Blue and Gold Ferry Boat Sails to Alcatraz Island

The Blue and Gold Ferry Boat Sails to Alcatraz Island

The Blue and Gold Fleet has shown tourists the best of San Francisco Bay for many years. Their Bay Cruise Adventure has fascinated many tourists with a close-up look at the Golden Gate Bridge and unobstructed views of all the city skylines around the Bay.

The fleet also offers a special cruise for people who are particularly interested in Alcatraz Island – the Escape from the Rock Cruise. This 90-minute journey leaves Pier 39, sails out under the Golden Gate Bridge and then comes back to circle around Alcatraz Island. The tour includes fun narration about Alcatraz's history and its famous criminals like Al Capone, Clyde Johnson and Robert "The Birdman" Stroud. You'll learn about the brutal life on the island, the escape attempts and the reasons why this maximum security prison was known as the "most feared institution in the American penal system."

The cruise does not land on Alcatraz. Several other tour companies offer tours to the island where you can take an escorted tour with a National Park ranger.

Schedule

The Blue and Gold ferry boat sails to Alcatraz Island on weekends only during the winter. Service is expanded to include weekdays during the spring and summer months. For a current schedule call Blue and Gold at 415-773-1188 or visit their website. Be sure and get there early since the ferry tickets sell quickly during warm sunny days. The ferries depart from Pier 39.

Fares

• Adult $25
• Seniors (62+) $21
• Junior (12 to 18) $21
• Child (5 to 11) $17--Every child ticket purchased comes with a complimentary pair of 5X magnification souvenir binoculars.
• Family pass (2 adults and 4 child or junior tickets) $65

Tickets can be purchased at the Blue & Gold Fleet box office at Pier 39. You can also purchase tickets by phone and from their website. Just pick them up at the box office. Don’t forget to bring your confirmation number and the credit card used to purchase your tickets.

There are no refunds or exchanges, however, the tickets are valid for six months. So, if you purchase your tickets and get distracted by the sea lions or shopping for the perfect gift for Aunt Jane at Pier 39, you can always come back and take your ferry ride at a later date.

Disabled Travelers

Passengers with special needs are welcome on Blue & Gold ferry vessels. Entrance and exit gangways have reduced slope ramps which work well for wheelchairs. There is a variety of seating options on board with helpful deck hands to provide additional assistance. The restrooms on board are wheelchair accessible.

Getting There

There are several Muni options to get to Pier 39 including:

• The "F Market & Wharves" trolley runs downtown San Francisco along Market St., along The Embarcadero and stops directly in front of PIER 39.
• Several other Muni lines go within two blocks of Pier 39:
  • 15 Third Street
  • 39 Coit
  • 47 Van Ness
  • 49 Van Ness-Mission
  • 10 Townsend

If you are coming from somewhere else in the Bay Area, consider coming to Pier 39 on:

• BART
• A Blue & Gold ferry from:
  • Vallejo
  • Alameda
  • Oakland
  • Sausalito
  • Tiburon

Parking

The closest parking is the Pier 39 parking garage across the street from the Blue and Gold box office. Blue and Gold Fleet does not validate. Any of the full-service restaurants at Pier 39 will validate for one hour at lunch and two hours after 6 PM. So, you might want to consider having a late lunch or early dinner after your cruise.

There is also parking available at the Academy of Art College and Pier 43½.

Snacks, Lunch and Dinner

Light snacks and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are sold in the snack bar on the ferry, but all that "on-the-water adventure" will probably leave you hungry. Walk over to Pier 39 and enjoy some of their terrific food venues. Don't forget to get your parking receipt validated if you parked in the Pier 39 garage.

• Seafood – The Crab House and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
• Pizza, Pasta and Italian – Swiss Louis
• Burgers – The Eagle Café
• Fun and Music – The Hard Rock Café