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Alcatraz Island: Intro
Alcatraz Island was once a federal prison and is now one of San Francisco's most popular tourist attractions. The small island is very close to downtown San Francisco, just a ten-minute ferry ride from Pier 33. However, due to the treacherous surrounding waters, the island's location is relatively isolated. Alcatraz is actually a beautiful island, but because of its geographic environment, it served as a U.S. federal prison from 1933 to 1963, housing some of the nation's most notorious criminals, earning it the reputation of being America's most secure prison. The island's stories have been adapted into numerous movies (the most famous being "The Rock"), making Alcatraz a household name.
Transportation
To visit Alcatraz Island, you must take a ferry, which is part of a popular San Francisco sightseeing tour. Ferries depart about every half hour, but tickets are often sold out, so it is highly recommended to book in advance. It's difficult to visit on a whim. We had wanted to visit Alcatraz for a long time, but it wasn't until the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of tourists that we were finally able to book tickets for a closer date. The daytime tour costs $49, while the nighttime tour is slightly more expensive at $56.
The ticket pick-up location is at Pier 33, and visitors are asked to gather there 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time. During the ferry ride to Alcatraz, you can enjoy views of the San Francisco skyline, making the trip well worth the ticket price. After the tour, the ferry ride back to Pier 33 takes only about ten minutes, and you can also visit Pier 39 to see the sea lions.
Alcatraz: Itinerary
The recommended duration for a tour of Alcatraz Island is 2.5 hours, though we spent a bit more time there. It's important to keep an eye on the return ferry schedule. After disembarking, most visitors will need to walk up the hill to the prison building, though an elevator is available for those with special needs.
Alcatraz Dock
After disembarking, you'll arrive at the Alcatraz Island dock. The prison buildings are located on the hill, and most visitors will need to hike up. At the dock, a ranger will gather all the passengers for a brief introduction before the walk up the hill begins.
Alcatraz Island History: Military Base, Federal Prison, and Native American Occupation
Alcatraz became a federal prison in 1934. Before that, it was originally a military base, and later a military prison before being converted into a federal penitentiary. On the way up to the prison buildings, you can see remnants of old fortifications and historic structures from that era.
From 1969 to 1971, Native Americans occupied Alcatraz Island as part of the American Indian Movement for self-determination, and traces of this history are still visible on the island. The words on the water tower were left during this occupation. The small building next to the water tower was the morgue during the military prison era. Although Alcatraz housed some of the nation's most dangerous criminals, no executions were ever carried out here; only natural deaths occurred.
Alcatraz Prison
In 1934, Alcatraz officially became a federal prison, specifically for housing dangerous criminals. Upon entering the main prison building, the first thing you see is a poster that reads, "Break the rules and you go to prison, break the prison rules and you go to Alcatraz," reminding visitors that the prisoners held here were not ordinary criminals.
As you enter the prison, visitors first gather in an area that resembles a large shower room. Here, you can pick up an audio guide available in various languages. The audio tour is very well done, and following its instructions, you'll learn a lot about the history of Alcatraz.
Inside the prison are rows of simple standard cells where the prisoners lived. Some cells are open for viewing. The basic furnishings include a small table, bed, toilet, and sink.
There are several rows of cells, with a total of 336. The row of cells closest to the outside had windows, allowing a bit more light, making them the most coveted by the prisoners. Because Alcatraz is so small and so close to San Francisco, prisoners could even hear the laughter and celebrations from boats in the bay during New Year's Eve.
During the tour, we also witnessed a live demonstration of the prison's iron doors being operated.
Prisoners tried to cultivate various hobbies to pass the time. Some engaged in arts, such as music or painting, to help cope with life behind bars.
The prison had a small outdoor area where well-behaved prisoners were occasionally allowed to exercise. Even if they didn't engage in physical activities, they could find a spot to sit and enjoy the sea view from a higher vantage point. This was probably the only benefit of being confined to the island.
This is the prison's library, where some prisoners were even able to take remote correspondence courses.
The visiting windows seemed smaller than the ones we're used to seeing on TV.
Finally, there was the dining hall. It's said that the food at Alcatraz was quite good, but there was once a collective protest by the prisoners due to the repetitive menu. It seems the prisoners here were quite picky…
Prison Break
No visit to Alcatraz is complete without learning about its most famous escape attempts. Alcatraz was designed to hold the most dangerous criminals, primarily because its natural environment made escape extremely difficult. Resources were scarce, and even if one managed to escape the prison, they would have to swim across the treacherous waters several miles to San Francisco—a feat beyond the abilities of most people. Despite this, there were a total of 14 escape attempts in Alcatraz's history.
One of the most serious attempts occurred in 1946, when six prisoners tried to escape. One prisoner deliberately distracted the guard on the second floor so that the others could steal the keys hanging there. After obtaining the keys, the prisoners overpowered the guard and took his gun. But how did they reach the second floor? They used homemade tools to bend the bars.After seizing the gun, the prisoners locked up the arriving guards in cells. However, despite controlling the prison, the prisoners were still unable to leave the island. In frustration, they killed the remaining guards. The federal government later sent in the military, who ended the incident by dropping grenades from above. The scars from that day can still be seen today.
Another famous escape attempt occurred in 1962 when three prisoners planned their escape. They dug a tunnel with spoons and escaped at night, using soap and food to create fake heads as decoys. By the time the guards noticed the next morning, the men were gone. The official report claims they drowned in the bay, but rumors persist that they were spotted in Mexico.
Life Outside the Prison at Alcatraz
During its time as a prison, Alcatraz was not only a place to house prisoners but also served as a workplace and residence for prison staff. These areas were preserved along with the prison after it closed in 1972 and were opened to the public as part of the Alcatraz Island tourist attraction. Here, you can also explore the lives of the guards and their families.
Guard Offices
From inside the prison, you walk through a door into a large room that served as the main control room, where guards managed tools like the public address system. On the other side of the control room is a smaller room, which was the guards' office. The office is very simply furnished; the warden's office consists of just a desk and chairs. The best part of the office is probably the window, which offers a direct view of the San Francisco skyline.
The sea view outside the office is beautiful, and it's hard to imagine how different the atmosphere is just on the other side of the wall in the prison. Unlike the prisoners, the guards could take a ten-minute boat ride to downtown San Francisco for leisure after work, making life on Alcatraz Island quite convenient.
Guard Residences
Most of the guards' families also lived on the island, and the residential quarters were where the guards' children grew up. The interiors of these buildings are not currently open to the public.
Agave Trail
The Agave Trail is a short trail on the other side of Alcatraz Island. Walking down the steps, you can reach the other side of the prison buildings, where you can see the entire prison complex and enjoy stunning views of the sea.
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