Escaping TO Alcatraz

Sitting on a rocky island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Prison is arguably the number one attraction in all of San Francisco today. Not only having served as one of the most notorious prisons in the world, the island has featured in countless films and other works, giving it a worldwide reputation. Alcatraz is far more than an old prison though. Throughout history the island has also served as a military outpost and the site of significant Native American activism. Its an important rock to say the least. A trip to Alcatraz only takes a few hours and is well worth doing when you’re in San Francisco. There’s no better way to gain an appreciation of the history here than exploring the island first hand. Just make sure you plan out your trip in advance – tickets are incredibly popular!

The Basics:

• Where? Tours leave from Alcatraz Cruises, Pier 33, The Embarcadero, San Francisco CA 94111. Alcatraz Cruises is the ONLY company that offers boats that actually dock at Alcatraz.
• When? Ferries run from 8.45AM – 3.50PM daily every half hour. Night tours are also available.
• How much? Day Tour costs $39.90 USD per adult, $24.40 USD per child (5-11 years old). Night Tour tickets are more expensive and ticketed separately – around $47.30 USD per adult.
• How to get here? The MUNI streetcar service is convenient to use in San Francisco. The F-line stops at the Bat Street station which is about a one minute walk to Pier 33.
• Website: https://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

A bit about Alcatraz

Under military control

Alcatraz Island’s name comes from when the San Francisco Bay was chartered by Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775. Ayala named the island La Isla de Los Alcatraces after the various sea birds that made their home there. While Alcatraz became best known for its time as a Federal Penitentiary, it was originally used as a military fort which operated from 1859 to the turn of the 20th Century. A military prison was constructed on the island, mainly to hold Civil War deserters and insubordinates. This continued until 1933, when military upkeep became too expensive.

Alcatraz Prison

In 1934, the U.S Federal Bureau of Prisons took over the administration of Alcatraz, opening a federal prison. They recognised the remote location of the island surrounded by the strong currents of the freezing cold bay to be the perfect location for a prison housing the worst of the worst. While Alcatraz only held a total of 1576 prisoners over its 29 years of operation, those that spent time on the Rock included infamous criminals such as Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and ‘the Birdman’ Robert Stroud.

Most criminals stayed on Alcatraz for an average of five years. Very few visitors were allowed to the maximum security prison and the harsh reality of the conditions was emphasised by the fact that inmates could see downtown San Francisco just across the treacherous Bay waters. Escape was virtually impossible. Only three prisoners managed to escape the facility, having burrowed through their cells into a service passage while fooling guards into thinking they were asleep in bed. The escapees were never found however, and it is most likely that they drowned in the waters surrounding the island. Another escape attempt resulted in a two day battle between prison guards and inmates.

After the prison closed

The overwhelming costs of running Alcatraz Prison mounted up over the years and it was closed on March 21, 1963, with any remaining prisoners being transferred to other maximum security prisons such as that in Marion, Illinois. Following the closure of the prison, the island fell into disrepair but on Thanksgiving 1969 it was occupied by Native American activists from the Ohlone people, an occupation that lasted for 19 months. The protest drew international attention and marked a milestone in the reawakening of Native American culture. Even today, Native Americans return to the island on Thanksgiving to hold a ceremony at sunrise commemorating the occupation. Following the government regaining control of Alcatraz in 1973, the island became a National Park and was opened to the public for the first time in history.

Getting to Alcatraz

Alcatraz Cruises is the only company that can actually get you to Alcatraz. Others may advertise it but will only sail past the island. Make sure you book your tickets online at least three weeks before you plan to go to Alcatraz though. Tickets do sell out, particularly during peak season. It will also mean you won’t have to stand in an extra line to buy your ticket before queuing up for the boat.

Try to get the early bird ticket and take the first ferry across in the morning – you’ll be rewarded with minimal crowds on the island. Make sure you get to Pier 33 around half an hour prior to your departure time so that you don’t miss the boat you plan on catching. You can grab a coffee at the nearby cafe while you wait. Once you’re on board, its around a 15 minute journey with beautiful Bay views before arriving on the Alcatraz.

Exploring Alcatraz

Approaching the Cell Block

Upon arriving at Alcatraz, you’ll disembark at the Ferry Dock and Pier. A park ranger that will give you an overview of the island and the things to see. You’ll then be encouraged to ascend the steep path ahead to the main cell block for the award winning Alcatraz audio tour (included with admission). You should definitely plan to do this – but just not right away. Everybody else from your ferry group will be doing the same, so to cut away from the crowds, step inside the nearby Building 64 for a short film that summarises the island’s history. It goes for around 15 minutes, meaning you should be able to beat the next incoming boatload of guests and stroll up to the main prison building afterwards.

The walk is steep, but its really not that bad. On the way you’ll see beautiful gardens filled with bird life and rose bushes. If the walk is too much for you, they do run a tram service from the dock every thirty minutes. You won’t need it unless you have mobility issues. Just take your time and enjoy the scenic views of the island and the Bay around you. You can even see both the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges from the island. As you make your way to the top of the hill, you’ll also see buildings and signs covered in graffiti dating back to the days of Native Indian occupation on the island.

The Prison Audio Tour

When you get to the Cellhouse, you’ll be given your audio guide and be taken through the prison blocks by way of directions given as you listen. Its relatively easy to follow and you can pause the tour at any time you like. I’ve done many audio tours but I can safely say this is one of the best. The accounts provided come directly from those that were there during Alcatraz’s operation – both prison guards and ex-inmates The tour takes you through the cells, into the recreation yard and out to the burned out remains of the warden’s house. Along the way you’ll learn about some of the more infamous prisoners, the conditions they lived through, and of course, the escape attempt as you pass Frank Morris’ cell 138 in B-Block. The tour lasts around 45 minutes.

The tour wraps up in the prison’s dining room where you can take a seat and take in the atmosphere of the grim prison. You can also see menus and the old kitchen areas here. I found it especially interesting that the meals provided at Alcatraz were apparently quite nourishing, apparently to appease the dangerous prisoners. From there, you’ll exit into a gift shop after returning your audio guide, and you’ll be free to explore the rest of the island.

After the Audio Tour

Leaving the prison building, you’ll have as long as you like to explore the rest of Alcatraz. Theoretically you could stay until the last boat back to San Francisco (another advantage of getting the first boat across). Realistically, you won’t need that long. I’d say around 2-3 hours or so is a good amount of time to spend on Alcatraz all up. With that said, when I visited the island, a number of the garden trails were closed. If they’re open when you visit you might spend a bit more time on the island. On the same token, if you’re interested in any of the tours provided by the park rangers that look at both the natural and historic sides of the island, fit these into your touring schedule.

One last thing to note when exploring Alcatraz is that you won’t find any food on the island outside of the dock where you arrive. You’re in a national park and you can only take water with you. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of time for a great lunch back in San Francisco when you take the short ferry ride back to Pier 33.

Make sure you spend some time escaping to Alcatraz when you’re in San Francisco. Plan your trip out in advance and you’re bound to gain a new sense of appreciation for the ominous rock out in the San Francisco Bay. What are some of your memories of visiting Alcatraz? Leave all your questions and comments below.