Odyssey Alcatraz Swim Travel Guide
Are you planning your trip to San Francisco to participate in an Odyssey Alcatraz Swim? If so, we can’t wait to meet you and guide you on this one-of-a-kind adventure.
View upcoming Odyssey Alcatraz swims here!
The world-famous Odyssey Alcatraz swim brings swimmers to the Bay Area from all over the world. The Odyssey team is honored to host one of the most exciting, historic, and memorable open water swims in the universe. For those traveling from outside the Bay Area, we created the Odyssey Alcatraz Swim Travel Guide. Here are tips, advice from the community, and what you need to know before finalizing the plans for your trip.
Learn all about swimming from Alcatraz here!
Read the Packet
A week before your swim, you’ll receive a virtual packet with information related to your swim. Read the entire packet and save to reference if needed. If you have any questions about the information provided, respond to the email as soon as possible and we'll reply quickly with the answers and information you need.
Join Us for a Berkeley Swim
When traveling to the Bay Area for an Odyssey Alcatraz swim, join us for a Berkeley swim. Odyssey Berkeley swims are held every Sunday throughout the entire year, and every Tuesday evening from late March to October.
Joining an Odyssey Berkeley swim will help you get a good feel for the water in the Bay, give you an opportunity to work with our swim support team, and let you meet with other frequent open water swimmers in the Bay Area. Take the quick drive across the Bay or travel via BART by getting off at the Downtown Berkeley station and taking a bus or Uber ride to the Berkeley Marina.
Test the Water at Aquatic Park
Know your surroundings. Aquatic Park is always open for swimming, however, it’s unsupervised, meaning there is no safety support provided. Never swim alone in the open, but if you have a friend nearby or in your group, getting your feet wet at Aquatic Park is a great way to begin to prepare for your Alcatraz swim.
For safe, organized swims with safety support, join Odyssey at the Berkeley Marina for weekly Berkeley Clinics.
Pre-Swim Meeting Location
The meeting location for Odyssey Alcatraz swims may change. Our favorite meeting location is Hyde St. Pier. Check the registration page for your specific swim to view the starting location. Based on conditions, the location may change the week or day of the swim. Make sure you have access to your email when the swim is approaching to stay updated on any changes.
Where Should I Stay?
There is no shortage of places to stay in San Francisco. Where you should stay, both in terms of location and quality, depends on your preferences and budget.
If you want to stay close to where the morning meeting will take place, the closest hotel to the Hyde St. location is the Argonaut Hotel. The Argonaut, while not the most affordable option, is a favorite of our staff and swimmers.
Other swimmers prefer to stay closer to the finish, which is usually the St. Francis Yacht Club. Staying close to the finish will require a little more time when commuting to the meetup location in the morning, but less time after completing the swim. This location is also preferred if you’re traveling with others who will wait for you at the St. Francis shore.
Wherever you stay in the city, traveling to our meetup location should not take long due to light traffic in the morning and short distances between any two locations in San Francisco.
What Should I Do There?
There is no place in the world quite like San Francisco. When coming in for an Alcatraz swim from out of town, most travelers will plan to stay for a few days to make the most of their stay.
Odyssey Founder Warren Wallace recommends:
“Give yourself a few days in the city to see all the different neighborhoods, walk the Golden Gate, eat at a range of different restaurants, check out the nightlife, and visit museums and other attractions.”
When planning for your trip, we recommend visiting the official site for planning a trip to San Francisco -- San Francisco Travel (sftravel.com). Sftravel.com includes information on where to stay, where to eat, things to do, and even a “bucket list” of the most iconic sights in the city.
Trip Advisor’s “Top 15 Things to do in San Francisco.”
Touring Alcatraz
To make the most of your experience, the Odyssey team recommends planning a tour of Alcatraz. Just make sure to get tickets in advance to avoid missing out on your chance to tour Alcatraz Island.
Odyssey Alcatraz swimmers plan their tour at different times based on their level of comfort. While some swimmers feel more excited about their Alcatraz swim by visiting first, others may get intimidated and prefer to take a tour after the day of their Odyssey Alcatraz swim.
Schedule your tour of Alcatraz here.
Bring Your Wetsuit
We recommend you bring your own wetsuit with you. If you accidentally leave your wetsuit behind, you can rent a wetsuit at The Sports Basement, our preferred local option.
Are You Bringing a Passenger?
Will you travel with a friend or family member who will want to join you on the boat to Alcatraz Island? Depending on the size of the Alcatraz swim, you may be able to bring one person with you.
Before making the decision to bring your guest along for the ride or have them wait on shore, there are a few things to consider.
Riding on our safety support boat or a water taxi will come with a much different experience than waiting on shore. Your guest will be inches away from the water and able to take pictures of your entry, but they will not be there to witness the successful conclusion of your crossing.
There is also no guarantee that your passenger will be able to view your entire swim. However, having someone along for the boat ride may bring you additional fun and comfort.
If your guest would rather join you on the boat than take pictures and bring you a hot beverage and dry towel after your swim, contact us a week before the swim to see if there is enough space for your friend or family member. Email christina@odysseyopenwater.com.
Tips from the Open Water Swimming Community
To give you additional help and guidance to make the most of your trip, we asked the open water swimming community for advice for incoming travelers. They did not disappoint! Are you following Odyssey on social media? Stay in touch with Odyssey Open Water Swimming on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Here are tips for Odyssey Alcatraz swimmers coming to San Francisco from outside the Bay Area from our community on social media.
“Don’t forget your wetsuit 😆” -- Datoarroyo (via Instagram)
“If you don’t know the Bay Area and getting a hotel, stay near Fisherman’s Wharf/ Aquatic Park. Otherwise, invite your host to drive you in and enjoy watching your event.” -- Ray Lep (via Facebook)
“Tides and currents can be surprising … go to SF aquatic park or another protected area, or partner with someone local.” -- Jared Boigon (via Twitter)
“Walk or swim Aquatic Park then Irish coffee aperitif at The Buena Vista then cioppino at Sotto Mare (SF) ❤️” -- Coach Alex Kang (via Instagram)
“For me, the best was to visit Alcatraz Island directly after I finished my (Alcatraz) swim. This made the whole experience even more special to me. Beside this, check the usual tourists spots (Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, the cable cars etc...). Palace of Fine Arts is also nice!!” -- Swen (via Twitter)
“If you’re afraid to drive…take Uber 😉 Of course you have to cruise out to Alcatraz especially if you’re doing the swim. Visit Golden Gate Park and get out there and wander (across, China Beach, just all around). Star Wars fans go find the Yoda fountain on the Presidio. Drive or walk down Lombard. Time to go north, hit Napa, Mendocino, Muir Woods, Bodega Bay, etc. With kids, Exploratorium, Steinhart Aquarium, over to the east bay for the Oakland Zoo or Lindsay Museum. South would of aim for Santa Cruz (Boardwalk, etc), Half Moon Bay, and Monterey (including the aquarium and Canary Row) and Carmel (old Carmel).” -- pequele90 (via Instagram)
“Swim with some of the local swim groups! Make new swim friends.” -- Colleen Haraden (via Instagram)