South (San Francisco) Side
- South Vista Point: The best "postcard" views are from above the bridge on the San Francisco side. Access it from the "Last SF Exit" off the approach road, or from Lincoln Avenue. Try your Golden Gate bridge photo from the bus stop above the parking lot (70-mm lens).
- Fort Point: The historic fort at the base of the south end of the bridge is a good place for a long, low Golden Gate Bridge photo with the bridge receding into the distance. Reach it from Lincoln Avenue. If you're not embarrassed about getting down on your tummy, the hillside flowers make interesting foreground accents.
- Lincoln Avenue and Baker Beach: There are many nice views of the bridge from the ocean side along Lincoln Avenue. Turn right out of the south vista point parking lot onto Lincoln. Baker Beach is a good place for a view and Golden Gate Bridge photo from water level, but be aware that part of Baker Beach is a nude beach.
On the Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge photos taken straight up the towers are interesting. If you're in a convertible or a car with a sunroof, and traffic is going slowly enough, try taking a picture straight up the towers, but be careful not to distract your driver and cause an accident. Photograph both sides of the tower - one will probably be better lit than the other.North (Marin) Side
- Marin Headlands: On the north side of the bridge, your Golden Gate Bridge photo will show the city with the bridge in the foreground. Exit Highway 101 on Alexander, turn left onto Battery and go under the freeway, then just before the road joins the highway going back across the bridge, turn right onto Conzelman Road. There are several places to stop on the hill, and each has a different perspective. In the fog, you can get a Golden Gate Bridge photo with the towers rising above it, and on a clear night, this is the best place for a night view.
- Fort Baker: Exit Highway 101 on Alexander, but go east instead of west into the Marin Headlands, go down the hill and follow the first road on your right into this former military complex. From here, you're looking up at the bridge from near its base.
More: Visiting the Golden Gate Bridge | Golden Gate Bridge Facts | Golden Gate Bridge History
