I must admit I was quite disappointed with the Golden Gate Bridge before I went to visit it. For the week before I went to the visitor center and crossed over the bridge itself, I could never even see the structure due to the thick fog that forms around it each and every day. I had seen the orange structure in movies and television shows, but I was very dismayed when I could not see it for myself. The fog is formed by the warm and humid Pacific air meeting the cold water of the bay almost at the point where the bridge spans. This is the reason why the bridge was painted the orange color to begin with.

When I did visit the visitor center (open from 8:30am to 7:30pm each day) on the Marin County side of the bridge, I was pleasantly surprised by the interesting facts and history that surround the structure. I wasn't quite as let down about not being able to see the bridge anymore. What I found particularly interesting was the information about painting and work on the bridge, which is continuously ongoing. These workers brave the fog and extreme heights to keep the roads and structure safe without having to close it down ever for repairs.

When I finally did leave Marin County by crossing the Golden Gate Bridge itself, I was even more pleasantly surprised. Though you could not see the bridge unless you were on it that day due to the fog, it was quite striking to see the beautiful orange Art Deco towers emerging from the mist as you made your way over. Though I never did get to see the bridge in its entirety from the distance, the trip over it more than made up for this.

I have three answers to the above questions.

Marina Boulevard was the road leading to Lincoln Breachery. On a clear day, we sauntered down the silvery sheened velvet beaches and let the tepid waves from the sea lap over our soft feet. In the distance, Golden Gate Bridge was mounted across the bay, with cirrus clouds hovering low over the rolling rounded hills. Breathe in deeply. Inhale the fresh crisp air surrounding you. If you long for a rest, bring along a towel, roll it out, and lie back on the beach. The feeling is just as good as doing a Thai massage in a cabana. In a matter of minutes, rhythmic waves tapping against the shore and the saltish light breeze lull you into deep slumber.

Pick up your stuff and dust the sand off your pants. It was an hour later. The first sight after opening my eyes was Golden Gate Bridge, with passing vehicles like busy ants riding on it. Get ready for the next destination.

Here we are. Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point was just right after crossing the bridge. On the right, there was a huge parking lot catering to bulky tour buses and private cars for this scenic view. It was an unparalleled lookout to Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate strait, the skylines of the city, and again, the endless mountains on the sides. "WOOOW!" The place was so dazzling and unbelievable that I told my husband I could stay there forever and never get sick of it. For the entire trip, we visited this place three times, and I knew it was quite nerdy of me.

Along the bridge itself, there was a sidewalk whereby walkers/cyclists could enjoy the bridge from the start to the end point. But it was going to be a grueling one because of the relentless wind blowing from the bay, as well as the length of the bridge, which was about 9,266 feet (overall length) or 4,200 feet (span length). We stepped onto the bridge and experienced the reverberations of it that could not be felt through driving.

Have you thought of viewing the Golden Gate Bridge at night? It must be beautiful. Yes, indeed, it was. Around twilight or before sunset, Battery Spencer (located on the opposite side of Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point on top of the hill) was crowded with visitors - normally photographers were there to catch the best glimpse of this modern marvel. On this windy night, they were waiting patiently for the perfect timing. Unlike them, we already started snapping our camera here and there. Just hope to get out of this windy place after a few nice shots.

Who cares about the timing for amateurs like us? After the street lamps along the bridge were lit up, we left, chattering.

I cannot really recall when I first became aware of San Francisco or the desire to visit this beautiful city, but I guess I must have seen pictures of the international orange Golden Gate Bridge sometime when I was small. Movies such as The Birds and Dirty Harry I only saw in my mid-twenties, while living in Japan (it is possible to see these movies at least three times per year, being broadcasted at all hours on Japan’s various networks). Finally seeing the bridge really made my day, and after many trips, I still enjoy both seeing and crossing the bridge as much as I did the first time.

Opened:
1937

Construction Cost:
$35 million ($1.2 billion in today’s money!)

Length:
1.7 miles

Suspension span:
4,200 feet

Towers:
746 feet

Toll:
$5 per car, southbound only

The Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco and Marin Head County to the north. It can be seen from many vantage points inside the city, but I prefer the views close up from the Marin Heads, looking back towards the city. Here a road with the most amazing views of the bridge, city, and Pacific Ocean hugs the hillside. Several vista points are available. I prefer the stops closest to the bridge, where it seems almost within touching distance. Driving further along the road, the panorama becomes wider, with the bridge increasingly playing a smaller part in the larger overall picture (the photos below were taken from the third and second viewing points. The first was slightly crowded, and we were in a hurry elsewhere).

To get to this road, turn right at the end of the Golden Gate Bridge when driving from San Francisco. Ignore the crowded vista point immediately next to the road and turn left at the first opportunity. Cross underneath the highway and then turn left again and veer to the right (or return straight back onto the bridge!). From here, enjoy the curvy road and several viewing points. If in a hurry, turn back before the road becomes one-way only. The one-way section starts with a dramatic, very steeply sloped road that gives the impression that you are going to plunge into the Pacific Ocean – a feeling enhanced when you are not yet accustomed to the rather soft feel of the rental car’s brake pedal. However, after this dramatic moment, the views are not particularly good, and the return to the main road is via uninspiring but dead-slow back roads through this nature conservation area. However, if planning to get out of the car and walk, do continue and enjoy the views on the walk to Point Bonita Lighthouse

Opened in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge is quite possibly San Francisco's most famous landmark. The massive 1.7-mile structure crosses the mouth of San Francisco Bay, connecting the city to Marin County to the north. The bridge not only provides a vital link in the area's highway system, but it also is a major tourist destination - each year thousands of people make the trip to visit the bridge and admire it's enormous art deco-styled structure.

Despite several previous trips to San Francisco, I had not actually been to the Golden Gate Bridge until my Labor Day 2003 trip. I'm surprised it took my fourth trip to the city for me to finally visit the bridge, as large suspension bridges have always fascinated me. Despite multiple trips to the Tacoma Narrows, Fred Hartman, and San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridges, I had somehow never managed to make it to the Golden Gate. So, my first trip was somewhat of a pilgrimage, but it will definitely not be my last.

Getting to the bridge without a rental car takes a little time, but is not that difficult, as the Muni nos. 28 and 29 bus routes go directly to the southern end of the bridge and the visitor's center. The bridge is also reachable via Golden Gate Transit buses, which cross the bridge into Marin County.

The bridge can be driven across if you have a car, but you may also walk across the bridge on the east sidewalk. Bicyclists may also cross the bridge on the sidewalks, using the east sidewalk at night and during the day, and the west sidewalk during evening rush hours. Information on biking across the bridge is available on the Golden Gate Bridge website.

My travel companion and I chose to walk about halfway across the bridge. I actually wanted to continue the rest of the way to the northern end of the bridge and back, but his feet were sore from walking, and it was rather cold on the day we visited. Walking out onto the bridge is quite an experience, especially for those of us with a fear of heights. The bridge is approximately 220 feet above the water, and is so massive that it makes the ships passing below look like toys. Fortunately the sidewalk is wide, and, if you choose to walk close to the roadway, the vertigo I experienced looking over the guardrail to the bay below was nonexistent.

When visiting the bridge, be sure to take a jacket, even if the weather downtown is warm. On the day we visited, downtown San Francisco was sunny and mild, but the area around the bridge was shrouded in fog, with a stiff wind and air temperature of about 55° F. These weather conditions are not atypical, and tourists who were there in t-shirts and shorts were truly suffering.

For more information on the bridge's history and planning your visit to this San Francisco icon, see the Golden Gate Bridge website.