Without doubt one of the highlights of our two-week trip touring the West Coast of the USA was a night tour of the world-famous Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco bay. A legendary “inescapable” maximum security facility, Alcatraz incarcerated some of the country’s most notorious criminals. The location has gone down in folklore for a daring escape attempt in 1962 by three prisoners, which to this day, has never been truly solved. Speculation and theories remain rife as to whether they survived or perished in the treacherous 1.25 mile stretch to shore amidst strong ocean currents and freezing cold water temperatures.
Useful Information
Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco Bay, and was originally an island fort from the 1850’s, with the main prison building being built between 1910-1912. Upon acquisition by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, it became a penitentiary in 1934 operating until March 1963. It held some of America’s most notorious inmates throughout its operation, including Al Capone and Robert Franklin Stroud, the “Birdman of Alcatraz”.
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, USA
One of the most famous stories is the escape from Alcatraz by three prisoners in June 1962, who had cleverly concealed their disappearance in the form of dummy heads made from plaster and human hair. They had managed to painstakingly fashion an escape route by chiselling away corroded concrete around an air-vent at the back of their cell, leading into an adjacent utility corridor. Over the course of many weeks, they’d stolen over 50 raincoats in an effort to make an inflatable raft, stitching them together and “vulcanising” them via the hot steam pipes present within the building. On the evening of the 11th June 1962, the group made their escape, and even to this day, it remains a mystery as to whether they survived. Officially, the FBI closed the case 17 years later in the belief that they perished, pointing to the strong ocean currents, freezing cold water temperatures and no reports of car thefts around that time as purportedly planned by the prisoners according to an informant. It’s an exciting mystery that is well documented during the tour and provides an air of wonder throughout the experience.
How to book a night tour of Alcatraz
I’d highly recommend booking the night tour of Alcatraz in advance; you’re able to purchase tickets online up to 90 days ahead of your trip. There is a limit of just a couple of hundred visitors per evening and, having read how popular the former federal penitentiary is as a tourist attraction, we booked our island tour months in advance. It’s likely you’ll miss out if you’re banking on last-minute tickets when you arrive, so my advice is don’t risk the chance of disappointment!
The official source from which you can buy tickets is Alcatraz Cruises; you can find a link to their website here.
