Location 01Alcatraz Island
California, San Francisco Ticketed
Filmed here: Exteriors, courtyard, prison areas including cell blocks and exercise yard; main setting for takeover and infiltration scenes
Alcatraz is the film's defining location. Exteriors, the courtyard, cell blocks, and the exercise yard all appear as the setting for the takeover and the infiltration. Filming lasted six weeks, six days a week, with up to 40,000 daily tourists passing through during production. The island requires a ticketed ferry, officially operated by Alcatraz City Cruises, which should be booked in advance. Allow 3 to 4 hours, dress warmly, and note that tours run daily.
Location 02Palace of Fine Arts
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: Mason's reunion/meeting with estranged daughter Jade
The rotunda and grounds of the Palace of Fine Arts served as the backdrop for Mason's reunion with his estranged daughter Jade, one of the film's quieter moments. Today the site is free to visit, with street parking available on surrounding streets. It pairs naturally with a walk through nearby Crissy Field, making it an easy stop on a San Francisco filming location route.
Location 03Fairmont San Francisco
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: Penthouse scenes including haircut and balcony sequence
The Fairmont's penthouse hosted the famous haircut scene and the balcony sequence, a stunt so convincing that real passersby called in reports believing it was not a movie. The hotel remains a historic Nob Hill landmark. The lobby and public areas are accessible to visitors, so anyone can step inside and picture Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage upstairs.
Location 04Golden Gate National Cemetery
California, San Bruno Free to see
Filmed here: Opening sequence; General Hummel visits wife's grave
The film opens at this national cemetery in San Bruno, where General Hummel visits his wife's grave and sets the entire plot in motion. The cemetery is open to the public and reachable by car or public transit. As an active national cemetery, it calls for a respectful visit, but film fans can recognize the opening shots immediately.
Location 05Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard
California, San Francisco Outside only
Filmed here: Helicopter takeoff scene with SEALs
This former naval site in San Francisco provided the helicopter takeoff scene with the SEALs. Public access is limited, since the shipyard is a decommissioned military property, so the practical approach is viewing from nearby areas. There is little formal tourist infrastructure here, which makes it a location for completists rather than casual visitors.
Location 06Pacific Avenue & Jones Street (New Russian Hill Market area)
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: Car chase sequence and trolley explosion
The film's runaway car chase and the trolley explosion played out through these busy North Beach streets. The sequence required hundreds of permits and ranked among the hardest to film in the entire production. Visitors can drive or walk the route today, though the streets are busy, so walking sections of it is often the better way to take in the geography.
Location 07War Memorial Veterans Building
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: Mason brought to negotiate with FBI
Mason is brought to this Civic Center building to negotiate with the FBI. It is part of the larger Civic Center complex, and while the interest is mainly in the exterior views, the surrounding plaza and City Hall make the area worth a short stop on any downtown filming location walk.
Location 08611 W 37th Street
California, San Pedro Outside only
Filmed here: Jade's house; Stanley sees Jade leave
This San Pedro address stood in for Jade's house, where Stanley watches her leave. It is a private residence, so access is exterior only and viewing from the street is the limit. Fans traveling through the Los Angeles harbor area can swing by, but there is nothing beyond the facade itself to see.
Location 09Rosslyn Hotel
California, Los Angeles Outside only
Filmed here: Goodspeed's apartment scenes (standing in for Washington DC)
This historic downtown Los Angeles hotel appears as the exterior of Goodspeed's apartment, standing in for Washington DC. The building is a recognizable piece of downtown LA history. As with most private buildings, the visit is limited to exterior views, and it sits within easy walking distance of other downtown Los Angeles filming locations.
Location 10Millennium Biltmore Hotel
California, Los Angeles Free to see
Filmed here: Fairmont stand-in for some interior scenes
The Biltmore served as a stand-in for the Fairmont for some interior scenes, proving that even the film's San Francisco hotel sequences were partly shot in Los Angeles. The hotel's public areas are accessible, and its grand interiors give visitors a sense of the spaces seen on screen. It sits a few blocks from the Rosslyn Hotel, making the two an easy pairing.
Location 11Civic Center Plaza
California, San Francisco Free to see
Filmed here: FBI command and related city scenes
This public plaza near San Francisco City Hall hosted the FBI command scenes and related city sequences. Its location beside the War Memorial Veterans Building means film fans can cover both in one short walk through the Civic Center complex. As an open public space, it requires no ticket or arrangement.
Location 12Ventura area
California, Ventura Free to see
Filmed here: Stand-in for Fort Walton, Kansas
The Ventura area on the California coast stood in for Fort Walton, Kansas, in the film. There is no single landmark to seek out here; the appeal is the general coastal scenery that doubled for the Midwest. Travelers already exploring the coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco can note the connection as they pass through.
