San Francisco tour (5-day itinerary) – Biking across Golden Gate Bridge
August 29, 2018
The last time I was in San Francisco, I had felt extremely envious of the bikers who smoothly biked past by me on the San Francisco Bridges and thoroughfares. So when my family decided to go to San Francisco for Christmas, I knew biking across Golden Gate Bridge had to be part of the itinerary!
Table of contents
- Where do you rent a bike?
- How long does it typically take to bike across Golden Gate Bridge?
- What’s the typical biking route recommended?
- How much did it cost?
Where do you rent a bike?
If you’re an avid biker, feel free to ship your bike to San Francisco with you – they’ve got sprawling hills and bike lanes that would make any biker really happy (as was the case for my friend). If you’re just a biking newbie (like me), then you can opt to just rent there. There are two options for this: Bay City Bike or Blazing Saddles. They’re both equally reputable with roughly similar prices (USD 32 for a 24-hour rental). I’d highly recommend you rent online as they typically offer online discounts
How long does it typically take to bike across Golden Gate Bridge?
So, if you’re starting at Fisherman’s Wharf, which is where most people start given that the bike rental offices are congregated there – I’d estimate it would take a newbie biker around 2-4 hours to get across the bridge (accounting for all the photo stops you’ll be making along the way) and into Sausalito – a quaint little town known for its picturesque waterfront scenery. Now, this will all depend on your route however, and how fast or slow you are at pedaling (note – my family took 4 hours one-way). Regardless, half a day should be enough; from there, I would then recommend you take a ferry from Sausalito back to the Fisherman’s Wharf
Note: You can buy the ferry ticket from the bike rental shop. Just make sure the ferry’s operating that day! My family and I went on Christmas day and found out the ferry wasn’t running (oh no! There goes my plan for a chill day biking till Sausalito only…). We ended up having to bike back – I was sooo tired after…
What’s the typical biking route recommended?
Start from Fisherman’s Wharf
We picked up our bikes at Bay City Bike (501 Bay St) – and took loads of photos there! Apparently, that’s the end of the tram route – so you could take lots of photos to your heart’s content <3
Afterwards, try to bike along the pier – as the sidewalks are a lot broader. Otherwise, feel free to bike along the roads, with the cars, if you feel comfortable! I’m not a great bike rider (aka I can bike as long as it’s straight, but don’t really trust myself if I have to make steep turns, or bike up a steep hill…) – therefore, I opted to stick to the sidewalk and just walk whenever it got too crowded
Fancy some sweets? It’s Ghirardelli
Okay, this isn’t really cause for celebration… It’s not time for chocolates yet! You will see the huge Ghirardelli signage; unfortunately, to get to the chocolates – you’ll have to make a MAJOR detour, so better luck next time
Instead, what you are now faced with the the steepest hill you’ll have to bike up (or in my case, walk up). Don’t worry – this is the worst you have to face if you’re only planning to bike one-way to Sausalito
Drop by Palace of Fine Arts
Technically not along the way – but really, it’s just a 5-10 mins detour… Drop by Palace of the Fine Arts, and take loads of nice photos while here. Honestly, it’s my second time here but the grandeur never fails to impress me
Time for your first photo stop: Crissy Fields
You now get a nice unobstructed view of the Golden Gate Bridge! Yay! Honestly though, you can get a much better view once you’re nearer. Nevertheless, feel free to start snapping photos – but you’ll have to go into the beachy area to do so (which means, you may want to leave someone behind to guard the bike while you take turns snapping photos).
More importantly though? There’s a clean bathroom here – look for the building with a bright orange flag.
Keep biking, and you’ll reach Warming Hut
At Warming Hut, you get a really nice, unobstructed views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Well, kind of obstructed by other tourists, to be honest – but at least you can shoo them away right when you’re about to take the photo!
Time to head up the bridge – it’s getting slightly steep again!
As you bike up, you’ll get more photo opportunities – grab them!
Final chance for photos before crossing the bridge – Marine Drive
I think you get the best close-up photos of the Golden Gate Bridge from Marine Drive!
Cross Golden Gate Bridge
When crossing the bridge, make sure to use the west sidewalk so there are no pedestrians. Remember, it can get VERY windy atop the bridge, so dress appropriately. Having said that, I was sweating so much from all the biking, that I ended up having to take off my jacket because I felt too warm!
Once on the other side, check out the view from Vista Point
Vista Point is actually on the other side (east sidewalk), so you’ll have to lock your bikes onto the posts, then take the underpass to get to the other side. I’d recommend you stop and grab a bite to eat while here (my family brought sandwiches – which tasted SO yummy after all that hard-earned exertion). Also – there are bathrooms here as well, yay!
Head back to your bike, and bike down the hill
This was my FAVORITE part – the hillside is winding, sloping downhill, and very long – all of which made for an extremely enjoyable ride. (But a very painful uphill battle when we had to bike back the same way afterwards huhu!). At the bottom of the hill is another resting stop – time to snap more photos (honestly, you’ll be pretty sick of the Golden Gate Bridge after this)
No more detours – head straight to Sausalito
Once you get to Sausalito, feel free to continue exploring on your own. If you’ve got the energy, you can choose to check out the Marin Headlands, or Presidio and Ocean Beach. Otherwise, check out the idyllic town of Sausalito as you wait for the ferry to arrive. Once there, take the ferry back to the Fisherman’s Wharf area – and return your bikes!
How much did it cost?
Bike cost: USD 27.14 per person
I booked our bikes online – which got me a nice discount (online + group discount); so I ended up paying USD 135.70 for the bikes (~USD 27.14 per person)
Sausalito ferry: USD 13 per person
The Sausalito ferry wasn’t running the day we went… but if it was, I would’ve definitely bought those tickets! Anyway, it would’ve been an additional expense of USD 13 each
And that concludes our Golden Gate Bridge biking adventure! <3
If you’re planning the rest of your trip, then check out my other San Francisco travel blogs as well!
FIVE DAY ITINERARY
Day 1: Coit Tower, Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf
Day 2: Biking across Golden Gate Bridge
Day 3: Hipster areas in San Francisco: Mission District, Painted Ladies, 16th Avenue Tiled Steps
Day 4: Lombard Street, Chinatown, Union Square shopping
Day 5: Farmer’s Market, Land’s End, Baker Beach
SAN FRANCISCO TWO DAY ITINERARY: All the must-see tourist spots in 2 days
FOOD GUIDE: Eating my way through San Francisco – top picks!
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