The National Park Service has temporarily closed Alcatraz Island for dock repairs from Monday, April 20th, through Friday, April 24th. It will reopen to the public on Saturday.
All tours during these dates have been canceled and refunds have been issued. NPS recommends calling Alcatraz City Cruises to reschedule your tour.
Most of the Saturday morning tour slots are sold out, but you can still get tickets for the afternoon. Alcatraz City Cruises also recommends taking the Bay Discovery Tour as a plan B, where you can cruise around the SF Bay and see landmarks from the boat.
Did your tour get canceled? Here are a few more alternatives to consider…
Fort Point National Historic Site was built between 1853 and 1861 to deter Confederate aggression during the Civil War. It was almost demolished to build the Golden Gate Bridge in 1933, but Chief Engineer Joseph Strauss ultimately lobbied to preserve it, and now anyone can visit for free all year round.
San Francisco Maritime Museum
SF’s Hyde Street Pier is unfortunately closed, and historic ships have been relocated to Mare Island. However, you can still check out the Maritime Museum, located in the old Aquatic Park Bathhouse.
Established in 1776, the Presidio of San Francisco is a former Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. Army post. Walk along coastal bluffs and beaches to see former batteries, military buildings, art installations, and the scenic new Presidio Tunnel Tops park.
Walk along a rugged stretch of coastal trail at Lands End in the northwest corner of San Francisco. Sutro Baths, at its edge, are the ruins of a huge 1890s saltwater bathhouse, now preserved as concrete pools. You can also see WWII-era Fort Miley and coastal batteries nearby.
Discounts for seniors, children, and SF residents
From Pier 33, you can walk up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower, a 1933 Art Deco structure with Depression-era murals and one of the best 360° views of the bay. The 212-foot-tall tower is named for Lillie Hitchcock Coit, who left a bequest upon her death in 1929 “for the purpose of adding to the beauty of the city I have always loved.”
Hop on the Richmond Ferry from SF’s Ferry Building for a 35-minute ride across the Bay to this free waterfront NPS site. Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historic Park is dedicated to honoring the American home front effort, especially that of women and minorities, at Richmond’s enormous shipyard complex.
