Alcatraz Is Closing (Temporarily). Here Are 3 Alternatives for Your Visiting Relatives

If you’re planning on hosting family or doing some of your own sightseeing in the coming month, you should know: Alcatraz Island is closing temporarily for repairs around its ferry dock starting Oct. 26 — for three weeks. 

“Completing the repair work this fall will help ensure safe and reliable public access to Alcatraz Island for years to come,” the National Park Service wrote in a statement to KQED.

Over 1.4 million people visit Alcatraz by ferry — the only way the public can reach the island and visit its long-closed federal prison — every year. 

Here’s what we know about the timing of the Alcatraz closure, what ticket holders should do and where else you could go while Alcatraz Island is closed to the public.

• Jump straight to: Three Alcatraz alternatives for exploring San Francisco Bay during the island’s closure

According to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which manages the island, crews will be replacing pilings — the giant vertical posts that are drilled into the bay’s floor, securing the ferry dock to the island.

This will be a continuation of work and short-term closures that began in January 2026, when one of the pilings failed, meaning it was no longer strong enough to support the weight of the dock. 

That incident has already prompted Alcatraz City Cruises, the tour company that provides ferry service to the island, to temporarily close the island twice already this year to inspect and repair them.

Repairs are expected to be completed before Thanksgiving, by Nov. 18. 

But this timing may be “subject to change based on the progress of the work,” according to a message Alcatraz City Cruises has posted on its website. 

According to the National Park Service, the newly repaired dock should have a useful life of 20 to 30 years. And the tour company is fully funding and conducting the work, according to the NPS.

“No tax dollars or federal funding have been or will be used for these repairs,” the NPS wrote, noting that Alcatraz City Cruises is responsible for covering the costs of dock inspection and repair as part of its concession agreement.

Visitors with Alcatraz tickets during this time should already have been notified and issued a refund. 

But if your tour is booked for Nov. 19 or after, you should keep an eye on your email as there’s still a chance your tour could get canceled if repairs aren’t completed in time. 

If you’re hosting family ahead of the holidays or planning some exploring of your own, Alcatraz Island is a popular choice for a reason — the views from the ferry and the facility’s famous, thoughtful audio tour have kept it on the list of classic San Francisco excursions for decades. 

But if your tour got canceled or you want to skip the headache of worrying about reopening dates entirely, we’re here to help. Here are three ideas to salvage your day trip plans:

If your plans are somewhat set in stone (and you were hoping to go to Alcatraz the first week of the closure), you can easily pivot to another tour that’s also run by Alcatraz City Cruises, called the Bay Discovery Cruise.

While it doesn’t dock at Alcatraz Island, so you can’t explore the buildings, this 90-minute tour will get you up close to see the island and — weather permitting — will even sail under the Golden Gate Bridge.

You’ll also get to see nearby landmarks like Angel Island, Sausalito and, of course, views of downtown San Francisco and the city’s waterfront. Tours start at $44 per person and are subject to availability. 

If that doesn’t suit your needs, there are many other tour companies offering tours of San Francisco Bay all year long, including Adventure Cat, which offers daytime and sunset sailing in the bay, Red and White Fleet, which also offers whale tours (plus occasional “floating features” in partnership with the Roxie Theater, where you can catch a movie while you sail!), and the Blue and Gold Fleet, whose “Escape from the Rock” tour circles Alcatraz Island while recounting the tales of its famed escapees.

There are also several wildlife-specific boat tours, like the Golden Gate Whale Watch tour, that can get you and your guests out on the bay for an adventure.

Still hankering for a boat trip with some history on the side? A visit to Angel Island State Park could be a perfect match. 

Ferries to the Bay Area’s largest island depart from the San Francisco Ferry Building four times per day, leaving enough time to explore the island on foot or — if you’re hoping to cover more ground — by bike.

Once there, you’ll have your pick of beaches, several of them ideal for swimming, or you can attempt a hike up to Mt. Livermore, the highest point on the island. 

End your circumnavigation at the U.S. Immigration Station, often called “the Ellis Island of the West,” where you can learn the painful history of the 175,000 Chinese immigrants who were detained and interrogated there while attempting to immigrate to the United States between 1910 and 1940. You can reserve a guided tour or peruse the museum at your own pace.

If your main goal is to enjoy the water (and you don’t mind a little physical exercise), consider renting kayaks in the bay — a great way to get some sun on your face and get up-close-and-personal with the beauty of the city and beyond. 

If you don’t want to leave downtown, City Kayak, located on the waterfront near Oracle Park, does rentals by the hour and also offers guided paddling tours to see the city skyline, cruise by the baseball park, or head out for a full moon excursion. 

Nearby, Dogpatch Paddle is another good option, where you can rent kayaks and paddle boards from their Crane Cove location or take one of their many tours. 

If you’re willing to make the trek to the North Bay, SeaTrek in Sausalito is a particularly unique option, where you can weave between Richardson Bay’s iconic houseboats either by yourself or with a guided tour.