Golden Gate Bridge
Facts, Pictures, Reviews.

Read Golden Gate Bridge facts, take a glance at pictures, and read my experience on the infamous Golden Gate Bridge!

Night view of the Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is the ultimate tourist destination of San Francisco. It's the recognizable symbol of San Francisco because of its beautiful structure.

This is one of the world's popular tourist attractions because of the amazing experience you'll get from walking across it while overlooking the ocean, and the overall wonderful ambience of the bridge and surrounding landscapes.

Golden Gate Bridge Facts : The History



Daytime view of the Golden Gate Bridge

• The Golden Gate Bridge spans 1.7 miles, 8981 ft long, 90 feet wide, and 746 feet tall.

• The Golden Gate Bridge is the world's 9th longest suspension bridge.

• They began building around 1933 and eventually finished around 1937.

• The Golden Gate Bridge isn't gold. It's actually orange :).

• Then why is it called the GOLDEN Gate Bridge?

  -Because the Golden Gate Strait is the entrance between the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean.

• Unfortunately, since the bridge is 245 feet above the water, most people commit suicide on this bridge. Because of this, suicide prevention was initiated, in which suspecting jumpers can be reported through a telephone provided on the bridge.

• If the Golden Gate Bridge had to be rebuilt, it would cost about 1 billion dollars!

• Plenty of cars cross the bridge on a daily basis, but so do bikers and pedestrians. There is of course, a special lane made for those wishing to walk through the bridge, with shoulders/side walls protecting them.

• The Golden Gate Bridge has only been closed 3 times since it opened: Dec 1951, 1982, and 1983 due to fast winds!

• To learn more Golden Gate Bridge facts on its history, please visit History.com-Golden Gate Bridge Opens.

  Golden Gate Bridge Facts : The Attraction

  

  This is the entrance to the Golden Gate Bridge from the Southeast parking lot

  The toll to cross the Golden Gate Bridge is $6; $3 with carpool (on weekdays, from 5-9 am and 4-6 pm.)

  The Golden Gate Bridge is located on Highway 101, connecting San Francisco and Marin County-Northern California.

  If you are driving, I suggest you refer to Yahoo Maps for Driving Directions to the Golden Gate Bridge.

  If you are taking public transportation, I suggest you first go to Fisherman's Wharf or Pier 39 and Take Muni, Routes 10/28. You can also ask the friendly driver to guide you there :).

  Parking: You can park on the South lot. The South lot can be reached on the last exit of Highway 101, just before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The exit sign should say Golden Gate National Recreational Area View Area. Right after exiting, turn left.

  How much is parking?: Parking is paid through a meter, which is $1.00/hour (not bad for SF parking).

  There is no entrance fee to walk across the actual bridge.

  It can be crowded at times, mostly during the weekends and weekday afternoons, so plan accordingly.

  It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk throughout the entire length of the bridge.

  Dogs, rollerblades, and skateboards are not allowed in the pedestrian sidewalk.

  There is a snackbar near the parking lot and is open from 9:30-5pm.

  There is a shopping center that will be open on April 2012 called the Bridge Pavilion to sell souvenirs and other merchandise.

  The pedestrian/cyclist sidewalks are open only during daylight due to safety precautions.

  What is there to do on the Golden Gate Bridge?

  

  Walk along the whole length of the bridge and enjoy the view of the bay. This will take you roughly 20 minutes, depending on your pace!

  Rent a bike and bike along the bridge and park area.

  On the Northeast side of the bridge, you can visit the Lone Sailor Memorial, where you'll see statues and other historical pieces.

  Go to Fort Point, which is on the south side of the Golden Gate, at the entrance of San Francisco Bay. If you are parked in the Southeast parking lot, just follow the road down.

  In Fort Point, walk along the side of the ocean waves, enjoy and take pictures from the view below the Golden Gate Bridge, as can be seen below:

  

  Take a walk through the garden of the Southeast area of the bridge (Don't worry, there will be signs pointing you to areas that might be of interest to you).

  

  Here's a view of the bridge from the garden on the Southeast side of the bridge near the parking lot

  If you're wondering how the walk along the bridge will be like, take this virtual bridge walk.

  My Experience

  

  My boyfriend and I :)

  Visiting the Golden Gate Bridge was an amazing experience because it allowed me to overlook the ocean from such an amazing structure. The view of the bridge from Fort Point and the view of the ocean from the bridge were quite mesmerizing.

  It was also quite an adventure getting there. Thank goodness for my smartphone and GPS, we were able to find the bridge and where to even park! We parked on the southeast lot as I mentioned above.

  When we went there, there were plenty of tourists, (and locals biking) visiting on that weekend afternoon, but luckiliy, we were still able to find parking.

  We first grabbed something to eat at the snackbar located near the parking lot (I suggest you buy the caramelized popcorn and a cup of coffee as it may get chilly, hehe). I also suggest you go to the restroom first-which is a turn away from the snackbar before entering the bridge.

  When I was walking along the bridge, I couldn't help but think of just how many people unfortunately jumped off of it. So that kind of raised a couple of goosebumps. It's not open during the night anyway but a few friends of mine decided to stupidly go there at night and said they ran their butts off the bridge 'cuz they thought they saw a ghost. Eek!

  I personally enjoyed walking along the bridge because the sights just leave you in awe. The Golden Gate Bridge is a monstrous beauty. However, what I didn't like was the fact that it was quite crowded that day, and a few people bumped into me. So I suggest you do not go on a weekend, unless absolutely necessary, hehe.

  Overall, it's well worth visiting this iconic symbol!

  More Golden Gate Bridge Facts:

  Until April 2012, parking is very limited as there well be construction that will be occurring in that area. I suggest you take public transportation to get to the Golden Gate Bridge.

  To plan your trip using public transportation, please visit the Transit Trip Planner.

  You can also go to GoldenGate.Org for more information.

  See you around,

  -Trixie
  Your friendly, local SF travel guide ;).

  Golden Gate Bridge Facts

  Did you know?

  The Golden Gate Bridge was featured in several movies such as Star Trek, X-Men, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Superman!

  I hope you learned something from reading some Golden Gate Bridge facts, and I certainly hope you visit this wonderful location on your next visit to San Francisco! This should actually be your first stop :).

  Some of these Golden Gate Bridge Facts were obtained from outside sources such as Wikipedia.com and GoldenGateBridge.org.