Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

The historic and notorious Alcatraz penitentiary, located on Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, makes for a thoroughly interesting outing. The prison operated for almost thirty years, closing in 1963 and re-opening as a tourist attraction in 1973. While it operated it was known for housing some of America's most infamous prisoners, including Al Capone and the "Birdman" who would later formed the basis for the fictional movie The Birdman of Alcatraz.

Picture - Alcatraz Lighthouse, San Francisco.

Picture - The former penitentiary of Alcatraz.

Picture - Old building on Alcatraz Island.

Picture - Upper two levels of Alcatraz cells, San Francisco.

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Alcatraz Island Map

Important Information:

Official site: www.nps.gov/alca/

Address: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Fort Mason, Building 201, San Francisco, CA 94123, United States

Opening hours: Mar 22 to Oct 24:

Always closed on: New Year's Day (Jan 1), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, Nov), Christmas - Christian (Dec 25)

Entrance fee in USD: Family $79.00, Adult $26.00, Child 17 & under $26.00, Senior over 62 $24.50, Child 11 & under $16.00

Useful tips: These rates include the round trip ferry and audio tour. Closing times refer to the last ferry departure. No food service is available. There is a picnic area at the dock and food, drinks and smoking are only allowed on the dock. As the island is frequently shrouded in mist and the wind is almost always strong, visitors are recommended to wear warm clothes. Book tickets 2-4 weeks in advance May to September; 2 days advance for the rest of the year. Orders can be taken over the phone for a $2 fee.

Guides: Audio-visual presentations available. Guided tour included with admission. Interpretive sessions sometimes available.

Facilities: Gift shop

Transit: Pier 41 (Fisherman's Wharf)

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Visitors take a ferry over to the island where they can tour the site with an audio recording. The audio recording is very well done, and gives a glimpse into life in the prison, rather than just an historical run through of the facts. The narration is even done by former inmates and guards of Alcatraz.

While most people come for the history or the novelty of seeing a former prison, the island is now a prominent area for nesting sea birds. If you are interested in bird watching, this is one more reason to take a trip to "The Rock" as the island is often called.

The former penitentiary of Alcatraz, located 1.5mi/2.5km northeast in San Francisco Bay, is one of the most fascinating places to visit. The first Spaniard to land there, Ayala, named it Isla de los Alcatraces ("Islands of the Pelicans"), because he found vast numbers of these birds nesting on the sandstone island.

As this rocky island, covering an area of some 12acres/5hectares and rising to a height of 135ft/41m, has no springs, it remained uninhabited for years. In 1853, during the California gold-rush when the number of ships visiting the foggy bay increased considerably, a lighthouse was erected. Soon afterwards the island was fortified and became a military prison during the Civil War (1861-65). From 1933 to 1963 it became the most infamous and feared of all federal prisons in the USA. Even the most incorrigible jail-breakers hardly ever succeeded in escaping.

In the course of its 30 year existence the penitentiary received a total of 1,576 convicts. There were never more than 250 at any one time, even though there were 450 cells measuring about 10ft x 4ft. At times the number of guards, etc. was greater than that of the convicts.

After the prison was closed the island was virtually forgotten for six years until it was taken over by Indians who squatted there for seven years.

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