San Francisco
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Combo Tour: Alcatraz Island and San Francisco Grand City Tour

San Francisco, United States
Likely to Sell Out

From $150.00

Select Date and Travelers

Non-refundable
You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
San Francisco Tours
All San Francisco Tours
Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Unique Experiences
  • 6 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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 $41.00 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
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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)

Departing the heart of Union square, the coach makes its way to the Golden Gate Bridge. On your way to the Golden Gate Bridge, travelers will see: Union Square: Theatres, shopping, hotels

Van Ness Avenue (Pass By)

We make our way north on Van Ness Avenue. Famous for being used as a firebreak, by the US Army during the 1906 earthquake and fire.

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 (11) 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.
  • Date changes are not permitted once confirmation is received
  • 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
  • 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.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Most travelers can participate
  • 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

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    Traveler Tips

    Very tired at the end as lots of walking so wear comfy shoes and take a jacket as the ferry ride and Alcatraz can be very cold.
    Take the cable car back if that will work for you.
    Reviews
    4.0
    2,173 reviews
    Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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    Reviews by Viator travelers.
    Showing 1-10 of 2,173 reviews
    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.
    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.
    Combo trip San Francisco
    Christopher_K, May 2022
    Trip to Alcatraz was amazing but overall the whole experience was fantastic our tour guide Joseph was very knowledgeable and friendly and driver James was very professional.
    Response from Host, Jun 2022
    Hi Christopher_K, this is Ignacio with Gray Line San Francisco. I want to thank you for sharing yout experience. The city tour + Alcatraz it is an amazing combo! And even better if Joseph is your tour guide. Hope to welcome you back again!!!
    It was a great experience...
    Maria_M, May 2022
    It was a great experience to see the history of Alcatraz and hear the stories with self guided tour.
    Response from Host, May 2022
    Hello Maria I really appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and being so open with us. This combo is a must-see in San Francisco We hope you'll come and see us again soon! Ignacio Gray Line San Francisco
    Had a great time
    Latonya_S, May 2022
    I really enjoyed this tour, we went to some awesome places and Michelle took good pictures for us. The twin peaks was amazing!
    Response from Host, May 2022
    Hello Latonya_S Thanks for your taking the time to share your experience. We're happy to see that you liked our tour and Michelle's performance. Thanks again Ignacio Gray Line San Francisco
    Fantastic time
    Isaura_R, May 2022
    The history shared by Michele, the driver was very cautious and we had a smooth ride. All the stops were amazing we has a clear day and enjoyed every minute.
    Response from Host, May 2022
    Hi Isaura_R Thanks for your taking the time to share your experience. We're happy to see that you liked our tour and Michele's performance. Hope to welcome you back again Ignacio Gray Line San Francisco
    Highly recommend
    Jennifer_D, Apr 2022
    Joe and Jack were phenomenal. The tour was well organized and informative. Both were friendly and client centered. A lot of information was provided! Directions were very clear and we appreciated how on point they were the entire tour.
    Response from Host, Apr 2022
    Hello Jennifer_D Thanks for your taking the time to share your experience. We're happy to see that you enjoyed our tour and Joe and Jack's performance. Hope to welcome you back soon again. Ignacio Gray Line San Francisco
    Tour guide Michelle had...
    Kathy_A, Mar 2022
    Tour guide Michelle had some good information, but she pushed the driver to go faster when we got behind, and she was not very approachable with questions. It made for an uncomfortable day. The sites were wonderful, so with a different guide, it would have been a very nice tour. We’ve done other tours with this company and have had excellent guides.
    Response from Host, Apr 2022
    Hello Kathy Thank you for posting your opinion on our tour. We try to show several iconic places in San Francisco during our city tour, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Palace of Fine Art, Lands End, Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, Mission District, North Beach, etc. We need to follow the schedule to be on time and visit all the attractions. However, you don't have to feel rushed on the tour, so I am sending your opinion to our operation department to improve our actions. I hope we can welcome you back again. Ignacio Gray Line San Francisco
    Boring
    selina_f, Mar 2022
    Michelle the tour guide as a born and bread San Fran resident read from notes. She was not clear in instruction when speaking about poignant points of interest. Often we did not know where or what we were looking for. Her references were all to movies or famous people that were too old and so went over my head. 3.5 hours on this tour was far too long. 12 hours was sufficient. Alcatraz was disappointing and not very interactive also confusing for audio as told to download app which as a uk resident costs money and uses a lot of data here however there are tour guide handsets available so was no need for download. ALSO VERY IMPORTANT SAN FRANCISCO IS A VERY COLD CITY. YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED A JACKET OR COAT. WARM WEATHER IN SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER BUT STILL EVEN AT THIS TIME A JACJET IS A MUST FOR THE EVENINGS !!! BE PREPARED. WILL NEED WARM CLOTHING FOR BOTH TOURS.
    Response from Host, Mar 2022
    Hello selina_f Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. I’m sorry to hear that your experience hasn’t met your expectations on this occasion. I'm surprised by what you said about Michelle as she is a local tour guide who really enjoyed doing the tours and usually, our passengers love her performance. It’s always our intention to provide great experiences in San Francisco. The duration of our city tour is 4 hours because the idea is to show most of the iconic places in San Francisco and offer our passengers some stop with photo opportunities at Twin Peaks, Land’s End Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Bridge, Mission District, and Palace of Fine Arts. You also didn't enjoy the Alcatraz Island tour, which is one of the highlights in San Francisco. We are good partners of them, so I'm gonna let them know about your comments. That is true regarding the weather, and it is good to keep in mind. In San Francisco, you always have to be prepared for the cold even more if you take a ferry to Alcatraz, which is windy. Nevertheless, as we believe there is always room for improvement, I am sharing your comments with our operation department to improve for future passengers. Regards, Ignacio Gray Line San Francisco
    Superb tour
    Ian_P, Mar 2022
    The guide was incredible and the whole experience memorable. The highlights included twin peaks. The views were amazing. Would highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting the city.
    Response from Host, Mar 2022
    Hello Ian Thank you for posting your opinion on our tour. I am incredibly delighted to see you had such a great experience with us. I think this city tour is a must-do in San Francisco to have a whole idea of the city. Hope to welcome you back again soon Ignacio Gray Line San Francisco
    Fun tour
    Candida_B, Feb 2022
    Our tour was fun and educational. The tour guide Michelle was entertaining and knowledgeable. The one downside was that we were rushed at a few stops and we did not get to see visit the painted ladies house or china town as the tour description provided. We were a bit disappointed at that because we did have time but an "issue" arose that made us end the tour earlier than the description noted. All in all a very good tour though.
    Response from Host, Feb 2022
    Dear Candid. Thank you for posting your opinion on our tour. We are glad that you enjoy Michelle's performance. Unfortunately, buses are not allowed to stop at the painted ladies nowadays. I'm going to re-check the tour description to ensure we have the correct information. Have a nice day Ignacio
    Awesome Experience
    Freda_P, Feb 2022
    The tour operator was very friendly and personable. He stayed with us until the shuttle arrived and explained everything we needed to know. Our City Tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. She was able to answer all of our thousand questions and she had a way of putting her personal spin on it to make it more relatable. The Alcatraz experience was extremely interesting. It was my husband's first time in San Franciso and he was so impressed. I think he wants to come back. It was an awesome experience.
    Tour guide on our city...
    Donald_M, Jan 2022
    Tour guide on our city tour was excellent. Learned a lot about the city and it's history. We have taken many tours over the past 46 years coming from az and this one was the best.
    ...

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