Alcatraz San Francisco
Most famous for the notorious criminals who have graced the federal penitentiary at "The Rock", the island of Alcatraz has a fascinating history. This popular tourist destination is also the home of the West Coast's first lighthouse (it is still operating) and an early US military installation. As an ecological habitat it is nearly without equal. But the big draw is still the prison. Closed in the 1960's the penitentiary at Alcatraz only operated for three decades, but it's status as the holding place of such notorious criminals as Al Capone and "Machine Gun Kelly", combined with its reputation for being "inescapable" quickly made it the most famous of all US prisons. Throughout its history there were rumors of severe brutalities at Alcatraz and subsequent investigations created a number of changes in practices. Through all of that, the public's fascination only continued to grow. 10 years after it was closed in 1963 the prison was opened to tours and over one million people a year visit the island.

Access is by ferry only, and there are a number of boats that make the trip each day.