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
The best of the famous waterfront and the infamous prison
$99 per adult
€86 per adult
£75 per adult
C$139 per adult
A$144 per adult
$90 per child
€79 per child
£69 per child
C$126 per child
A$131 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
$99 per adult
€86 per adult
£75 per adult
C$139 per adult
A$144 per adult
$90 per child €79 per child £69 per child C$126 per child A$131 per child
$99 per adult
€86 per adult
£75 per adult
C$139 per adult
A$144 per adult
$90 per child
€79 per child
£69 per child
C$126 per child
A$131 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
- Hear about San Francisco’s colorful history, from Gold Rush fever to earthquakes to commerce.
- See the food stalls selling regional treats like sourdough and Dungeness crab.
- Explore the unusual exhibits in the old-timey Musée Mécanique.
- Check out the vibrant entertainment area of Pier 39 and its colony of sea lions.
- Take a cruise to Alcatraz Island and tour the historic prison.
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. Then you’ll return to Fisherman’s Wharf — a perfect day by the bay.
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
Make this tour private
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Alcatraz ticket
This tour includes a cruise to and from the island plus your ticket to tour Alcatraz ($45.25). The island has WiFi, and you can access the audio guide on your smartphone.
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.
It was a wonderful experience for the first time!!
See the inside of Alcatraz and learning history about the island itself.
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.
Meeting point
Meeting Point
Beach St & Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA
Open map
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
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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