Things to Do at the Bridge
Walk the bridge
The obvious one, and still the best. East sidewalk, 5:00 am to 6:30 pm in winter and 9:00 pm in summer, 35 to 60 minutes each way. Everything you need is on the walking page.
The Welcome Center and the test tower
Open daily 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on the city side. Inside is the original 12-foot stainless-steel test tower from 1933, and in the old bunker next door there are exhibits on the build. It is small, it is free and it takes twenty minutes. The Strauss statue is in the plaza outside.
The free City Guides tour
San Francisco City Guides run a free walking tour of the bridge on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Meet at the Strauss statue; it lasts about 1½ to 2 hours and ends at the south tower. Groups of seven or more must book a private tour. It covers the history better than any plaque.
Fort Point
The brick Civil War fort sits directly under the south end. From the top level you look up at the arch of the approach and the deck overhead. It is the only place on land that gives you the underside, and it sits below the Welcome Center at the water.
Crissy Field and Battery East
Crissy Field is the shoreline east of the bridge: a beach, wetlands, a flat path and the Warming Hut café. Families spend half a day here and never make it onto the bridge. Battery East Vista, up the hill from the Welcome Center, is the quick viewpoint on the city side. The rest are on the viewpoints page.
The Round House and Vista Point
The Round House café at the south end sells coffee and food and has toilets nearby. Vista Point at the north end has the view back to the city; from there the road drops to Sausalito and the ferry.
The paid extras
Three things at the bridge cost money and none of them is the bridge. A boat takes you under it, a bike tour takes you over it with a guide, and a seaplane flies above it. The all-tours page compares all six products.
Under the bridgeSan Francisco: Golden Gate Bay Cruise (1-hour)
Across by bikeSan Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge and Sausalito Cycling Tour
From the airSan Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge Seaplane Tour
Do it in this order on a summer morning: Fort Point at 9:00 am while the fog holds, the walk when it starts to lift, then the Round House. You get the fog photograph and the clear one.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I need at the Golden Gate Bridge?
Two hours for the walk and the Welcome Center; half a day with Fort Point and Crissy Field. The walking page has the timings.
Is there anything to do at the bridge for free?
Almost everything: the walk, the Welcome Center, Fort Point, Crissy Field, the viewpoints and the City Guides tour. See is it free.
Where can I eat near the bridge?
The Round House café at the south end and the Warming Hut at Crissy Field. The bay cruise has a bar aboard; see the cruise page.