Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz began as the site of the West Coast's first lighthouse and a Civil War-era fort before becoming the federal penitentiary that held Al Capone and other notorious inmates from 1934 to 1963. From 1969 to 1971, Native American activists occupied the island in a landmark protest for Indigenous rights.

Take the award-winning Cellhouse audio tour narrated by former guards and inmates; young kids can earn a Junior Ranger badge. For a challenge, book the behind-the-scenes tour, which climbs steep stairways into areas of the island most visitors never see.