Colleen Lapos and her husband were visiting from Ohio at the time, and had to skip out on Alcatraz because all the National Parks were closed.
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"We were here five years ago for our 30th anniversary and everything, all the parks were closed, Alcatraz was closed and it was disappointing," explained Lapos.
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Today, they finally made it to Alcatraz. This time they brought her mother along.
During the last shutdown in January, privately run ferries to the island ran on a reduce schedule. That may be the case again, if there is another shutdown.
"We're not sure, everyone is kind of in limbo. It just comes at a very tricky time obviously, it's the weekend before the holidays but even with that shutdown looming, our executive staff and crew are on standby and we are going to be waiting for further instructions," said Antonnette Sespene, director of Sales for Alcatraz Cruises.
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Most national parks are expected to remain open, but those facilities like visitor centers that require staff would close.
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A small part of the Presidio is managed by the National Park Service.
Last year while the Warming Hut Café remained open, it had limited hours of operation.
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The rest of the park is managed by the Presidio Trust. Presidio Trust is a federal agency, but because it doesn't receive taxpayer support, it is never affected by a shutdown. It will not only remain open, but the staff will help support the facilities within the National Park Service.
"That bathrooms are open to the public, that trash cans get emptied, and that parking lots are available so that people can come on down and enjoy the park and everything we have to offer," said Patrick Hannan of the Presidio Trust.
Federal courts, airport security checkpoints, and post offices will remain open, and members of Congress will continue to be paid.