Sweeping, expansive, beautiful. Such are a few of the common reactions to the Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco’s most recognizable landmark. According to the official Golden Gate Bridge , it’s estimated that approximately 10 million people visit the bridge each year.
Regarded as one the most beautiful cities in the world, San Francisco’s “sights” like the Golden Gate Bridge make that a certain honor each year. The bridge, spanning 90 feet wide, 746 feet high, and 8,981 feet in total length, features a one span alone that measures 4,200 feet.
Completed in 1937, the Gate was at the time, the longest suspension bridge in the world. Today, it is surpassed by only one other in the United States (Verranzano-Narrows Bridge) and five others worldwide. And no, your eyes are not seeing things. The Golden Gate Bridge is not golden, but rather, International Orange (orange vermillion) – though it appears red.
A Visitor Must:
While there are many things to do and see in San Francisco during a stay, from the lush greenery of Golden Gate Park to the latest styles of Union Square to the hipness of Fillmore Street, a definite “must” experience remains the Golden Gate Bridge.It may rank third in the list of popular San Francisco attractions – behind Fisherman’s Wharf and the historic cable cars – but the bridge is a true stand-out. A postcard come to life and should always be near the top of any first-time visitor’s checklist. Whether you drive across it or walk the sidewalks, the impressive size and lovely view back to the city will prove memorable for sure.
Of course, there are better times to visit during the year. Specifically, when the fog isn’t providing a fluffy blanket to the surroundings, but still. How can you answer “no” to anyone who asks you upon your return: Did you visit the Bridge? “No?” Now, you could still experience this landmark by looking at it from afar, just like Alcatraz. “Yes, I saw it.” But it’s totally different to walk it, bike it, or take a stroll in the shadow of it (at Crissy Field).
A Gateway:
Spanning the Golden Gate, a 400-foot deep strait that takes the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge is part of U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1. Each day, it’s said that about 100,000 vehicles “sail” across it, with 40 million crossing annually. The toll is $5.Parking is available on the northeast and southeast sides of the bridge. On the southeast side, you’ll find a gift shop, the Roundhouse, a cafe, plus limited parking spaces, though it opens up on the weekends and holidays only with a nearby satellite lot. If you drive, you may find yourself queuing up for (a while) a space to open up. In the northeast lot however – accessible only from northbound U.S. 101 – there’s free parking (up to four hours).
Yet again, to truly experience the bridge, nothing compares to walking across it. In the summertime, bike rides across are common, but during other times on the year, just bundle up and set for a trek. It might be a bit long, but you’ve got time and it won’t seem it. Promise!
Note: There is no toll to walk the bridge, take the east sidewalk. April through October, hours are 5 a.m. – 9 p.m., and for the rest of the year, 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. Get their early and watch the sun rise. Get their in the evening and watch it set.
Got Everything? Check!
Comfortable shoes, a jacket (for those winds!), and a camera – for the views of the city, Alcatraz, Angel Island, and the Pacific Ocean and Bay.At last the mighty task is done;
Resplendent in the western sun
The Bridge looms mountain high;
Its titan piers grip ocean floor,
Its great steel arms link shore with shore,
Its towers pierce the sky.-- Excerpt from "The Mighty Task Is Done," a poem written by Chief Engineer Joseph Baermann Strauss, read on Opening Day, May 27, 1937.
