San Francisco, United States3 hoursMorning
Alcatraz Island
Ideal: Ideal for history, mystery, bay views, and an unusual museum visit.
It operated as a federal prison only from 1934 to 1963; Al Capone and Robert Stroud, known as the Birdman, served time here. Records show thirty-six inmates made fourteen escape attempts, and the 1962 breakout by Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers — leaving papier-mâché heads on their bunks and slipping out through a vent — remains officially unsolved. The island closed because running costs tripled those of other prisons. Native American activists occupied it from 1969 to 1971, and slogans painted on the walls are deliberately preserved.
Quick facts
- Length
- 0.6 km
- Area
- 0.1 km²
- Elevation
- 41 m
- Heritage status
- National Historic Landmark
Facts from Wikidata, photos from Wikimedia Commons.
Why go?
- To see one of America's most famous former prisons
- To experience San Francisco Bay from the water
- For a route heavy on history and mystery
Travel tip
Tickets sell out quickly — book ahead, especially in summer.
