Are Alcatraz Island tours sold out on your desired tour date? Join the Bay Discovery Cruise:
Sail the Bay and see the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, Sausalito, Fort Point, and more!
Experience the many moods of Alcatraz Island with an evening visit. Enjoy the beauty of a sunset silhouetting the Golden Gate Bridge, experience a cell door demonstration, and hear compelling stories about the Island’s history and residents.
Enjoy access to Alcatraz Island, including the historic Alcatraz Cellhouse with the self-guided Cellhouse Audio Tour.
Discover areas previously not available to the public. Join a group of 30 people or fewer on a guided adventure to explore clues to the Island’s fascinating past…a tunnel here, an underground jail there and special gardens with stunning views.
Alcatraz History
Alcatraz and history go hand in hand
Once home to some of America’s most notorious criminals, the federal penitentiary that operated here from 1934 to 1963 brought a dark mystique to “The Rock”. The presence of infamous inmates, like Al “Scarface” Capone and the “Birdman” Robert Stroud, helped to establish the Island’s notoriety. Yet, many people are unaware of the historical significance before and after it was one of the world’s most legendary prisons.
The 20th Century
Civil War-era buildings, cannons, and subterranean rooms give insight into the 19th century when the Island served as both a harbor defense fort and a military prison. As you dock at Alcatraz Island, visible reminders of the American Indian Occupation, which began in 1969 and ended in 1971, remains etched on “The Rock”, recognizing an important milestone in the American Indian rights movement.
