Golden Gate Bridge
Route 101 between San Francisco and Marin County

Without a doubt, the Golden Gate Bridge is THE symbol of San Francisco. Not only is it one of the longest single-span suspension bridges in the world (almost 2 miles long), but it is also one of the strongest, built to withstand winds of over 100 miles an hour. When it was completed in May 1937, at 745 feet tall, it was also the highest structure west of New York.

Its rust/red color (often called "international orange") was chosen by the architect Irving Morrow, because he felt it would complement the setting more than the traditional gray or black. The name "Golden Gate" refers not to its color, but to its placement at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, which prospectors dubbed the "Golden Gate," because of their hopes of finding fields of gold beyond it.

There is a toll for crossing the bridge for cars coming into San Francisco; no toll is charged on the way out of the city. Even better than driving across the span, though, is cycling or walking, which you can do on the east side. We recommend you plan your walk for a clear, sunny day and that you dress warmly – the wind is often quite strong – but the spectacular views make it all worthwhile.

The construction of the bridge itself is a remarkable feat of engineering:

• The bridge cost $35 million to build.

• Included in this cost is more than 80,000 miles of steel wire. If these strands were laid end to end, they would encircle the equator three times.

• Also included in this cost is a huge amount of concrete. Estimates show that the concrete used to make the Golden Gate Bridge’s piers and anchorages would be sufficient to pave a five-foot wide road from San Francisco to New York.