ALCATRAZ NOW: FULL PRISON TOUR
Visit the most famous landmark of San Francisco.
Alcatraz Island is located in the San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles (2 km) off the shore from the city of San Francisco. Referred to as “The Rock”, Alcatraz was a military prison and later a federal prison that housed some of the nation’s most dangerous criminals, such as Al Capone. Now, Alcatraz is a historic landmark, managed by the National Park Service, and visitors are allowed to tour the grounds of the old prison.
Alcatraz Now, sponsored by Columbus Cyclery LLC., is an authorized partner of Alcatraz Cruises which provides the transportation from San Francisco to Alcatraz Island and back. Our Alcatraz Tour is bundled in a package described below and cannot be sold separately.
Our motto is “Nothing Left Behind”. With Alcatraz Now you see it All. Guaranteed. While your boat departure time is fixed, you can spend as much time on Alcatraz Island as you wish. A boat is heading back to the main land every 30 minutes or so. You can spend as little as 30 minutes or as much as 4 to 5 hours on the Rock!
ALCATRAZ TOUR PACKAGE
Package overview:
Our package includes a guided bicycle tour across the Golden Gate Bridge and a bay cruise with a walking tour of the famous Alcatraz Island. And YES, our package includes an actual landing on the island, where you can set foot, visit the cells, prison yard, etc., like a convict!
What you’ll experience…
The only way to reach Alcatraz is by sea! Ferries leave from Pier 33 at scheduled times to take you to Alcatraz Island. You can already see the Island from Fisherman’s Wharf since it is located just 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) at sea. The Rock, as it is known covers 25 acres. Since Alcatraz is under the umbrella of the National Park Services, you will be welcomed upon arrival by a National Park Ranger. At that time, a brief orientation will be given to you. You can visit the island and its jail house at your own leisure and rhythm. One interesting stop is the theatre with its continuous video orientation with historical footages of the major events that took place at Alcatraz. We definitely recommend the 45-minute audio self-guided tour so that you do not miss anything. It is available in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Mandarin, Portuguese and Korean.
This tour will take you through the cell block and narrate various stories that took place there. You will hear testimonies of former inmates and guards. You’ll have a chance to see the inmates cells, the solitary confinement area, the yard and dining area, and more… After the audio tour, we suggest you take a look at the structures around, including the guard accommodations, the Alcatraz Museum, its bookshop, and the gift shop to grab a few Alcatraz souvenirs before heading back to the mainland.
A little bit of history: The first explorer to document the island was Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775, who charted San Francisco Bay and named one of the three islands he identified as the “La Isla de los Alcatraces,” which translates as “The Island of the Pelicans,” from the archaic Spanish alcatraz (in English: “pelican”). Over the years, the English version “Alcatraz” became popular and is now widely used.
While your Alcatraz tour leaves on a specific day and time, you can do your guided bike tour ANY DAY within 72 hours of your Alcatraz tour. The guided bike tour leaves our store at 10:00 am daily (please arrive 15 to 20 minutes before 10) and lasts about two and a half hours to take you to Sausalito. Once in Sausalito, you are free to either spend more time there or hop back on a Ferry to San Francisco (Bike is free on the Ferry). You have the bike until 8:00pm. For the period June to September, the Guided Tour is only Fri/Sat/Sun, and is Self-Guided the rest of the week.
Self-Guided Tour: Just call the Shop in the morning to reserve your bike (Important), and it will be ready for you to pick-up. Plan on 2 to 3 hours to cross the Bridge and back, or more if you want to see other areas.
NOTE:Alcatraz Tour & Bicycle Tour can be done on DIFFERENT days. All our bikes come with a lock, a helmet, a map and a flat repair kit.
Package Price:
$99.00 [Alcatraz + Bike Tour] Period July-August
$79.00 [Alcatraz + Bike Tour] September to June
Cannot be sold separately . Non refundable
Method of Payment:
The Alcatraz Package can be purchased either directly at our front desk at our San Francisco store, or using our automated booking system if you are not in town. Tickets are ready for pick up at the Alcatraz boat docking location, Pier 33 – San Francisco, on the day of departure.
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