Alcatraz reopens after government shutdown

"I have to say pretty much everyone in the National Park Service is really excited to be back at work today," she said. "We are much better at welcoming people into their national parks than keeping them out of them."

Picavet says the park sold 1,600 tickets for Alcatraz within the first hour after re-opening for reservations.

Kelly and Victor Jayrow, who were visiting from Edgewood, Texas, said they rushed to buy tickets after hearing that the national parks had re-opened.

"We knew that it was closed and we were very disappointed," said Kelly Jayrow. "And so we watched the news this morning and found out it was open and decided to come down and try to get a ticket."