Alcatraz tickets & tours
Alcatraz is a historic island prison in San Francisco Bay, once home to infamous criminals like Al Capone. Now a National Park, it offers eerie prison tours, stunning city views, and rich history. A must-see for history buffs, true crime fans, and anyone visiting San Francisco!
Buy Tickets: Compare Your Options
Alcatraz Day Tour
The classic choice for first-timers, offering the most time on the island and the greatest flexibility. Includes the world-famous audio tour.
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Alcatraz Night Tour
A limited, exclusive experience featuring sunset views, special programs, and a more intimate, eerie atmosphere inside the cell house.
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Alcatraz Bay Cruise
An alternative for when the official island tour is sold out. Circles the island for stunning views but does not dock or include the cell house tour.
Buy NowAbout Tickets: Scarcity and Strategy
Last minute Alcatraz tickets
Alcatraz is one of San Francisco’s most sought-after attractions, and tickets sell out fast—sometimes months in advance. Even if tickets on the official website are sold out, there are still four ways to get last-minute tickets for Alcatraz Island tours.
Night tour standby tickets
The Alcatraz Night Tour offers visitors a unique chance to explore the infamous prison after dark. However, tickets sell out fast, sometimes months in advance. If you didn’t book ahead, night tour’s standby tickets offer a last-minute way to secure a spot but it’s a gamble.
Types of Tours: All Available Experiences
Alcatraz Day Tours
The Alcatraz Day Tour is an opportunity to explore the island’s layered past, featuring stunning views, historic exhibits, and access to outdoor and indoor prison areas. With a round-trip ferry from Pier 33, you’ll arrive at the windswept island, where you can follow self-guided exploration trails, see political messaging from the 1969 Native American Occupation, and experience “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour”.
Alcatraz Night Tours
The Alcatraz Night Tour offers a rare opportunity to explore the island after dark, adding an eerie and atmospheric touch to the experience. All visitors get the Cellhouse Audio Tour, watch a cell door demonstration, and participate in optional evening talks by Alcatraz historians. This Alcatraz tour is limited to just a few hundred visitors per evening and also offers breathtaking sunset views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Alcatraz Bay Cruise
Alcatraz Bay Cruises offer a 60 to 90-minute sightseeing adventure across San Francisco Bay, providing breathtaking views of Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, Sausalito, and other landmarks.
Unlike the official Alcatraz Island tour, these cruises do not dock on the island but provide a narrated experience.
Behind the Scenes Tour
The Alcatraz Behind the Scenes Tour is an exclusive, small-group experience offering unprecedented access to off-limits areas of Alcatraz Island. This 4-5 hour adventure begins with a personally guided tour of restricted locations such as underground tunnels, hidden passageways, and historic ruins.
Alcatraz & Angel Island Tour
The Alcatraz & Angel Island Combination Tour is a one-of-a-kind experience that lets visitors explore two of San Francisco Bay’s most famous islands in a single day.
This seasonal tour includes ferry rides to Alcatraz Island and Angel Island, offering a mix of history, nature, and stunning bay views.
Compare Alcatraz Tours
Day, Night or Behind the Scenes
There is no “bad” way to see Alcatraz, but choosing the right tour ensures you don’t end up disappointed by crowds, exhausted by hiking, or turned away due to age restrictions. Find out which tour is best.
Day Tour or Night Tour?
Should you visit Alcatraz during the day or at night? Both daytime and nighttime tours offer unique experiences, but the atmosphere varies greatly. Discover the key differences to help you decide.
Bay Cruise or Day Tour?
Not sure whether to take the Alcatraz Day Tour or the Bay Discovery Cruise? This guide compares the two experiences, helping you decide whether to explore the island up close or enjoy a scenic cruise around it.
Practical Information: Plan Your Visit
Alcatraz Ferry Schedule
See departure times, seasonal changes, and how early to arrive at Pier 33 for your ferry.
Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour
Learn what to expect from the award-winning audio tour inside the historic prison block.
Duration of Alcatraz Tour
Find out how long to budget for ferry travel, the Cellhouse tour, and island exploring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about tickets, accessibility, luggage, food rules, and more essential details.
Tips for visiting Alcatraz
Get advice on what to wear, what to pack, and how to make the most of your visit.
Getting to Alcatraz Landing
Directions, transit options, and parking alternatives for reaching Pier 33.
Official Alcatraz Website
Verify you’re booking with the official ferry operator and trusted ticket partners.
Hotels near Alcatraz
Browse recommended places to stay near Fisherman’s Wharf and the Embarcadero.
Things you must know: The legend of The Rock
Agave Trail
The Agave Trail is a short, beautiful loop on Alcatraz Island that offers dramatic landscapes, native plants, and photo-worthy wildlife. Explore our Agave Trail guide to learn what to expect and what to bring.
History of Alcatraz
Learn about the history of Alcatraz to uncover its days as a fortress, prison, and cultural icon, and see how its dramatic past still shapes the way visitors experience it today. Step inside to know its layered stories.
Alcatraz Criminals
Explore the real stories behind the criminals who stayed at Alcatraz, from gangsters to escape artists, and discover how their dark reputations turned this island prison into a symbol of fear and mystery.
Escape Attempts
Find out about the real-life Escape Attempts at Alcatraz to uncover the bold plans, clever tricks, and unsolved mysteries behind the most popular escapes. Find out why these legendary escapes still captivate visitors.
Pier 39
Discover Pier 39, a lively mix of sea lions, bay views, dining, and street performances. Explore our Pier 39 guide to find the best photo spots, food, and hidden gems. You can visit Pier 39 before or after your Alcatraz tour.