San Francisco Is a fantastic holiday destination and im sure if this is your first time to the city you will have an amazing time. There are lots of
things to do in San Francisco, i would recommend you check out Pier 39, China Town, Lombard Street and Union Square. You mentioned a visit to Alcatraz which is also a great day out. To get to Alcatraz you simple purchase tickets at Pier 39. This is also where you will catch the ferry to take you to the island. Most of the time it is ok to buy tickets on the day but as with most of these things i would recommend buying them inadvance to avoid any problems.
When you look at the San Francisco pages of the website you will find useful links regarding things like
accommodation and
car hire which you may find helpful when planning your vacation. You mention that you are looking for a good deal when you book so i would suggest you have a look at the pages on
Cheap San Francisco Hotels. There are a fee hotels describes there and all are within a short distance of San Francisco's most popular attractions. I hope this helps and you have a fantastic time.