Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours before departure.
Duration
Allow 2.5 to 3 hours. Return on any ferry.
Audio tour
The Cellhouse Audio Tour is included.
About this tour
Take the ferry from Pier 33 across San Francisco Bay to Alcatraz Island, home to the most famous federal prison in America. Walk the cellblocks where Al Capone and other notorious inmates lived, with the Cellhouse Audio Tour in your ears.
Explore the island at your own pace: the gardens, the lighthouse and views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge. Ferries return to Pier 33 throughout the day.
What’s included
Included
- Official Alcatraz City Cruises Day Tour ticket
- Round-trip ferry from Pier 33
- Cellhouse Audio Tour
- Free time on the island
- Le Way Go City Guide: San Francisco audio tours, places and tips. Download tours in the app to listen offline
Not included
- Live tour guide
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup
Your day, step by step
- Check in at Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing and board the ferry at your departure time.
- Cross the bay to Alcatraz Island (about 15 minutes).
- Walk up to the cellhouse and take the Cellhouse Audio Tour.
- Explore the island, then take any ferry back to Pier 33.
Meeting point
Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing, on The Embarcadero in San Francisco. Not Piers 30, 32 or 34: they are far away, and GPS often gets this wrong. F Line streetcar: Bay Street stop, across from Pier 35, then walk one block south. Show the QR code on your ticket at boarding. Open in Google Maps
Know before you go
- Arrive at Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing 45 minutes before your departure for check-in and boarding.
- The walk from the dock up to the cellhouse is steep, like climbing a 13-story building. A shuttle is available for visitors with limited mobility.
- San Francisco Bay is windy and cool, even in summer. Bring layers and comfortable shoes.
- Food is only allowed at the dock area, not on the rest of the island. Bottled water is fine.
- Children 4 and under ride free and do not need a ticket. Visitors under 18 must be with an adult.
- No luggage storage at Pier 33 or on the island. Backpacks up to 16 × 20 inches are allowed.
- The person who booked should bring a government-issued photo ID, in case the ticket needs to be reprinted.
Your Le Way Go City Guide
Every tour comes with the Le Way Go City Guide, your app for San Francisco. We email you a private link 10 days before your tour (right away if you book later), and it is in your ticket email too. It opens in your phone’s browser, and in the Le Way Go app for iPhone and Android, coming soon to the App Store and Google Play. In the app, download the audio tours you want before you go and they play offline on the ferry and the islands.
- Audio tour for your Alcatraz visit
- More audio tours across San Francisco
- Top places to visit and where to eat
- Map with what’s near you
- 1 to 3 day itineraries
Questions
When do I get my tickets?
Your booking is confirmed right away. We send your official ticket 24 hours before departure, or right away if you book less than 24 hours ahead.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Cancel for free up to 24 hours before your departure for a full refund. After that, tickets cannot be refunded.
Are these official tickets?
Yes. Every tour includes an official Alcatraz City Cruises ticket, the ferry service to Alcatraz Island. Le Way Go is an independent tour operator: we book your ticket for you.
What is in the Le Way Go City Guide?
A San Francisco city guide with audio tours, top places to visit, where to eat, a map of what’s near you and 1 to 3 day itineraries. In the app, the audio tours you download play offline; the browser version needs an internet connection.