Alcatraz Island Night Tour

Absolutely a Must!!! It was everything I expected and more. this has been on my bucket list for years. Finally conquered it. Next time I want to try the night tour. Unfortunately it was booked too far out. I did the 10am tour it was perrfect. I was done about 2sh, got back into the own with enough time to enjoy the rest of the day and sites. Will definitely come back! Michael Rieson was excellent!

Big area! Learned a lot! Saw a lot! Walked a lot! And experienced a lot!
I cannot believe how it must have been to be in Alcatraz inside those cells over looking the beautiful city and what life could have been like outside of Alcatraz and outside of that jail. I see why these criminals would try to escape but would end up dead at one of the shores on the other side from desperation to get out of there.
The water is way too cold and the swim is way too far from the «other side» that your death trapping yourself if you tried to escape your own prison you are living in that you got yourself into. It actually was kind of sad walking into the different cells feeling hopelessness, chrostophobic, and the feeling of it all coming down on you knowing you might spend the rest of your life locked up because of stupid life choices.
This place is very interesting, scary, yet beautiful. It’s a must see to experience.!!

Definitely bring comfortable walking shoes.
This tour was a total of 3 hours (4 hours if you take the later boat). I learned so much from the tour. It’s a beautiful island with so much history and an incomparable view of the San Francisco skyline.

Plan ahead, you’ll need to buy tickets well in advance or take your luck with last minute no-​shows the day off. This pier isn’t super convenient to everything else, but it’s not a long walk either. We showed up about 45 minutes early and there was already quite a line.
The night tour is more expensive, but it is my understanding there is more personal narration. We had a person talk to us all the way up, there was an extra area open for us to wander through at the end of the tour and then we were able to catch a «unknowns» tour talking about murders and escape attempts. They also did a cell block door closing which we didn’t go to since we were on the other tour.
I’m glad I went, it’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, but I guess I was expecting more. You really are confined to the cell block area and a little bit outside.
This would be an alright tour to bring kids on. Most of this is stroller/​wheelchair friendly and most of the tour is on headsets that you can start/​stop at your discretion so you won’t be holding anyone else up in you need a potty break, have a meltdown etc.
Ferry ride was about 20 minutes out because I guess it goes all the way around the island on the night tour then about 15 back. There are refreshments on the boat which are reasonably priced and the staff was so friendly.

The night tour is unique. It books up far in advance, so buy tickets early. It is very popular, and what is available to tour on the island is limited. It gets very crowded! The tour guides are very helpful and friendly and offer extra lectures and talks. Bring warm clothing in the spring and, it being San Francisco, maybe in summer too because of the fog!

Great experience! Night Tour lasts 3 hours from time leaving dock to return. As soon as you step on the ferry, the staff begins to tell you about Alcatraz. The time goes by fast.
No food allowed to be eaten other than at the Alcatraz dock, so eat before or on the ferry ride (they offer a few items).
The staff is friendly and approachable. You can ask them anything/​anytime.
The audio tours and presentations are interesting. You can sync up the audio tour if you are in a group.
Wear layers.
Wear comfortable shoes. Lots of walking and good workout hill to get from the dock to the main entrance of the tour.
Great view of the sunset and San Francisco skyline. Well worth visiting this National Park.

The night tour is really well done! The atmosphere accentuates creepy Alcatraz. There are about 6 talks/​tours available once you are on the island (aside from the audio tour). They included a talk of the facts of the 1962 escape, the story of a famous prisoner, sounds of the prison (shows you how they open and close the cells), a talk of other escape attempts, and a short film with the overview of Alcatraz history. Some of these overlap, so you can choose what you want to see. I definitely recommend going to the talk of the 1962 escape. It was really interesting to hear everything the FBI knows about the escape.
Don’t forget to check out the hospital! It isn’t part of the audio tour, but is definitely worth seeing. The cell of Birdman is labeled in the hospital wing.
One of the best parts of the night tour is seeing the city at sunset. There are beautiful views of angel island, the city, bay bridge and Golden Gate Bridge.

This was well worth our money. The included audio tour provided great background information and the additional tours available at no extra cost were great. The cityscape is a site a night. I appreciated the heat on the ferries also. This was a great group trip, and I will do it again.

#350!
i’ve been wanting to check out alcatraz for yrs but i’ve never had the rush to go visit since i lived in the bay my whole life. then i saw there was an art exhibit set up so i figured it was the perfect opportunity to go. i heard the night tours were even better than the day ones so it was like a trifecta
ai wei wei exhibit. got tix for the last day of the exhibit and the second to last time slot. we were able to stay past the time we were supposed to come back so we had an additional couple of hrs to explore some more, which was amazing. while at the exhibit, we were told we got to see parts of alcatraz that’s normally closed off to visitors bc of where the art was set up, super cool. during the night tour, once we arrived the sun was starting to set to it was a perfect kodak moment with the view of the city
i def recommend doing the night tour and hope alcatraz will host more art exhibits in the future

Every tourist should come to this night tour of Alcatraz. I’ve taken both the night and day tour and as a SF resident myself, I believe the night tour is more worth it. Beyond the tour itself, the night setting gives the prison a creepier feel. And when the sun is setting, go outside the officer’s area for one of THE BEST views of SF you will ever get. I thought I’ve seen it from Treasure Island, but man Alcatraz suprised me! you can view the bay bridge all the way past Ghiradelli and Palace of Fine Arts!

Seeing Alcatraz was by far one of my favorite things to do in San Francisco and the night tour was amazing! I made sure to watch some History channel documentaries on the island to get a really good understanding of the history, the infamous prisoners that were jailed here and the incredible planned escape (which I think anyone should do being visiting if possible). I highly recommend the night tour over the day tour (only a few dollars more a ticket) because you get access to more areas in the prison than the day tour and the night creates a spooky, creepy feeling. The audio guided tour is great– really walks you through the prison and makes you feel like you were a part of the experience many years ago. Sitting in a dark cold cell while listening to a former prisoner describe the loneliness it felt to sit in the cell all day made you feel almost sympathetic to these guys. Some parts really sent chills down my spine. A really eerie cool experience is being able to visit the hospital quarters during the night tour that is not open to the day tour– a good majority of the lights are out and you get to explore on your own. Birdman was kept here for many years and you get to see his cell. The prison is very well preserved and truly feels authentic. As others have mentioned, try to find a friendly ranger and ask to see the «Dungeon” — talk about an unreal personalized tour with some incredible history. Great views of the San Francisco city lines and an amazing opportunity to see some great sunsets from the island.
It is highly recommend to book the night tour months in advance as they do sell out quickly. Originally the tickets sold out and I was incredible disappointed that I missed the opportunity to purchase the night tour– but small piece of advice: check the tickets website multiple times a day if you are really interested in tickets that sold out. They update the website hourly with tickets that were cancelled and like me, you might be able to grab a pair of tickets someone else didn’t want!

Seeing Alcatraz is a really cool experience. Probably one of my favorite things we’ve done in San Francisco. I definitely recommend doing the night tour as opposed to during the day! Not only do you get to see the beautiful sunset, but you get special access to areas of the prison not offered during the day as well as a handful of bonus programs you can attend.
The first part of the tour (once you get to the island) is a walking tour led by a guide. Following that you’re given a headset to do your own self guided tour inside the prison. The audio includes storytelling from actual inmates and guards which is pretty frickin cool. Once you’re done with your tour you can choose to watch 3 different programs that are each like 10 minutes. They have two different departure times to head back to the island so you can choose to stick around for the extras or not.
Items to note:
+ Wear comfortable walking shoes! You have to walk up pretty steep hills to get up to the prison and you’ll be on your feet a while.
+ Be prepared to wait in line! They start boarding the boat a half hour early.
+ They have concessions on the boat so if you’re interested in a beverage or snack they’ve got ‘em! Beer and wine is reserved for the ride back only.
Have fun!

A 5 star experience night tour of the infamous Alcatraz. An adventure you must take.
I will not elaborate on details as other reviewer’s have done a fine job describing what you will see here. Yes, you should absolutely purchase your tickets well in advance, as I did online while planning our trip. We chose the ‘night tour’ as opposed to the ‘day tour’ because it was more inclusive, and just seemed fitting to explore such a historic prison at night… having that ‘mysterious’ & ‘spooky’ appeal, which I happen to love…
The ferry ride was perfect and provided beautiful views of the island, bay area, skyline & sunset… it also served alcoholic beverages! SCORE! After docking, we met our very informative, super friendly guide who led us around the island, up the hill, describing the many characteristics, stories and history here. Once inside the cell house, we used the audio ‘narrated’ tour (headphones). I loved the stories and commentary, some from former inmates, which provided a more ‘personal’ feel vs. your tour guide version. You can stroll or linger at your own pace…
I totally felt an eerie vibe while walking through the hallways, lots of hand writing on the brick painted walls (some from touristy visitors I imagine? OR could they have been from former inmates… I’ll never know). Yet the question haunted me. The psychiatric room, hospital… all eluded an uncanny feeling that ghosts or ‘spirits’ may still live here… something to ponder… you will not get ‘warm & fuzzy’ feelings during your visit… more like ‘cold & surreal’, at least, that is what I felt.
I loved that the building, cells, & various rooms were well preserved and authentic. If I had to pick a favorite part of this tour (aside from the boat views, our tour guide, and authentic surroundings) — it would be the stories about the escapees… while back on the ferry to return — I couldn’t help but try to figure out how they did it? How far they had to swim to shore? What did it feel like? Some had drowned if I remember correctly… and yet again that eerie feeling crept up on me.
We stopped at the gift shop also — some really cool, interesting finds here. I bought a book to learn more of Alcatraz. Take your time on the island here and do your ‘own little tour’ as well. A truly fascinating tour and experience, I highly recommend it.

Fantastic tour, well worth the pre-​planning and the cost ($ 74 for two adults). The evening tour takes you by ferry (clean and comfortable) all the way around the island before docking. The ¼ mile walk uphill to the cell house didn’t look that difficult for able-​bodied folks but I rode the tram due to back issues. The guides are friendly, professional, polite and very knowledgeable. The self-​guided audio tour is the highlight and full of history narrated by those that worked at and were incarcerated in the prison. Signage is good throughout, authenticity is fabulous. So much of what was is still intact, although not all of the buildings/​structures are accessible for safety reasons. The evening tour is the only one that includes access to the hospital ward, and the night we were there, the recreation yard was also open for viewing.
Superb tour, fun boat ride (albeit short), and a great value!
Good to know:
*Purchase tickets online well in advance and only from the official tour website.
*Physical tickets are required in order to board the ferry for the tour.
*Arrive early to ensure time for parking and walking to the pier.
*Dress warmly! The bay is windy and it gets very chilly out on the island at night.
*Check the official website for info regarding accessibility on the ferry and the island.
*Wear comfy shoes, you’ll be walking and standing on cement for hours.
*There are restrooms on the pier, the ferry and the island.
*Gift shop on the island and don’t miss the history film after the tour.
*Bring a camera for fantastic photos of the bay, the city, the island and the tour.
*Talk with the guides; it’s obvious they enjoy what they do and they made our visit even more interesting.

This little adventure was a worthwhile experience. It begins with planning so tickets need to be bought well in advance. Make sure you have a late lunch at one of the many places at the wharves before joining the 5:30 queue. It begins with the standard cruise ship photo then onto the boat for a short but quite smooth trip.
Not quite sure what the fuss is about with the many warnings on the steepness of the walk up the hill. It really isn’t that bad. The guide breaks the journey into three with short talks so there is plenty of time to catch your breath if you really need to.
The audio guide is very good and the real live guides are excellent with their stories and general helpfulness.
We were also pushing a stroller with a small child and this was not a problem either.

Super visite, la vue depuis le bateau est magnifique. La visite est impressionnante. L’audio guide est très sympa.

The night tour is amazing! You have to preorder your tickets months in advance but we went on a warm night and it was such a great evening.
The boat ride takes you around the island. It docks and you have a choice of exploring the island on your own or taking the audio tour. We took the audio tour and I highly recommend it. The audio tour is told by REAL former Alcatraz inmates and prison guards. It totally changes the way you view the place.
After the audio tour you have plenty of time to explore other places like the hospital or psychiatric evaluation room which are beyond creepy at night. The views from the island are incredible. Be sure to take time to explore the island a bit on your own. Also, a couple of tour guides have talks scheduled throughout the night about the different escapes. Definitely check those out.
TL;DR A must try touristy night time adventure, even for locals. Buy your tickets in advance!

This was a must do for our first trip to SF and having heard they sell out months in advance, we booked a night tour from Aus. Well this is where it started to get interesting — everyone that heard we were doing alcatraz at night were like «ARE YOU LADIES NUTS»? I’m talking huuge beefed up testosterone emitting men saying they wouldn’t dare do the night tour. hmmmm hokay then — this only had us more intrigued and excited about doing this tour.
So we head down to the pier, wait all of an hr in unusually hot weather before finally boarding the ferry across the bay to Alcatraz. The sun was setting, the wind was picking up, it was absolutely beautiful — perfect timing! We reach the island and christ was it cold at this point … there’s a weird almost creepy feeling about this place — yep lets do this. The tour guide gathers us into groups and walks us up to the main building all the while pointing out the buildings where the families of those working in the penitentiary lived — ummm NO THANKS !! Can you imagine living so close to some of the most notorious criminals out there? EFF THAT !!!
So a must do is the self guided tour, headphones and all. You can take your time (but not that long since there is only one return ferry back and you dont want to miss that). The tour itself is excellent. some of the narrators are the actual prison officers talking first hand about the sh*t that went down. You’ll hear whispers of inmates, cell doors closing, silence as well as screams and of course, recordings of the infamous Alcatraz Riot — you’ll even see the remnants of gunfire and dried blood stains.
Some of the cells have been left as is since doors closed in 1963 so you get a visual idea of what these crims had in their quarters, you can probably wizz past this section however, you’ll want to take your time in D Block … this block was the «treatment» block — you come here to be taught a lesson !! Solitary confinement at its worst *shudder*.
Overall, a great tour, well organised and certainly worth it for a thorough history of Alcatraz and San Francisco. Be sure to check out the gift store at the end — picked up a book of their Rules and Regulations — fascinating stuff !!

Great date to go on with you significant other. My boyfriend and I are have been living in SF for a couple of years and decided to go to Alcatraz. We bought our tickets online and scheduled it about a month in advance. I actually didn’t notice that I bought the tickets from ZZ Tours and not the original Alcatraz website so I got charged $ 27 in service fees. Don’t make the same mistake as me. I was very paranoid about the tickets because they kept reminding me that it was non-​refundable. Also, they don’t email you your etickets, you have to print out the eticket confirmation to actually get your tickets at Pier 33 right next to the dock. They do not like it when you donn’t have your PRINTED eticket. We even called them in advance to ask if I can just show it to them on my phone. So make sure you print it out. (This is the only reason why I took off 1 star in this review)
Now on to the cruise: they have a snack bar but I didn’t go there, I went straight to the top floor of the cruise so I can get good pictures of the island. The timing of our cruise was great because I got the sunset in the back of the island. It was about 4:00 PM (in January). It was VERY cold so make sure you bring a beanie and scarf. Bring sunglasses too.
Once you get to the island there is a guide person that takes you up and tells you a little about the scope of the island and where get your audio tour and what activities you can do after your audio tour is over. The audio tour was great because it had voices of actual prisoners and prison guards and good sound bytes creating scenes like from the two escapes, gun shots, doors slamming, prisoners talking in the background. You lead yourself on the guided tour and you can stop and start the recorded audio just in case people are walking too slow in front of you. The audio tour also leads you outside. This is problem a great time for you to pause the audio tour and take really good pictures of SF! It looked really beautiful especially at this time. You are also able to go inside the cells and take pictures.
By the end of the audio tour you can chose from a few «activies» to learn more about and also explore about yourself. I went into the hospital, which was the scariest part of the tour because it was so dark. The operating room looked terrorizing with all of it’s outdated medical supplies.
For one of the «activities» we learned more of the 1962 escape which was really pretty interesting. It was almost like a story time. The other activity was the cell door closing demonstration. Which was my favorite part because they show you how 1 guard can open and close about 15 cell block doors at one time with one clutch machine. The sounds of all 15 cell block steel doors opening and closing is really a loud and chilling sound.
I highly recommend doing the night tour and visiting Alcatraz if you are ever in town.

I’ve been to Alcatraz a handful of times over the years, but when a friend came into town and expressed interest in going on the Night Tour, I thought it would be great to check it out after dark.
Tip: Try to time your boat ride during sunset for gorgeous views of the SF skyline.
Alcatraz is absolutely a must-​visit for tourists and locals alike. It’s surprising how many locals haven’t been because they think it’s just a tourist trap, but honestly, it’s really cool! There’s so much history here as it’s been a military fortress and military prison, the site of a Native American occupation, most famously, a federal penitentiary, and now a tourist attraction.
The boat ride is super fun with great views of the SF skyline, and when you get to the island, you are given a headset that leads you throughout the prison. You’ll get to walk into a real cell, listen to the sound of the jail cells slamming shut, see the kitchen and mess hall, and learn all about the fascinating tales of the island, who lived here, and perhaps most interestingly, who escaped.
The night tour is preferable to the day tour because it’s quieter and it’s a bit more eerie being there after dark. Even though the headset guides you where to go, it’s easy to get lost, which is kind of part of the fun. It’s cool to explore on your own a bit, away from the crowds.
You’ll be in luck if Jim is working when you’re there. He is the best guide! He is extremely passionate, has great energy and he is so lively and friendly. He has a wide breadth of knowledge too that he is happy to share with you. To top it off, we missed seeing the hospital (please note, it closes early on the night tour, so ask about it early if you want to check it out). So after he gave us the demonstration of the cell doors slamming shut, we asked him if the hospital was still open. He said it was unfortunately closed, but that he would be happy to give us a tour. We ended up getting a private hospital tour after it had already closed! It was so cool and Jim really went above and beyond. The island was actually closing for the night, so we stayed a bit after hours and we saw them locking up which was pretty cool! It was super memorable!

AWESOME! My two friends were visiting from out of state, and as I had been wanting to do this tour I dragged them along… And, they enjoyed it as much as I did! Note, I booked online and weeks beforehand = WELL IN ADVANCE — which is a *must* if you’re wanting to get the tour. The early booking also applies to the daytime tour. Each ticket was about $ 35 per adult.
There are «extra» features of the nighttime tour… A FULL circle around the island before docking, **AMAZING** views of the sunset, the city & bridges (hopefully it’s a clear day/​night with no fog). Also, extra «talks» (i.e., learn more about infamous prisoners, escape attempts, etc…) to tend to while on the island following the self-​paced audio tour. The self-​paced audio tour = you’ll put on headphones and navigate around the cell house as per the narration. The «hospital» was cool to check out. The one tour guide (I don’t recall his name) leading the visitors into the cell house was great — he shared many interesting facts and kept the suspense alive with his short stories of historical happenings. He was very passionate and seemed to enjoy his job!
NOTE, I have also been on the daytime tour — on a different day. You’ll get great views as well though you have to navigate up to the cell house on your own — with no tour guide. During this visit, Robert Luke — a FORMER ALCATRAZ INMATE was also there! He was present w/​his spouse, and he was available for questions /​photo ops as well as signing of his autobiography.
Overall, very worthwhile! My fave: the night tour!
Some tips…
–Again, purchase tickets well in advance! This is a popular tour.
–Wear COMFORTABLE shoes! You’ll have to walk a good distance after docking and up to the cell house. Golf-​cart rides are only available for certain individuals.
–Dress in WARM gear… It’ll be cold & windy as it is San Francisco…
–BRING A CAMERA! :)