Alcatraz Day Tours

Ride to Alcatraz on a Hybrid! The Alcatraz & Angel Island Combination Tour showcases two of San Francisco Bay's most famous and historically rich islands. Take this tour and you will not only see two amazing sites, but you will travel on the first hybrid ferry in the United States. This vessel is a working demonstration of alternative energy in operation, utilizing wind, solar, electricity and diesel.

Important Information, please read:

Please understand that the purchase of the Alcatraz & Angel Island Combination Tour does not give the option of whether to go to Alcatraz or Angel Island first. There are a total of 250 tickets sold for this tour each day that it operates. Tickets are sold on a first come first served basis only. The first 125 visitors purchasing tickets go to Alcatraz Island first and then on to Angel Island State Park. The second 125 visitors purchasing tickets go to Angel Island State Park first and then on to Alcatraz Island. This tour does not offer an Angel Island-only or Alcatraz-only option. There are no refunds for unused portions of the Alcatraz & Angel Island Combination Tour. There is no way to request a preference for the first stop on the tour.

The tour takes about 6 hours to complete. The tour is offered on weekends April through June, daily June 13 through September 7th and the remaining September weekends in 2009.

Angel Island:

Angel Island is alive with history. Three thousand years ago the island was a fishing and hunting site for Coastal Miwok Indians. It was later a haven for Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala, a cattle ranch, and a U.S. Army post.

From 1910 to 1940, the island processed thousands of immigrants, the majority from China. During World War II Japanese and German POWs were held on the island, which was also used as a jumping-off point for American soldiers returning from the Pacific. In the '50s and '60s, the island was home to a Nike missile base. Angel Island became a California State Park in 1958. Your visit to Angel Island State Park includes a one hour guided tram tour highlighting many of the historic landmarks on the Island.

While visiting Angel Island State Park be sure to stop at the Cove Café offering fresh sandwiches, vegetarian dishes and delicious made to order lunch items. The Cove Café also boasts an oyster bar, outdoor cantina as well as a breathtaking view of Tiburon and the Raccoon Straits.

Alcatraz Highlights:

Today Alcatraz swarms with tourists -- about a million a year -- but for 30 years it was the most infamous prison in the country. It housed prisoners too notorious or dangerous to be held elsewhere. Its inhabitants included Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert Franklin Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz. In 1933, the Federal Bureau of Prisons used the facility as a maximum security prison. It was closed in 1963 due to its expense.

Your trip to Alcatraz departs on a ferry from Pier 33. The ferry across the San Francisco Bay takes about 10 minutes. Alcatraz Island is a 25-acre island located just 1 1/4-miles from San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Upon arrival, a National Park Ranger will provide a brief welcome and orientation. You are then free to explore the island and the prison at your own pace. We recommend that you stop at the theatre to see the Alcatraz video following the orientation. The video provides an excellent overview of what you will see. The 35-minute audio headset tour of the Alcatraz cell block is a real highlight. This tour is available in six languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. During the tour, you will hear stories from former inmates and prison guards as you walk through the cellblock. After the Cell Block tour, there is time to see all the sites around the island and visit the Alcatraz museum and bookshop.

To reach the Cell House, you walk from the wharf up the steep hill on the old service road. The Cell House is at the top of the island. Along the way, you can stop and visit exhibits, see a variety of buildings that were used for various prison uses, and enjoy the views. Access: SEAT (Sustainable Easy Access Transport), is available for wheelchair users and visitors with a mobility need who are unable to walk up the quarter mile, 12% grade hill. Another option is to walk along the Agave Trail. The trail begins near the ferryboat landing on the east side of Alcatraz Island and continues to the southern tip of the island. The Agave Trail passes through a protected bird sanctuary and features beautiful plants and flowers. This trail offers fabulous views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Be sure to bring a camera because you will definitely want to remember your tour to the Rock!

Important Alcatraz Tour Information

This tour does not offer hotel pick-up or drop-off. The Alcatraz ferry departs from Pier 33.

Please note that we will be sold out of Alcatraz tickets many days this year. Order your Alcatraz Tickets today to avoid missing out on the opportunity to see the most popular tourist attraction in San Francisco.

Schedule Information

Visitors on the Alcatraz & Angel Island Combination Tour are issued tickets that denote Group Yellow and Group Orange. Group Yellow passengers travel to Angel Island State Park first and Group Orange passengers travel to Alcatraz first. The first 125 tickets sold fall into Group Yellow and the next 125 tickets sold fall into Group Orange. Groups are determined solely by purchase time and date. There is no requesting or switching between groups. Here is the schedule for both groups:

	Group Yellow*	Group Orange
Depart Pier 33	9:40 am	9:30 am
Arrive at Alcatraz	-	9:45 am
Arrive at Angel Island State Park	10:30 am	-
Group Yellow Angle Island Tram Tour**	10:45 am	-
Depart Alcatraz for Angel Island	-	12:15 pm
Arrive at Angel Island State Park	-	12:35 pm
Group Orange Angel Island Tram Tour**	-	12:50 pm
Depart Angel Island for Alcatraz	12:50 pm	-
Arrive at Alcatraz	1:10 pm	-
Depart Angel Island for Pier 33	-	2:35 pm
Arrive at Pier 33	-	3:00 pm

*Group Yellow returns to Pier 33 on any regularly scheduled departure from Alcatraz.

Please Note:

Please be mindful of your schedule for this tour. There are no refunds or credits for missed or unused portions of your Alcatraz & Angel Island Combination Tour.

**Children under the age of 5 and sitting on an adults lap are not charged to take the tram tour at Angel Island State Park. Children occupying their own seat on the tram may be charged $9.50 by the tram tour operator. Any additional fees for the tram tour will be collected by the tram tour operator at Angel Island State Park.

Other Alcatraz Tours Available

We have several different tours that include a tour to Alcatraz. For more information, please click on one of the following links:

• Alcatraz Tour & San Francisco City Tour
• Alcatraz Tour & Muir Woods - Sausalito Tour
• Alcatraz Night Tour
• Alcatraz Ticket & Souvenir Package

Why Choose Us?

Tour with us and be assured of a great tour with nice people and an excellent tour guide in new, state-of-the-art tour buses! This is a top quality tour of San Francisco! There are other companies offering San Francisco City Tours, but the tours are not comparable.

Weather

The weather in San Francisco and at Alcatraz can change suddenly. It can be cold and foggy one morning and sunny that afternoon. Be prepared, and dress in layers. Fog is common from June through September; temperatures may range from 38 degrees F (3 degress C) to 75 degrees G (24 degrees C).

Parking

On-street parking can be difficult to find, and parking spaces usually have a two-hour maximum time limit, which doesn't work for this tour. There are numerous commercial lots. Please arrive early to find a parking space, exchange your E-Ticket Receipt for the boarding tickets, and wait in line for boarding.

What to Wear

Be prepared, and dress in layers. We suggest comfortable walking shoes with grip-type soles. It is an outdoor, uphill walk to the prison. Sunglasses and sun screen are recommended.

Food and Beverage

There is no food service on Alcatraz. Eating is restricted to the dock area. Snacks are sold on the ferries. Drinking fountains are located at the island dock and near the lighthouse.

Alcatraz Tour Cancellation Policy & Terms

• Your order does not guarantee availability of tickets. Alcatraz tickets are often sold out for specific dates and times. Your order is not confirmed until you receive a second email from us advising that the order has been placed and confirmed. You will receive two emails from us; the first will confirm that your order was placed and your credit card was charged. It is the second email that will confirm the availability of the tickets and that the tickets were secured for you.
• Alcatraz tickets sell out very quickly and often far in advance. If tickets for the date and/or time you need are not available, your order will automatically be canceled and your money refunded.
• No Refunds or Changes:
  • There are absolutely no refunds on Alcatraz tickets, unless tickets are not available for the date and time you requested.
  • There are no exchanges or refunds after a ticket has been purchased or for lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed tickets. So once you buy a ticket, that's it -- no changes at all.
  • There can be no changes on Alcatraz tickets. Once you have purchased the tickets, that's it. You have tickets for that date and time, and we are unable to change the date or the time.
  • Tickets shall be null and void and of no value unless utilized by the customer on the date and time on the tickets.
• Maximum Order:
  • Ticket sales for Alcatraz are limited to 8 tickets per household within any 30 day period. If you order more than 8 tickets, we may need to contact you to obtain an additional name, address, and credit card per each 8 tickets to comply with this National Park policy.
• Online Orders Only - No Phone Orders: Tickets may be ordered online only. We do not take telephone orders for Alcatraz tickets only.
• Resale of tickets is strictly prohibited.
• To the extent permitted by law, the management reserves the right to refund the purchase price of the ticket and to revoke the rights granted herein.
• Other Terms:
  • Please click here to read our complete Terms and Conditions.

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFORMATION

Please read this information BEFORE ordering Alcatraz tickets. By purchasing, you are indicating that you have read and agree to the following.

• Your Alcatraz Tickets:
  • We provide a booking service for purchasing Alcatraz tickets. The price includes our per-ticket booking fee and processing fee of $6 to $10. Your order authorizes us to purchase the tickets in your name.
  • TICKETS MUST BE PICKED UP BY THE CARDHOLDER. If you are using your credit card to purchase Alcatraz Tickets, you must be present to pick up the tickets. You will pick up your tickets at the Will Call Window at Pier 33. You will need the credit card used to order the tickets as your identification and a valid photo ID (driver's license or passport). Tickets may not be picked up prior to the tour date.
• There is a $3.95 processing fee per order. This is a flat fee regardless of the number of tickets or tours purchased on an order.
• Your credit card statement will show two charges - one for Alcatraz Media and one for the Alcatraz tickets.
• Attention Debit Card Users
  Please be aware that an attempted purchase of Alcatraz tickets with a bank debit card, even if the purchase is declined, will result in a temporary deduction from the account associated with the debit card. This deduction will be credited back to the account within several days of the attempted transaction. The timeframe of the charge being reversed is determined by the bank or institution issuing the debit card. Customers with duplicate charges on their debit card must contact their bank or institution with questions about the status of these charges. ZZ Tours is not responsible for duplicate charges to any account associated with a debit card. In order to avoid duplicate charges please only click on process order once.

This tour does not include hotel pick up. Alcatraz ticket confirmations are sent 10 to 30 days prior to your tour. If you order is less than 10 days prior, we will make every effor to send your ticket confirmation within 72 hours from receipt of your order. Alcatraz tour times are subject to change. If times change you will be rescheduled on the nearest scheduled time closest to your preferred time. Children ages 4 and under are admitted free, but they do not receive audio headsets. Alcatraz asks that you arrive one hour prior to your departure time. Please reserve online. Call 888-814-2305 for more information.