San Francisco : Alcatraz

This island, named after the birds that were its only inhabitants (Alcatraz is Spanish for pelican) served as a military fortification in the 1850s and as a war prison during the Spanish-American War. In 1934 Alcatraz became an infamous maximum-security prison for Mafia criminals and high-risk convicts. Famous residents have included "Machine Gun" Kelly, Al Capone and Robert "Birdman" Stroud. Although the island is only a mile or so from shore, and contrary to popular movie lore, to this day there is no evidence of any successful escapes across the icy bay. The prison was the only one in the federal system at the time that touted hot showers-a luxury designed to keep prisoners from acclimating to cold water. Until 1963 it remained a federal penitentiary. "The Rock" is now a popular tourist attraction and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, accessible only by the Blue & Gold Fleet ferry which departs daily from Pier 41 at Fisherman's Wharf. This visator attraction is a must for any serious tourist to San Francisco. Clint Eastwood made it famouse in the film ‘Escape from Alcatraz’, why not see the real thing for yourself?

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