A Visit to the Rock

“Break the rules and you go to prison. Break the prison rules and you go to Alcatraz.”

One of the most storied prisons in U.S. history, Alcatraz has earned its reputation for being a place for the most hardened of criminals. Throughout its history, the island has served as a military prison, Native American occupation, and a lighthouse, but it’s most famous for being a federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963. One and a half million people visit each year, and recently, I was one of them.

I took the night tour, which includes a ferry ride around the entire island and a guided walk up to the prison (only the last tour of the day has these features). The guide gave us a rundown of the history of the island, and answered the No. 2 question he gets: Is it haunted? (No. 1? “Where are the bathrooms?” He actually never answered that one.) Once at the top of the hill, you get an audio tour narrated by prison guards and prisoners that explains what it was like living and working there, and — the highlight for many — how the escapes happened. Seeing the bars one prisoner squeezed through after starving himself and the quick thinking of one of the guards — who wrote down the five executing the most famous escape attempt, circling the ringleaders so that they’d be sure to be caught — were just a couple of the small details worth seeing in person.

The ferry ride there provides tons of photos ops, both of Alcatraz in the distance and the San Francisco skyline. The island itself is beautiful, especially as the sun was setting. I’d recommend the night tour for the extra perks it provides, although it is dark and more difficult to see some of the buildings. (You can see a comparison of the different tours here.) Of all the things I saw in the City by the Bay (and there is no shortage of things to see), Alcatraz is the highlight.