Introduction:
What? : One of the
most beautiful vista points in America, the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco skyline
on the other side of the bay, the north section of the inner bay and Alcatraz island.
Where? : Just north of
the Golden Gate Bridge, first exit on your right. This vista point is in Sausalito.
Google Map Link
Due note 1: Accessible
only for bridge northbound traffic, you can merge back into highway 101 north.
Due note 2: Free parking
(4 hour limit); This location can be crowded especially on weekends; you may
find parking lot full so wait until you locate an available parking.
Due note 3: During busy
days (weekend) the north parking lot may be close 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, come
early.
Due note 4: You need to
pay the Bridge toll only when driving southbound into San Francisco.
Due note 5: Anyone who has
spent time in San Francisco will be well acquainted with the haze that descends
over the city on an almost on a daily basis. This means you are not guaranteed
views of the Golden Gate Bridge even on sunny days. June, July and August tend
to be the worst months for fog, although it often breaks the mid-afternoons.
Due note 6: Car break-ins
are common in San Francisco so make sure nothing is visible and that your car
is locked when you leave it. Don’t leave anything important in your car that
you can’t afford to lose.
My thoughts: This is a must
stop when heading north of San Francisco.
The visit:
Millions of
people come to this vista point to see the Golden Gate Bridge every year, and
it’s easy to see why.
This iconic huge
reddish suspension bridge symbol, which spans the entrance to the San Francisco
Bay from the Pacific Ocean, is a true engineering marvel.
It is one of
the most visited attractions and visitors love photographing it and walking
across it.
There are many
other places that overlook the bridge, but this north side location is probably
the best one and the easiest to access.
The bridge view
is just in front of you, the city of San Francisco bay front and skyline on the
other side of the bay create an amazing view, especially at sunrise and sunset.
During busy
visitor seasons the north Vista Point parking lot can be closed during the day,
park at the southern end of the Bridge (San Francisco side) and then walk 2
miles across the Bridge to the Vista Point, hike back the 1.8 mils to your car.
Some facts about the bridge:
Construction
began in 1933. The Golden Gate Bridge project was completed in 1937.
Tower’s height
is 746 feet (227 meters) above the water and 500 feet (152 meters) above the
roadway.
Two main cables
pass over the tops of the main towers and are secured in concrete anchorages at
each end. Each cable is made of 27,572 strands of wire. There are 80,000 miles
(129,000 kilometers) of wire in the two main cables. Cable diameter is 0.92 meters,
and their length is 7,260 feet (2,332 meters).
Average
crossings: About 41 million per year, As of July 2019, 2.1 billion vehicles
have crossed the Golden Gate Bridge (northbound and southbound) since the
bridge opened for traffic on May 28, 1937.
Walk onto the
Golden Gate Bridge if you can.
You can't
really appreciate the size unless you've walked on it, at least a little way.
At mid-span, the bridge stand 220 feet above the water's surface and passing
ships below look like small toys. Pedestrians are allowed only on the east
(city side) sidewalk, during daylight hours.
Dogs are
allowed as long as they are on a leash at all times
Map:
https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/map_MAHE_150429web.pdf
Pictures:
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