The whole Alcatraz experience was really incredible. As the island is a National Park, it is very well run
^creepy/cool
Tickets to Alcatraz can sell out weeks in advance sometimes so it's best to buy in advance. During the weekends, you're likely not going to be able to walk up to the window and get tickets. Buy early. Also, you can choose between a day tour or a night tour. We chose the night tour because that sounded cooler, but the day tour would be just as interesting and is a few bucks less. For the day tour, a few more parts of Alcatraz are open and you can take your time exploring, just keeping an eye out for the ferries back. The night tour has the same tour of the prison, but they add a few extras. There are presentations and speakers you can listen to about various different talks throughout the night. You also get to see the SF skyline lit up which is just beautiful.
After Alcatraz, we decided to get dinner in Chinatown with our friends. My friend asked around her grad program to see where the best Chinese food in Chinatown is. We came to Hang Ah. It's was a good price and good food. Maybe not the most amazing meal I could have, but I still enjoyed it. Compared to some of the rumors I've heard about overpriced food, this was a really good option if you are set on the Chinatown experience. We were too tired to explore the rest of the area, so we just went back to our place and passed out! I'll share more soon!
