In over 20 years of living in the San Francisco Bay Area I'd never been to Alcatraz – in fact, I'd never even considered it. In true, "superior local" fashion I had quietly smirked whenever visiting friends suggested making the trip. Alcatraz or, "the rock" as it's affectionately known, seemed like an offensive tourist trap, not dissimilar to the hideous Pier 39 (Fisherman's Wharf) from where the ferries to the old prison depart.

So when, at the age of 25, I found myself aboard a ferry, chugging swiftly toward the island, smack in the middle of San Francisco bay, I couldn't quite believe I'd let myself get duped into it. At least the ride was beautiful, i thought to myself as i admired the Golden Gate bridge spanning the bay to the west.

With my expectations about as low as they could possibly get, I disembarked and climbed up the hill to the prison buildings, which perch on top of the small rocky islet. Enterting the fortified stone structure with a crowd of school children I decided to go for the whole shebang - headset audiotour and all - if you're gonna be a tourist, why not be unabashed about it.

And this is where my opinion began to change. Read by actors and even some ex-inmates, the tour was extremely informative and entertaining. It directed me into the main cell blocks and i was walked through the strange and fascinating history of this maximum security prison as i wended my way through dining hall, exercise yard and guards' quarters.

Being inside a prison was an eye-opening experience. I alternated between sympathy for the prisoners when i saw the size of their cells and listened to the methods they would use to endure solitary confinement and outrage against them when i heard about riots against the guards and hazing of new inmates. I wrestled with the inhumanity of imprisonment versus the heinous crimes that many of "the rock's" famous inmates had committed: notorious gangsters Al Capone and George "machine gun" Kelly both served time here. It was captivating.

And while at first I would only grudgingly admit to having enjoyed my trip to Alcatraz, I'd certainly learned my lesson. I'll never again write a place off just because it's touristy. Sure, some tourist traps are just a commercially-driven waste of time, I'd be the first to subscribe to that belief. But on the other hand, a lot of tourist destinations attain their fame because they're actually pretty cool. You'll only miss out by acting superior.

So get on that ferry and go hear the tales of the Bird Man of Alcatraz, you certainly won't regret it.