San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is the gateway to the city, stretching 2.8 kilometers across the Strait and carrying about 112,000 vehicles per day. The bridge is truly an engineering marvel, towering as high as a 65-storey building.

Small wonder, it’s the most photographed bridge in the world and one of San Francisco's most iconic attractions. So when in San Francisco, make sure to book your Golden Gate Bridge tour when visiting the city.

Continue reading our guide to find out more about Golden Gate Bridge, one of the most exciting attractions in San Francisco.

How much do Golden Gate Bridge tickets cost?

Walking or cycling across Golden Gate Bridge is free, while vehicles need to pay toll fees.

Golden Gate Bridge tolls rates

Base toll: US$9.40 toll invoice, US$8.80 license plate account, US$8.40 with FasTrak
Carpool toll (Fastrak required): US$6.40

Why should I book in advance?

It is highly recommended to book your Golden Gate Bridge tour in advance to secure your spot, as these tours can often sell out - especially during the peak tourist season.

What are the most popular Golden Gate Bridge tours?

Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito guided bike tour

On this fascinating San Francisco bike tour, you’ll cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge to the waterfront town of Sausalito. Along the way, you will see special landmarks, waterfronts and wetlands and enjoy lovely views of the bay.

Your bike tour starts at Fisherman’s Wharf in town, cycling along the waterfront of the San Francisco Bay route. You will pass sights such as Aquatic Park Cove and enjoy views of Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Continue past the old military fort, Fort Mason, and enjoy views of Ghirardelli Square, Hyde Street piers and Russian Hill. As you pass Crissy Field, listen to the magic ocean sounds of the Wave Organ. You will admire the grand Palace of Fine Arts (1915), built for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

Ride along San Francisco's many piers and Crissy Field, offering great vistas of Golden Gate Bridge. As you pass the Golden Gate promenade, admire the beautiful wetlands. Stop for coffee at the Warming Hut at the Presidio, before reaching the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center.

Then cycle across the span of the majestic Golden Gate Bridge. At Vista Point, take shots of the bridge and the city. Your tour concludes in downtown Sausalito, where you can enjoy lunch and visit shops.

Then board the ferry with your bicycle back to San Francisco (ferry ticket US$16). The tour duration is 3 hours and costs US$100 per person. You can also opt for an electric bike upgrade at US$45.

Alcatraz and Golden Gate Bridge Express Visit

On this fascinating tour including Golden Gate, you can explore San Francisco’s world-famous bridge on foot and visit the notorious Alcatraz Island. At Alcatraz, you can discover what life was like for the correctional officers and prisoners who spent time on the island.

Travel in a comfortable van to the Golden Gate Bridge from Fisherman's Wharf and then by ferry to Alcatraz. Included in your tour is the assigned Alcatraz day departure to and from Pier 33, and roundtrip from Fisherman's Wharf.

Most tours start with a visit to Alcatraz Island, a most notorious federal penitentiary in US history. Before then, it had been a Civil War fort and a military prison.

Your tour includes a 45-minute audio “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour,” which features correctional officers and inmates who intimately experienced life on the island. You can also view the historic gardens, birds nesting and enjoy the bay views.

Back on the mainland, you will travel from Fisherman's Wharf across the Golden Gate Bridge, with a 30-minute stopover for taking photographs at Vista Point. On your return to Fisherman's Wharf you will pass by the monumental Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in the Marina District.

The duration of the tour is 3 hours and costs US$140 per person. The Alcatraz Island Cell house access with audio tour costs US$41 (non refundable). Infants age 4 and under travel for free at Alcatraz but not on Golden Gate Vans.

Are there any combined tours including Golden Gate Bridge and other attractions?

Save time and money with combined tickets or tours including Golden Gate Bridge in the itinerary if you want to see more attractions on a tour day. Several such combined tours are on offer:

Golden Gate Bridge tour plus Chinatown and bay cruise

Explore San Francisco best attractions on this full-day guided tour. Visit from Nob Hill to Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach, and enjoy chocolate tastings, a cable car ride and a 1-hour bay cruise.

Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands and Sausalito tour

Venture off the beaten path in a GoCAR’s EV Sport vehicle through the hinterland of San Francisco, via the Presidio and Crissy Field to the Golden Gate Bridge and on to Sausalito.

Alcatraz, Muir Woods Express with Golden Gate Bridge visit

Get the most from your day with a tour tha visits Muir Woods, discovering giant redwoods, and a walk across Golden Gate Bridge. Then cruise across the San Francisco Bay for the famous Cell Block tour at Alcatraz prison.

What is on the itinerary?

Golden Gate Bridge

As early as August 1919, San Francisco City officials started exploring the possibility of building a bridge to span the Golden Gate Strait. Then, in December 1922, a cantilever-suspension hybrid bridge design was released publicly.

At the time, population centers were growing and the ferry docks were badly congested. Ten years later, the construction of a 520-meters long road was started to access the construction sites for the Marin anchorage and tower.

The Marin tower and San Francisco tower construction started in 1933, and in 1936, the Sausalito lateral approach road commenced. On Nov. 18, 1936, the two sections of the Golden Gate Bridge's main span were joined in the middle and the roadway completed the next year.

It was then the longest, as well as the tallest, suspension bridge in the world. It is strong enough to withstand earthquakes of 8 magnitude.

Fort Point

Near the southern anchorage of the Golden Gate Bridge stands Fort Point, originally built in the 1850s to improve defenses around the San Francisco Bay. Construction was completed in 1861 just before the Civil War. It was protected by 2 meter-thick walls and featured three tiers of vaulted rooms.

Some 500 men were garrisoned at the fort during the war, but they never saw action. After the Civil War, the fort stood abandoned, but during World War II, US soldiers at Fort Point guarded the anti-submarine net across the Golden Gate. The fort was named a National Historic Site in 1970.

The Muir Woods

The Muir Woods National Monument forms part of California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area in Marin County, a few kilometers north of San Francisco. It preserves one of the last surviving ancient redwood forests in the San Francisco Bay region.

Some redwoods are almost 1,000 years old and grow up to heights of 75 meters. The reserve also offers about 10 kilometers of popular hiking trails among the trees to Cathedral Grove and Bohemian Grove.

What are my travel options for the Golden Gate Bridge?

Take a Golden Gate Transit (GGT) bus to the southbound Toll Plaza bus stop and cross beneath Highway 101 to the northbound bus stop. Get on Route 130 and go to the first stop after crossing the bridge. From the bus stop there’s a walkway leading back to Vista Point.

When is it open?

Cyclists enjoy free access along the East and West sidewalks day and night. Pedestrians can walk on the East sidewalk (facing San Francisco) every day from 5 AM to 6:30 PM, Pacific Daylight Time (early March to early November). The Bridge's Welcome Center is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM.

What is the best time to visit the Golden Gate Bridge?

Walkers are only allowed on the east sidewalk of the bridge, but enjoy the best bay and city views. They share the east sidewalk with cyclists on weekdays until 3:30 PM, but on weekends and holidays it's pedestrians only. For the best weather, visit San Francisco in April-May and September-October.

Travel tips

Make sure to book your tour to the Golden Gate Bridge in advance.
There are no bicycle rentals available at the Golden Gate Bridge.
Much of Alcatraz Island is steep. Be prepared for long uphill walks.
Wear comfortable athletic shoes.

Golden Gate Bridge: Tickets and Tours