Thanks to the nice guys at Twitter, a bunch of interns (myself included) were invited on a trip to Alcatraz. We took the tram in front of the office, enjoyed a lively old lady cursing everybody during the 30 minute ride (downtown SF is never boring), arrived at peer 20-something and boarded a ferry.

10 minutes later, we were disembarking in the Alcatraz harbor. We went on a walk on the island and climbed to the main cell house.

I expected the visit inside to be boring. What’s to see in a building of empty cells? Fortunately, I was proven wrong. Each person that visits gets an audio guide. I’m usually reluctant to using audio guides, since most of them are slow and dull (“This painting was done in 1738 and depicts two..” boooring). Yes the audio guide in Alcatraz succeeded in creating a mood. Background noises (like iron doors getting locked), testimonies from inmates, stories of life there and of attempts of escape managed to build a great experience.

This little island deserves its place as one of the top tourists attractions in San Francisco.