Around the world there are sites which intrigue the general public, sites which have an aura of mystique about them, sites that conjure up the need to know. These locations draw visitors to them, often hoping to find an understanding, hoping to satiate that need to know. Like every other corner of the world, the United States has its collection of such locations, but Alcatraz Island may be at the top of that list. The mysteries of Alcatraz beckon over a million visitors to the island each year. This may rouse questions in you. Can you visit Alcatraz without a tour? How do you get to Alcatraz Island? Is there an Alcatraz ferry? What is it like on Alcatraz Island? Is Alcatraz worth it?
We will answer all those questions, including the most important of them, is Alcatraz worth visiting? But what is it about this island that captivates the imaginations of so many people? Many of us were not even alive when Alcatraz Prison was open, and many of us who were alive were too young to remember. Our notions of Alcatraz come from media, stories, legends, a sort of American mythology that renders visions of a more civilized, American version of the dungeon prisons of medieval Europe, the Chateau D ’If where the Counte of Monte Carlo was wrongfully imprisoned. Perhaps it is such stories of those unjustly imprisoned, who escape and later acquire great wealth or accomplish great things, that leads us to similar fantasies. Is this not a slightly altered version of the American dream, what every immigrant to the country has every hoped for?
I felt this way about Alcatraz most of my life, naturally fueled by popular media. I heard tales of this inescapable prison as a child, and some of its prisoners, like Al Capone, and the Bird Man of Alcatraz. I watched Escape from Alcatraz at a young age, and later saw it as a stronghold in X-Men the Last Stand, and the Book of Eli. I read of its use as the holding place of immortal creatures in the Nicholas Flammel books, by Michael Scott. With each of these, its reputation had grown in my mind, and I knew that some day I had to see it.
My friend VerNessa and I finally made the trip to San Francisco, with many things we planned to experience. As it turned out, she also felt a need to visit Alcatraz, which I did not ask her to explain. We did plenty of other things in the city and surrounding area, including a trip to Redwood National Park, and Yosemite National Park. Someday we will return for more experiences in the area, but we did visit Alcatraz Island. Something within me became satiated by that visit.
I put together this Alcatraz Trip Planner for those of you who also feel compelled to visit Alcatraz, the United States most notorious prison. It will answer all of those questions you may have. Can you visit Alcatraz without a tour? How do you get to Alcatraz? What is it like on Alcatraz Island? Is Alcatraz worth it? I will share many of our photos, so you get a feeling for the island, so you can decide for yourself, if you still feel the need to visit Alcatraz.
This Alcatraz Trip Planner Includes:
Hopefully, by the time you get through this planner, and check out our photos, you can decide for yourself. Is Alcatraz worth it? We will definitely tell you what we think!
A Bit of Alcatraz History
Although Alcatraz was not always a prison, that has been the dominant function during its United States ownership. Perhaps the island was used for some purpose by the Native Americans in the area, but archeologists say that it was not. Then it fell under Spanish rule in the Colonial Era. It was charted during the Spanish ownership, but never really used, although it was the Spanish explorers who named the island for the numerous seabirds who nested there.
After the Mexican American war, it became US territory, along with the rest of California. The first west coast lighthouse was built on the island. Although the original fell into disrepair, and was later replaced, a lighthouse still stands on the island.
In 1855 construction of a military fort began on the island, for fear of another impending war with Spain. Its expansion continued into the Civil War for anticipated confederate attacks in the “northern” state of California. It was built around a citadel, with numerous batteries and casemates. Even though there was little Civil War action in California, the fortification continued after the war until there 8 batteries around the island, with over 100 cannon like Rodman guns, and 19 Howitzers.
By 1874 the fortifications on Alcatraz were largely obsolete. It was then that the idea of using it as a military prison was spawned. At that time, the only wars taking place were with the Native Americans. Half a century later, its usefulness of isolating prisoners in an inescapable place served little purpose with Native Americans, and with no wars on US soil, there were few, if any, military prisoners. It was then that it was determined to pass the land to the Bureau of Prisons. It would be rebuilt and modernized, and used to housed the most notorious of American prisoners, those unable to be kept in other prisons.
Can you visit Alcatraz without a Tour?
This may sound like a trick answer to a simple question, but the answer is yes and no. Since the only way to get there is to take a ferry to Alcatraz Island, and you must have an Alcatraz City Cruises ticket. You can buy this ticket yourself online, and you can get to the departure point by lowcost pubic transportation. This allows you to go at any time of day, so you can be rested and ready to explore.
With that said, so you do not need to include it as an option on any city tour you may be planning to take, such as Dylan’s or the Big Bus tours. While you can add the Alcatraz extension to these tours, you will save $5 to $10 a person by visiting Alcatraz on your own. If you are taking a tour of San Francisco and you want to add an extension, we say add Muir Woods, which is not so easy to get to on your own, or Sausilito.
We think Dylan’s Tours offers the best city tours! You can book your Dylan’s San Francisco Tour right now.
When you buy your ferry to Alcatraz tickets, you are free to explore most of the island on your own. However, the ticket price does include an audio guided tour of the prison block. It is not required that you take the audio guide on your explorations, but unless you have in depth knowledge of the prison, it is the best way to have a full understanding of what you are seeing inside the prison walls.
If you visit Alcatraz on one of the evening cruises, you will not be allowed to walk around as freely as those on the day cruises, and you will have a shorter amount of time on the island. While this is for safety reasons, it is offputting for some visitors. The plus side of these night tours is that there are extra exhibits and features that are not available during the day.
How do you get to Alcatraz
As already stated, the only way to get to the island is the ferry to Alcatraz Island. There is only one ferry service that actually allows you to disembark on the island, which is Alcatraz City Cruises, an official vendor of the National Park Service. There are several other boating companies that offer cruises to “see Alcatraz Island,” but they only take you to a certain proximity in the water, and go around the island. You must use Alcatraz City Cruises to visit Alcatraz Island.
The price of the ferry to Alcatraz tickets include a two way trip, the National Park Service entrance fee, as well as the use of the audio guided tour handheld devices in the prison. Once you are actually on the island, you can stay as long as you like, up until the last evening ferry departure.
Getting to Pier 33
The ferry to Alcatraz departs from pier 33. While there are parking lots available nearby, I do not recommend driving, and in fact, I do not recommend keeping a car while visiting the San Francisco at all. The entire city has a shortage of parking, so parking lots and decks are extremely expensive. You can expect to pay at least $20 for 2 hours of parking, with increasing costs for each additional hour. But worse than that, the lots in these high tourism areas often attract criminals. Public transportation in San Francisco is readily available, and reasonably priced, a much better option.
Walking
If you are staying in the Fisherman’s Warf area, the area is easily walkable, without all the hills found in most of the city. Whatever street your hotel is on, walk north or walk east, and you will end up on The Embarcadero. From there, the piers are in numeric order, so it is easy to find Pier 33.
Cable Car
If you are staying in the Union Square or Nob Hill neighborhoods, take the Powell-Mason Cable Car. The route ends at Taylor and Bay streets. Walk right on Bay Street 5 blocks, and Pier 33 will be directly across the street. From the Financial District there are a couple options, but one is to take the Caifornia Street Cable Car to Powel Street, then continue the same way as above. If you accidentally get on the Powell-Hyde Cable Car, which can happen, you will have further to walk, but it is still simple. Go right down Beach Street or Jefferson Street, 7 blocks, which will take you to Pier 39. Turn right to go the rest of the way to Pier 33.
Be sure to get the day pass when you get on the cable car, so your return trip is already taken care of prior to your ferry to Alcatraz. The pass includes all public transportation in the city, with unlimited rides. You can use the Cable Cars as a hop on hop off to see various attractions, or you can do some other sightseeing later using the cars, the trams, light rail and buses.
Historic Tram
The other option for the Financial District, and the best option if you are staying in Castro, Lower Haight, Theater Distric or parts on Yerba Buena is the historic trams. The trams have a stop at almost every corner along Market street, starting at Castro and 17th. There also stops all along The Embarcadero, including the corner of Bay Street, so you can get off directly in front of the ferry to Alcatraz terminal. Trams use the same public transportation day pass as cable cars, so you can use a combination of both to get to and from the pier. To go back the way you came after your trip to Alcatraz, use the Stockton F-Line stop, about 2 blocks down from where you hopped off, across from Pier 39.
Cable Cars and trams cover all of the most popular hotel areas except Highway 101. If you are staying elsewhere, you will have to use the Muni buses or Metro Rail, and may have to combine them with the cable cars or trams to get to pier 33. If it sounds complicated, don’t worry. The San Francisco Mass Transit Authority has a nice route planner on their website that works in conjunction with Google Maps, as well as an app to buy your tickets.
At Pier 33
Make sure to arrive at the Pier early. All tickets have specific times, but in season there will be a line either way. Your best option is the first tour in the morning for the smallest crowd, or visit Alcatraz off season.
An announcer will call out when those with a particular timed ticket should move to the queue area. The unfortunate fact is that it will be at least 15 minutes standing in the line in an amusement park style railing system. If you have mobility issues this may be very difficult, so notify one of the rangers and they will move you to a seating area. When it is time to enter the ferry to Alcatraz, those from the seating area will be allowed to enter first.
Prior to queueing, look around to the right of the entrance area, where there is a scale model of the island as it once was during full prison operations. Informational panels with historic photos share the purpose of each of the buildings on the island. It is interesting to see, and prior to this I had never considered the idea that prison employees lived on the island full time, as did their families. It is still a bit difficult to wrap my brain around.
The model will not match what you will see on the island. Most of the officers quarters, including the Assistant Wardens home, were destroyed during and after the Native American occupation. If you explore the island, you will see the rubble of many of these former structures. The Warden’s Mansion, and the a few other structures were not totally destroyed, but left in a state of ruin. These measures were allegedly to prevent future inhabitation by unwanted occupants.
The Ferry to Alcatraz
The ride from Pier 33 to Alcatraz takes about 15 minutes. There are no concessions on the boat at this time, so be aware prior to embarking. Bottled water is available for purchase once you arrive on the island.
There is plenty of seating area on the ferry to Alcatraz, but you are allowed to move around as needed, and go to the open area on the top level. You definitely want to be outside of the windows, but be mindful that is where most of the crowd will go as well. If you hope to take photos, it may be difficult to get a clear shot.
An alternative option without so much interference, and one that works for those who cannot climb the stairs, is to move to the rear of the boat above the propellers. It is a bit noisy, but I had this open area entirely to myself for almost the entirety of our outbound and inbound trips. The first trip afforded excellent views of the city and the piers, as well as the Bay Bridge. The return offered a look back at the island, with sausalito in the distance, as well as the Golden Gate Bridge. I got a couple photos I really love from this spot.
What is it Like on Alcatraz Island?
Alcatraz Island is beautiful. It shines in its surroundings, a sort of focal piece in the bay looking across from the city, more directly in view than Golden Gate. As you approach in the ferry to Alcatraz, from the water, it is there, more pronounced, more definitive, more colorful than all that surrounds it. This is not a trick of the camera, or some editing that I have done to bring it to this brilliance. This beauty in a place only infamous for an ugly history adds to its aura.
Native American Occupation Remains
As you make your way through the line leaving the ferry to Alcatraz, the slogans of the Native American occupation grab your attention, painted bright red. This is a part of Alcatraz history that I was unfamiliar with prior to planning my visit to Alcatraz, so I am learning. It is said there is no evidence of Native American habitation on the island prior to European conquest, although I am not sure I believe that. It is speculated that the forces of nature, the high winds, the cold rains, and the Pacific fog rendered it undesirable.
Whether or not this is true, I do not believe that the US government gave that a second thought at the time of the occupation, from 1969 to 1971, or when the last remaining Native Americans were removed from the island. But the ideas of Red Power that grew during the occupation, had taken hold, and Native Americans across the country began to find their voices. You will see more painted messaging from the occupation in other places, including the water tower. An exhibit on the Red Power movement can be experienced in the New Industries Building at the opposite end of the island.
Island Orientation
As you step off of the ferry to Alcatraz and onto the land, visitors are shepherded into a public area near the bookstore, where rangers give periodic welcome speeches. It is referred to as an orientation, and it is a sort of here is where you are, this is why it is special, and these are the rules. This does not occur in other National Park areas, and I am not sure it is necessary here, but I get it. This is one of the few National Park Service sites where loads of visitors arrive in groups, enabling such an event. After we are educated, visitors can begin making their way around the island, and to the prison.
The Agave Trail
Off to the left is a small seating area where snacking is allowed, with a smoking area at the very end. This is the only place these things are allowed on the island, (however bottled water is allowed in all locations.) At the end of this area is the entrance to the Agave Trail, which leads around the front end of the island which faces San Francisco, where renaturalization has begun. The trail is closed from October to January, during the seabird nesting season, (more than 20,000 seabirds nest on the island,) but through the rest of the year I highly recommend walking the trail. There are seating areas with a brilliant view across the bay along the route.
Walking the full trail which ends at the prison recreation yard does include two sets of stairs, but even if you cannot complete that portion, you can see the end of the island segment of the trail which has a hard level surface. Personally I preferred taking the cell house tour first, then beginning the Agave Trail from the top, which included both stairways going down. The full trail includes the recreation yard, the prisoner gardens, the west side gardens, the parade grounds, the ruins of the former guard housing, and the naturalized area. Going in this direction, the trail ends back at the boat ramp where the ferry to Alcatraz lands.
Gardens of Alcatraz
There are 7 different gardens on Alcatraz Island, which include gardens along the trail, as well as the Rose Terrace and Officer’s Row Garden on the entrance side of the island, and the Warden’s Garden at the top. These gardens were each maintained by different residents on the island during the prison years, including some inmates, were left abandoned after its closing.
After 40 years of disuse, the Alcatraz Garden Conservancy was formed. They found that surprisingly, many of the plants laid in the historic gardens still survived. From that start, they began the process of voluntarily refurbishing all of the gardens on the island. While you will see many of the gardens on your visit to Alcatraz, you can learn much more about them, including which plants have survived from the prison days. On Wednesday and Friday mornings members of the conservancy offer docent led tours through each of the Alcatraz gardens.
Other Island Features
The long building where the orientation speech is given is Building 86, former residential housing for guards employed at the prison. The ferry to Alcatraz disembarks directly in front of it. Today it contains a theater which shows a short film on the history of the island, featuring some historic footage and photos, and exhibit halls that explain the wildlife of the island.
The outside seating area already mentioned is where the accessibility shuttle stops. Shuttle service is provided for those with mobility issues, and will carry them up the steeply inclined, quarter mile roadway to the prison. There are two enroute switchbacks, as the entre island is barely a third of a mile in length.
Along the walk to the prison building, you pass through the guard house, with the only guard tower that remains standing on the island, and turn at the electric shop. From the location of this turn, the ruins immediately in front of you are what was once the Officer’s Club, and the building further along is the Quartermaster Storehouse.
If all areas are open on the day of your visit, you can make to walk up this road before going to the prison. Behind the storehouse is the power plant, and off to the left beyond that, the Model Industries Building and the New Industries Building. New Industries is where many inmates worked, making cleaning brushes for government use.
The Prison
As you approach, the prison block itself sits high above you, foreboding, intimidating. On the ferry to Alcatraz it loomed high above, but until you stand alongside it, there is no realization of just how separated from the surrounding island it is. It is truly the focal point of the entire island.
The prison block is entered through the communal showers. Perhaps I have watched a few too many scary movies, but large group showers always give me a creepy feeling no matter where they are. I take a good look around and embrace this feeling, realizing that this element is some of what I expect, perhaps hope, to find here. I only snapped one photo, but I am glad I did as this is the only time we saw the showers.
At the end of the room there are tables set up where each visitor can pick up headset guides.
The headsets offer a recorded guided tour, written as if you are being led by a former guard or inmate of the prison. There are 8 different options, so it is possible that you and other members of your group will have an entirely different “tour guide” as any traveling companions that you may be with. It is not required that you use the audioguide, but it does lead you through the prison, explaining each area, going at a reasonable pace. It also provides in depth information about the two notorious escape attempts.
At this point, those with mobility issues should notify the rangers who supply the audio guide headsets. The tour begins using a stairway, but there is an elevator which can be used by those who will have difficulty climbing the steps. In addition, those with sensory impairments can request other types of guides such as a written transcript of the tour, a braille transcript of the tour, and a handheld device which conducts the tour in sign language.
The Cell Blocks
Upon entering the cellblock I am struck by the strange muted pastel colors. It is a sort of dulled down 1950s kitchen color scheme, perky postwar idealized American family colors, worn down by the years and moist Pacific air. They are unexpected and peculiar, out of place in this setting. Perhaps I should have rewatched Escape from Alcatraz prior to my visit, and I would have been reminded of this. I move along as my mind tries to make sense of this juxtaposition. I can only deduce it as some sort of humanist psychology typical of the era, an attempt at normalization, to tame the beast within those contained, those considered the worst of American prisoners, the least conforming of all.
Soon we are viewing the cells, small 9 by 5 rooms outfitted with a sink and toilet, two shelves for storage, and two smaller shelves that serve as a table. Unoccupied like this, the idea of spending life within this tiny space is intolerable. Yet, I find this acceptable for those who are deserving of such a life, those who have made murder and rape a common practice, those who cannot mingle among the rest of us without causing harm.
As I move along there are cells once occupied, those where it is clear a former resident has attempted to make it a home, rather than just a cell. There are personal affects: paintings, drawings, books, magazines, games, belongings which would help pass the long hours spent in this small space alone. I am reminded that these prisoners were people, individuals not that different than myself, or those I love.
But then we move into Cellbock D, the isolation unit. This is where prisoners were taken for punishment for breaking rules and violence, something beyong the segegation from society the were already sentenced to. Once here an inmate was allowed only 1 hour out of the cell each day, which would have been bad enough in the normal cells, but there were also 6 iron doored cells, for severe punishment. Only a small amount of light could enter the room, and I found this mentally disturbing, so I moved on quickly.
Privileges
After this, we are refreshed, with some time learning about the more pleasant places in the prison, the library and the recreation yard. While a certain amount of time outside each week for exercise was required, for general health reasons, through good behavior, prisoners could earn additional time in the yard, as well as the library. As a lover of both book stores and libraries, perhaps it was destined that I would find the library to be the most pleasant place in the prison. The books were not out and available for browsing, but the library was an open and airy room, in an otherwise small and restricted place.
The Battle of Alcatraz
We then learn of one of the most infamous of escape attempts, in May, 1946, referred to as the Battle of Alcatraz. Prisoner Bernie Coy fashioned a makeshift bar spreader, slipped between the bars, and overwhelmed a guard. After securing control of the gun arsenal, he freed several other prisoners, and took guards hostage, putting them in cells. When the alarms sounded, several guards were shot.
The seige lasted for 2 days, until the marines came in, shelling the prison and dropping granades through the roof. When it was over, 2 guards and 3 inmates were dead, including Bernie Coy. Bullet holes still scar the floor where the shoot out took place.
The Administration Building
The administrative section of the prison is included in the tour, which includes an administration office that was probably quite modern at one time, seeming quite surreal, its tools and equipment seeming far older than a mere 60 years. In my computer filled life, where documents and photos can be saved in an instant, I cannot imagine maintaining accurate records with these antiquated techniques.
There are a number of informational signs that share information about the guards, and their experiences in the prison, as well as those who lost their lives during various escape attempts, and one room is lined with portraits of all the wardens who once controlled the prison. Again I am struck with wondering, just as I was as I explored the cell area, and I cannot help but wonder, what leads a person to choose such a career path. How does this work become an acceptable way to spend a life. I gaze at their photos, but their faces do not tell me.
Near the waiting area there is another scale model of Alcatraz Island, as it looked in 1952. It is said to be the most detailed model ever built, and here you see the housing and other buildings which no longer exist, or lie in ruins around the island. Once you step outside the administrative building here you can see where these homes once stood on the parade ground below, all that remains lying in rubble.
Standing in this location is a strange sensation, knowing the isolation that is behind you. To the left is the skeleton of what was surely once a quite lavish residence, sometimes referred to as the Warden’s Mansion. The notion of going back and forth between the stark contrast of these two lifestyles each day seem disconcerting.
Ahead of you, the bay stretches out on each side, and you can see the remaining trail of the ferry to Alcatraz. The city stands proud, now with its skyscrapers, and its effervescent buzz of life. With a good zoom lens you can see the cars moving up and down the hills of its perfectly aligned streets. I think it is standing right here when you ultimately decide for yourself, is Alcatraz worth it?
Escape from Alcatraz
From here, you can take the steps to the parade ground, and pick up the Agave Trail, but the tour is not finished. Alcatraz’ greatest escape story is yet to be told. It was June, 11, 1962 when Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin, made their escape, after months, perhaps years, of preparation. While fairly well depicted in the movie Escape from Alcatraz, being here, seeing their cells, offers an entirely new perspective. Their motivation is understood, while their perseverance and creativity must be respected.
The three men formulated a brilliant plan, using whatever was available to them, and what they could swipe without detection, including spoons, cardboard, pieces of soap, and even their own hairclippings. Each gradually carved out the vent beneath the sink in their cell, crafted dummy heads, and explored to find a reliable path ahead of time.
The night of the escape, each man used the fake heads, towels and clothes to set up his bed to appear as if he were sleeping in it, and crawled through the vent opening, climbed three stories in the utility corridor using pipes and planks. As a group, they then crossed the roof, descended the wall, went over a fence, past an unused guard tower, down the cliff, and to the shore. From there they used a raft constructed from old raincoats and went into the water. As far as we know, none of these men were ever seen again.
The Federal Government maintains that they were pulled out to sea and ultimately died, while the public likes to speculate that they made it to shore and began new lives under new names. But the truth will never be known, and it will remain one of the great mysteries of the United States. This mystery is one that draws visitors onto the ferry to Alcatraz, one which leaves many wondering, is Alcatraz worth it?
Closing Alcatraz
From here there is little left to tell. Less than a year later, in March, 1963, Alcatraz was closed. The Bureau of Prisons maintains that the decision to close Alcatraz was made long before Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers disappeared. The very reason Alcatraz Island was chosen as a maximum security prison site, its isolation, was the very reason it was closed. There were no natural supplies on the island, including fresh water, so everything needed for regular maintenance and living had to be shipped to the island. The ferry to Alcatraz ran almost continuously to do so. In addition, the damp Pacific air was causing rapid deterioration of the cement and building materials of the 1930s. Alcatraz was no longer cost effective in the 1960s.
The tour leads us to the cafeteria, where prison meals were prepared and served to those who earned the privilege of eating outside their cells. There is some talk of the food served, and the necessary safety precautions, but it quickly moves on to the prison closure. There are signs about individual prisoners, sharing why they were in Alcatraz, if they got out, and in some cases, their lives after their release. As I am sure is the case in all prisons, there were some who it appeared were where they deserved to be, and others who should have never ended up in such a location. But who am I to judge..
Like any well planned tour, the audio-guided tour at Alcatraz ends, and your means to exit is through a book store. It is an attractive and well maintained store, with a number of eye catching items. The book store also continues with the educational nature of the Alcatraz experience, with a few displays and exhibits of its own, including signs explaining the regulations of Alcatraz, and restraining devices and weapons used by the guards and the inmates themselves. VerNessa and I each bought a couple small items, but the truth is, I wish I would have picked up a couple more.
Is Alcatraz Worth It?
When I began writing this article my true intent was to answer this question for you- is Alcatraz worth it, and I have certainly taken a roundabout route. It is a very popular attraction that draws large crowds, which during the reduced capacity of covid times means reserving weeks in advance. During non-covid times the ferry to Alcatraz is often booked to capacity. It is also pricey, being one of the most expensive of all National Park Service sites.
In all honesty, I only felt crowded twice in our visit to Alcatraz. The first was in the line waiting to get on the outbound trip. During normal times there really is nothing to be done about this. During covid times capacity has been reduced, and the waiting process is different, so this may not be the case. The second was inside the prison in the first cell block. In this case, it was easy to stand aside, and wait for the group to move on. I was not in a hurry.
As for the price, it is not out of line with many of the other San Francisco attractions, and if you wished you could spend most of the day on the island once you were there. There would be Ranger led activities, and the docent led garden tours, to fill the time. We did not do all of that, and the total time of our visit to Alcatraz from Pier 33 and back was about 3.5 hours. When it was completed, both VerNessa and I felt that it was time and money well spent.
I hope that I have answered all of your questions about Alcatraz. How do you get to Alcatraz? How do you book the ferry to Alcatraz? What is Alcatraz like? And most of all, is Alcatraz worth it? In my opinion, it is!
Don’t Miss the Ferry to Alcatraz! Pin it now!
You know me, Roxanna Keyes, sometimes referred to as FoxyRoxyK, the founder of Gypsy With a Day Job. I was 50 before I really began to experience all the world has to offer. I really don’t want you to wait so long! That is why we share so many stories about so many amazing destinations. We want to help you plan the trips of your dreams, and make your budget. Be sure to check out our destinations pages, to find the places you want to go. You can plan some amazing trips, with LOTS of things to do. If our stories don’t give you the info that you need, let us know. We will try to get it for you! Help us out and share our stories when you can.
