If you’re looking for a really unique and interesting experience while in San Francisco we recommend experiencing the Alcatraz Prison tour by Alcatraz Cruises. The experience starts with the boat trip from San Francisco bay over to the small island that is home to the famous prison. The trip offers superb panoramic views across the San Francisco skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Once you arrive at the island you take a self-guided tour of Alcatraz. Being self-guided you can take your time if you wish, and you are given a headset that provides information on the prison and talks you through attempted escapes, murders, and explains what the prisoners daily routines were. The audio does a great job of describing incidents that took place where you stand and as you progress through the prison, giving you a real sense of what the prison was like when it was fully operational.
“We can’t recommend the Alcatraz Prison tour enough, it’s a must see.”
The prison has been left how it was when it ceased operating as a prison. If you take a minute to look at the walls, small cells, and minimal furnishings, you can get a real sense of how depressing and lonely it must have felt for those who were serving time here. But then, you must remember some of America’s most notorious criminals have spent time here.
The island is now a National Park as it’s home to rare flowers and protected wildlife. As you sail back to the mainland and see the prison in your peripheral view it’s hard not to be affected by what you have just seen, I know we were. That’s testament to how good this tour is, and how much of a historic feature Alcatraz Prison is. We can’t recommend the Alcatraz Prison tour enough, it’s a must see.
