Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
158
Tips
Planning Ahead
You must r eserve Alcatraz t our tickets at least 2 w eeks in advanc e in the
summer. C all
&
415/981-7625
to pur chase them o ver the phone , or buy
them online at w ww.alcatrazcruises.com. The What-to-Do-While-Waiting-for-
the-Ferry-to-Alcatraz Quiz:
1. In what bay is Alcatraz Island located?
a. Marin Bay
b. San Francisco Bay
c. The Bay Area
2. When was Alcatraz a federal maximum-security prison?
a. 1934 to 1963
b. 1893 to 1964
c. 1920 to 1973
3. Which one of these people was a famous Alcatraz inmate?
a. Mack the Knife
b . Fred Flintstone
c . Al Capone
4. How big was the average cell?
a. 5 by 9 feet
b. 10 by 12 feet
c. 4 by 6 feet
5. How many prisoners were executed at Alcatraz?
a. 3
b. 0
c. 8
6. Which three men managed to escape Alcatraz but were never seen again?
6
a. The Ringling Brothers and Marshall Pickford
b. Bobby Carson, Al Capone, and Danny Marsh
c. Frank Morris and the Anglin Brothers
and Mexican ships; and a pre-Civil War U.S. military base. From 1910 to 1940 it was a
detention center mainly for Asian immigrants. The China Co ve station at this “E llis
Island of the West” r ecalls an era when anti-immigration policies placed hundr eds of
Chinese into for ced detention for w eeks, months, and sometimes y ears. Poems car ved
into barrack walls by lonely detainees were rediscovered in 1970 and inspired the preser-
vation effort.
In recent years, Angel Island has drawn hikers and bikers who spend the day picnick-
ing on the island and tr ekking on its many trails, befor e summiting 788-foot-high
Mount Livermore to take in stunning views of San Francisco and Marin County. As this
went to press, Angel Island was open with restricted access; visitors could still explore the
historic sites and take a tram or S egway tours on the 5-mile path that cir cles the island.
Those 1-hour motorized
tram tours
are usually offered between March and November,
