I bought my tickets online and picked them up at the gate. The boat was fun but cold and windy. I definitely stayed outside and up front and it was worth it to see Alcatraz rising out of the mist. My thoughts were in Sean Connery’s accent and I welcomed myself to the rock when it appeared.

We got off the boat and there was a mess of people waiting to get on to go back. You can take any boat you want back so you can stay as long as you like. The earlier you go, the more time you’ll have.

Most people went inside but I was distracted by the flowers. I expected harsh rock and rough buildings. Instead, nature was taking over. Buildings with roofs caved in were filled with plants. Birds were everywhere. The gardens were actually maintained by volunteers and workers. I never expected Alcatraz to be beautiful.

After putzing around outside for way too long I decided I should go inside before the last boat left. I mean, I could have spent all day walking around outside. I decided to do the tour because I didn’t know anything about Alcatraz. It was eerie. Everyone inside had headphones on. One by one people would turn to look at something the tape mentioned. It was silent. You could feel the ghosts.

I learned a lot. It was historical, beautiful, interesting, and well worth it. 10/10 would recommend. But give yourself double the amount of time you think you’ll spend there. Seriously.