The Golden Gate Bridge has drawn numerous tourists for decades. They can also cross the Art Deco style bridge on foot. Because in addition to the lanes for traffic, the beauty also has a pedestrian crossing on the bay side in the east. For a walk over the span of 1,280 kilometers there and back, you should plan around 1.5 hours as a pedestrian. The bike path invites you to cross the bridge over the water of the Pacific on two wheels.
The right weather to visit
According to acronymmonster, the Golden Gate Bridge in the fog is a sight known from many pictures. However, it is not necessarily the desired view if you visit the attraction live on site. After all, you don’t want to enjoy the technical wonder hidden under gray, but in all its red splendor. So it is best to pay attention to the weather before you set out on the trail of the gold prospectors and the dreamers of the hippie era to this place.
The best time to visit the beauty is to choose a day without fog, which is why the months of April to June are considered the best season. In midsummer and fall, the Golden Gate Bridge can be shrouded in fog throughout your vacation. Hot air from the Sierra Nevada meets humid, cool air from the Pacific and this is how the mystical fog forms. Outside of the city it can also be a few degrees warmer than in San Francisco itself. The urban areas in the east are consistently sunnier and less affected by fog.
It is also worth having the bridge with a span of 1,280 meters, the high towers and the main cables with a diameter of 92 centimeters in the frame a guided tour to visit. These are offered, for example, on foot, by catamaran or helicopter.
And if you want, you can also rent bicycles at the southern end of the bridge and, instead of walking, cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge from the south.
Tip: visit San Francisco on New Year’s Eve. A unique opportunity to take photos of the gigantic bridge with magnificent fireworks in the background!
Which sights can I combine with a visit to the bridge?
There are many things to see in San Francisco, so you can easily spend a day or several here. There are also many opportunities for worthwhile activities and excursions around the bay.
- Alcatraz: Take boat tours on the water in San Francisco Bay. Among other things, to Alcatraz. The world-famous Prison Island on San Francisco Bay has not always been a prison – you can learn all that and much more about The Rock on a guided tour.
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area with the Marin Headlands: The Golden Gate National Recreation Areas join on both banks. After walking across the bridge, why not take another lap through one of the largest parks in an urban setting?
The Marin Headlands are located directly behind the gigantic bridge. They are an excellent vantage point and offer a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge in all its glory, the view of the San Francisco skyline and, in the distance, the view of Alcatraz and the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge. An excellent place to stretch your legs a bit as a pedestrian and at the same time to take one or two great photos from this beautiful vantage point. You have a nice view from Conzelman Road.
- Fort Point: The Fort Point National Historic Site is located under the southern bridge route and can look back on a long history. The fort was built by Spanish settlers in 1793, but was initially transferred to the Mexicans in 1821 and then to the United States in 1848. Over time, the fort was repeatedly used for defense purposes and soldiers were stationed there by the War Ministry. The historic site should have been demolished when the bridge was built, but luckily it could be preserved.
- Bay Bridge: If you want to explore another famous bridge in San Francisco besides the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, you should definitely include the Bay Bridge in your plans, which connects San Francisco and Oakland.
- Vista Point: You can reach the viewpoint if you drive out of town and take the appropriate junction. A great place to take pictures of the bridge’s pavement.
How to get to the Golden Gate Bridge
- By car: Simply follow the signs by car or rental car. Getting to the bridge from anywhere in San Francisco is not difficult. Attention: A toll is payable for crossing the bridge designed by Strauss. The toll is $ 8 per vehicle. If you drive the road with the vehicle in the direction out of town, no toll is due. The toll revenues serve to secure the maintenance of the bridge.
- By bus: From Union Square, take the 38 bus first and change to the 28 bus at the Park Presidio stop, which goes to the bridge. Another option is to take line 30 from Kearny and Market Street to the final stop (Palace of Fine Arts) and then walk as a pedestrian along Crissy Field or the beach to the Golden Gate Bridge.
