Alcatraz Island
San Francisco, United States
The Rock: a federal prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay, told by its guards and inmates.
Checked 6 October 2026
Alcatraz is a former federal penitentiary on an island 1.5 miles off San Francisco, now run by the National Park Service. You can only land with Alcatraz City Cruises, the single ferry company allowed to dock, from Pier 33. Tickets go on sale 90 days ahead and in summer often sell out weeks in advance, so book on alcatrazcitycruises.com as soon as your dates are fixed.
About Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz is a 22-acre rock in San Francisco Bay, about 1.5 miles from the waterfront at Fisherman's Wharf. From 1934 to 1963 it was a maximum-security federal penitentiary for inmates that other prisons could not handle, and the cellhouse on top of the island is still there almost untouched: rows of tiny cells, the dark solitary cells of D Block, the mess hall and the exercise yard with its view of the city that the men could see but not reach.
The prison is only one layer. Before 1934 the island was a US Army fort and military prison, and it carries the first lighthouse built on the West Coast. From 1969 to 1971 a group calling itself Indians of All Tribes occupied the island for 19 months, an event the Park Service sees as the start of the Red Power movement. Their painted slogans are still on the water tower and other buildings. Today the island is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and a National Historic Landmark, with seabird colonies and restored gardens.
Al Capone, George 'Machine Gun' Kelly and Robert Stroud, the 'Birdman of Alcatraz', all served time here. There were 14 escape attempts. The 1962 escape, in which three men disappeared into the bay and were never found, was turned into the 1979 film Escape from Alcatraz. The prison closed in 1963 because it was so expensive to run: the Bureau of Prisons says it cost nearly three times as much as any other federal prison.
Most visitors say the best part is the cellhouse audio tour, 'Doing Time'. Former officers and inmates tell you what life was like while you stand in the corridors they describe. Even if you are not a history fan, the crossing, the view back to the city and the Golden Gate Bridge, and the walk around the island make it one of the most memorable half-days in San Francisco.
What to see
The cellhouse and the 'Doing Time' audio tour
The 35-minute audio tour is included in every ticket. You pick up the headset inside the cellhouse at the top of the island, and the voices are former officers and inmates. It takes you along the corridors between the cell blocks and past the cells used in the 1962 escape. It comes in 11 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese and Russian.
D Block and the solitary cells
The isolation block where troublemakers were held. Step into one of the dark 'hole' cells and the audio tour tells you what it was like to spend days inside without light. It is part of the standard audio tour route.
Recreation Yard
The walled exercise yard behind the cellhouse, with the city skyline visible over the wall. From the cellhouse it is about 45 steps down, so it is not step-free.
Occupation graffiti and the Welcome to Indian Land exhibit
Slogans from the 1969–71 occupation by Indians of All Tribes are still on the water tower and other buildings; the water tower lettering was repainted when the tower was restored in 2012. The New Industries Building has the Park Service's exhibits on the occupation and on mass incarceration in the US ('The Big Lockup').
Gardens, lighthouse and seabirds
Inmates and officers' families once tended the gardens, which have been restored, including the Rose Garden. The lighthouse was the first on the West Coast. Western gulls, cormorants, snowy egrets and night herons nest on the island, best seen from February to August. Some paths close in nesting season.
The island at night
The Night Tour (Tuesday to Saturday) sails a loop around the island with live narration before docking. On the island you get the audio tour plus talks and cell-door demonstrations that don't run in the daytime, and the city lit up across the water. A few areas that are open in the day are closed at night.
Behind the Scenes Tour
A guided small-group tour (30 people at most, ages 12 and up, English only) into areas closed to other visitors. It may include the hospital, the upper levels of D Block, A Block, the Citadel, the chapel or the New Industries Building, but the route is not guaranteed. Afterwards you stay for the full Night Tour programme.
Alcatraz Island tickets: which to buy and where
Every visit needs a ticket from Alcatraz City Cruises, the only company the National Park Service allows to dock. The price covers the ferry, the audio tour and the ranger programmes. There is no separate park entry fee. Most visitors should book the Day Tour on alcatrazcitycruises.com, where the price includes tax with no booking fee. The time on your ticket is your boat out from Pier 33; you can come back on any later return boat.
The official ticket site
Alcatraz City Cruises (official NPS ferry concessioner, part of City Experiences)
The only authorised seller: online at alcatrazcitycruises.com, by phone on +1-415-981-7625 (daily 9:00–17:00 Pacific time), or at the Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing ticket booth (card only, no cash). The NPS fees page on nps.gov/alca calls it the ONLY authorised ferry. The old cityexperiences.com Alcatraz pages now redirect to alcatrazcitycruises.com.
Day Tour
$47.95 adult 18–61 and youth 12–17; $45.15 senior 62+; $29.15 child 5–11; under 5 free
Official ticketsSkips the ticket line
- Includes
- Round-trip ferry from Pier 33, cellhouse audio tour, ranger and docent programmes, exhibits. Stay as long as you like until the last return boat.
- Best for
- Most visitors; take an early boat for a quieter cellhouse
Alcatraz City Cruises (official) · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Night Tour
$59.65 adult; $58.35 youth 12–17; $55.25 senior 62+; $34.85 child 5–11; under 5 free
Official ticketsSkips the ticket line
- Includes
- Round-trip ferry with live narration and a loop around the island, audio tour, evening talks and cell-door demonstrations. Tuesday–Saturday only; departures 17:55, 18:30 and 19:05 on the summer timetable to 1 November 2026 (winter times not yet published).
- Best for
- Atmosphere, smaller crowds and city lights; limited to a few hundred visitors a night
Alcatraz City Cruises (official) · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Behind the Scenes Tour
$104.65 adult; $100.35 youth 12–17; $97.25 senior 62+; under 12 not allowed
Official ticketsSkips the ticket line
- Includes
- About 90 minutes guided in a group of up to 30 in areas closed to other visitors, then the full Night Tour. Tuesday–Saturday; departures 16:20 and 17:20 on the summer timetable to 1 November 2026. Strenuous: steep hills, stairs, possibly ladders.
- Best for
- Repeat visitors and history fans who can handle 90–120 minutes on their feet
Alcatraz City Cruises (official) · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Alcatraz & Angel Island Combination Tour
from $88
Official ticketsSkips the ticket line
- Includes
- Ferry to both islands, Alcatraz audio tour and a one-hour narrated tram tour of Angel Island State Park. One morning departure at 9:35 or 9:40. Seasonal: daily late May to early September, then weekends only to 31 October 2026.
- Best for
- A full day on the bay with history on both islands
Alcatraz City Cruises (official) · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)Alcatraz Day or Night ticket via a reseller
from €82.62 (Day) / €101.68 (Night) on Viator, shown in euros
ResellerSkips the ticket line
- Includes
- The same official Day or Night Tour ticket. Supplied by a San Francisco reseller (Must See). QR codes are sent the day before. Non-refundable and cannot be changed.
- Best for
- Only when the official site is sold out for your date; on 6 October 2026 it showed same-day times
Viator · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)
How to buy
- Type alcatrazcitycruises.com into the address bar yourself, or follow the link from the National Park Service site nps.gov/alca. Check the adult Day Tour price: $47.95 including tax, with no booking fee.
- Book as soon as your dates are fixed. Tickets go on sale 90 days ahead. In summer and around holidays they often sell out several weeks in advance. The booking calendar shows how many tickets remain for each departure, so you can tell when a date is getting tight.
- Choose the tour, date and departure time. Consider Ticket Assurance (10% of the booking) if your plans might change. Without it you can only cancel or reschedule up to 72 hours before departure. With it you can do so up to 24 hours before, for any reason.
- Show your QR code from the confirmation email at the boarding gate; you don't need to visit the ticket booth. If you can't show it, collect tickets at the Will Call window with photo ID and the card you paid with. Every adult needs photo ID, and the whole group must be there to join the queue.
- Arrive at Pier 33 in good time: the operator's pages differ, 30 minutes before departure in its guides and 45 minutes on its Know Before You Go page, so allow 45. If you miss your boat, there are no same-day refunds or changes.
Look-alike sites
Search for 'Alcatraz tickets' and you will find sites and listings that use the prison's photo, words like 'official' or 'inside access', and prices well above face value. Some resell the real ticket at close to double the price. Others sell bay cruises that only sail around the island. The only site that sells tickets at face value is alcatrazcitycruises.com (run by City Experiences). You can also find it through nps.gov/alca, though some older Park Service pages still give the operator's former address, alcatrazcruises.com; the current one is alcatrazcitycruises.com. Alcatraz City Cruises says approved partners may only sell the ticket inside a larger package, at the same face price shown separately. If you are paying more than $47.95 for a plain adult Day Tour, you are paying a reseller's margin. If a product says 'cruise', 'views of Alcatraz' or 'does not dock', you will not set foot on the island.
We can never guarantee a ticket seller, tour company or deal. Prices, opening hours and what is included change, often without notice: check the details on the seller’s own page before you pay, and book through the official site where you can. How to avoid ticket scams · Disclaimer.
Guided tours of Alcatraz Island
No outside company may guide you on the island: Alcatraz City Cruises says independently guided tours are not allowed, and only Park Service programmes run there. So the included audio tour and the free ranger talks are the guided tour, and they are good. The paid upgrade is the official Behind the Scenes Tour. Third-party 'tours' are your official ticket bundled with a bus, bike or bay cruise; they make sense only if you want those extras or the official dates are gone.
Free guided talks, included in every ticket
Ranger and docent programmes
National Park Service / Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Listen to the announcement and check the programme board when you land. Topics change daily: the occupation, cell-door demonstrations, escapes. There is no fixed schedule to book ahead. Stationary programmes suitable for wheelchair users are marked on the board.
Small-group guided tour of restricted areas
Behind the Scenes Tour
Alcatraz City Cruises with NPS rangers or educators
Up to 30 people, English only, age 12+. Very physical. The accessible tram runs on one departure only, and the operator's pages disagree on which one (17:20 or 16:50 in summer; 15:20 or 14:15 in winter), so check when booking and tell the operator at least 72 hours ahead. In summer you can leave early on the last daytime boat, but you miss part of the tour and get no refund.
$104.65 adult
See this tour → (opens in a new tab)Package: Alcatraz Day Tour ticket plus 72-hour open-top bus pass
Best of SF: Alcatraz Ticket, Bay Cruise & Hop-on Hop-off Tour
Big Bus Tours (sold on Viator)Also includes a 60-minute bay cruise and a sunset bus tour. The operator confirms your Alcatraz date and time after booking (its FAQ says at least 10 days ahead), and you must collect the Alcatraz ticket at the Big Bus visitor centre, 99 Jefferson Street, the day before or before 9:00 on the day. Photo ID required. Non-refundable.
from €108.96 on Viator, shown in euros
See this tour → (opens in a new tab)Package: Alcatraz Day Tour ticket plus 1-day hop-on hop-off bus
Official Alcatraz + San Francisco Hop-on Hop-off City Tour
San Francisco Tours & Activities (sold on Viator)The Alcatraz departure time (between 9:00 and 18:00) is assigned after booking, and confirmation can take up to 48 hours. Non-refundable. For the price, compare it with buying the $47.95 ticket and a bus pass separately.
from €161.62 on Viator, shown in euros
See this tour → (opens in a new tab)
We can never guarantee a ticket seller, tour company or deal. Prices, opening hours and what is included change, often without notice: check the details on the seller’s own page before you pay, and book through the official site where you can. How to avoid ticket scams · Disclaimer.
Alcatraz Island deals and discounts
There is no real discount on Alcatraz. The official ticket is the cheapest way in, with tax included and no booking fee, and every reseller charges the same or more. The only savings are the free entry for under-5s, the senior and child prices, and San Francisco CityPASS if you would use the other attractions anyway.
Under 5s free; child and senior prices
Children aged 4 and under ride free without a ticket. Children 5–11 pay $29.15 for the Day Tour, seniors 62+ pay $45.15. Youths 12–17 pay almost the adult price. Under-18s must be with an adult on the island. There are no military discounts.
San Francisco CityPASS + Alcatraz
$114.95 adult (12+), $84.95 child (4–11), plus a $2 processing fee per ticket. It includes the Alcatraz Day Tour and three more attractions of your choice, used within 9 days. You must reserve the Alcatraz time through the CityPASS app, so availability still applies. Night and Behind the Scenes tours are not included. It only saves money if you would visit the other three anyway. The standard San Francisco CityPASS without Alcatraz includes only a Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise that sails past the island.
Family Pack by phone or at the booth
Alcatraz City Cruises offers a Family Pack for two adults and two children, sold only by phone (+1-415-981-7625) or at the Pier 33 ticket booth, not online. The price isn't published, so ask when you call.
National Park passes and fee-free days do not apply
Alcatraz charges no park entrance fee, so the America the Beautiful, Senior and Access passes and NPS fee-free days do not reduce the ferry ticket. The operator also says the 2026 higher park fees for international visitors do not apply here: everyone pays the same price.
Best time to visit Alcatraz Island
Time of day: the first boats (8:40 and 9:20 on the summer timetable, which runs to 1 November 2026) reach the cellhouse before it fills up. Late afternoon boats are quieter too, but leave less time before the last return (18:30 to 1 November 2026; the winter timetable from 2 November was not yet published in early October 2026). The Night Tour is limited to a few hundred people and is the calmest visit of all.
Season: Alcatraz City Cruises says the quietest periods are the first two weeks of November, the first two weeks of December and January to March. The best weather is April–May and September–October. Summer is often cold and foggy, and it is also when tickets sell out furthest ahead. Monday to Thursday is quieter than the weekend.
Weather: it is usually colder and windier on the island than in the city, between about 45 and 70 °F (7–21 °C) through the year. Bring layers even on a sunny morning. Rain is common in winter and spring. Boats sail in rain. If a crossing is cancelled for unsafe weather, you are offered another date or a full refund.
Closures: the island is closed on Thanksgiving, 25 December and 1 January. There is no Night or Behind the Scenes Tour on Sundays, Mondays, New Year's Eve, 4 July or Christmas Eve. Until about 2028 the north wing of the cellhouse (dining hall, hospital wing and shower room) is closed for restoration. The cell blocks and the audio tour route are fully open.
Tips and tricks
Gathered from travel forums, locals and the sight’s own advice, rewritten in our own words. What worked for others, not a guarantee.
Watch the remaining-ticket count
The official booking calendar shows how many tickets are left on each departure. If a date you want is close to selling out, book straight away, even if your plans are not final. Ticket Assurance (10%) lets you cancel up to 24 hours before.
From TripAdvisor San Francisco forum, 2024; Alcatraz City Cruises FAQ, 2026
Leave big bags at the hotel
Luggage, coolers and backpacks larger than 16 x 20 inches are not allowed on the island, and there is nowhere to store them at Pier 33. If you are refused because of a bag, you don't get a refund. If you are going to Alcatraz on the day you check out, leave your luggage at the hotel.
From Alcatraz City Cruises FAQ, 2026
Bring water and a snack, but eat only on the dock
There is no food on the island apart from snacks and hot drinks at the bookshop. You may bring your own food, but you may only eat on the dock, to protect the seabirds. Bottled water (not glass) is fine everywhere, and there are refill stations by the toilets at the dock and near the lighthouse. The ferry has a snack bar.
From NPS Alcatraz FAQ, 2025; Alcatraz City Cruises Know Before You Go, 2026
Walk up, then do the audio tour first
From the dock it is a quarter of a mile up, a climb of 130 feet, about 10–15 minutes at an easy pace. Start the audio tour soon after arriving, before later boats fill the cellhouse, and see the Recreation Yard, gardens and exhibits afterwards on the way down.
From NPS Alcatraz FAQ, 2025
Check the programme board when you land
The free ranger talks are not listed online in advance. They are announced at the dock and posted on a board there each day. Pick one that fits your timing before you head up the hill.
From NPS Alcatraz FAQ, 2025
You can stay as long as you like
Your ticket fixes the boat out, not the boat back. Return ferries leave roughly every half hour, first come, first served, until the last Day Tour return (18:30 on the summer timetable to 1 November 2026). Check the time on the board at the dock.
From Alcatraz City Cruises FAQ and schedule, 2026
Dress for wind, wear grippy shoes
Bring a jacket and layers even in summer, and sunglasses because of the glare off the bay. Wear closed shoes with grip: the roads are steep and can be wet. The Park Service advises against sandals, high heels and leather soles.
From NPS Plan Your Visit page; Alcatraz City Cruises Know Before You Go, 2026
Don't drive to Pier 33
There is no parking at the pier. Street meters are time-limited, and nearby garages (55 and 80 Francisco Street are the closest) cost about $40–60 a day. Car break-ins are common in the area, so leave nothing in a car. The F-line streetcar or a ride-share is easier: enter 'Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing' in the app.
From Alcatraz City Cruises FAQ, 2026
How to get to Alcatraz Island
- Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing is on The Embarcadero between Bay Street and Sansome Street, a short walk south-east of Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. All Alcatraz boats leave from here.
- Public transport: the F Market & Wharves historic streetcar runs along Market Street and up The Embarcadero, past the pier. Muni buses 8 and 8BX (Bayshore) and 39 (Coit) also stop within walking distance. A single Muni ride costs $2.85 with Clipper or a contactless bank card ($3 cash) and is valid for 120 minutes. A 1-day pass is $5.70, and under-19s ride free.
- From downtown and Union Square: the F-line streetcar along Market Street, then north on The Embarcadero, is the simplest option. Alcatraz City Cruises advises a ride-share over driving because parking is scarce and expensive. If you are coming straight from the airport or a train, drop your luggage first, because there is no storage at the pier.
- Parking: there is none at Pier 33 apart from 2 accessible spaces (first come, first served; show your placard). There is an accessibility drop-off zone at the entrance. More than 3,000 spaces are within five blocks in commercial garages.
Scams and problems to watch for
Resold tickets at a big mark-up
Platform listings for an 'Alcatraz inside access' or 'Alcatraz ticket with audio tour' are often the same $47.95 Day Tour sold for about €80 or more. On 6 October 2026 one listing charged €82.62. Recent reviews describe paying roughly double the booth price. Usually you can't cancel or change these tickets, and the Pier 33 staff can't rebook you if you are late. The tell-tale sign is a price above $47.95 for a plain Day Tour with nothing else included.
'Guaranteed' tickets that are vouchers
Some packages promise to 'guarantee' your visit, then assign the departure time after you book, take up to 48 hours to confirm, or make you exchange a voucher for a ticket at a bus office or the Will Call window. Reviewers report missing a boat while queuing to swap a voucher. If you need a fixed time, buy the official ticket. If you buy a package, collect the ticket the day before.
Bay cruises sold as 'Alcatraz tours'
Many bay cruises advertise Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Even Alcatraz City Cruises sells one from Pier 33, the $44 Bay Discovery Cruise. Only Alcatraz City Cruises lands on the island, and its Day, Night, Behind the Scenes and Angel Island combo products are the only ones that do. If the description says 'around', 'past', 'views of' or 'does not dock', you will not set foot on Alcatraz.
Ticket sellers on the street
Alcatraz City Cruises warns that tickets sold by people who approach visitors are usually at inflated prices, illegal to resell, and may not be valid. The only on-site seller is the ticket booth inside Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing, and it doesn't take cash.
Look-alike booking sites
Sites with names close to the official one, the cellhouse photo and the word 'official' sell the same ticket for more, or bundle it with extras. The official address is alcatrazcitycruises.com, and the adult Day Tour price shown there is $47.95 including tax. Gift orders for other people are only taken by phone and need the visitor's name, a rule meant to stop scalping.
Accessibility
Pier 33, the ferries and their toilets are fully accessible. The island is steep: the road from the dock to the cellhouse rises 130 feet (40 m) over a quarter of a mile. Visitors who can't make the climb can use SEAT (Sustainable Easy Access Transport), a free electric tram from the dock to the cellhouse and back. It runs about every half hour, seats are first come, first served, and one companion may ride along if there is space. Families with small children and strollers can't use it. Accessible areas include the dock, the main floor of the cellhouse (with a lift to the upper floor), the bookshops, the museum displays and the theatre. The route from the cellhouse to the Recreation Yard has about 45 steps, and the area in front of the Morgue is uneven. No wheelchairs are lent at Pier 33 or on the island, so bring your own. The audio tour is available in American Sign Language on a handheld device, as an audio-described version with tactile markers, and in Braille and large print. Ask at the Pier 33 booth for assistive listening devices. Service animals are welcome; pets are not. On the Behind the Scenes Tour the tram runs on one departure only; the operator's pages disagree on which, so check when booking and give at least 72 hours' notice.
Combine it with
Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
A few minutes' walk north-west of Pier 33: the sea lions on the docks at Pier 39, sourdough at the Boudin bakery and the waterfront. An easy lunch stop after an early boat.
Golden Gate Bridge
You see it from the island's west side and from the Night Tour boat. The hop-on hop-off buses stop at North Vista Point at its northern end.
Angel Island State Park
A state park in the bay with trails, views and a history of its own. Alcatraz City Cruises sells a combined Alcatraz and Angel Island day with a one-hour tram tour (daily in summer, then weekends to 31 October 2026).
Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill
Just uphill from Pier 33, with Muni bus 39 (Coit) running up to the tower, which looks out over the bay and Alcatraz.
Ferry Building
The F-line streetcar runs south along The Embarcadero to the Ferry Building, the market hall at the foot of Market Street. It is a good place to eat after the island.
Questions people ask about visiting Alcatraz Island
Where do I buy official Alcatraz tickets?
Only from Alcatraz City Cruises: online at alcatrazcitycruises.com, by phone on +1-415-981-7625, or at the Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing ticket booth (card only). It is the only company the National Park Service allows to land passengers on the island. Its prices include tax, with no booking fee (October 2026).
How much are Alcatraz tickets?
The Day Tour costs $47.95 for adults and youths 12–17, $45.15 for seniors 62+ and $29.15 for children 5–11; under-5s are free. The Night Tour is $59.65 for an adult and the Behind the Scenes Tour $104.65. The Alcatraz & Angel Island combination starts at $88. Every ticket includes the ferry and the cellhouse audio tour (October 2026).
How far in advance should I book Alcatraz tickets?
Tickets go on sale 90 days ahead. The Park Service says they can sell out several weeks ahead in summer and around holiday weekends, and the operator says tours frequently sell out a week or more ahead at any time of year. Same-day tickets are rare, so book as soon as your dates are fixed (2026).
What if Alcatraz is sold out?
Check the official site again over the following days, because cancellations up to 72 hours before departure go back on sale. Try a Night Tour or a weekday instead. Resellers and package tours sometimes still have places, but at a higher price and usually non-refundable. A bay cruise that sails around the island is a fallback, not a substitute, because it does not land.
Is Alcatraz going to reopen as a prison?
In May 2025 President Trump directed the Bureau of Prisons to reopen Alcatraz as a prison. According to CNN and The San Francisco Standard (3 April 2026), the White House budget proposal asked Congress for $152 million for the first year of work, and the Bureau said it was evaluating what reopening would take. As of 6 October 2026 no reopening date had been announced, the island was open to visitors as usual and tickets were on sale.
Is the Alcatraz Night Tour worth it?
For many visitors, yes: it costs $11.70 more than the Day Tour for an adult, has fewer people, includes a narrated loop around the island and talks you don't get in the daytime, and shows you the city lit up. It runs Tuesday to Saturday only and sells out early, and a few areas are closed at night (2026).
How long do you need on Alcatraz?
Plan 2.5–3 hours in total, including the 12–15 minute crossing each way. The audio tour itself takes 35 minutes. On the Day Tour you can stay longer and take any later return boat. The Behind the Scenes Tour with the Night Tour takes 4–5 hours.
More sights in United States
Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, United States
San Francisco's orange suspension bridge: free to walk, best seen from the cliffs at either end.
- From
- Free to walk or cycle; car toll $10.25–$11.25 southbound only
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours to walk across and back (3.4 miles round trip); half a day with Fort Point and a viewpoint
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon Village, Arizona, United States
The Colorado River's mile-deep gorge, seen from rim viewpoints a free shuttle ride apart.
- From
- $35 per car, $20 per person on foot or bike
- Time needed
- One full day for the South Rim; two days for sunset, sunrise and a short hike below the rim
Hidden gemMesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park, United States
Ancestral Pueblo villages built into cliff alcoves, entered by ladder with a park ranger.
- From
- $30 per car
- Time needed
- One full day for Chapin Mesa and one or two tours; a second day for Wetherill Mesa and Long House
Before you go
The things that apply at every big sight: booking ahead, what skip-the-line really means, and the scams that follow tourists everywhere.