Hello. I am new to the bulletin board but I have been reading the board for a long time. My husband and I are planning a trip in 2 years time and the trip we have decided to go on is the Western Discoverer. We are also planning this trip so that we can go to a Nascar Winston Cup race in California in August.
Can you please tell me what will the temperatures be like at that time of the year?
Also when we are in San Francisco we want to go to Alcatraz and do the walking tour of Alcatraz Island. Is this an option on this tour?
Is there a list of the optional tours and the prices available for this trip?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Welcome Barb from NZ. If you have been reading the board for some time, you know that I like New Zealand.


I don't know if the walking tour of Alcatraz Island is an optional. I do know you have to take a boat there. (I believe it is the red line.). I f you will be there in August, I suggest ordering the tickets several days or more in advance as the tickets do sell out fast.

General Max

Hello Gen Max. Thank you for your advise. We will make sure we have tickets for the walking tour of Alcatraz Island.
Cheers,
Barb

I also recommend the tour of Alcatraz Island. When people ask why a tour of a deserted prison is worth a visit, I would just say that this is probably the only occasion you will have to be in anything remotely like a maximum security prison. Seeing prison movies or reading about them doesn't prepare you for the experience. Plus, you get a boatride and a spectacular view of San Francisco in the process. But you definitely need to make reervations well in advance during most of the year.

Hi Mea. Thank you for your reply. My daughter asked us why we wanted to have a look at the prison and then asked us if we were looking for cheap accommodation there.
We will definitely book a trip and try and find some time during our tour to visit the prison.

Hello Barb from NZ,

I did take the Alcatraz tour while visiting in San Francisco. I bought tickets online through the National Park Service prior to my trip. This may be an option for you, if you know the day/time you can plan this event. Here is the link, if you want to check out some info on the island, prices, etc. (Look under news & events for a link to purchase tickets from Blue & Gold ferry)

http://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm />
During our visit, we were able to spend as long as we wanted on the island. Just need to catch the last boat before we ended up sleeping in one of the cells! I loved seeing the island and the views of the city. Great pictures from it. The audio tour is a recommendation. Gave a great atmosphere. Enjoy!

Hi Redwing 1977 and thank you for you info and the website which is great.
We hope to visit Alcatraz Island when we are in San Francisco on the Western Discover Trafalgar tour.
On Day 10 our group does take a cruise of San Francisco Bay so we might be able to exchange the cruise for the Alcatraz trip.
On Day 11 the tour goes on a Wine Country excursion through the Napa Valley and it returns to San Francisco later in the afternoon when the rest of the day is free. I don't know what time we will be back in San Francisco and it is difficult for me to buy tickets when I don't know a time. With a wine tour we all maybe me having such a great time that we may arrive back late.
I just read in our local paper that the inmates and prison officiers have just had a reunion at Alcatraz.I hope that we can work something out.
Cheers
Barb