Alcatraz & San Francisco Bay Cruise: Day or Night Tour

Alcatraz at Night or by Day, Plus a Full Hour on the Bay

You get a 45-minute audio tour of Alcatraz Island with entry included, a round-trip ferry from Pier 33, and your choice of day or night departure (night includes sunset and historian talks). Separately, you book a 60-minute narrated Bay Cruise from Pier 39 with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, sea lions, and the city skyline. Both tours are flexible on timing except the night Alcatraz tour, which doesn't run weekends.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. San Francisco Bay1h · entry included
2. Golden Gate Bridgepass by

Alcatraz and San Francisco Bay Cruise

• Arrive at Pier 33 for Alcatraz ferry
• Take 15-minute ferry to Alcatraz Island
• Enjoy 45-minute immersive audio tour
• Explore Alcatraz Island freely
• Return ferry to Pier 33
• Go to Pier 39 for Bay Cruise
• Take 60-minute narrated Bay Cruise
• Sail under Golden Gate Bridge
• View PIER 39 sea lions and waterfront

The experience

What's the difference between standing in a cell where someone actually tried to escape, and hearing the story of how they did it while a historian talks you through the attempt? The night tour at Alcatraz includes both: a sunset ferry ride over, cell door demonstrations, and expert talks about the prison's most famous breakouts, all before you get the 45-minute audio tour that walks you through the island at your own pace. If you'd rather go during the day, that works too. The audio guide is the same, nine languages, and you move through the cellblocks without the evening crowd. Either way, you're on Pier 33 for a 15-minute ferry ride out to the island, then you have as much time as you want to walk around once the audio tour ends.

The Bay Cruise is separate. You book it as a second tour, and if you're doing both on the same day, the Bay Cruise has to come first. It's a full hour on the water, narrated, with indoor and outdoor seating, and it passes under the Golden Gate Bridge, past Fisherman's Wharf, the sea lions at Pier 39, and the Bay Bridge. The boat leaves from Pier 39, not Pier 33, so there's a short walk between the two, but the schedule is flexible. You can take the Bay Cruise any day, any available departure time. The Alcatraz night tour doesn't run Sundays or Mondays, so plan around that if you're set on the evening option.

Arrive 30 minutes before your Alcatraz ferry time. The ferries run every half hour, so if you're a few minutes late, another one's coming, but the earlier you get there the more time you have on the island. Kids 4 and under are free and don't need a ticket. The audio guide covers the escape attempts, the famous inmates, the architecture. It's thorough enough that you'll spend the whole 45 minutes on it, and then you can wander the rest of the island, the cellblocks, the exercise yard, without rushing. On the Bay Cruise, bring a camera. The Golden Gate Bridge shot is the one everyone gets, but the skyline from the water is worth the trip on its own.

What’s included

• 45-minute award-winning audio tour on Alcatraz Island in nine languages.
• round-trip ferry from Pier 33 to Alcatraz Island.
• Alcatraz Island entrance fee.
• 60-minute narrated San Francisco Bay Cruise from Pier 39 with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 sea lions, and the Bay Bridge.
• indoor and outdoor seating on the Bay Cruise.
• cell door demonstrations and historian talks if you choose the night Alcatraz option.

Options for this experience

2 options

Daytime Alcatraz visit with bay cruise9 departure times: the first at 08:40, the last at 15:50Includes a daytime visit to Alcatraz, combined with the San Francisco Bay cruise.

Alcatraz night tour, bay cruise taken first5 departure times: the first at 15:50, the last at 19:05The bay cruise must be taken before the Alcatraz night tour if both are booked on the same day.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day13 departure times: the first at 08:40, the last at 19:05

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “The time you select at checkout is the time of your Alcatraz ferry. The ferry will leave on time at your specified departure time. Please arrive at Pier 33 at least 30 minutes prior to your departure time.”

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Must See - Alcatraz tours / Muir Woods and Sausalito tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see both Alcatraz and the Bay in one visit without arranging separate tickets and ferries. The two-tour package handles the logistics, and the flexible Bay Cruise timing means you can fit it around your Alcatraz departure.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

Can I do both tours on the same day?

Yes, but the Bay Cruise must come first. They depart from different piers (Pier 39 and Pier 33), so allow time to walk between them.

What languages is the Alcatraz audio guide available in?

Nine languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, German, and Portuguese.

When does the Alcatraz night tour run?

It's not available on Sundays or Mondays. Day tours run every day.

How long is the ferry ride to Alcatraz?

About 15 minutes each way from Pier 33. Ferries depart every 30 minutes.

Is the Bay Cruise narrated?

Yes, it's a full 60-minute narrated cruise with both indoor and outdoor seating.

What does the Alcatraz night tour include that the day tour doesn't?

A sunset ferry ride, cell door demonstrations, and talks from expert historians about the prison's history.

Can I take the Bay Cruise whenever I want?

Yes, you can book it for any available departure time on any day, independent of the Alcatraz tour.