Yes, it is even more awesome than you imagined. Since it opened in 1937, this 1.7-mile suspension span between San Francisco and Marin counties has become one of the most beloved bridges in the world. A work of art, an engineering marvel, and an American icon, the Bridge is flanked on both ends by the natural beauty of the Golden Gate National Parks. Enjoy an exhilarating, but often chilly, walk across it.
The Parks Conservancy signed on in 2011 to help with the Bridge’s 75th anniversary celebration and visitor enhancements including new guided tours; a new Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion providing information, exhibits, and interpretive merchandise (open in spring 2012); and new Bridge overlooks in the Presidio (the Golden Gate and Pacific Overlooks).
- Walking even a short distance is one of the best ways to appreciate the immensity of the Bridge.
- Visitors can walk across the Bridge seven days a week. Hours fluctuate by season but are generally sunrise to sunset.
- The Bridge is open to autos and cyclists 24 hours a day.
- For more information, and a live webcam of Bridge conditions, visit the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation website.
- The latest updates on 75th anniversary celebration plans—including yearlong Community Tribute programs and details on the May 27 festival—visit the Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary Website.
In 1846, Captain John C. Fremont named the entrance to San Francisco Bay the “Golden Gate”—after the great harbor of the “Golden Horn” in ancient Byzantium.
The population influx of the Gold Rush spurred further support for the construction of a bridge across the Golden Gate. In 1916, plans finally began to take root. James Wilkins, editor of the San Francisco Call Bulletin, began an editorial campaign for a bridge that caught the eye of San Francisco City Engineer Michael O’Shaughnessy.
Although many said it could not be built, engineer Joseph Strauss said it could be done. In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was opened as the longest suspension bridge in the world.
