Alcatraz Island

For those who love insider tips, when in San Francisco head to the top of North Beach Parking Garage on Vallejo Street for the most lovely views of Alcatraz. As the sun sets on another foggy day, enjoy as some of San Francisco's legends unfold in front of you. Just make sure to top it off with a look down at your parking spot for a cheeky fortune.

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If you could take just one photo: Lighthouse

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Locked in and Locked out in Alcatraz Island Now a unlikely but popular tourist attraction and part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Alcatraz was originally a military garrison. It was given the ‘La Isla de los Alcatrazes’, (island of the pelicans) in 1775 when it was first charted by the Spaniard Juan Manuel de Ayala. While well known as a military and federal prison, it was also the venue in November 1969 for an 18-month ‘lock-in’ by a group of Native Americans, demanding that its facilities be adapted and rebuilt to house an Indian education, ecology and cultural centre.

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The home of a former federal penitentiary may not seem like the obvious choice for a romantic stroll. But when looked at in the right way, Alcatraz Island actually has a lot to offer the lovers. Nicknamed ‘The Rock’, this place is steeped in history and is also a National Park. It’s rich in grasslands and gardens which hold a variety of beautiful plants and flowers, which in turn make the island a sanctuary for many species of bird. The name ‘Alcatraz’ actually means ‘Island of the Seabirds’, just because you can find so many here. It is home to beautiful cliffs and tide pools and offers breathtaking views of San Francisco Bay, as well as its surrounding islands and the Golden Gate Bridge. Climb to the top of the steep hill, then just sit down, relax and look out at the world. You can’t fail to be happy when you’re here.

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You can see the old building in this island. Feeling some old stories. Taking lots of "special" photos!

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If you are feeling a little criminal, a lot adventurous, and want to accomplish something you were not sure you could, why not try escaping from Alcatraz? On the ferry ride to the island you are sure to meet other nervous swimmers who came from all over the world to be your accomplice in the escape. If you can brave the frigid and possibly shark infested waters, it is only a 1.5 mile swim to the safe, sandy shores. There are several Alcatraz events put on by different companies throughout the year. Should you decide to take the plunge, invest in a wetsuit, practice, and imagine saying one day “I escaped from The Rock!”

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You step into the cell. It’s pitch black but you close your eyes anyway, spin around. Squeeze eyelids hard until colored lights appear. A gravelly voice in your ear tells you prisoners on Alcatraz in solitary confinement used to do this as entertainment, madness-laced concentration forming TV-like images and trips outside reality. The mechanics of visiting Alcatraz by night are little different to by day, though approaching the island as the light fades adds an extra menacing, horror film touch to the environment. The compulsory audio tour—narrated by former prison guards and inmates—is prescriptive yet fascinating, as you are ordered down cage-lined corridors, regaled with tales of riots and escape attempts, and startled by cell door clangings, shouts, and once even the sucking thud of a stabbing. Atmospheric, informative, and often poignant, when the tour ends in the excessively cheesy gift shop, you are glad to escape the island prison yourself.

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A strange choice for a tranquil getaway, perhaps, but then again, Alcatraz was once known for its solitude… at least as far as the inmates were concerned. Now, this tourist destination is a quick ferry ride across the San Francisco Bay, but a world away from the bustle of the city. The little island known as The Rock—once a military fortress, a platform for a lighthouse to guide sailors across the perpetually foggy bay, and for many years a federal penitentiary housing infamous gangsters—has a rich, dark history that resounds off its dismal concrete structures and claustrophobically small prison cells. Despite its deceivingly convenient view of the city of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, rough currents and loitering sharks keep Alcatraz quite well isolated from escape via swimming. These days, however, a daily ferry makes it easy to travel to and from the mainland. For a few hours, the ghosts of prisoners past and the lonely vibe render Alcatraz a strangely peaceful muse to cultivate one's own somber, poetic thoughts.

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In a city full of tourist attractions, one of the quirkiest has to be the former prison/military base/Native American encampment of Alcatraz. Just three miles off the coast of San Francisco, CA, the “rock” used to house such die-hard criminals as Al Capone. Now it’s a national park that hosts tourists who probably can’t imagine what it would be like to spend 23 hours a day in a five-by-nine foot cell, especially after stepping inside one for a few minutes. Think that’s a trip? Try squatting in a pitch black solitary cell and see how long you last. Still think you’re tough? Diehards can catch the last tour of the day for a glimpse of the prison after dark.

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