Alcatraz Island

You’ve probably heard of Alcatraz, the famous penitentiary that housed all sorts of mobsters, gangsters and ne’er-do-wells. But did you know that you can actually tour the now-closed cell blocks? They’re some of the top things to see in California, and they’ll provide an incredible experience for people traveling to the Golden State. The first thing that you’ll need to do is hop on a ferry in San Francisco and ride out to the island. Once you’re ashore, you’re free to roam the land and check out all of the tourist attractions as you see fit. The prison is the biggest draw, of course, and there are audio tours of the facility available in multiple languages. But you can also explore the local lighthouse or the abandoned military fortresses of the island. There are even collections of rock pools and rare migratory birds for nature lovers.