets are entitled to group savings. Attractions, pass items and combo tickets aren't.

Due the nature of this type of tour and varying demand, group travellers should be aware that there is no guarantee that the group will be able to travel altogether as the available seats vary from stop to stop and depends on demand each day. The group may need to split up and/or wait for the next bus(s).

As, we cannot guarantee that the group shall be able to travel together as one group, therefore we will reduce the group size down to 4-5 smaller groups per ticket (depending upon group size).

Escape from the Rock Boat Tour – Best Alcatraz Alternative!

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• Delve in the beauty of city sights on a ferry around Alcatraz Island
• Sail under the Golden Gate Bridge
• Get to know about the infamous Alcatraz Prison from the water
• Smartphone Voucher Accepted! No need to print.

San Francisco is known for the iconic landmark Alcatraz which is the prison island in the bay. When Alcatraz tours are no more available The Escape from the Rock Boat tour is the best way to witness the island. Sail under the Golden Gate Bridge and circle Alcatraz Island to see this island from every angle. The stories with sound effects help you know insights into prison life with lots of security.

Timings:  12:30pm (Please arrive 30 minutes prior to the departure time) Duration:  Approx. 1.5 hours. Meeting Point:  Pier 39 - Pier 41, The Embarcadero at Beach Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 (Please check Calendar for availibility)

• Narrated Tour about Alcatraz
• Ferry Journey around Alcatraz Island
• Souvenir Binoculars for Children
• Access to Alcatraz Island

Redemption Info

You must redeem your vouchers (Mobile/ Printed) at Pier 39 - Pier 41, The Embarcadero at Beach Street, San Francisco, CA 94133. You will receive a ticket in exchange for your voucher, which you must keep until the expiry date/ tour. Please check your ticket to know when it expires. After exchanging your voucher for a ticket, your voucher will no longer be valid. In loss of voucher/ticket, company is not liable for any refund. Ticket is valid to the travel date you choose.

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Day Tour Tickets

Day Tour Ticket from San Francisco to Alcatraz Island

The Day Tour service allows you to explore Alcatraz Island in just one day. Enjoy a comprehensive 3-hour tour, which includes ferry transportation, the audio guide, access to the prison, and ongoing exhibitions.

Departure: AM:  8:40, 9:20, 9:45, 10:10, 10:35, 11:00, 11:30 PM:  12:00, 12:30, 1:05, 1:35, 2:15, 2:45, 3:20, 3:50 

Return: AM:  9:00, 9:40, 10:05, 10:30, 11:00, 11:25, 11:55 PM:  12:25, 12:55, 1:30, 2:00, 2:45, 3:05, 3:45, 4:25, 4:45, 5:15, 5:55, 6:30 

• Each ferry ride in both way takes approximately fifteen (15) minutes. 
• You can stay on Alcatraz Island as long as you like. The last boat from Alcatraz Island leave around 6:30PM.
• It is recommended to arrive at least forty-five (45) minutes prior to your departure time. 
• Ferry ride to & from Alcatraz Island
• Admission to the Alcatraz Prison
• Audio guide (English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Chinese)
• Admission to a new permanent exhibit “The Big Lockup: Mass Incarceration in the United States.”
• Access to the New Industries Building, which includes a fascinating exhibit
• Every corner of the prison, the Alcatraz jail is amazing!
• The cells of famous prisoners such as Al Capone or Frank Morris!
• The famous gardens of Alcatraz, including that of the wife of the director of the prison…
• The cells of the escapees from Alcatraz with the holes in the walls dug with a spoon!
• The scenic view of San Francisco from the island is breathtaking
• With a little luck you will see the famous “Alcatraz Seagull”, the symbol of the island.
• The National Park rangers are spread all over the island and are always happy to answer all your questions
• Assistance info and shuttles for visitors with mobility issues are provided on the Island

Amazing things to see

Good to know.

• Parking lots are located around Pier 33
• The Embarcado & Bay St. trolley stop is directly across from Pier 33
• It is advisable to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before departure
• Visitor restrooms are available at Pier 33

• Dress warmly on the boat: Even if the day is hot and sunny, temperatures on the ferry can be chilly, especially when the wind is blowing in the bay.
• Bring snacks and water: There is a gift shop on Alcatraz Island, but it can be pricey and can have lines.

• Dress warmly: Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco Bay and can be very windy and chilly, even during the summer. Be sure to wear warm clothes and a light jacket to protect you from the wind.
• Take the audio-guided tour: The audio-guided tour is included in the ticket price and is a great way to learn about the fascinating history of Alcatraz. Follow the audio guide to hear the stories of some of Alcatraz’s most famous prisoners and learn about daily life on the island.
• Respect the rules and restrictions: Alcatraz Island is a protected nature reserve and there are rules and restrictions to follow, including no smoking, no drinking alcohol and no picking flowers. Be sure to read the rules and restrictions ahead of time to avoid any issues.
• Enjoy breathtaking views of San Francisco Bay: Alcatraz offers breathtaking views of San Francisco Bay. Enjoy the view and snap photos of famous sights such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline.
• Stay on the island as long as you want. The last ferry is at 4:25PM (16h25)

Book your tickets today!

Don’t let your luck “escape”, book your Alcatraz tickets before it’s too late!

Don’t let your luck “escape”, book your Alcatraz tickets!

Similar tours

Choose the Tour you like the most! Tickets are going very fast!

Step back in time on the day trip to Alcatraz Island and discover the legendary prison that was home to the greatest criminals such as AL CAPONE!

Night Tour Tickets

Do you dare to walk the corridors of Alcatraz in the dark of the night? This experience will engrave in you unforgettable memories! Buy your Alcatraz Tickets now!

Group Reservations

Groups are invited to explore Alcatraz Island all year round. Elevate your group’s experience to an unforgettable level.

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Discover The History Of Alcatraz, America’s Most Notorious Prison

Posted: May 22, 2024 | Last updated: May 22, 2024

Tales from the Rock

Spending decades as America's most formidable prison – and now serving as a mysterious tourist attraction – Alcatraz has captured popular imagination for more than a century. But how much do you know about its checkered history?

Click or scroll through this gallery to learn the site's mysterious story, from its origins as a military fort, through its time housing America's most dangerous criminals, to its modern-day status as one of the country's most beguiling abandoned places...

Alcatraz Island begins life as a military fort

Before Alcatraz Island became the location of a high-security prison, it was under military control and home to what the National Parks Service calls "the most powerful fort west of the Mississippi River." From 1854, the army began rigging the isle with more than a hundred cannons, intended as a defence against invaders trying to enter San Francisco Bay.

The island becomes home to the first lighthouse on the West Coast

During the island's early days, it also served as a beacon. In fact, it became the very first lighthouse to illuminate America's west coast when it was finished in 1854. It's been through several iterations since, including the modern, automated structure added after the jail was closed in the 1960s. The lighthouse still shines brightly today.

The island is first used as a prison in 1859

Decades before the isle was converted into a federal penitentiary it contained a military-controlled prison, which began operations when the fort was finished in 1859. The site slowly expanded so that the buildings could hold hundreds of army prisoners, typically in cramped and cold conditions. It was considered suitable because the strong, ice-cold currents around the island were thought to make escape impossible.

Alcatraz Island sees action during the Civil War

During the American Civil War, Alcatraz defended the Union state of California from potential attack by Confederate forces, and the prison held local civilians arrested for treason. As the war wore on and Union victory looked increasingly likely, the US army felt able to devote more resources to the Pacific Coast, and bomb-proof barracks and cutting-edge cannons were installed at the fort. After the Civil War ended in 1865, Alcatraz's importance as a military bastion rapidly dwindled.

The Hopi 19 are held at Alcatraz

Perhaps the best-known of the fort's prisoners during these early years were the Hopi 19. This group of 19 men from the Indigenous Hopi tribe – who lived in modern-day Arizona – were incarcerated in 1895 after they resisted the government's plans to send their children to boarding schools designed to assimilate them into Euro-American culture. At these schools, students were given new names and kept away from their parents, while Indigenous languages and ceremonies were forbidden and ignored.

The prison expands

As the decades pushed on, the fort's older weaponry – mounted cannons and antiquated rifles – became obsolete, and in 1907 Alcatraz was officially designated 'Pacific Branch, US Military Prison.' It was already a prison in all but name – the Spanish-American War in 1898 had seen its prison population expand from 25 to 461 – and was expanding rapidly. A giant new cellhouse with 600 individual cells, each with a toilet and electricity, was completed in 1912. At the time it was the largest reinforced concrete building in the world.

Alcatraz is selected as a federal prison

In the 1930s America was grappling with Prohibition and the Great Depression and, against a backdrop of widespread organized crime, the US government decided that they were in need of a new and formidable federal prison. Alcatraz, with its remote location and robust complex of buildings and facilities, would be the perfect place to incarcerate the most dangerous criminals in America.

James A Johnston is named the first prison warden

The first warden for one of the toughest prisons in America would be a job few could manage – and the task was given to James A Johnston (pictured), a former prison administrator and entrepreneur with more than a decade of experience in the prison system. He had already served as warden at California state prisons Folsom and San Quentin, and would helm Alcatraz for 14 years.

Alcatraz was to be a different kind of prison

Alcatraz was to be a new kind of prison for hard-to-manage prisoners, one that was built around silence and segregation. Inmates were only permitted to speak to one another during mealtimes or recreation and, in dreaded D Block, prisoners were kept in full solitary confinement. Prisoners were entitled to food, clothing, shelter, and medical care, and all other privileges, like visits from family members or access to the prison library, had to be earned with good behavior. Here, Johnston and Attorney General Homer Cummings carry out an inspection.

Prisoners arrive at Alcatraz

Alcatraz opened as a federal prison in 1934 and the first new inmates arrived by boat in August, ready to join a few dozen military prisoners left over from the island's army days. Some 137 prisoners initially docked at the prison, most of them bank robbers or murderers. They walked onto the island in heavy handcuffs and shackles, ready to live out their days in isolation.

Al Capone is perhaps the prison's most famous inmate

Of all the formidable prisoners confined at Alcatraz, perhaps no one is more famous than Al Capone. The Chicago gangster's criminal pedigree was seemingly endless – bootlegging, gambling, robbery, murder, and more – and for seven years he controlled one of America's deadliest and most influential crime rings. He was first arrested in 1929 in Philadelphia for carrying a concealed weapon, but was released from prison just nine months later for good behavior.

Al Capone begins his term at Alcatraz

It was in 1931 that Al Capone was finally sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, after he was indicted for 22 counts of tax evasion and conspiracy to violate Prohibition laws. He began his jail time in Atlanta, but was transferred to Alcatraz when it opened. This barge – fitted with barred, screened windows and swarming with armed guards – carried the mobster onto the island in the summer of 1934.

Alcatraz takes a toll on Capone

During his other stints in prison, Al Capone the celebrity was used to getting special treatment, with spacious cells and extra telephone and visiting privileges. At Alcatraz he was merely Prisoner 85. He was assigned to a cramped cell like other inmates and made to carry out the same prison chores and hard labor. This photograph shows Capone's wife Mae arriving at the prison in 1938, by which time he was in clear mental decline.

More famous inmates: Robert Stroud

Another of Alcatraz's most famous inmates was Robert Stroud, also known as 'the Birdman of Alcatraz,' who spent 54 years behind bars. His first known murder was in 1909 when he was acting as a pimp in the Alaskan state capital of Juneau, and killed a bartender who had allegedly failed to pay up. His life was characterized by violence, and he was given life without parole – commuted from the death sentence – after he stabbed a prison guard to death in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Stroud used his years at Leavenworth to become a self-taught and apparently excellent ornithologist, keeping, breeding and studying birds and writing two books about canaries and their diseases. But when he came to Alcatraz in 1942 he had to leave all his birds and equipment behind. In this photograph, he's being portrayed by actor Burt Lancaster in the 1962 film The Birdman of Alcatraz  – although some of Stroud's fellow inmates took issue with the film's grandfatherly portrayal. He eventually died in 1963.

More famous inmates: Alvin 'Creepy' Karpis

Alvin Karpis is another notorious criminal who served time at Alcatraz. The Canadian-American became involved in crime as early as 10 years old, and his criminal career peaked with his involvement in the notorious Karpis-Barker gang through 1930s. Their deeds included bank robbing, kidnapping and murder, and Karpis was ultimately captured and sentenced to life imprisonment at Alcatraz from 1936. He was the last so-called 'public enemy number one' taken down by police, a spot previously occupied by 'Baby Face' Nelson and 'Pretty Boy' Floyd.

More famous inmates: Machine Gun Kelly

The brutal reputation of George 'Machine Gun' Kelly precedes him, with his nickname stemming from his weapon of choice. Like many of America's best-known mobsters, he was active during the Prohibition years and was involved in bootlegging operations, though he is most remembered for kidnapping Oklahoma City oil magnate Charles F Urschel and his friend Walter R Jarrett. Along with his wife (pictured left), he was sentenced for the kidnapping in 1933 and arrived at Alcatraz in 1934.

More famous inmates: James 'Whitey' Bulger

One of the more recent criminals to arrive on Alcatraz's shores, James 'Whitey' Bulger only died in 2018. He was a notorious organized crime boss who led the Boston-area Winter Hill Gang, and had reportedly also been a high-level FBI informant starting in the mid-1970s. He spent a brief period in Alcatraz starting in 1959, but was later out of prison for 46 years. When he was eventually arrested again in 2011, the charges included 19 murders.

Conditions at Alcatraz are tough

A stint at Alcatraz was certainly no walk in the park, even for America's most hardened criminals. Hard labor was common and so was solitary confinement. Most cells were incredibly small – around five feet by nine feet – with only cold water. The most fearsome prisoners were also made to stay in their cells for 24 hours a day.

The 'Battle of Alcatraz' is the prison's most precarious moment

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the harsh conditions, escape attempts were not uncommon at Alcatraz – though there was never a proven success. Five 'escaped' inmates remain unaccounted for, but it's assumed that they were lost to the waves. Perhaps the most notorious attempt of all became known as the 'Battle of Alcatraz,' and was engineered by prisoners Marvin Hubbard, Bernard Coy (the ringleader) and the youngest convict ever sent to Alcatraz, Clarence Carnes (pictured left to right).

The battle claims several lives

Coy worked as a cell-block orderly – a job that allowed him a high degree of freedom – and after studying the routines of the prison guards at length, he hatched a plan. He deliberately lost weight so he could squeeze through the bars of the gun gallery, and while Hubbard distracted the guard he launched an attack. The men released several other prisoners and what ensued was a bloody, 48-hour standoff between inmates and prison staff, who were joined by military and police. Ultimately no prisoners escaped, but five people lost their lives.

Alcatraz is closed and abandoned

By the middle of the century, declining infrastructure and soaring maintenance costs (Alcatraz was nearly three times more expensive to run than any other federal prison) left the prison island with an uncertain future. Finally, in 1963, Alcatraz was closed as a federal prison and all but abandoned. The remaining prisoners were transferred to a new, high-security jail in Marion, Illinois. Here a curious tourist peers at the famous prison through a telescope.

Native Americans occupy Alcatraz Island

After the abandonment of the prison in the 1960s, the site was occupied for 19 months by Native Americans led by Mohawk activist Richard Oakes. The Indigenous people acted as part of a group named 'Indians of All Tribes' and hoped to use the island to establish a Native American cultural center, university and museum. However, Oakes had to abandon the attempt after a family bereavement, and the remaining occupiers were eventually removed from the island by federal marshals and FBI agents in 1971.

Alcatraz makes it to the big screen

Alcatraz's extreme location, formidable residents and notorious conditions made it perfect fodder for movies throughout the 20th century – and directors were captivated by the prison's stories. Notable movies include early flick  Alcatraz Island from 1937 (star John Litel is pictured left); 1979 thriller Escape from Alcatraz , starring Clint Eastwood; 1996's The Rock with Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage, which was largely shot on location; and 1967's Point Blank , the very first movie to be filmed on the island. 

Alcatraz becomes a National Park Service site

Alcatraz eventually came under the control of the National Park Service in the 1970s. It was first enlisted as a National Recreation Area in 1972 and then opened to the public in 1973.

Alcatraz proves to be a popular tourist attraction

The American public had long been fascinated with the high-security prison and the tales of its inmates and escape attempts had long made waves in the American press. Tourism here was a quick success, and the site was soon welcoming thousands of visitors each month. The prison was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986, protecting it for posterity.

You can explore the prison on a cellhouse tour

Today the NPS site remains one of California's most popular tourist attractions. The Day Tour is a perpetual favorite, taking visitors into the creaking cellhouse while they're regaled with stories from its past. The views over San Francisco Bay are epic too.

The Night Tour will give you chills

Visitors that get a thrill from things that go bump in the night can book onto the after-dark tour. On the Night Tour, you'll first enjoy a dusky boat ride, before wandering the creepy corridors hearing tales of ghosts and ghouls. Specially programed tours are sometimes offered after dark too, and they can include extras like glimpses of the hospital or the usually off-limits A Block.

It's purportedly home to spirits and specters

Given the prison's brutal history, it's no wonder that the facility reportedly offers up a glut of ghosts and apparitions. Particularly haunted places include Cell 14D, where the most troublesome prisoners were kept in total confinement, while visitors report hearing moans and cries throughout the moldering cell blocks. Another supposed spectre is the Lady in Green, a ghostly woman who apparently frequents the washroom in the one-time home of the former prison warden.

The future of Alcatraz

Today Alcatraz is one of California’s – and the USA’s – most popular tourist attractions, with 1.3 million people visiting in 2022. And, happily, it’s being preserved for the future. Announced in 2022, some $35 million of federal funds have been set aside to make improvements at the NPS site, including improvements to the island’s concrete wharf and its infamous cellhouse.

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