A park with a prison on it doesn't sound like a good idea unless the prison is a famous one.Everybody wants to go to Alcatraz to view with their own eyes the place where the bad guys made their fake heads and feel the emotions of the movies. Once you get inside you will feel more oppressed of the truth, this is no movie, this is where people got punished and where there were violent episodes.But besides the prison, the place is a National Park and so kept in shape by guards, and you are free to roam at your will.There are nice views from the island if there is no fog on the bay.The ferry ride from Pier 41 is a non-event one and is really short, you don´t have much time to spend between boarding and snapping some pictures, they offer a bar service but time is so short you won´t be able to finish your first drink. They warn about not being able to buy water on the Island, it's true, so buy it before boarding the boat. One thing that is completely true and not a marketing trick, buy your tickets in advance, they are the most seeked tourist attraction on the bay area, I saw a bunch of people on the waiting area trying to buy last minute tickets and they had to wait a long time indeed.

It's a really old jail-type of thing. The boat ride there was fine. I'm not much of a historic person, but I like what it looked like

I didn't get to go to the island, because you need a week in advance to reserve. It's the only thing that requires an advance ticket. It's only $16 with the Blue & Gold Fleet (http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/), but if you get last-minute tickets it could cost you up to $60!!! A lot of the people who did get to go say the tour isn't worth it unless it's later in the day. The people who went early say it's nothing special, but those at late afternoon say they can feel the spirits and get nervous.

http://www.nps.gov/alcatraz/
http://www.pier39.com/alcatraz/index.cfm

Even the most hardened traveler will enjoy Alcatraz. I know that my companion didn't want to go, but once we were there, she had a great time.

The boat ride is part of the tour, and it's a nice introduction to the San Francisco bay. If you take a late cruise, you'll see a beautiful sunset over the ocean.

Alcatraz was once burnt down, in the 60s. The main cell building is still intact, and this is where you'll pick up your self-guided tour. All around it are the burnt shells of other buildings, now inhabited by wildflowers and seabirds. The view from the island and the mix of nature and man-made structures is a photographer's dream.

The self-guided tour is quite interesting, peppered with voice recordings of actual inmates and guards. You can almost imagine yourself here, especially out in the "yard". Sit down on the stone bleachers, and imagine that you're locked in here for life, with the lights of San Francisco just on the horizon, forever tempting you.

Learning about the Indian occupation of Alcatraz Island shouldn't be missed, and you can catch a brief film on this topic near where the boat launches.

You take a blue and white ferry from Fisherman's wharf, and they do recommend that you reserve in advance. We did, which saved us the hassle of waiting in line. You can also go watch the sea lions off the pier while you wait for your boat.

Alcatraz ("The Rock") was a rather unspooky place. (If you're into spooky when you're visiting prisons, I've heard that Pentridge (an ex-jail in Melbourne), which is now closed to visitors I believe, was pretty scary. People who I've spoken to who'd visited both places were more scared by Pentridge.) It was constantly filled with visitors and tour guides. I don't know, but maybe the feeling of the place changes when it gets dark...?

Anyway, we wandered around the cells and saw some of the stuff we'd seen in the movie "The Rock" (which we'd watched before going to Alcatraz!).

We went on the tour around the cell blocks, with a head set, which was quite cool. You got to hear lots of stuff that you'd never find out about, just walking around by yourself.

I'd be interested in going on the guided tour with a real life guide next time...

Anyway, the hours of operation are:

The ferry starts at 9.30am each morning, and runs about every thirty to fourty minutes to and from Alcatraz. It closes in summer at 6.30pm, and at 4.30pm during the rest of the year. (Though there are evening tours.)

Check out http://www.nps.gov/alcatraz/ for more information on Alcatraz!