From Betsy Malloy,
Your Guide to California Travel.
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• Hours: Open to auto and bicycle traffic 24 hours, pedestrians during daylight hours
• Cost: Automobile toll southbound only
• Location: West side of San Francisco on U. S. 101, directions below
• How Long: Allow half an hour to visit one of the vista points, an hour or more if you walk on it
• Best Time to Visit: Especially nice on a clear, still day
• See It Now: Photo Tour

Golden Gate Bridge Vista Points

These are the two spots most popular with Golden Gate Bridge tourists:

South (San Francisco Side) Vista Point: Parking here is metered (one dollar per hour, payable in coins only), and there are only 81 parking spaces. You'll find restrooms, a gift shop, cafe, and an exhibit showing the cross-section of a cable.

If you find this parking lot full, or want to spend more time than the meters will allow, there are two options:

• Drive away from the bridge and turn left out of the parking lot onto Lincoln. You will find gravel lot not far down on your left. If you are approaching from the Presidio on Lincoln, the lot is just across from the two-story houses that were once the Presidio officer's quarters.
• Weekends and holidays ONLY, you'll find more parking in a nearby satellite lot on the southwest side at a rate of $5 per day

North (Marin Side) Vista Point: Parking here is free up to four hours, and there are restrooms. This lot is accessible only from northbound US 101.

Experiencing the Golden Gate Bridge

Walk onto the Golden Gate Bridge if you can. You can't really appreciate the size and height unless you've walked on it, at least a little way. At mid-span you are 220 feet above the water's surface, and passing ships below look like small toys. The distance from one vista point to another is 1.7 miles a fun round trip if you're up to it, but even a short walk will be interesting.

Pedestrians are allowed only on the east (city side) sidewalk, during daylight hours, and pets are not allowed for safety reasons.

Guided Tours: Many San Francisco tour operators include the Golden Gate Bridge in their tour itineraries, but most allow only a few minutes to get out at the south vista point. City Guides offers regular, free walking tours. Stroll with them and learn who named it, how the structure cheated the law of concrete and steel, and what members of the Halfway to Hell club did to join it.

Review

We rate the Golden Gate Bridge 5 stars out of 5. It's an iconic San Francisco sight and one of the world's most beautiful spans. To get the most out of it, go for a walk so you can fully appreciate the magnitude of the engineering achievement.

Others may disagree. You can see what other people just like you think about it, then bookmark this page and after you've been there, come back and tell us what you think.

What do you think of the Golden Gate Bridge???

• 0 = Yuck! Just say no to this flea-bitten hole of a tourist trap
• 1 = So-So More fun than a night in jail, but you might enjoy a good nap more
• 2 = OK Some people find it interesting, but I didn't
• 3 = Good Go if you have time, but it's not a big deal if you miss it
• 4 = Great I really liked it, and I think you will, too
• 5 = Awesome! It's a must-see sight that I recommend to everyone

Getting to the Golden Gate Bridge

You can see the Golden Gate Bridge from many points in San Francisco, but if you want to get a closer look, there are a lot of ways to do it.

Golden Gate Bridge by Automobile: Follow the signs from anywhere in the city, taking Lombard Street (US 101) west. To reach the south vista point, take the exit marked "Last SF Exit," just before you get to the toll booths. You can avoid busy traffic by taking Lincoln Avenue through the Presidio.

Golden Gate Bridge by Trolley: City Sightseeing's "Hop On Hop Off" double-decker buses stop here as well as other sights. Other similar-sounding services do not stop at as many places or offer as much flexibility. To save time and ensure that you won't find them sold out, order your tickets from Viator.com. They guarantee the best price, and you get a print-at-home voucher right away.

Golden Gate Bridge by Bus: San Francisco Muni's #28 and 29 buses go to the south side. Consult the Muni System map to plan your trip.

Golden Gate Bridge by Bicycle: Bicycles can use the Golden Gate Bridge from 5 or 6 AM (depending on the season), but which sidewalk they're allowed on varies on daily schedule. You can find several bicycle rental companies around Fisherman's Wharf, and most will give you a map and instructions on how to bike across the bridge to Sausalito and return by ferry.

Next > More Golden Gate Bridge Vista Points | Golden Gate Bridge Facts | Golden Gate Bridge History