Alcatraz Island offers a close-up look at the infamous federal penitentiary, which was long off-limits to the public. Although Alcatraz is now a popular tourist attraction, hearing the tales and stories behind the prison and seeing its inner workings is definitely not for the faint of heart. Gangster Al “Scarface” Capone and murderer Robert “Birdman of Alcatraz” Stroud are among those who served time at the maximum-security facility. Because of its isolation from the outside by the cold, strong, hazardous currents of San Francisco Bay waters, Alcatraz was used as early as 1861 to imprison prisoners of war. No inmate ever successfully escaped The Rock.

Alcatraz Island is located in the San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles offshore from San Francisco. Hop on a ferry to take a truly terrifying Alcatraz ghost tour of this infamous prison! And if you’re really brave, book a night tour…

Joel Bez/Flickr
The federal prison on Alcatraz Island, located in the middle of the chilly waters of California’s San Francisco Bay, housed some of America’s most dangerous felons during its years of operation from 1934 to 1963.
Janice C/Yelp
Around 1,576 men were incarcerated here during the life of this island prison.
Jared M/Yelp
When it was open, Alcatraz was a high security prison. Its location made it especially tough to escape. The prison engineers believed Alcatraz was escape-proof and America's strongest prison.
Roxanne R/Yelp
When you tour Alcatraz, you'll see the cells as if they were frozen in time. The eerie stillness is still very much felt in the air.
Tim (Timothy) Pearce/Flickr
Each cell contained a bed, desk, washbasin, toilet, and one blanket. Prisoners were awakened every day at 6:25 a.m. After dinner, they were locked back up by 5 p.m. each night.

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Wally Gobetz/Flickr
The Alcatraz dining hall has been depicted in numerous films, television shows, and novels. This is often where criminals concoct plots to escape or crimes to commit upon escaping. The dining hall has appeared in films like Clint Eastwood's Escape from Alcatraz and Naked Gun 33⅓.
Shearer Family/Flickr
The former warden's house is now a ruin. This particular spot of the tour is not for the faint of heart. Like many sites on the island, the house may be haunted. Several guards have reported seeing ghosts at random times.
Juha Ristolainen/Flickr
While visiting, be sure to check out the creepy morgue. Dead bodies were put at the end of an old re-purposed tunnel. There was no refrigeration here, but apparently it stayed nice and cool, or at least cool enough to keep bodies from rotting away until the boat arrived to take them to the mainland.
Drew Bates/Flickr
The biggest thrill—or scare—may be walking and touring the hospital operating room, especially if you're on a night tour, when you'll only have flashlights to see. This experience can certainly give you a good case of the chills.
Jared M/Yelp
Despite its history, Alcatraz offers beautiful views of San Francisco and the Bay.
Maria P/Yelp
Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary has been cited as one of the most haunted places in America, and perhaps the most haunted prison in the country. So, are you ready to check it out? For a closer look at this infamous prison, watch the virtual tour below:

If you’re interested in an Alcatraz ghost tour by day or at night then check out Alcatraz Island Information and Tours. Also, check out these 10 incredible places in San Francisco that will bring out the explorer in you. And don’t forget to check out these unique places to stay in San Francisco!

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More to Explore

Alcatraz Ghost Tour

Sarah M. | August 29, 2022

What are some other haunted places in Northern California?

Some haunted places in Northern California include:

  • Fort Humboldt Historic State Park
  • Battery Point Lighthouse
  • Humboldt Brews
  • Crescent City
  • Chinese Camp
  • MacCallum House
  • Bodie (one of the coolest ghost towns in California)
  • Placerville

 

After you've completed a haunted tour of Alcatraz, it's time to tour some of NorCal's most legendary haunted places. If you're into creepy cemeteries, Cherokee Cemetery is thought to be the most haunted cemetery in NorCal; there are two different legends surrounding how Cherokee Cemetery earned its reputation as a haunted burial ground. The first is that back in the early 1800s, a woman or young girl (the stories vary on this as well) was brutally murdered. The townsfolk, outraged at such a heinous act, imposed a death sentence by burning at the stake. The spirit of the accused was said to have been so strong, that even from the other side of the veil he lurked around the grounds at night making blood-curdling sounds meant to scare the daylights out of everyone. The other involves the story of the young child who unfortunately lost his father, and is now believed to haunt the grounds, albeit, a bit more benevolently.

Are there any abandoned places in NorCal I can explore?

Some of the most notoriously haunted abandoned places in Northern California include Point Reyes Shipwreck, Chemung Mine, Fannette Island, Marshall Gold Discovery State Park Jailhouse, and Falk.

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Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, CA, USA