Is The Alcatraz Day Or Night Tour Better In San Francisco? (Pros & Cons Of Each)

Visiting Alcatraz Prison Is A Must On Any San Francisco Trip, But You Might Be Wondering, Which Tour Is Better, The Day Or The Night Option?

As a half Californian (my mom is from Southern California and we have family in Northern California), I’ve spent lots of time in the state and even got to cross visiting Alcatraz off my bucket list a few years ago, but while it’s worth visiting no matter what time of day (on either the day or night tour), I personally think the Alcatraz night tour is the better option for a couple of reasons.

🪨 Alcatraz Day vs Night Tour (Pros + Cons)

There are pros and cons to both the day and night tours, and though I personally think that the night tour is the best option for visiting Alcatraz, no matter which one you choose, it’s definitely a place worth visiting.

Day Tour Pros

Although I prefer going at night, there are still a lot of benefits to going really early in the morning.

If you do choose to visit Alcatraz during the day, it’s best to do the tour early in the morning (on the first boat out) to avoid the largest amount of crowds. You can also arrive at Alcatraz later in the afternoon (though it’s much busier) and stay until the last night ferry leaves if you want to see the prison from both perspectives.

Day Tour Pros:

early mornings (first boat out) are less crowded
stay and explore the island the entire day if you want
tickets are slightly cheaper
it can be warmer outside (sometimes)
nice daytime views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge (pictured above)

Day Tour Cons

None of the cons make the island not worth visiting, but they may help determine which time of day is best for you.

In general there aren’t many cons for either the day or night tour of Alcatraz (if you love that darker side of history stuff like me), but one of the main drawbacks is visiting the island with large crowds of tourists.

Day Tour Cons:

peak amount of visitors is typically right around midday
can’t access all the same areas as night tours
less spooky in the sunlight

Night Tour Pros

I personally think that the Alcatraz night tour is better than the day tour because it's a little spookier once the sun goes down.

I think that the Alcatraz night tour is the best way to go to visit this island prison, not because the day tour has many cons, but because the night tour just has too many pros that make visiting this site extra special.

Night Tour Pros:

spookier prison setting at night
more access to other parts of the prison not available during the day
fewer tickets sold
beautiful San Francisco city light views on the ferry back (pictured below)
see Alcatraz in both settings (arrive when it’s light, leave once it’s dark)
great views of the Golden Gate Bridge
better picture opportunities with less people (pictured above), especially when waiting to be one of the last to start the audio tour (this is what I did)

Night Tour Cons

The San Francisco city light views are beautiful on the ferry ride back after the sun goes down.

There are a few downsides to doing the Alcatraz night tour, nothing that makes me think it’s not worth visiting though, but if you plan and prepare ahead of time, most of them won’t matter anyways.

Night Tour Cons:

less free time to explore compared to the day (you must leave on the last ferry)
it’s typically much colder at night
tickets are a little more expensive at night
tickets typically sell out a lot faster for the night tour

🎟 How To Get Alcatraz Tickets

It's important to book your Alcatraz tickets in advance because they sell out often.

Both day and night Alcatraz tour tickets should be purchased in advance, they often sell out (especially for the night tours), but for those that can’t get them ahead of time or need them after they’ve already sold out, there are still a few options.

Normal pre-purchased tickets for Alcatraz are sold through City Experiences (all others go through a middleman) while combo San Francisco tours, last minute tickets, or sold out dates can be bought through various official tour companies:

San Francisco, Muir Woods, Sausalito, and Alcatraz add on (the best and highest rated option)
Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge Express (the cheapest option)
Private San Francisco tour with Alcatraz add on
Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz pass by tour (Golden Gate or whale watching type tours pass by Alcatraz but don’t actually tour the island)

*️⃣ What I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Alcatraz

Whether you choose to visit Alcatraz during the day or at night, it’s super helpful to know some of the facts and tips listed below (there are a few things I wish I would have known before going on my tour) to help make your prison experience even better.

A Little Alcatraz History

Whether you visit Alcatraz on the day or night tour, learning a little about the prison ahead of time can help enhance your experience.

Alcatraz was where the worst of the worst ended up, but what really made this prison so bad was its level of isolation. I went in “the hole”, the hospital wing, and the “mentally ill” room and I could see even now how that could make someone go crazy.

You’ll learn a little about some of this history on the island, but I think knowing more about the prison ahead of time would have helped me feel even more connected and interested in seeing what I’d learned about.

guards and other prison employees lived on Alcatraz with their families (you’ll see the outside of their “homes”)

The Birdman (Robert Stroud) was one of the “worst” prisoners at Alcatraz (I got to see his hospital room)

Al Capone was moved from Atlanta to Alcatraz prison in 1934 (you’ll see him listed on the wall as one of many infamous Alcatraz prisoners)

aside from sharks, the cold temperatures, strong currents, and long distance to shore made swimming out of Alcatraz almost impossible

no one knows if the 3 Alcatraz escapees survived, but some believe they may have gotten away with it (you’ll see the escapee prison cells, pictured above)

there are no prisoners still serving time at Alcatraz, as the prison shut down for good in March of 1963

What To Expect On The Tour

You can wander around the island until the last ferry leaves if you want, but most suggest at least 3 hours.

both the Alcatraz day and night tour starts at Pier 33, which is super easy to walk, cable car, or Uber to

you should plan on arriving at least 30 minutes before your departure time to get in line for the ferry

the ferry ride to Alcatraz island takes about 15 minutes

it’s a big boat so you shouldn’t experience any seasickness, but come prepared just in case

off the boat, a short guided tour starts as everyone walks uphill to the main prison

once inside, the whole tour is a self guided audio tour done by former guards and prisoners (I’m not normally into listening to audio tours but this one is very interesting)

the audio tour is about 35 minutes straight through, but I paused it often to look more deeply at things, so it can take longer

after the audio tour, you can wander around the open areas until the last ferry leaves (at least 3 hours is typically recommended)

Tips For Visiting Alcatraz

Besides a few modern updates like bathrooms and a gift shop, it looks like nothing has changed at Alcatraz prison, and it’s definitely one of the most interesting places to tour in San Francisco.

the Alcatraz tour (day or night) is typically less crowded during the middle of the week, Tuesdays through Thursdays, compared to weekends or holidays

get in line at Pier 33 early so you can get on the ferry first and head to the top front of the boat for the best views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge

on the night tour, be one of the last to start the audio tour because it will feel more empty and give you better photo opportunities

for either tour, eat ahead of time so you don’t get too hungry on the island (I was absolutely starving during my night tour)

stay until the last ferry at night after crowds head back, and watch the island get even spookier as it empties out (it’s not “scary”, but the eerie feeling is one reason I prefer the night tour)

watch Alcatraz movies like Escape From Alcatraz, Birdman of Alcatraz, and Murder in the First before visiting the island to really enhance your experience

🔁 Sum Up: Is The Alcatraz Day Or Night Tour Better?

Alcatraz is a fascinating and dark piece of US history that’s definitely worth visiting whether you go on the day or night tour, but I personally think that the night tour is the better option because it’s a little spookier, it gives you more access to other parts of the prison (not available during the day), the San Francisco city light views are beautiful at night, and less tickets are sold compared to day tours.