Visiting Alcatraz Island

Figure 1: Alcatras Island Taken from https://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm

Alcatraz Island is among the famous historical sites in the United States. It is a place you should visit if you are interested in seeing and learning more about the famous prison in the United States, the first lighthouse built on the US West Coast, and a military fort. Alcatraz Island is located about 1.25 miles from San Francisco. Therefore, the tour to the island starts at Pier 33 (Alcatraz Landing), where the visitor first boards a boat that takes them to the island and brings them back. It is a good experience to gradually approach such a historical island using a boat because it makes visitors more curious. Once visitors access the island, they can decide to move around themselves or join a guided tour. The most appealing things to see on Alcatraz Island include the prison cells. There is a story associated with the island about three prisoners who escaped the most protected Alcatraz prison in 1962. These prisoners made dummy heads and placed them next to brackets to fool prison guards that they were still in the cell. As a result, guards were unaware that the prisoners had long gone and were nowhere to be found again. These dummy heads are still in the cell from which the prisoners escaped. Apart from the prison, the site has a historical military fort and a clear view of San Francisco Bay. It is easy to visit Alcatraz Island because visitors just need to buy a ticket that costs $38 and then present themselves for a boat ride to the island. The site has no restrictions, so one can take all kinds of pictures and record videos to create memories. Since the site receives many visitors, it is easier to buy a ticket online where one has to wait until they become available. Sometimes tickets may be unavailable, especially when Alcatraz Island has received its maximum number of visitors.