San Francisco

Combo Tour: Alcatraz Island and San Francisco Grand City Tour

San Francisco, USA
  • 6 hours 30 minutes
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Overview

Explore San Francisco and Alcatraz on this 2-in-1 tour. Hop aboard a ferry for a scenic ride to Alcatraz and enjoy the award-winning audio walking tour. Plus, enjoy a coach tour with a knowledgeable local guide. Learn about the City by the Bay through visits to top attractions such as Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, the Presidio, and the Palace of Fine Arts.
  • Combine a San Francisco city tour and audio-guided visit to Alcatraz
  • All the main attractions, including Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, and North Beach
  • Audio-guided walking tour of the Alcatraz "Cell Block"
  • Round-trip ferry ride to Alcatraz Island included

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

This popular combo offers a great overview of city sights plus guaranteed access to "The Rock."

What's Included

  • Alcatraz Admission Ticket (valued at $45.25 USD) including Ferry Ride & Cellhouse Audio Tour
  • Narrated Bus Tour of San Francisco
  • Transport by air-conditioned luxury motor-coach
  • Transportation to Pier 33 Alcatraz Cruise Port after City Tour
  • Plenty of stops with Photo opportunities
  • Gratuities
  • Any other services not specified
  • Hotel Pick up or drop off
  • Bus Transportation after the Alcatraz Tour is not included

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point
Type to search

Start time

09:00 AM

End point

  • Pier 33
    San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

    Pier 33 concludes the bus transportation portion of tour. Pier 33 Alcatraz landing is where the Alcatraz portion commences. Upon conclusion of Alcatraz, customers will need to make their own way back from whence they came.

What To Expect

For the San Francisco portion of your tour, meet at one of the two departure points located in the Union Square area or the Fisherman’s Wharf area. Drive along the city's waterfront, and take in views of the San Francisco Bay, stopping for photos at Twin Peaks, Palace of Fine Arts, and the Golden Gate Bridge (weather permitting). 

Other attractions visited on this tour include some of the city's famous Victorian homes, Chinatown, the Palace of Fine Arts, Fisherman's Wharf, the Presidio, and North Beach. Your tour ends at Pier 33.

At Pier 33, board a scenic ferry to Alcatraz. Arrive at Alcatraz, a former federal prison that's now a national park and get a brief orientation to the maximum-security facility, which operated from 1934 to 1963. Pick up your self-guided audio tour, available in several languages, and start exploring. Listen to commentary from former staff and inmates and learn about the stints that famous inmates such as Machine Gun Kelly and Al Capone served. When you're finished looking around, hop on the next ferry (ferries depart regularly) and head back to Pier 33.

Likely to Sell-out! Alcatraz regularly sells out weeks in advance. Book ahead of time to avoid disappointment.

The schedule for the day depends on the availability of Alcatraz. You are advised of the tour schedule 72-hours prior to the tour date.

Union Square (Pass By)

Van Ness Avenue (Pass By)

Cow Hollow (Pass By)

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Golden Gate Bridge

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Presidio of San Francisco (Pass By)

Lands End

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Golden Gate Park (Pass By)

Haight Street (Pass By)

Twin Peaks

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Castro (Pass By)

Embarcadero Farmer's Market (Pass By)

Financial District (Pass By)

Chinatown (Pass By)

North Beach (Pass By)

Alcatraz Island

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Alcatraz reservations are first come first serve, all reservations are finalized (5) days prior to your departure date. No refunds or changes allowed after this date.
  • You must provide first and last names, along with ages of all passengers to confirm your reservation. If for any reason you do not provide this information within the window of time provided, your Alcatraz tour will be forfeited.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Date changes are not permitted once confirmation is received
  • Service animals allowed
  • The Alcatraz portion usually takes 2.5 hours to complete, with its audio tour consisting of approximately 45 minutes. You are advised to inquire on your arrival to the island as to what time the next guided tour will begin. There is no restriction on the amount of time you spend on the Island. The ferry boat service departs Alcatraz every 30 minutes and you can disembark at your own leisure
  • Near public transportation
  • Pier 33 is the last stop and ends the bus transport portion of tour. Customers will need to make their own way back to their desired destinations after Alcatraz.
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Most travelers can participate
  • There are Stops with Photo opportunities at: Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, Twin Peaks, Land’s End Ocean Beach (Sutro Baths) & Mission San Francisco de Asis (Mission district) .
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 55 travelers

Cancellation Policy

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

    Traveler Photos

    See more
    Featured review
    celestialashgina
    Robert our guide was fantastic and funny. Iva from the reservations' department very kind. I would definitely use this company for our next tours.

    Reviews

    4.0
    2,206 reviews
    Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    Reviews by Viator travelers.
    Showing 1-10 of 2,206 reviews
    Value for money
    Melissa_L, Jan 2024
    It was a good introduction to the city. The Alcatraz tour made it good values as well Clean bus and a very sweet tour guide
    Response from Host, Feb 2024
    Thank you for posting your opinion on our tour. I am incredibly delighted to see you had such a great experience with us
    Very informative and cheerful
    Francesca_H, Sep 2023
    Our tour guide Michele was so informed and charming. Even in areas socked in with fog she made the best of it.
    Response from Host, Oct 2023
    Hi Francesca_H, It's great to hear that you had an informed and charming tour guide in Michele who was able to make the most of the day. We hope to see you back for more tours in the future.
    The weather was great...
    James_D, Sep 2023
    The weather was great perfect day. The Alcstraz tour was very good. The bus was good but the bathroom was filthy. Driver even told me so before I had to use it, not acceptable. Driver did not know route and tour guide, Michelle, was constantly having to tell him where to turn, etc. Tour guide very knowledgeable, but really redundant. We probably heard a dozen times or more how great the weather was and how lucky we were to be on the tour.
    Response from Host, Sep 2023
    Hi James_D, Thank you for sharing your feedback about your tour experience. It's great to hear you had perfect weather and enjoyed the Alcatraz tour. However, it's concerning to learn about the issues with the bathroom. We also apologize for the driver's confusion as he was new to the City tour, as our drivers regularly shift to learn new routes. Your feedback is valuable for us to make necessary improvements and ensure a better experience for future guests. We hope we get the chance to make it up to you on future tours.
    Fantastic
    Antheny_H, Sep 2023
    It was a great tour! I would recommend it to friends and family. Will probably take it again myself.
    Response from Host, Sep 2023
    Hi Antheny_H, Thank you for your positive feedback about the tour! I'm glad to hear that you had a great experience and would recommend it to others. If you decide to take the tour again in the future or have any questions about other tours, don't hesitate to reach out. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon.
    Would come back
    Mark_W, Sep 2023
    Had a great day around Alcatraz easy step by step instructions to follow and a good trip to and from pier 33 by ship.
    Response from Host, Sep 2023
    Hi Mark_W, We're glad to hear that you had a great day visiting Alcatraz with easy-to-follow instructions and a pleasant trip to and from Pier 33. Alcatraz is a fascinating and historic destination, and it sounds like you had a memorable experience. If you have any more travel plans or need assistance in the future, feel free to reach out. Thank you for sharing your positive feedback with us.
    Omgoodness!!!
    Tiffanie_G, Jul 2023
    Omgoodness where do I begin… This was such an amazing, beautiful, and inspiring experience. The tour of Alcatraz was like nothing I had ever experienced before as you went through the audio part you could feel like you where right there. It is a great experience for teens and older. There is so much to see and hear and learn about. Now the negative… The tour of San Francisco was not what I expected, a) not enough time to explore the 4 places you got off the bus, we were given 15 mins, b) it said you would experience the Golden Gate Bridge however we were taken to a parking lot by the bridge not to the bridge. My group was most definitely disappointed by this especially for the amount of money that was spent on this experience. c) the driver of the bus didn’t drive very well which made most of us car sick. d) people in charge were not very friendly. Over all the best part was Alcatraz, I would say it is a must see/visit. Also a tip take food with you as lunch was $127 for a burger, 2 chicken baskets and 2 fish and chips, $5 for a bottle of water. I know that the tour had nothing to do with the food prices just leaving this here as a tip. Have fun exploring and enjoy life!
    Response from Host, Jul 2023
    Hello Tiffanie_G, Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback about your experience. We're glad to hear that the tour of Alcatraz was amazing, beautiful, and inspiring, providing a unique and immersive experience through the audio narration. However, we apologize for the negative aspects of your San Francisco tour. We understand your disappointment with the limited time given to explore the four places you stopped at, as well as the confusion regarding the Golden Gate Bridge visit. We're grateful for your overall positive feedback and recommendation of the Grand City Tour + Alcatraz tour. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with an improved tour in the future. Enjoy your explorations and join us again soon.
    Great overall experience
    cwvzhbq9jy, Jun 2023
    Joseph was great with all of his little factoids of the San Francisco area and Li was absolutely amazing manipulating the tight crazy roadways with expertise! This tour was great in providing an overall brief of the city. My only complaint would be that we had longer at some of the sights.
    Response from Host, Jun 2023
    Hello cwvzhbq9jy, Thank you for your positive feedback about Joseph and Li, and their knowledge and expertise in guiding you through the San Francisco area. We're glad to hear that you found the tour great and that it provided you with a brief overview of the city. We appreciate your feedback regarding the duration of the stops at certain sights. We understand that having more time at specific locations would have enhanced your experience. We will take this into consideration to improve and optimize our tour itinerary in the future, allowing for a more balanced and satisfying visit to each sight. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with an even better experience should you choose to join us again in the future.
    Excellent experience
    Kay_W, Jun 2023
    Bus trip was great, informative and some different locations to the usual city bus tour (we done both). Pick up point easy to find but the Rep was delayed until second stop and the guide at pick up point could have given more details for passengers reassurance. Alcatraz itself is an excellent experience and a well organised tour. My only suggestion would be an age limit to perhaps 12yrs & over as younger children get bored easily and strollers can get in the way when it is an already very busy location- appreciate that’s a personal POV
    Response from Host, Jun 2023
    Hello Kay_W, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed the bus trip and found it informative, especially with the different locations it covered compared to the usual city bus tour. We will take your suggestions into consideration to ensure better communication and passenger reassurance in the future. We're pleased to hear that you had an excellent experience visiting Alcatraz and found the tour well-organized. Your suggestion regarding an age limit for children is understandable, as it can help maintain a more enjoyable experience for all visitors. We appreciate your perspective on this matter and will share this with our friends at The National Park Service. Thank you again for your feedback, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with more enjoyable and well-organized tours in the future.
    Would recommend this combo tour to everyone
    Sherry_H, Jun 2023
    This tour was very informative. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable.. All of the staff were pleasant.
    Response from Host, Jun 2023
    Dear Sherry_H, Thank you for recommending our Combo Tour: Alcatraz Island and San Francisco Grand City Tour! We're glad to hear that you found the tour informative and our staff pleasant. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back for more memorable experiences. Best regards,
    The guide, Michelle, was...
    ANNE_W, May 2023
    The guide, Michelle, was excellent with great knowledge of San Fransisco, its historia and all places we stopped at, as well as of buildings we saw from the bus. She was keen to answer our questions. The stops were long enough. We appreciated that we were a small group. Even Alcatraz was interesting according to me. However, my husband was not that impressed by Alcatraz. The sunny and warm weather contributed of course... The tour can really be recommended.
    Response from Host, May 2023
    Dear Anne, We are happy that you enjoyed our tour and had a great time with Michelle. Our team works hard to give you the best experience and it was a pleasure serving you. Thank you for recommending our San Francisco Grand City Tour and for giving us a 5-star. We hope that you will come back for your next adventure with us!
    Brilliant tour
    julie_P, May 2023
    Michelle was a very good tour guide. She was very knowledgeable about San Francisco and gave us plenty of information We really enjoyed the trip and would highly recommend
    Response from Host, May 2023
    Hi julie_P, Thank you for taking the time to write this wonderful review! We are glad to hear that you had an enjoyable experience with Michelle as your tour guide. She takes great pride in her knowledge of San Francisco and works hard to ensure that her guests have a memorable and informative experience. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future.
    Michele the tour guide was great.
    Trevor_D, Mar 2023
    Our coach guide, Michele, was sooo good. She talked virtually the whole time on the bus and was very informative. Some good stops and the coach was comfortable. The trip to Alcatraz was well organised although we were told we didn't need to queue up for a ticket as we had one already, but were were told at the gate we had to. The boat ride to the island was smooth. Alcatraz is somewhere we had been wanting to visit and it didn't disappoint. It's very moving and the conditions the inmates had to endure was quite shocking.
    Response from Host, Mar 2023
    Dear Trevor, We are so happy to see that you had a wonderful time on our San Francisco City tour + Alcatraz. Your review made our day! Thank you for the kind words about our tour guide, Michelle. Our team works hard to give the best experience to our customers. We hope to serve you again soon!
    Wonderful Experience
    Albina_A, Dec 2022
    Excellent tour guide Michelle and the driver Sam too! Very knowledgeable and friendly. Very engaging.
    Response from Host, Dec 2022
    Dear Albina, Thank you for the kind words about our tour guide Michelle and our driver Sam. Our team works really hard to give our customers the best experience. We are happy to see that you enjoyed our tour and thank you for choosing Gray Line. We hope to serve you again soon!
    The whole trip was very...
    Tonette_D, Oct 2022
    The whole trip was very informative. The narrator was awesome. He knew the area very well. The bathroom at Golden gate Bridge was very nasty, other then that I recommend the tour
    Response from Host, Oct 2022
    Dear Tonette, We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed San Francisco and Alcatraz and look forward to welcoming you again soon!
    Great Day in San Francisco.
    anthonymcgoldrick, Oct 2022
    I enjoyed every minute of the trip. The tour guide was superb, very informative and friendly. Definitely a credit to the company. My wife and I would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to see San Francisco and Alcatraz.
    Response from Host, Oct 2022
    Dear Anthony, We’re so happy to hear you had a great experience at SF City tour. Your review made our day! Our whole team works very hard to keep our customers happy, but we can only do it thanks to amazing customers like you. Thanks again, and we hope to serve you again soon.
    Amazing Alcatraz and city tour of San Francisco
    Lynne_H, Sep 2022
    The visit too Alcatraz so was the city tour certainly worth the money absolutely amazing The lady was very knowledgeable
    Response from Host, Sep 2022
    Dear Lynne, We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed our San Francisco City Tour. Thanks for the kin words about our tour guide. We look forward to welcoming you again soon!
    All good until the Alcatraz Ticket Booth
    David_J, Aug 2022
    The tour of the city was brilliant and we had a wonderful tour guide (Michelle) and driver (Lee) …. However, when we arrived at the Alcatraz ferry stall we had major issues. My wife and I had everything that we were told to bring along including downloaded tickets, proof of purchase and photo ID yet the person at the ticket booth made life so difficult. They said that they couldn’t find our details on the system and refused us entry even though we supplied all that was asked. I had to make phone calls to the booking company and eventually a reply there spoke with them over the phone. They then amazingly found our booking details ( seemed like a scam to myself and my wife actually). Please be aware of this !!!
    Response from Host, Sep 2022
    Dear David , We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed San Francisco Grand City tour and Alcatraz Island. It was a pleasure serving you and your family. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and being so open with us. We are sorry about the Alcatraz tickets issue, but we are happy to hear that someone from our staff was able to help you and put things right. We look forward to welcoming you again soon!
    Bus tour and Alcatraz is a must do When visiting San Francisco
    Shirley_P, Jul 2022
    I really enjoyed the city bus tour, was thinking it would be a lot like the hop on hop off bus tour but it was so much more information and different places. Going to Alcatraz is a must see if you visit San Francisco
    Everything was made...
    Robert_L, Jun 2022
    Everything was made special by the tour guide. We saw so many special places and were educated on the area and all of SF
    Wonderful tour guide and good driver. Full city tour lots of information
    Marion_M, Jun 2022
    Seeing lands end (Pacific Ocean) with breathtaking view of the ocean and the coast. Final stop Alcatraz which is over the top. You have to see it.
    ...
    Likely to Sell Out

    From $160.00

    -You will not receive a refund if you cancel.

    Compare Similar Experiences

    1 / 3
    Current
    Likely to Sell Out
    No Photo
    Combo Tour: Alcatraz Island and San Francisco Grand City Tour
    2,206
    6 hours 30 minutes
    Free Cancellation
    From
    $160.00
    No Photo
    San Francisco Grand City Tour
    550
    4 hours
    Free Cancellation
    From
    $69.00
    No Photo
    Best Alcatraz Prison Tickets & San Francisco Combo Tour
    234
    4 hours
    Free Cancellation
    From
    $393.00
    No Photo
    Alcatraz Island Tour Packages
    181
    2 to 3 hours
    Free Cancellation
    From
    $140.80

    Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

    Explore Similar Things to Do

    Help CenterCustomer CarePrivacy and Cookies StatementAbout ViatorNewsViator blog
    © 1997-2024 Viator, Inc.
    Terms & Conditions