Hi!

You have helped so much with my general itinerary down the coast, now it's time to get to details! We are going to be 5 adults and 5 children ages 7-13 going in mid July. Alcatraz is on the itinerary, but I've heard some people suggest going on the night tour. My mother is afraid that it will be too dark to enjoy the beauty of the area and wants to go during the day. From what I see on the website, the night tours are not really in the dark. Are the quality of the day and night tours different? What about kids? Any feedback on your experiences would be appreciated!

I have only experienced Alcatraz during the day and it was a most fascinating tour. I don't recall what time of year it was but just the boat ride over and the dampness of the building I think I would prefer day tours, but that's a personal preference. The walk up is a bit steep and it is somewhat creepy in that it looks very much as it did in years past. One thing I would definitely recommend is to rent the head sets. It gives you the sounds and makes you feel as if you were right in the thick of prison life. It was truly one of the most interesting tours I have ever experienced.

I would also recommend the day tour, especially with kids. The place is like a maze, with numerous buildings, and I would worry about one of the children getting separated from the group and lost at night. You also have to be careful walking around the old concrete ramps, not to step in a crack and fall. The guides warn you extensively, but I managed to fall anyway. Also, the views FROM Alcatraz are breathtaking, and you would see a lot more in the daytime. The kids will also enjoy the sea lion colony that can be observed while waiting in line for the tour. I also agree with the previous post about the headphones. It's a cool tour. Have fun!

The night tour allows access to areas which are off limits during the day. I've been on the last day tour and it was almost pitch black on the ride back and was a great view of the bay. If I was 7-13 again, I think I'd like the mystique of the night tour better. Ask the kids...

Will you be taking a Bay Cruise in addition to Alcatraz tour? In not, then going to Alcatraz and seeing the surrounding beauty on the boat during the day would be highly recommended.

I visited Alcatraz during the day and it would be my preference. I totally agree with a previous posters about the being aware of every step...even during the day.

Definitely during the day, especially with kids. It will be eerie and scary enough for them without going at night!

I agree with most of the above--if it's your first trip, go during the day to better enjoy the boat ride and the views. And don't skip the recorded tour, as anniemoll suggests--it really is good, featuring the voices and recollections of former prisoners and guards. Personally, having done the day trip, I intend to go at night next time. Enjoy!

I have only done the night trip, so really can't compare and have no idea what we were offered that day tour people were not. But night was really great!

First, you do board the boat in daytime, so you can still watch the sea lions and get great views of the city, the bridges, etc. on the boat ride over. It stays light for a little while longer while you're on the island, then it is dark when you come back. If it's clear enough, you would have great views of sunset through the GG Bridge during the night tour, though that probably won't impress the kids much. But the boat trip back seeing all the lights of the city is pretty neat.

As to spooky - it could be, but some kids love scary stuff and some hate it, so I guess you'll have to evaluate the tolerance of those specific kids for scariness. If they do tend to scare easily, skipping the night tour would probably be best.

Thank you all for your feedback! Both tours sound great. I don't think we'll be doing a separate boat tour and Alcatraz, so maybe we'll do the day tour this time with the kids. We will definitely do the audio tour. Thanks for the advice to watch our step...I don't want the 70 year old birthday girl (my Mom), to trip on the trip!

We did the night tour in November 2003. If you do a search under my screen name, you'll find my Trip Report. We talk extensively about the night tour and there's a discussion about night vs. day

Hi! Last Spring Break I took my then 11-year old son to San Francisco for five days. We had the time of our lives and he still talks about! One of the things we enjoyed the most was the Alcatraz Tour. I agree with everyone else who posted here, because they all have great points of view and legitimate reasons for their final decisions. I too, had a very difficult time deciding about the day vs. night tour. I thought the night time would be such a unique experience. I agree with the author who suggested evaluating the tolerances of the individuals who are going on the tour. We ended up going during the day, and, of course, absolutely loved it. We were there in April, windy, damp and cold and drizzly, so I think night time would've been really cold. We're glad we went during the day; there really is a lot to see ON the island besides the prison, and it's good to see the view in the day time the way the prisoners sayw it most of the time. Now, that I'm reviewing my message, I guess I'm not really much help! Let us know what you do and how it turns out. Have fun! Wish we were going!