History of the Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the world’s most iconic engineering landmarks. Before the bridge was built, crossing the Golden Gate Strait depended entirely on ferries, which were slow and had limited capacity. In the early 1900s, engineer Joseph Strauss proposed building a bridge across the strait—an idea many considered impossible because of the strong currents, deep waters, and frequent fog.
After years of planning, funding challenges during the Great Depression, and overcoming significant engineering obstacles, construction finally began in 1933 and was completed in 1937. The bridge was first opened to pedestrians and a day later to vehicles.
At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, with a main span of 1,280 metres (4,200 feet). Its famous International Orange colour was chosen to improve visibility in fog while beautifully complementing the natural surroundings.
I first came to know about the Golden Gate Bridge after seeing it in a movie. I simply couldn’t believe that a bridge itself could be a major tourist attraction. However, after reading about its history and engineering, I realised that the fascination was absolutely justified. On a clear day, the bridge looks mesmerizing from almost anywhere in the city.
Personally, I feel that not only the Golden Gate Bridge but also the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge is an engineering marvel. While the Bay Bridge is longer, carries more traffic, and offers fantastic skyline views, the Golden Gate Bridge has an unmatched charm. Both New York City and San Francisco are known for their iconic bridges, but I don’t think they can be compared. New York’s bridges are part of the city’s infrastructure, whereas San Francisco’s bridges feel like they are part of the landscape itself.
Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center
During our visit, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge as part of the Big Bus Tour and stopped at the North Vista Point. Later, to visit the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, we took MUNI Bus #28 from Fisherman’s Wharf. The journey took around 20 minutes.
We arrived around 9:00 a.m., when there were very few visitors. The sky was a beautiful mix of sunshine and clouds, making it perfect for photography.
Located at the southern end of the bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center is relatively new compared to the bridge itself. Established in the early 2010s, it was designed to enhance the visitor experience by showcasing the bridge’s fascinating history, engineering, and construction through informative exhibits. The plaza also features a café, restrooms, and a well-stocked gift shop.
We spent a couple of hours exploring the area, taking photographs from different viewpoints, enjoying coffee, hot chocolate, a croissant, and a sandwich at the Round House Café, and picking up a few souvenirs. The area also offers several hiking trails, cycling paths, scenic viewpoints, and direct pedestrian access to the bridge.
After walking across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York during our August ’25 visit, we decided not to walk across another bridge. Although I’m sure the experience would have been completely different, we chose to skip it this time.
Overall, we had a wonderful time at the Welcome Center. Learning about the bridge’s construction, materials, engineering challenges, and timeline made us appreciate this masterpiece even more. The souvenir shop has something for every age group, and the café serves great coffee and food with spectacular views of the bridge and the bay.
Our next stop was the Palace of Fine Arts, which we reached by bus from the Visitor Center.
Palace of Fine Arts
The Palace of Fine Arts was originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a world’s fair held to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal and San Francisco’s remarkable recovery after the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire.
Located in a quiet residential neighborhood, the Palace is surrounded by the beautiful Palace Lagoon, making the entire setting even more picturesque.
We first walked around the lagoon, enjoyed some snacks, and clicked plenty of pictures. Later, we explored the Palace itself, where a pre-wedding photoshoot was taking place. The photographers and couples were spread across the complex, which added to the lively atmosphere.
Inspired by ancient Roman and Greek architecture, the Palace features a magnificent rotunda, elegant colonnades, and a peaceful lagoon. Although it was intended to be a temporary structure, its immense popularity led to efforts to preserve it. By the 1960s, the original materials had deteriorated, so the entire structure was carefully rebuilt in concrete while preserving its original design.
The architecture is absolutely breathtaking, and no matter how many pictures you take, it never feels like enough. We spent around 45 minutes here before heading towards the Presidio.
The Palace of Fine Arts stands as a symbol of San Francisco’s resilience and remains one of the city’s favourite spots for photography, weddings, leisurely walks, and cultural events.
Brief History of the Presidio
The Presidio is one of the oldest historic sites on the U.S. West Coast, with a history spanning more than 250 years. It was established in 1776 by Spanish settlers as a military fort to protect the entrance to San Francisco Bay. After Mexico gained independence in 1821, the Presidio came under Mexican control before becoming part of the United States in 1846 during the Mexican-American War.
For nearly 150 years, it served as an active U.S. Army post and played important roles during the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and both World Wars.
In 1994, the Army transferred the Presidio to the National Park Service, making it part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Today, it beautifully blends military history with forests, scenic trails, museums, restaurants, beaches, and spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge, making it one of San Francisco’s most unique destinations. You can find more details on its official website.
Lucasfilm Headquarters
We started walking from the Palace of Fine Arts towards the Presidio to spend the rest of the evening there. On the way, we stopped at Lucasfilm Headquarters.
Although the walk was quite long, the pleasant weather made it enjoyable. We passed through beautifully landscaped parks before reaching the famous Yoda Fountain. We also visited the Lucasfilm Lobby area to see the Star Wars figurines. Yuven was incredibly excited, but the strict policy against touching the displays or recording videos disappointed him a little.
Presidio Visitor Center
After a short visit, we struggled to find the bus that operates within the Presidio. After waiting about 15 minutes, we finally reached the Presidio Visitor Center, where a couple of friendly volunteers explained the area’s history and suggested ways we could make the best use of the limited time we had.
The Presidio operates a free shuttle service called Presidio GO Shuttle, with two routes—Downtown and South Hills—that make it easy to explore the park. After visiting the Visitor Center, we boarded the South Hills Shuttle to get a glimpse of the area.
I only wish we had more time to get off at some of the scenic stops and explore the beaches and viewpoints. Instead, we completed the round trip and returned to the starting point before walking to Tunnel Tops.
Presidio Tunnel Tops
Presidio Tunnel Tops is a vibrant 14-acre park in San Francisco, built over highway tunnels to reconnect the Presidio’s historic core with the bayfront. It blends scenic overlooks, native landscapes, and community spaces, offering a seamless link between city and nature.
The views from Tunnel Tops were spectacular. There were very few people around; a drizzle had just begun, and we sat there, soaking in the peaceful atmosphere. The vibe of that place is difficult to describe—it was one of those moments that stays with you long after the trip ends.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t spend more time exploring the Presidio. Countless trails, viewpoints, beaches, museums, and attractions deserve an entire day on their own.
We will definitely return on our next visit to San Francisco.
Stay tuned for the next blog, where I’ll share the next chapter of our San Francisco adventure and the places we explored next.
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