must-visit in San FranciscoSquare & Landmark

Golden Gate Bridge

📍 Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA (Battery St, San Francisco)

1 photos

4.7/ 5.0

★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location: USA, San Francisco
Category: Square & Landmark
Duration: 30-45 minutes to walk the 2.7 km crossing, about 1.5-2 hours for a round trip with photos
Opening Hours: Pedestrians use the east sidewalk only: 5 am to 9 pm in daylight time, 5 am to 6:30 pm in standard time, gates close automatically. Cyclists 24 hours
Ticket Price: Adult: Free · Walking and cycling are free. Driving is charged southbound only: from July 1, 2026 USD 10.25 FasTrak, 10.50 by plate, 11.25 invoice. No booths, all-electronic; northbound free
Address: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA (Battery St, San Francisco)
Coordinates: 37.8199, -122.4783

Introduction

The Golden Gate Bridge opened on May 27, 1937 across the strait between San Francisco and Marin County, and is among the most photographed bridges in the world. It runs about 2,737 metres end to end with a main span of 1,280 metres, its towers rising 227 metres above the water, and each main cable containing 27,572 wires. Chief engineer Joseph B. Strauss stood under five feet tall and proposed an ungainly hybrid design; the structure was really the work of University of Illinois professor Charles Alton Ellis, who went uncredited until a plaque was added to the south tower in 2012. The safety net strung under the deck during construction saved 19 men who fell; 11 others died. The International Orange paint is not an oil company's name but a warm orange-red chosen by architect Irving Morrow for visibility in heavy fog, overriding both a US Navy proposal for black-and-yellow hazard stripes and an Army Air Corps plan for red-and-white candy stripes. Walking and cycling are both possible: pedestrians use only the east sidewalk, which faces the city and takes in the skyline, Alcatraz and Angel Island, while the two sidewalks are shared with cyclists on a rotating timetable. The sidewalks are about 3 metres wide and take wheelchairs and strollers. A stainless-steel suicide-deterrent net below the walkways was completed in early 2024; deaths fell to four in 2025 from an average of about 22 a year since 1937. The south end has the visitor centre and Fort Point, a Civil War brick fort directly beneath the south anchorage and the only place to look straight up at the bridge's underside, while Vista Point and Battery Spencer on the Marin side frame the full span against the city skyline.

✨ Highlights

1,280 m Span, 227 m Towers

The bridge runs about 2,737 metres with a 1,280-metre main span and towers standing 227 metres above the water. Each main cable contains 27,572 individual wires, making it a defining suspended span of the 20th century

Why International Orange

Irving Morrow chose the warm orange-red for visibility in sea fog, overriding a US Navy proposal for black-and-yellow hazard stripes and an Army Air Corps plan for red-and-white candy stripes

A Bridge You Can Walk Across

Walking and cycling are free. Pedestrians use only the east sidewalk - 5 am to 9 pm in daylight time, 5 am to 6:30 pm in standard time, with gates closing automatically - while cyclists have 24-hour access. The sidewalks are about 3 metres wide and take wheelchairs and strollers

27,572 Wires and an Erased Engineer

Charles Alton Ellis did most of the structural calculations but went publicly uncredited until a plaque was added to the south tower in 2012. The construction net saved 19 men who fell, while 11 others died

The 2024 Safety Net

A stainless-steel suicide-deterrent net now hangs below the walkways. Deaths fell to four in 2025 from an average of roughly 22 a year since 1937 - the most direct effect of the net

Photo Spots at Both Ends

The south end has the visitor centre and Fort Point, the only place to look straight up at the underside, plus Baker Beach for water-level shots. Vista Point and Battery Spencer on the Marin side frame the full span against the skyline, often with fog filling the bay behind the towers in the morning

🛈 Practical Info

→Time Needed：30-45 minutes to walk the 2.7 km crossing; 1.5-2 hours for a round trip with photos

→Wind and Warmth：The strait is windy and can run 10 degrees or more below the city, with gusts above 30 mph even on clear days

→Viewpoints：South visitor centre and Fort Point, north Vista Point and Battery Spencer, and Baker Beach each give a different angle

→Parking and Buses：South visitor lot is USD 5 per hour, 3-hour limit and often full at weekends; Vista Point and Marin Headlands are free; Muni 28 and 29 serve the bridge

→Opening Hours：Pedestrians use the east sidewalk only: 5 am to 9 pm in daylight time, 5 am to 6:30 pm in standard time, gates close automatically. Cyclists 24 hours

→Transportation：By bus: Muni 28 and 29 plus Golden Gate Transit 101, 130 and 150 to the south end. South visitor lot is USD 5 per hour, 3-hour limit; Vista Point and the Marin Headlands lots are free

Ticket Information

Ticket Information
Adult	Free

Walking and cycling are free. Driving is charged southbound only: from July 1, 2026 USD 10.25 FasTrak, 10.50 by plate, 11.25 invoice. No booths, all-electronic; northbound free

💡 Tips

• The toll applies only when driving southbound into San Francisco; northbound to Marin is free. There are no toll booths - rental agencies usually add a fee, or you can pay by plate within 48 hours at goldengate.org

• The two sidewalks change roles by hour: pedestrians always use the east side, the west side is mostly cyclists by day, and night riders press a buzzer through a camera-monitored gate

• The safety net below the walkways was completed in early 2024 and has sharply reduced falls, but never loiter near the traffic lanes - the sidewalk is the safe place to be

• Fog is most common from June to August and often rolls in from the Pacific by mid-afternoon. Shoot late morning to midday for the full span, but the bridge can vanish into fog any time

• Pets are not allowed on the sidewalks (only service animals), and drones, e-scooters, roller blades and skateboards are all banned. Plan your transport before you arrive

• Riding across to Sausalito and returning by ferry is the classic half-day loop, with the ferry around USD 13.50. The bridge has no bike rental, so rent at Fisherman's Wharf or downtown

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Golden Gate Bridge?

Pedestrians use the east sidewalk only: 5 am to 9 pm in daylight time, 5 am to 6:30 pm in standard time, gates close automatically. Cyclists 24 hours

How much is the admission for Golden Gate Bridge?

Adult: Free; Walking and cycling are free. Driving is charged southbound only: from July 1, 2026 USD 10.25 FasTrak, 10.50 by plate, 11.25 invoice. No booths, all-electronic; northbound free

Any practical tips for visiting Golden Gate Bridge?

The toll applies only when driving southbound into San Francisco; northbound to Marin is free. There are no toll booths - rental agencies usually add a fee, or you can pay by plate within 48 hours at goldengate.org The two sidewalks change roles by hour: pedestrians always use the east side, the west side is mostly cyclists by day, and night riders press a buzzer through a camera-monitored gate

How long should I spend at Golden Gate Bridge?

A typical visit takes 30-45 minutes to walk the 2.7 km crossing, about 1.5-2 hours for a round trip with photos.

Hours and tolls follow the Bridge District's September 2026 guidance. Tolls rise again on July 1, 2027, and events or works can change sidewalk access, so confirm at goldengate.org.