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…
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Fisherman’s Wharf Walking Tour With Alcatraz Ticket
The famous waterfront and the infamous prison, plus optional upgrades for SkyStar and a bay cruise
$109 per adult €101 per adult £85 per adult C$151 per adult A$167 per adult
$99 per child
€92 per child
£77 per child
C$137 per child
A$152 per child
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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
$109 per adult
€101 per adult
£85 per adult
C$151 per adult
A$167 per adult
$99 per child €92 per child £77 per child C$137 per child A$152 per child$109 per adult €101 per adult £85 per adult C$151 per adult A$167 per adult
$99 per child
€92 per child
£77 per child
C$137 per child
A$152 per child
-
Local experts
Personal stories and insider travel tips -
Top-rated
Thousands of reviews averaging 4.9 stars -
Worry-free booking
Flexible scheduling and refunds
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. Your cruise ticket is good through the end of the year so feel free to return on another day.
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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SkyStar Wheel (optional upgrade)
A ride in your own glass-enclosed gondola, 150 feet in the air
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Bay Cruise (optional upgrade)
With stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and more
Plan your trip
Tour ending point
The guided portion of this tour ends at the departure point for Alcatraz.
Alcatraz ticket
This tour includes a cruise to and from the island plus your ticket to tour Alcatraz. The island has WiFi, and you can access the audio guide on your smartphone.
Upgrades
There are two optional upgrades if you’d like to enhance your visit. Enjoy a ride on the SkyStar Wheel or a one-hour cruise along the bay — or both!
Reviews
44
John Hurst was an excellent tour guide. Helpful to get us where we need to be and where we can eat fresh fish, crab, and other great places to see.
— Trevor
Great Tour
We loved this tour! Chet was a wealth of knowledge and gave a fantastic tour. The length of the walking tour was just right and then we were off to Alcatraz on our own. We would definitely recommend this tour. Chet was wonderful.
Julia
It was a wonderful experience for the first time!!
See the inside of Alcatraz and learning history about the island itself.
Angel
Good start in SFO
Great way to start our trip in SFO. Lots of interesting facts about the city. Robert was a really good guide.
Jean-François
Meeting point
Meet your guide on the corner across the street from the Buena Vista Cafe, which is located at 2765 Hyde St. Look for the Fisherman’s Wharf sign.
FAQs
How much walking is there?
Our tour of Fisherman’s Wharf includes a mile of walking at a moderate pace. If mobility is an issue, please arrange for a private tour.
Is the tour of Alcatraz guided?
This tour includes a ticket to Alcatraz ($45.25) 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?
For the walking tour, we offer a 100% refund up to 24 hours before the tour start time. For the Alcatraz ticket, you can cancel up to four days (96 hours) prior to your tour time and receive a full refund. Cancellation within four days will be subject to a fee.
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.
What about gratuities?
Tips are always appreciated but never expected. They’re a great way to tell your guide they did an awesome job and show your appreciation.
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