How to See Alcatraz Island When You Visit San Francisco
A prison isn’t usually a tourist destination, but Alcatraz Island in San Francisco is a major exception. Touring the historic former penitentiary is…
Fisherman’s Wharf Walking Tour With Alcatraz Ticket
Explore this classic SF duo: a famous waterfront and infamous prison
$99
€86
£75
C$139
A$150
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Local experts
Personal stories and insider travel tips -
Top-rated
Thousands of reviews averaging 4.9 stars -
Worry-free booking
Flexible scheduling and refunds
$99
€86
£75
C$139
A$150
$99
€86
£75
C$139
A$150
-
Local experts
Personal stories and insider travel tips -
Top-rated
Thousands of reviews averaging 4.9 stars -
Worry-free booking
Flexible scheduling and refunds
Fisherman’s Wharf and Alcatraz highlights
- Learn about SF’s rich history, from Gold Rush fever to earthquakes.
- See the food stalls selling regional treats like sourdough and Dungeness crab.
- Explore the unusual exhibits in the old-timey Musée Mécanique.
- Check out bustling Pier 39 and its colony of sea lions.
- Take a cruise to Alcatraz Island and tour the historic prison.
- Upgrade to soar 150 feet in the air on the SkyStar Wheel.
- Add on a scenic one-hour bay cruise past the Golden Gate Bridge.
What you'll do
We’ll start on the north end of Fisherman’s Wharf. As you enjoy those beautiful bayside views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, you’ll hear how San Francisco grew with the Gold Rush boom, cable cars, and even earthquakes to become the global metropolis it is today.
Explore the scenic ...
We’ll start on the north end of Fisherman’s Wharf. As you enjoy those beautiful bayside views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, you’ll hear how San Francisco grew with the Gold Rush boom, cable cars, and even earthquakes to become the global metropolis it is today.
Explore the scenic waterfront, lined with historic ships and food stalls selling regional specialties like crab and sourdough bread. We’ll walk a section of the Barbary Coast trail and learn about its unsavory past.
Inside the Musée Mécanique, see vintage arcade games and unusual displays. Over at Pier 39, you can hang with the sea lions, admire the historic ships, and get to know this lively entertainment district.
Afterward, you’re ready for your cruise to Alcatraz Island. Your guide will show you where to find the boat. There are great views on the ride over, so be sure to bring your camera.
Once you’re there, enjoy your self-guided tour of the island, including the notorious prison. There’s WiFi on the island so you can access the audio guide on your smartphone. There’s also an audio guide you can pick up at the prison for your tour inside the cellhouse — don’t miss this!
When you finish exploring, you can easily catch any of the returning ferries to Fisherman’s Wharf. Of course, if you’ve selected one of our upgrades, there’s more waterfront fun in store.
Take a ride on the new SkyStar Wheel for panoramic views from 150 in the air inside your private gondola. Or you can upgrade for a one-hour cruise on the bay to get great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and more. Feel free to return on another day to enjoy either of these attractions — your SkyStar ticket is good within 90 days of purchase, and your cruise ticket is good through the end of the year.
Fisherman’s Wharf and Alcatraz tour itinerary
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Aquatic Park
Viewpoint for Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, ships, and more
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Barbary Coast Trail
A portion of the historic trail that was once a red-light district
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Waterfront
Featuring food stalls with clam chowder, Dungeness crab, and sourdough
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Hyde Street Pier
With historic ships and beautiful bayside views
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Musée Mécanique
Penny arcade games, animatronics, and oddities in an old-timey museum
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Pier 39
For sea lions and historic ships
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Embarcadero Promenade
Filled with amusement piers, art deco streetcars, and restaurants
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Alcatraz
Self-guided tour of the island and historic prison with roundtrip cruise tickets included
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Optional upgrade: SkyStar Wheel
A ride in your own glass-enclosed gondola, 150 feet in the air
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Optional upgrade: Bay cruise
With stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and audio guide included
Reviews
113
Fisherman’s Wharf Walking Tour
Thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Maggie was extremely knowledgeable. She made sure we had all the information we needed before dropping us at the Alcatraz tour.
Great Customer Service! Fun Guide
This company had the best customer service. We got lost in an Uber. Our tour guide met us so that we could get the full experience. Highly recommend.
Alcatraz tour
The guide was really great at explaining everything and was very knowledgeable. Worth the tour and very recommended.
Great day in San Francisco
Knowledgeable guide, interesting sights to see, Alcatraz was fascinating and very well organised. I would definitely recommend.
Wonderful tour!
Very kind and easy to understand. It's my first time visiting this town, but it felt so familiar. Unforgettable memories of our honeymoon!
Great informational tour of a part of San Francisco
Jamie was so personable. He kept it interesting and showed us a variety of things SF offers. I had fun and learned so much.
Great tour
John Hurst was amazing. He was very knowledgeable and made it fun. My family was glad that I chose this tour as we all really enjoyed it.
Great historical review of San Francisco
Excellent guide and good transfer to Alcatraz where you will find good logistics to know the history of the prison.
Great SF tour around harbour & Alcatraz
Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of SF and was very engaging. The highlight of the tour was our visit to Alcatraz. Absolutely spectacular.
Iconic
Robert was an excellent guide, and his rich knowledge of the wharf was passionately and enthusiastically delivered. Recommend this to all!
Meeting point
Where we meet
Beach St & Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA
Open map
We’ll meet at the Fisherman’s Wharf sign, across the street from the Buena Vista Cafe, which is located at 2765 Hyde St. Your guide will be holding an orange sign with ExperienceFirst on it.
End point
Your guide will walk you to the ferry for your departure to Alcatraz Island.
Fisherman’s Wharf Walking Tour With Alcatraz FAQs
How much walking is there?
Our tour of Fisherman’s Wharf includes a mile of walking at a moderate pace. Once you get to Alcatraz Island, the amount of walking is up to you, but there are some inclines, so we recommend good walking shoes.
Is the tour of Alcatraz guided?
This tour includes a ticket to Alcatraz for a self-guided tour of the island. An audio guide, accessible via your smartphone, is available. The National Park Service only allows one official provider to offer cruises to the island. After your Fisherman’s Wharf Walking tour, which covers some Alcatraz history, your guide will show you where to find your cruise.
What is the cancellation policy?
Due to the nature of Alcatraz tickets, this experience isn’t available for refunds or rescheduling.
Is this tour wheelchair accessible?
Yes, this tour is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.
What if it rains?
Our tours run rain or shine, so please check the local forecast to plan. In rare cases when we have to cancel for extreme weather, we’ll offer you the chance to reschedule or give a full refund.
Are gratuities included?
Tips aren’t included but are always appreciated by our guides. If you think your guide did an outstanding job, a tip is a great way to show that.
Do you have gift certificates?
Yes! If you want to give the gift of San Francisco (or any of our destinations) to someone else, you can purchase a tour gift card. Our gift cards are good for any of our tours, and they never expire.
SF travel guides
How to See Alcatraz Island When You Visit San Francisco
How Fisherman’s Wharf Became Famous — And What To See Today
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