1. San Francisco CityPASS + Alcatraz
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  2. Alcatraz City Cruises Day Tour

Alcatraz City Cruises Day Tour

You can visit the one-time home to some of America’s most notorious criminals with Alcatraz City Cruises, the official ferry service and tour provider for Alcatraz Island. The federal penitentiary that operated here from 1934 to 1963 brought a dark mystique to “The Rock,” where the presence of inmates like Al “Scarface” Capone and the “Birdman” Robert Stroud contributed to the Island’s notoriety. Civil War-era buildings, cannons, and subterranean rooms give insight into the Island’s history as a harbor defense fort and a military prison in the 19th century, while visible reminders of the 20th century struggle for Native American civil rights remain in preserved graffiti from the “Indians of All Tribes” occupation.

San Francisco CityPASS + Alcatraz includes:

Day Tour — Ticket includes the only authorized ferry access to Alcatraz Island and entry to the historic Alcatraz Cellhouse with the self-guided Cellhouse Audio Tour.

© Hornblower

© Hornblower

Highlights

  1. 01.

    Explore the windswept island and learn about its layered history through outdoor interpretive signs and guided interpretive programs, a Discovery Guide island map, and the award-winning audio guide “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour.”

  2. 02.

    Delve into the story of the influential 19-month occupation of Alcatraz by Native Americans in the exhibit commemorating the 50th anniversary of that event.

  3. 03.

    Discover interesting facts about the American criminal justice system in the new permanent exhibit “The Big Lockup: Mass Incarceration in the United States.”

Visit Alcatraz City Cruises Day Tour with CityPASS® Tickets

CityPASS tickets offer a great way to see Alcatraz City Cruises Day Tour while saving you time and money.

San Francisco CityPASS + Alcatraz

Advice for Visitors

Tips

Best Time to Visit

You will generally encounter fewer crowds in winter; weekdays (especially mornings) tend to be less busy than weekends at any time of year.

You will encounter stairs, steep walkways and gravel paths while touring Alcatraz Island, so wear comfortable shoes with grippy soles. Sandals, high heels and open-toe shoes are not recommended. The approximately ¼ mile from the dock to the Cellhouse ascends 130 feet in elevation, equivalent to a 13-story building.

About half of the Alcatraz Island tour route is outside, so bring sunblock, sunglasses and a sun hat or other protective clothing and be prepared for rain, especially during winter and early spring.

You can spend as much time on the island as you would like, but plan at least 3 hours for the roundtrip ferry ride plus the Cellhouse Tour.

Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older. Minors must be supervised while visiting Alcatraz Island, at the Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing, and while on board Alcatraz City Cruises vessels.

Standard backpacks, measuring 16” x 20” maximum, are allowed on Alcatraz City Cruises vessels and while visiting Alcatraz Island. Picnic baskets, coolers, luggage, and oversized bags are not allowed. There is no storage space for these types of personal items at Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing or on Alcatraz Island.

Learn more on the CityPASS Blog about what you'll see with Alcatraz City Cruises Day Tour.

Attraction Features

Amenities

Dining: There are no restaurants on Alcatraz Island; you can purchase a healthy snack on board any of the Alcatraz City Cruises vessels.

Gift Shop: The Parks Conservancy operates a small store on the island with educational and commemorative merchandise.

Accessibility

Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing is fully accessible with an “Accessibility Drop Off Zone” located at the entrance. Accessible bathrooms are found at Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing and on all Alcatraz City Cruises vessels. Visitors with mobility issues who are unable to make the climb up Alcatraz Island’s steep roads can take advantage of the S.E.A.T. tram, the accessible shuttle that runs between the Alcatraz Island dock and the Cellhouse. Get more information on accessibility.

Parking/Transportation

There are 15 commercial lots within a five-block radius of Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing with a total of more than 3,000 parking spaces. You can also use convenient public transportation. Get more information on parking/transportation.

Contact Information & Hours

  • Alcatraz
  • Pier 33 South, Suite 200
  • San Francisco, CA 94133
  • Open daily

Hours vary seasonally; check the current departure schedule when planning your visit.

© Hornblower

© Hornblower

Read reviews from CityPASS® travelers.

San Francisco CityPASS + Alcatraz
San Francisco CityPASS is rated 4.7 out of 5 by 3358.
Rated 4 out of 5 by from Everything so expensive, you have to get CityPASS CityPASS gets 4 stars for saving us money, but we had an issue. We were in SF for 4 days, and the DeYoung and Legion of Honor were considered one event, which is great. However, they don’t tell you you have to do it on the same day, so we had to end up paying to get into the Legion the next day. That should have been made clearer.
Date published: 2026-11-01
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Convenience for the family I bought CityPass tickets for my wife, me and our little one and it made things very straightforward - no queues, direct entry, and we did not have to worry about planning things out a lot. We visited the Aquarium, Science Academy, Zoo and Cruise.
Date published: 2026-10-26
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Easy Return I didn't get a chance to use the CityPass because my trip was cancelled. The return&refund process was easy.
Date published: 2026-10-19
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Happy adventure I’m really happy with the CityPASS I bought — it was such a great deal. The only downside is that it has to be used within 9 days, so I couldn’t fit in my last attraction out of the four. I was only able to complete three. I wish the pass allowed a little more time or offered a way to reschedule the final visit. Overall, though, it was definitely worth it.
Date published: 2026-10-18
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great deal The city pass was a great bargain and let us be flexible about what we wanted to do. Basically our whole vacation entertainment cost $90 per person. So glad I purchased it.
Date published: 2026-10-17
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All images courtesy of Alcatraz City Cruises