One of the most famous bridges in the World and the product of a stunning feat of engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge stands at the mouth of San Francisco Bay between Marin County to the north and Golden Gate Park to the south, and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area which is the largest urban national park in the world.

Opened on May 28, 1937 at twelve o'clock noon, ahead of schedule and under budget, the Golden Gate Bridge is instantly recognisable by its eye catching 'International Orange' colour scheme, and its trademark Art Deco suspension bridge lines.

The phenomenal 4,200ft main suspension span was a world record length that lasted for 27 years until New York's Verrazano Bridge topped it in 1964. The bridge's 1.7 mile length can be crossed by car (toll southbound), on bicycles or on foot. Check out the Golden Gate Bridge Research Library Website for more amazing statistics about this unique bridge.

The Marin County side of the Golden Gate Bridge is the 'wilder' side and a great place to take pictures and watch freighters and sailing ships cruise under the bridge as you enjoy a view that stretches right round from Golden Gate Park and Twin Peaks to The Bay Bridge.

The south side of the bridge is more developed and easier to get to for tourists, which means that it is more crowded but also has better facilities. At the base of the bridge is Fort Point National Historic Monument which was also used as the nerve centre for building the bridge.

Higher up, by the entrance to the bridge's east sidewalk, is the statue of Joseph B Strauss who masterminded its construction, as well as a cross section of one of the Bridge's huge main cables. Also here is the Roundhouse Gift Centre where, as well as the usual tacky and not so tacky tourist souvenirs, you can buy a wealth of books and videos about the history of Golden Gate Bridge. Outside the Roundhouse is the MUNI city bus (routes 28&29) turning circle and the southside car park.

I had a chance to drive across it to and from Sausalito before dropping off the hire car, and then a second time when I walked to underneath one of the pylons to stare up at its sheer colossal size. To me this bridge is almost the 'twin' of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, as they were both built within a few years of each other and though of differing styles they were the largest of their kinds for many years afterwards.

This is the view of the Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Point. The fort is five stories, made primarily of brick, and admission is free. The views from the top floor are gorgeous, windy, and a little precarious. The spiral staircases leading up to the top are definitely from another era. The day we visited there was a Civil War reenactment. On wavy days, surfers try to catch rides about 100 yards away from the Fort in the cold bay water. Fort Point is part of the Golden Gate national recreation area. Nearby sites include: the Presidio, the Marin Headlands (across the Golden Gate), Crissy Field beach (about 1/2 mile down the pier from Fort Point).

This walking tour begins at the fashionable neighbourhood of Haight Ashbury and end at the Pacific Ocean, the very end of San Francisco.

The last bastion from the sixties, Haight Ashbury quarter can be reached from Market Street with bus number seven. Haight Street between Masonic (leave the bus just after the Buena Vista Park) and Stanyan hosts a plethora of restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, souvenir shops and old hippies. This is an appropriate place to have a breakfast and gather strength for a walk across the Golden Gate Park.

The huge park measures five kilometers length from the entrance at Haight Street to the Pacific Ocean, its width is just one kilometer and enough attractions are packed in this vast park to keep anyone busy for a week. Beginning in 1870, the former dunes were reclaimed and nowadays there are more than 3,500 species of plants in the park. The park is not just a gigantic, open botanic garden, and for sport fans it offers tennis courts, boats at the Stow Lake, an equitation field, a small nine holes golf course, soccer fields and endless paths for biking and jogging. San Francisco being the Asian capital of America, the park wouldn’t be complete without a wonderful Japanese Tea Garden next to the Stow Lake (the first lake while advancing westwards) and in that lake’s single island – called Strawberry Hill – a Chinese Pavillion.

The magnificent Dutch Mill marks the end of the park; it was built in 1902 and was used to pump water from underground to a reservoir on Strawberry Hill. However, in 1913 electric pumps were introduced and the mill became obsolete. It decayed slowly until a massive restoration effort ended in 1981, at its base is the colorful Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden.

Next to the mill is the Ocean Beach – one of the most beautiful spots in San Francisco. The coast is kept unspoiled; there are not any restaurants or shops obstructing the view of the ocean from the wide promenade running along it. The beach is too beautiful to leave; it is wide and has a fine, dark sand wet with salty, cold ocean water. Instead of leaving, it is recommended to walk along it to the north, toward the cliffs. There, on 1090 Point Lobos Avenue, is the Cliff House – which according to the owners is where San Francisco begins. The last statement depends on the direction you are looking from, but what is undeniably true is that it is the only restaurant in town facing the Pacific Ocean and that it was open in 1863. The food there is rather common and pricey (expect to pay above thirty dollars) but the views compensate for that. There is no better place to end such a splendid walk.

To return to downtown, walk back to the Golden Gate Park and turn left into Fulton Street, from where bus number five safely travels to Market Street.

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognized bridges in the world. Painted in its famous orange color, this icon is seen from the Fisherman’s Wharf area. The bridge connects San Francisco and Marin County along highway 101. This was once the largest suspension bridge in the world. The steel girders were built in my hometown. Bethlehem Steel is listed on the construction plaque on the bridge.

I entered the visitor center from the San Francisco side. The bridge is even more impressive up close. Make sure you bring a jacket if you plan on walking the span of the bridge. It is 1 mile long and it gets very windy especially at mid span. You have a great view looking out both ways, one way the Pacific Ocean and the other the spectacular view of the city, Alcatraz and Angle Island. The bridge is notorious for suicides. The eerie thing about walking the bridge is all the suicide and help signs located along the span. Thirty four suicides were reported for 2006. After walking the bridge pull out of the parking lot and make a left and view the bridge from below. You get another prospective.

Take the drive across, the toll is only $4 round trip. There is another viewing point from this side.

I would not suggest taking a tour. My first visit I drove out on my own and the second time I took a tour and you only have 10 minutes to see the bridge. This does not give you time to walk the span of the bridge. Another way to see the bridge and is very popular is renting a bike and riding across. All over the wharf area are places to rent bikes.

A San Francisco trip would not be complete if you did not visit The Golden Gate Bridge. This is a must see site. You will never get tired of looking at this. The bridge has an all new look when the fog rolls in. This bridge is a photographers dream to photograph. I could not get enough shots of it.

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most recognizable man-made structures in the United States. It's hard to think of an America without the Golden Gate, but the bridge has only been connecting Marin County to points north since 1937. In under 70 years its iconic Art Deco shape painted "International Orange" has become timeless. The 1.7-mile span over the opening of the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean has been crossed by over 1 billion people over the years. It's impossible to say what San Francisco would be like without it.

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.