Situated at the mouth of the expansive San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco with its neighboring counties to the north and seems to act as gatekeeper for the legendary fog and marine traffic that pass below it.
The Golden Gate Bridge has been an integral part of the San Francisco landscape since it was first opened on May 27, 1937. Construction of the bridge began in January of 1933 and was completed in April of 1937. The project was a feat of engineering that was said to have been impossible because of the conditions of the bay over which the bridge would eventually span.
The Golden Gate Bridge spans a distance of 1.7 miles over the mouth of the bay that is plagued by fast currents and severe tides. The unique color, design, and striking location of the bridge have made it a symbol of San Francisco and visitors from around the world make a point of visiting the bridge when in the city.
While many will view it from afar or walk out onto the bridge itself, there are three distinct ways that visitors can experience the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Marin Side: A legacy of defense.
On the Marin side, visitors can find on the hilltop overlooking the bridge a relic of the San Francisco harbor defense, Battery Spencer. Battery Spencer was built from 1893 through 1897. It consisted of a series of buildings and armaments that were strategically placed above the bay and provided a defense vantage point. The battery was in operation until 1942 when it was deactivated during World War II when new batteries and gunnery stations were established in the nearby Marin Headlands.
Battery Spencer is currently a part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area and is overseen by the National Park Service. To get to Battery Spencer from the city, travel across the bridge to the Marin side and take the first exit off of Highway 101. Signs will direct towards the battery and parking is available on the hilltop.
Bridge Deck: A somber reminder.
Many choose to experience the bridge by taking a walk out onto the deck allowing for amazing views of the city and a chance to get up close and personal with the bridge. The only walkway that is open to pedestrians is along the bay side of the bridge rather than from the ocean side. You can access the walkway from parking areas located on either side and the bridge is open to pedestrians twenty-four hours a day.
Posted signs on the deck point to a much sadder legacy that the Golden Gate Bridge can lay claim to. Statistics report that more people have committed suicide by jumping to their deaths from the bridge than at any other single site in the world. Detailed in the 2006 film, The Bridge, a moment of silence and reflection is appropriate while taking in the breathtaking views and beauty from the walkway.
Fort Point: Looking up from underneath.
Situated directly underneath the bridge, Fort Point offers a view of the bridge that few know about let alone experience. Built in the mid-1800s Fort Point was intended to provide key protection for the bay and for California as a whole from attack from the sea. It was part of a system of forts that were built along the coast prior to the Civil War.
As of fall of 2011 Fort Point is open to the public Friday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. It can be accessed via Marine Drive that runs along the bay and ends at the fort.