Alcatraz!

This past weekend, Peter's mom was visiting and we took the opportunity to go visit Alcatraz! It's been on our list to visit for awhile now, but we've been waiting for an excuse (someone to visit) to go.

It was fascinating.

You have to take a ferry to get there, which pays for your admission into the park, along with a great audio tour.

The ferry ride has spectacular views of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge and the bay itself. It's about a 20 minute ride there and a 20 minute ride back. This is the one thing you need to plan in advanced, you need a reservation.

Once we got on the island, we started the audio tour. The tour was great - It has you walk throughout the cell house, takes you to different cells, and gives you a real sense of the history of Alcatraz. It lasts about an hour, but we took our time, stopping and exploring parts that the tour went by quickly. There was a lot to take in. It was my first time ever visiting a prison, and it made me really curious as to what prisons look like on the inside these days (apart from my expectations from Orange is the New Black). 

The other perk of Alcatraz is the amazing views from every spot on the island. Each gives you a perfect bay background, no matter which direction you face!