Embark on a 90-minute cruise along the San Francisco waterfront, under the Golden Gate Bridge and past Angel Island State Park before circling Alcatraz Island for an in-depth view of the prison. Take in the sights and sounds of the island as you listen to ex-guards and former inmates tell their stories of murder, mayhem, and mobsters on an audio tour with historical photos via your smartphone, tablet or other WiFi-enabled device. This ticket allows you to skip the box office line and go straight to the gate.
In demand: 29 of the next 39 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 10.
This 1.5-hour 'Escape from the Rock' cruise departs from Pier 39.
It takes you under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz Island to see every angle of the former federal penitentiary, now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
En route, enjoy sightings of the city skyline and Angel Island.
View The Rock from the best view available on the water
Beautiful views from the water
Beautiful Views from the water
Iconic San Francisco landmark with a fresh perspective form the water
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 962 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Escape from the Rock! Cruise around Alcatraz lasts about 1h 30min. The itinerary has 9 stops.
Prices start at $48 per person for this San Francisco experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, starting at 12:00 PM, 12:15 PM, and 12:30 PM.
Children aged 5–11 pay from $35, adults from $48.
It can: 29 of the next 39 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is PIER 39, The Embarcadero at Beach St. San Francisco, CA 94133. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in DE, KO, CMN, JA, EN, IT, FR, ES.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 8 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Children from 0 to 4 years old sail for free
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible Wheelchair accessible, only on first deck
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
This experience was a great ride but redefined print because I thought we were going to stop on the Alcatraz Island and did not
We're sorry that you were unaware that we didn't stop on the island. There's another company that does that and that's all they do. It's a 20 minute ride. But we're happy that you joined us, and we're glad you still enjoyed the experience.
A good experience. A bit chilly in the wind, so bring something to wear if staying outside. Went to both bridges and around alcatraz. Great little adventure.
Thanks for the great review and sharing your tips for other guests!
A nice, smooth ride with beautiful waters and scenery. All you have to do is sit back and relax. You get a close up of Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.
Thanks for the kind words. We're happy you joined us!
The experience was great clean bathrooms personnel were very friendly and watching for safety loud speakers and great time overall.
Thanks for joining us!
Cold even in July when sitting up top. Good overview of The Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. People talking around us made it hard to hear loud speaker.
Thanks for joining us!
We missed the original Esacpe by the Rock tour because of traffic. They were nice and let us still did the 1 hour tour. The snack/bar lady was nice and informative.
Happy we were able to get you out. Thanks for the compliment on the bartender. We'll pass it along!
Cruised under Golden Gate Bridge, did a loop around Alcatraz then under the SF Bay bridge. Saw sea lions coming back into dock. Awesome!
Escape from the Rock was an incredible way to experience Alcatraz from the water. Cruising around the island gives you a whole new perspective—dramatic views of the prison, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the San Francisco skyline all at once. The narration was informative and captivating, sharing fascinating stories about Alcatraz’s history and legendary escape attempts. The atmosphere on the boat, especially with the wind and the sounds of the bay, made the experience feel immersive and exciting. A fun, memorable, and unique way to see Alcatraz—highly recommend.
Hi Maria, Thank you so much for your detailed review of this cruise. We're very happy that you enjoyed the experience. And we greatly appreciate the 5 Star review. Cheers!
This was a fantastic trip! Boat ride was comfortable and fun. Choices to sit inside or outside. We loved the narration throughout the trip. It was a great mix of stories about Alcatraz (from prisoners and guards-similar to one you get when you do the tour on Alcatraz) as well as information about the city and history of San Francisco and the bridge. I would highly recommend this trip.
Well said, thanks for the note.
Not to happy with the tour, maybe it was my mistake but we were looking for Alcatraz tour not around the island. I was ask to select the language and we choose Spanish and tour was in English.
Hi Ana. We apologize that you didn't realized that we do not land on the island. We do try to make that clear in the description. And as for the audio tour, when you select it on your mobile device, there are 9 different languages to choose from. It does start with English but a quick toggle will give you the choice of the others.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escape from the Rock! Cruise around Alcatraz | 1h 30min | 4.2 (164) | $48 | |
 Prison Break Alcatraz Escape Room in Fisherman's Wharf | 1h 15min | 5.0 (149) | $46 | View |
 Alcatraz Visit with Night Option and SF Bay Cruise | 2–4 hours | 4.2 (1,018) | $139 | View |
 Alcatraz Island Prison Tour and San Francisco Bay Cruise | 2–5 hours | 4.3 (334) | $148 | View |
 Alcatraz Ticket & Cruise with North Beach Tour plus Night Option | 1–4 hours | 4.7 (247) | $79 | View |
 Alcatraz Prison Tour and Golden Gate Bridge Bay Cruise | 4–5 hours | 4.2 (60) | $148 | View |
 San Francisco Golden Gate Bay Cruise | 1 hour | 4.7 (1,767) | $35 | View |