When we first moved to the Bay Area almost 20 years ago, we visited Alcatraz Island and were absolutely fascinated. This year we took family to see the island and we were blown away yet again.

This small island, which you can visit by taking a ferry from San Francisco’s Piers 31-33, was once a fort, a military prison, and a maximum security federal penitentiary. It also became a symbol for Native American Civil Rights when it was occupied in 1969 by the Indians of all Tribes. “The Rock” has also made its appearance in numerous films and television series over the years and, an interesting fact, there were 14 known attempts to escape Alcatraz, but it is believed that no one ever survived.

The first time I visited I took tons of photos but I can’t seem to find them in my hard drive. This second time, I was more interested in the exhibits and enjoying the full tour experience, so I didn’t take as many photos as I would have liked. However, I did take a few, and I’m sharing them, in hopes of creating a mini virtual tour for you – hope you enjoy my visit!

Maite