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San Francisco: Alcatraz Island & Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour

551 Reviews 4.44 out of 5 stars Based on 551 reviews collected by Cool San Francisco and TripAdvisor | San Francisco, USA

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Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 16 (6) days in advance.

2 days (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
and 6 more
French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean

Overview

Visit Alcatraz Island, the infamous former prison that once held America’s most notorious criminals. Walk through the original cell blocks, experience the award-winning “Doing Time” audio tour with stories from real inmates and guards, and enjoy stunning views of San Francisco Bay.

Use your 48-hour Big Bus ticket to see the city at your own pace. Ride in comfort on open-top double-decker buses and hop on and off at top attractions including Union Square, Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Learn more with multilingual audio commentary as you discover San Francisco’s neighborhoods and landmarks.

Package also includes entry to the Aquarium by the Bay and a 1-hour Panoramic Sunset Tour of the city after dark!

Highlights

Guaranteed access to Alcatraz Island

48-hour hop-on, hop-off Big Bus pass

Iconic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Union Square, and more

What's Included

  • Official Alcatraz ticket, including ferry ride to the island
  • No additional fees
  • Alcatraz Cell House Audio Tour
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities
See 5 moreSee 5 more

What To Expect

Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus Ticket

15 Stops | 13 Points of Interest


Duration: 2 days


Operating Schedule: 48-Hour Hop on Hop off Tour: Operates daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm, with buses departing every 15 minutes. Download the free Big Bus app for city information and live bus tracking.

99 Jefferson St

Stop 1 - San Francisco Visitor Center

621 Columbus Ave

Stop 2 - North Beach / Chinatown

Clay St (500-598)

Stop 3 - Embarcadero Center

Ferry Building

Stop 4 - Ferry Building

280 Geary St

Stop 5 - Union Square South

201 Mason St

Stop 6 - Redemption Center / Hilton Hotel

90 Fulton St

Stop 7 - Civic Center

944 Fell St

Stop 8 - Alamo Square

1816 Haight St

Stop 9 - Haight Ashbury

1816 Haight St

Stop 10 - Golden Gate Park (Monday - Saturday only)

Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point

Stop 11 - North Vista Point / Golden Gate Bridge

211 Richardson Ave

Stop 12 - Palace of Fine Arts

2101 Lombard St

Stop 13 - Marina / Cow Hollow

1599 Lombard St

Stop 14 - Lombard Street

Embarcadero

Stop 15 - Pier 39

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • To receive your Alcatraz Island Ticket you must check into the Big Bus Visitor Center one day prior to the Alcatraz Tour date, or before 9am on the date of your Alcatraz Tour.
  • Please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required
  • Photo ID is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

(7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the San Francisco: Alcatraz Island & Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour?

A: This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded. Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Still have questions?

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Activity code: C-5096ALCATRAZ

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.44
551 reviews

Average 4.44 out of 5 stars based on 551 traveler reviews collected by Cool San Francisco and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
364
4 stars
116
3 stars
40
2 stars
13
1 star
18

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Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 16 (6) days in advance.

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What's Included

Activity name

  • Official Alcatraz ticket, including ferry ride to the island
  • No additional fees
  • Alcatraz Cell House Audio Tour
  • Round-trip ferry from San Francisco to Alcatraz Island
  • 48-Hour Hop-on Hop-off Ticket
  • 1-hour Digital Walking Tour of Chinatown
  • 1-hour Panoramic Sunset Tour
  • Aquarium by the Bay admission
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • To receive your Alcatraz Island Ticket you must check into the Big Bus Visitor Center one day prior to the Alcatraz Tour date, or before 9am on the date of your Alcatraz Tour.
  • Please advise at time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required
  • Photo ID is required.
  • Please note that the date you have selected is the date for your Alcatraz Tour.
  • Your tour time will be assigned 5 days in advance of the tour date. Once a time is assigned we are not able to make any changes, please note your timed entry will be allocated by Alcatraz this will not be able to be personally selected
  • Hop-on Hop-off tour ticket is valid during operating hours for 48 hours after first use.

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Non-refundable

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Non-refundable

This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

  • This tour requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

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Cool Rewards Terms & Conditions

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Cool Rewards

  • Cool Rewards is a loyalty program operated by Cool Destinations. Rewards may be earned by any eligible person holding a Cool Destinations account, subject to the Cool Destinations customer Terms of Use.

Earning rewards

  • Rewards can be earned by making bookings on the Cool Destinations website. You will be able to see the value of the rewards you can earn during the booking process.
  • Earned rewards will be issued in a pending state and will move to a confirmed state 24 hours after the start time of the experience.
  • Earned rewards will be available to redeem once they are no longer in a pending state.
  • For bookings that are moved to a different travel date, the rewards will be redeemable after the amended travel date.
  • If a booking where rewards were issued is canceled, the earned rewards will not be redeemable and will be moved to a canceled state.

Redeeming rewards

  • To redeem rewards, you must be logged into your Cool Destinations account.
  • Any available rewards will be automatically applied the next time you make a booking, and their value will be deducted from your order at checkout, unless you choose not to apply them, which requires you to indicate this via the toggle switch. Bookings made using rewards are subject to the standard Cool Destinations Customer Terms of Use.
  • You will not be able to redeem only a portion of your available rewards at checkout. It is only possible to redeem all or none of your available rewards.
  • There is no minimum order value required to redeem your rewards. This means that you can pay for 100% of your order with rewards.
  • Rewards are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
  • If rewards are redeemed against a booking that is canceled or refunded, the rewards will be reissued to your account.

Miscellaneous

  • You can check your Cool Destinations account to see the rewards you have collected at any time. You are responsible for ensuring that your rewards balance is correct.
  • We reserve the right to modify these Cool Rewards Terms and Conditions at any time, with or without notice, including the rules for earning and redeeming rewards. Any changes will be reflected in the updated Terms and Conditions.
  • We reserve the right to terminate the Cool Rewards program and cease issuing any further rewards on future bookings. All pending and available rewards balances will be honored.
  • By earning and redeeming rewards, you agree to these Terms and Conditions, as well as any subsequent changes made to them.