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Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge, SausalitoWith towers soaring 746 feet/227 metres into the sky, its span arcing across the mouth of San Francisco Bay and all of it painted fire-engine red, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge makes a dramatic destination.
Yes, you can simply drive across the bridge, but it’s more fun to walk (even for just a portion of the span). It can get a bit cold and windy, especially when the fog slips in (common in summer), so dress in layers. Cycling across the bridge is another fun option—there are plenty of hire companies (two favourites are Blazing Saddles and San Francisco Bicycle Rentals); most bikes come with route maps detailing where to ride to from San Francisco—towns like Sausalito and Tiburon, in neighbouring Marin County. Back in the city, there’s a nice gift shop and a café, and paths that let you wind down to historic Fort Point, completed in 1861 as a military outpost.