Beach Horseback Ride & Alcatraz – One Epic Coastal Escape!
Saddle up for one of California’s most thrilling day trips—a scenic horseback ride on the beach + a legendary visit to Alcatraz Island! Start your adventure with complimentary hotel pickup in San Francisco, then cruise down the stunning Pacific Coast to charming Half Moon Bay.
Feel the salty breeze as you ride horseback along the beach with breathtaking ocean views—no experience needed! After a relaxing seaside lunch or casual seafood stop, sail across the bay to Alcatraz Island. Enjoy panoramic views and a self-guided audio tour of the infamous prison.
✔️ Ride along the beach with jaw-dropping views
✔️ Includes Alcatraz tickets, ferry & hotel pickup (drop-off not included)
✔️ If fog cancels the ride, we’ll switch to a magical forest ride near Stinson Beach!
No shorts allowed. Height & weight required.
Spots fill fast—book now for your unforgettable coastal escape!
Schedule & prices
Runs
Every day
Start times
8:30 AM
Next available
Thu, Nov 19
Adult (ages 7+)
$1,049
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $1,739.
Larger groups pay less per person.
In demand: 30 of the next 30 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 15.
Tour Options
Private Tour by Van /Minibus
Large van for up to 14 guests : A spacious van for up to 14 guests, ensuring comfort. Enjoy a 100% private, custom tour led by an expert local guide. Truly l
Pickup included
Private Tour by SUV
Pickup included
Itinerary
Alcatraz Island
Admission included300 min
The first part of this new and custom tour: After a complimentary pick-up at your hotel in SF, you will depart south and cruise along California State Route 1, on the dramatic and rugged coastline of the Pacific Ocean to visit a family owned ranch of horseback riding at historic stable, located just south of San Francisco and North of Half -Moon Bay.
The second part of your Alcatraz and horseback ride combo adventure will take you to legendary Island, also known as the ‘The Rock’. Your personal tour guide will drive you to the Alcatraz Ferry building, a terminal for Alcatraz ferries that provide transfers from San Francisco Bay to Alcatraz and return. This is the only ferry line allowed to access Alcatraz Island and it’s all included in the tour prices. These ferries and prison tickets are often sold months in advance, so the sooner you book, the better
Once you disembark on the island, you will be offered Alcatraz’s award-winning self-guided audio tour, included in your tour price
What's included
Included
Bottled water
Horseback Ride on the Beach or in the forest
Air-conditioned vehicle
Alcatraz Island day ticket
Not included
Meals, overtime, museums, tastings not included
Requirement: Must be at least 7 years or older, and under 200 lb to ride a horse.
Sorry, we cannot transport passengers with disabilities as our vehicles are not equipped for that
Tips/gratuities are voluntary payments to the guides as a gesture of appreciation for good service
Drop off back to your hotel or meeting location
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick-Up Included, Return Drop-Off Excluded: We offer a complimentary meet-and-greet service in the lobby of your hotel or at your designated pickup location in downtown San Francisco and nearby neighborhoods. Your private tour guide will be holding a printed sign with our company’s logo and your name.
At the end of the tour, we will drop you off at the Alcatraz ferry terminal.
Important: Please Note
A common misunderstanding: return drop-off is not included after your visit to Alcatraz. To keep costs down and avoid unnecessary overtime for your guide, we ask that you make your own way back to your hotel. Most customers stay near Fisherman’s Wharf, which is within walking distance of the ferry terminal and offers scenic views along the shoreline, as well as attractions like Pier 39, restaurants, and sea lions. You can easily return by cable car or other affordable means of transportation if you are staying downtown.
Thank you for understanding!
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
5.0
4 reviews
5
4
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0
Important Information
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Our policy regarding passengers with disabilities: Sorry, our vehicles are not equipped for passengers with disabilities and therefore, our commercial insurance doesn’t allow us to transport persons with any kind of disabilities for the sake of their own safety and well-being
Cancellation
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
0+ days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Horseback Ride & Alcatraz Prison Tickets take?
Horseback Ride & Alcatraz Prison Tickets lasts about 5 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Horseback Ride & Alcatraz Prison Tickets cost?
Prices start at $1,049 per person for this San Francisco experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $1,739. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Horseback Ride & Alcatraz Prison Tickets run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 8:30 AM.
Does Horseback Ride & Alcatraz Prison Tickets sell out?
It can: 30 of the next 30 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Can I cancel Horseback Ride & Alcatraz Prison Tickets for free?
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. Pick-Up Included, Return Drop-Off Excluded: We offer a complimentary meet-and-greet service in the lobby of your hotel or at your designated pickup location in downtown San Francisco and nearby neighborhoods. Your private tour guide will be holding a printed sign with our company’s logo and your name.
At the end of the tour, we will drop you off at the Alcatraz ferry terminal.
Important: Please Note
A common misunderstanding: return drop-off is not included after your visit to Alcatraz. To keep costs down and avoid unnecessary overtime for your guide, we ask that you make your own way back to your hotel. Most customers stay near Fisherman’s Wharf, which is within walking distance of the ferry terminal and offers scenic views along the shoreline, as well as attractions like Pier 39, restaurants, and sea lions. You can easily return by cable car or other affordable means of transportation if you are staying downtown.
Thank you for understanding!
Pickup points include Biltmore Hotel, Palace Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco.
What languages is Horseback Ride & Alcatraz Prison Tickets offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 14 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Specialized infant seats are available
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Confirmation is sent by the operator within 24 hours of booking.
Is Horseback Ride & Alcatraz Prison Tickets worth it?
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 4 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Alcatraz Tours.
Reviews(4)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
C
cfvoyageuse
January 17, 2022 · via Tripadvisor
La visite d’Alcatraz est vraiment est une expérience émouvante ; c’est à la fois triste comme intriguant.
On a été très impressionné par la visite de la prison d’Alcatraz. La visite d’Alcatraz est vraiment est une expérience émouvante ; c’est à la fois triste comme intriguant.
Notre traversée en bateau de la baie de San Francisco a durée 20 minutes environ jusqu’à l’ile d’alcatraz. Les visiteurs sont priés de porter un masque pendant la visite de la prison.
La visite à l’intérieur est bien organisée et l'histoire est parfaitement racontée et mise en situation a l’aide d’un audioguide en français.
Sachez que l'île d'Alcatraz est accessible uniquement par un seul ferry mais les billets d’alcatraz se vendent souvent des semaines, parfois des mois à l'avance. Si vous n'avez pas réservé vos billets pour alcatraz à l'avance, ce voyagiste propose des visites guidées de San Francisco en français combinées à la visite d'alcatraz. Nous avons eu la chance de trouver des billets pour Alcatraz à la dernière minute.
Bonne visite
We were very impressed by our tour of Alcatraz Island prison. Visiting Alcatraz is truly a moving experience; it's both sad and intriguing.
Our boat trip took about 20 minutes to Alcatraz Island. Visitors are asked to wear a mask while visiting the prison.
The visit inside was well organized, and the story is perfectly told and put into context with the help of an audio guided tour in many languages including French.
Be aware that Alcatraz Island is only accessible by a single ferry company, but Alcatraz tickets often sell out weeks, sometimes months in advance. If you haven't booked your Alcatraz tickets in advance, this tour operator offers guided tours of San Francisco combined with Alcatraz. We were lucky to find tickets to Alcatraz at the last minute thanks to this company.
Operator response
Hello,
Thank you for your review regarding our Alcatraz tours. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your Alcatraz experience in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Happy Holidays!
Thank you,
Victor
Help Desk
J
Jeff_J
August 22, 2021 · via Viator
Fantastic
John our New Zealand driver was fantastic, nicest guy, safe, and very knowledgeable.
Combo tour was perfect
K
kellyspandfamily
August 27, 2019 · via Tripadvisor
Big Redwoods and an excellent horseback ride on the beach for our whole family!
Even though the wooded trails were a bit wet for us to ride due to the fog, but the experience was amazing, and we all enjoyed it very much. The horses looked happy, well cared for- these were some of the best-behaved horses we’ve ever interacted with, and the staff was very friendly. It didn’t take us too long to reach a laid-back beach, so peaceful and beautiful.
After the horseback ride , our fun and very nice tour guide drove us to Santa Cruz where we had Lunch in a restaurant located on the Wharf. We ordered a seafood platter, it was fresh and yummy, and the views made it the perfect location for our family.
For me personally, the highlight of our adventure was our tour of a beautiful forest of big redwood trees in Santa Cruz mountains. I’ve been to Muir Woods before, but this state park was less crowded and the redwood trees are much bigger and older in this forest.
On the way back to our hotel in San Francisco, the tour guide made a quick stop at Apple new headquarter in Silicon Valley. We visited the visitor center and the store (while our son was sneaking out to fly his drone over Apple new campus “it looks like a spaceship from the sky”.)
We highly recommend this outdoor adventure and this business.
Kelly Sp,
Baltimore, Maryland
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Hello,
Thank you for your review regarding our Alcatraz tours. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your Alcatraz experience in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Happy Holidays!
Thank you,
Victor
Help Desk
F
frankyannis
May 16, 2019 · via Tripadvisor
awesome horseback ride on the beach and Alcatraz tour
An awesome horseback ride on the beach and Alcatraz tour
We got desperate as we couldn’t get our hands-on Alcatraz tickets. Alcatraz island tour and ferry tickets were sold out when we tried to book them online (6 weeks in advance). We tried every tour company in san fran, but no luck, until we landed on alcatraztoursf, and they made our day, we couldn’t believe it.
We had to book a combo tour to get our hands-on Alcatraz prison tickets, we signed up for a horseback ride on the beach, it took place in halfmoon bay, it’s was a cool day but worth it. The scenery along pacific coast highway 1 is breathtaking.
This tour company is very reliable, and their tour guide Mary was amazing! We felt like we had a friend in town, it was more than a tour, a real and fun experience. She even drove us through the Golden Gate Park, we stopped for a snack and beer tasting at the beach chalet, an ocean front restaurant with stunning view of the ocean and the beach.
Highly recommend
