We've read a lot of advice about booking an Alcatraz trip in advance - we will be in SF at the end of January and wondering if we would still need to book ahead at that time of year?

Probably not. I think that booking ahead is only necesary for peak tourist times or if you have a really tight itinerery and you must go during a specific time. Since it will be January and the weather could be iffy, you might want to play it by ear anyway to make sure you go on a reasonably nice day.

Thank you for that - we thought that might be the case. We'll keep our fingers crossed for the weather - coming from tropical Daintree in far north Queensland, Australia, it's going to be quite a change for us!!!

Don't worry, even in bad weather you'll find plenty to do. Just bring wind-proof light jackets.

At least a light jacket- you might need a heavy one. I was on Alcatraz a couple Januarys ago and it was very cold- in the 40's and wet.

I wouldn't worry too much about the weather either. There is so much to do and see in SF, that if you don't get to do something because of the weather, you will get to do something else. Just bring a rain jacket and you'll be fine. Layers are the key so you can make adjustments depending on the temperature. In SF, the temperatures may be different depending on where you are too. Since the city is hilly, some areas are sheltered from winds and fog and some are not.

My b/f and I went to San Francisco this past January, and the one place he really wanted to see was Alcatraz. Wasn't sure of weather or crowds but went ahead and got the tickets ahead of time. I was glad I did. Although I'm not sure if they were sold out, the lines were surprisingly long - for all the ferries that were leaving in the morning/early afternoon.

We lucked out with the weather. Morning was cold and foggy (What else to expect?), but before we left the pier the sun pushed through, making the temperature just perfect for walking around. If it is rainy the day you go, you will probably have fewer people to contend with. Just bring along some rain gear and perhaps a small umbrella and enjoy!

I would suggest getting tickets in advance, though. I was amazed at the number of people who were going to Alcatraz - and this was during the week.

Have fun!

Thank you so much, everybody. We'll book ahead just to make sure!