Night Tour at Alcatraz

In March 2019, Chad and I traveled to San Fran for a pit stop before we went on to Oahu with our friends KJ and Emma – our favorite travel buddies. Months before our trip, we decided to do a night tour of Alcatraz the day we arrived! We figured this would give us a full day of freedom the following day, and it would give us something to do with our evening when we got there. Because we flew out so early in the morning, our timeline worked perfectly to check into our hotel, freshen up, and head down to the docks.

On the ferry over, we learned that Alcatraz was occupied by American Indians in the 60’s and 70’s as a protest. There are signs of their presence everywhere. Lots of spray paint.

Below is a photo of the showers. I think this was the most moving part of the tour for me. I expected lots of cells and bars and unthinkable living conditions. But, seeing the prison showers that resembled a milking parlor at a dairy farm made me realize the true rawness of this place.

Below are some of the 336 cells.

These cells were actually much smaller than I thought they’d be. How could there be any room for a bed in there?! Our master bath is literally 2 maybe 3 times bigger than their entire living space.

Above, that little island beyond the boat is where the only escapees are rumored to have landed. Did they get away? Or did they loose themselves in the current and cold water? Nobody knows! And below is the library. I’m embarrassed to admit that I kind of like the shade of pink…

The view from inside [above] and outside [below] of Alcatraz. Imagine looking out at freedom. Smelling the smells of the city, only 1.5 miles away.

While on our tour, my nose was cold the entire time. I had on pants, shoes, socks, and three layers of shirts, and yet I was still freezing. I started to feel inner turmoil for these imprisoned men, thoughts of, “No man should be treated like this,” and, “No, these were the worst of the worst, and they paid the consequences according to justice.” See a below photo for a view into one of the solitary confinement cells.

By the end of the tour, we were sufficiently freezing. We waited for the ferry to let us load and made our way back to San Francisco after the sun went down. If you’re thinking about doing a tour of Alcatraz, the night tour is pretty special. It is just a few dollars more, and provides additional informational programs, guided tours, and potentially, a sunset view of the bay. Definitely recommend if you’re headed west!