Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco’s iron giant
Hop on the bus across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Gaze out at the sparkling waters of San Francisco Bay and majestic city skyline. With Alcatraz far below, and Oakland and Berkeley in the distance, this is the city’s ultimate viewpoint. The bridge itself isn’t too bad either.
Cross in both directions on our open-top San Francisco Bus Tour. Hop off to take the obligatory bridge-backed selfies from the viewpoints either side. Marvel at the engineering masterpiece of Golden Gate and drink in one of the best city vistas on the planet. Or experience the stunning views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge from the water, with a 1-hour San Francisco Bay cruise
The bridge that should never have been
Before its completion in 1937, the bridge was considered unbuildable because of the high winds, foggy weather and strong ocean currents. The 1.2 mile (2 kilometer) long Golden Gate Bridge cost $35 million and was designed to sway as much as 9 meters (27 feet) in winds of up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour.
Other interesting facts about the Golden Gate Bridge
- The Golden Gate Bridge took more than 4 years to build and 11 men lost their lives during its construction
- The official paint color is ‘International Orange’ and was chosen to blend in with its natural surroundings
- It’s a misconception that the bridge is painted end to end each year. However, a team of 28 painters and 13 ironworkers carry out routine maintenance
- US steel was used in construction, but it had to be shipped through the Panama Canal to reach San Francisco
- The amount of cable used would circle the Equator three times and there would be enough concrete to build a bike lane from San Francisco to New York
