Haunted History – Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

While Alcatraz Cruises LLC doesn’t offer ghost tours per se, the immense history and subtly haunting visage of the island’s many compounds does make for a visit that can be as chilling as it is entertaining. We’re stepping a little out of our norm here, but whether approached as haunted history or American history, Alcatraz Island is just a cool place to visit.

Like so many things, the public perception of Alcatraz has been much distorted by film and TV over the years. Sure, it was a federal prison, and sure it was home to some of the 20^th century’s most notorious criminals, Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly among them. But before all that the island was a Spanish “discovery”, a sacred American Indian ground, the site of the West Coast’s first lighthouse, a Civil War fortress and a military prison. Some stories even claim that certain Native American tribes believed the island to be inhabited by evil spirits, and as punishment for the breaking of tribal law, an individual could be sent to live amongst these spirits for a period of time, even life.

So with all respect for the brutalities that haunted the “Rock” during its 29 years as a federal penitentiary, be aware as you roam the storied halls just how much more has happened on this small island in the San Francisco Bay, and keep your imagination open.

Alcatraz Cruises LLC, which provides the harbor transportation and some on-site services, gives visitors a lot of freedom, which you may or may not like. During the day, tours are self-paced or un-guided. Rather than being led from point to point, you can explore as you wish and then meet up at certain scheduled times when the National Park Services rep will discuss a certain topic. You can also purchase an audio tour at your discretion, and we recommend that you do.

Evening is another story altogether. The evening tour begins with a narrated cruise circling the island followed by disembarkation and a guided tour through the many historical highlights. With the guides taking a much more active role now, you’ll see demonstrations and get a feel for the grim personality of Alcatraz that the audio tour could never rightly convey.

It depends on what you like: if you prefer the tour guide, go in the evening (our recommendation), but if you want to keep it loose, go during the day. Alcatraz Cruises offers tours daily except for Christmas and New Year’s Day starting around 9:00 a.m. Evening cruises depend on weather and vary by season. During the late spring and summer, the cruises tend to sell out early, so don’t assume you’ll be able to get last minute tickets. Buy ahead. Here’s the Web site.

How about in inexpensive choice in San Francisco Airport hotels? The Holiday Inn San Francisco International Airport North is located in South San Francisco just minutes from San Francisco Airport, and they offer a free shuttle and free parking, which could save you up to $40 a day!

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