Alcatraz

[burtonwood]

Can anyone tell me the distance from San Francisco Bay to the island of Alcatraz -Thanx

[vehelpfulguy]

Alcatraz is in San Francisco Bay.

You can see the island from the shore.

Here is a picture and it shows Alcatraz in the background

http://www.nps.gov/nero/nhlphoto/1stPlaceSanFr anciscoCableCars.jpg

I should say it is a just over a mile from the shore.

Here is an aerial shot showing how near it is to the shore (the yellow line is for a swimming competition which is 3.25 miles in total there and back)

http://www.waterworldswim.com/SAR/images/SwimA roundRockMapBig.jpg

[naomi24]

Don't know if you're thinking of taking the boat over for a tour of the prison, but I have to say this. Alcatraz is a fascinating experience. Well worth seeing.

[JoolsTwo]

I second that naomi24 - Alcatraz was a great experience.

[vehelpfulguy]

Did not make myself too clear in my append above.

When I say "shore" I mean the northern edge of San Francisco city, near Fishermans Wharf.

Here is a map which shows exactly where it is:

http://www.inetours.com/images/Maps/San_Franci sco_Map.gif

Here is a nice picture showing Alcatraz in the foreground and the northern shore of San Francisco in the background

http://www.bayturtle.com/gallery/SFO_aerial_sf o_alcatraz.jpg

[saxy_jag]

There's a teen novel by Gennifer Choldenko, called Al Capone Does My Shirts, which is set on Alcatraz and is about the children and families of the staff who live there (their families also lived with them). Whilst it's fictional, the author has visited and familiarised herself with Alcatraz and there are some good descriptions and pictures of it included in the book.

[jen78]

As said above, it's a fantastic place to visit, one of the highlights of my trip to California.

Doesn't take long on the ferry over at all and a lovely ride as well.

[Cathyhuns]

Ferries to Alcatraz get booked up very quickly so it's worth buying yours on the first day of a visit to San Francisco.

[burtonwood]

thanx for all your answers to the Alcatraz question. I have now won a bet !

[buildersmate]

Ferries to Alcatraz in peak months get so booked up it is pretty eseential to book using the internet before you leave the UK.

[cab]

jen 78
I went there too on my visit to Calafornia.
Fantastic and a man who had been an inmate and wrote a book (of course) signed it for me.
Probably one of the many out of work actors ha ha x