Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco, California

Address:San Francisco, California

Take a walk across a true San Francisco icon and internationally recognized symbol of California. Ponder the magnitude of the International Orange-colored, magnificent American engineering achievement.
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge which spans the opening of the San Francisco Bay onto the Pacific Ocean, aka the Golden Gate. When it was completed in 1937, this bridge had the longest suspension bridge span in the world. Residential architect, Irving Morrow, was responsible for the unique shape of the bridge towers, the lighting and elements such as the streetlights, railing, and walkways which have an Art Deco feel and make the structure so artistic. Its iconic energy comes from the single span, spidery bracing cables and zooming twin towers. Only a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge will make sure you appreciate it's size and height, where mid-span is 220 feet above the water's surface and makes the ships below literally look like toy boats. The best time to visit and walk across is on a clear day, if you can manage it in foggy San Fran, and be sure to allow an hour for your adventure. If arriving from the South (the San Francisco Side), park at Vista Point where you'll also find restrooms, a cafe, a gift shop and an exhibit which shows a cool cross-section of a bridge cable. Or, if you like, City Guides offers regular, free walking tours where you can learn all sorts of fun trivia about the famous Golden Gate Bridge.