Is Alcatraz worth it?

Hi

We, family of four (kids 17 %26amp; 15) will be in San Francisco for 3 nights 3, 4 %26amp; 5 July. Going up north on 5th and wanted suggestions for evening of 3rd and for the 4th. Been told to do 1st tour of Alcatraz on the 4th. Is it worth the 2 - 3 hours out of our day? I have not been in SF since 1979. Want to do the cable cars with the kids. Ehat else do you folks suggest. We are staying at the Wharf area.

Thanks in anticipation

Is Alcatraz worth it?

suggestions:

FREE - Fillmore Jazz Festival 2009 on July 4 %26amp; 5 - Fillmore Street from Jackson to Eddy St. with great food and beverage for purchase, retail booths and fun people of every generation http://www.fillmorejazzfestival.com/

FREE - Ferry Building Farmer%26#39;s Market Saturdays 8:00a to 2:00p

Is Alcatraz worth it?

My daughter and I stayed a week in SF last summer and adored the entire city. But the evening trip to Alcatraz will always remain one of the highlights of the whole trip. The view of San Francisco all lit up on the way back from the rock is breathless. I%26#39;d recommend renting Clint Eastwoods movie Escape from Alcatraz before your trip it might give your kids some insight about the history of the place..Just a very cool place to go in my opinion

Thanks guys. What about getting around for the day? Is there a public transport pass? I assume for the 4 of us a taxi is hte sensible thing from airport?

Public transportation is pretty good in SF and you can get passes to make it easy:

http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mfares/passports.htm

These are good on buses, lightrail, city subway, and cable cars. For BART, you will need to pay seperately - BART is a train that connects SF to the airport and other cities in the bay area.

BART fare from the airport is $5.35 per person and a cab from the BART station to the Wharf will be about $8-10. Taxi from the airport to Wharf will be about $45 before tip. If you%26#39;re flying in from overseas, catching a cab would certainly be worth the little extra.

Yes, Alcatraz is worth it.

The first time I was in SF I was only there for three days and skipped Alcatraz because I wanted to experience the different neighbourhoods in the city itself. I%26#39;m glad I did it that way. A year later I was there for five days and went to Alcatraz. I%26#39;m glad I did that too. In other words Alcatraz is worth visiting when time is not an issue, but I wouldn%26#39;t say it%26#39;s a %26#39;must%26#39; if you%26#39;re on a short visit.

If you want to see it, yes its worth it.

First time around, we did the bay tour.

Second time around we went to Alcatraz.

If you decide to go, book online in advance.

Isn%26#39;t Alcatraz the most visited tourist attraction in the USA? I think I may have read that.

It%26#39;s definitely worth it IF you are interested. I was in SF last week as offered to take my girlfriend but she said she%26#39;d rather go shopping.

Ask your family. If they want to they will enjoy it, for sure.

I would say it%26#39;s worth it. I wouldn%26#39;t want to have been all that way and not visited Alcatraz. Cable cars also good - particularly if you get on an outer seat. Union Square good - eating at the Cheesecake Factory on the top of Macy%26#39;s is a nice way to get a decent meal. Niketown good. Shopping mall - name escapes me - has loads of good shops. Have a good time!

Something to keep in mind about Alcatraz is that July is in the middle of our fog season. We can have fog that lasts well into midday, then clear up in the afternoon and return at night. This can go on for days on end.

If you go to Alcatraz, you%26#39;ll want to dress in layers--bring a backpack to catch the stuff you shed. This may make some of the City and Bay views a little murky. But it can add to the atmosphere. Imagine being an inmate there, cooped up within sight of San Francisco (and sound too, on clear, calm nights). And when the fog comes in and the fog horns are wailing around the Bay, how dismal and gloomy it must have seemed to poor Al Capone, Alvin Karpis, ';Machine Gun'; Kelly, and other ';public enemies.';

On July 4, there is a festival and fireworks show on the waterfront. It will be very busy, so you%26#39;ll want to give yourself a time cushion. Almost all year, but most definitely in the peak tourist season, reservations for the ride to the island are a must.

Use only this ticket service.

http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

This is the National Park Service%26#39;s contractor for the Alcatraz ferry service. If you buy tickets from anyone else, they are reselling and you%26#39;ll be paying for their profit plus the ticket. And some Bay cruise companies advertise that you will ';see'; Alcatraz, meaning that you%26#39;ll sail around it but not land on it.

If it%26#39;s clear or not too foggy, the boat ride itself is a wonderful sightseeing experience.