The iconic Golden Gate Bridge… is it worth a stop on a big road trip in the southwestern United States? I’m going to say YES! We had stopped at Yosemite National Park and were making our way to Glass Beach and the Redwoods.
Getting to the Golden Gate Bridge
John had lived in the area when he was a kid while his dad was in the Navy, and he wanted to revisit the area. As we headed into the area, we crossed the Oakland Bay Bridge and caught a glimpse of downtown San Francisco and Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay. After crossing the Oakland Bay Bridge, we were able to drive through downtown San Francisco and take a drive down the famous Lombard Street!
Now, I don’t know if all of you are perfect at figuring out exactly what Google maps is trying to tell you, but on the way to the Golden Gate Bridge overlook, I took the wrong turn… and as a result, ended up getting rerouted through the Presidio of San Francisco. This was a happy accident as it took us right by the place where John’s brother was born! The Presidio of San Francisco is a former US Army post and the area is beautiful! We only got a glimpse as we drove through, but it would be fun to explore if we had more time… it is now a National Park site!
Visiting the Golden Gate Bridge
We decided to catch a glimpse of the bridge before we crossed, and stopped at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center (the google location is linked). There is a small paid parking lot there and we were able to get a spot! But I believe there is also a shuttle.
The parking lot is across the street from the Welcome Center. The Welcome Center has information and a gift shop inside. A square area with information and benches surrounds the center. A path leads to the overlook of the bridge! You can also look out into the bay and see Alcatraz. Wildflowers were sprouting along the path and the area is beautiful!
The Golden Gate Bridge spans the Golden Gate Strait, which is the channel that connects the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Looking out onto the bridge and over the water was an amazing view! Seeing such an iconic landmark was definitely worth the stop!
The Golden Gate Bridge overlook, with wildflowers growing along the overlook
