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Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center
Golden Gate Bridge, Coastal Trail, San Francisco, CA 94129, United States
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Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center
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Le
Review №1

This is a great place to walk around and see the bridge, get great pics, learn about the construction and history, and pick up some souvenirs. There are decent bathrooms in the parking lot. Parking isnt costly, but there are signs of caution because of recent smash and grabs. There were no issues while we were there, but use caution, keep an eye on your vehicle and dont leave anything of value out in plain view.

An
Review №2

Lot’s of great information about the bridge here. The visitor center itself is a gift shop maintained through the national park service. Bathrooms can be found nearby. Don’t attempt to park in the parking lot next to the visitor center. Instead use the Battery East parking lot, more spots and less congested. Parking fee is required. Form the visitor center you can access the walkway to the bridge, outdoor exhibits, a cafe, bike trails and, light rail transportation.

KC
Review №3

Here is the starting point to cross the bridge. Staffs in the center are friendly and nice. Price of gifts is reasonable and nice.You can also find restrooms in this parking area.The parking fee is $2 for 2hrs which is also acceptable in this high popularity spot in SF! Be noticed that the parking space is limited and try to avoid peak hours visiting here.One last recommendation - don’t leave luxury items, purses, bags or even anything in your car to prevent thieves and break-in

ro
Review №4

Nice and clean souvenir shop. Service was fast and friendly, and the selection was nicely organized. Also great COVID-19 protocol.

Da
Review №5

Absolutely gorgeous. Welcome Center was well equipped. Plenty of places to take pictures and get some gorgeous view of the bridge. There is a picnic area with shade though with very limited seating. Limiting dining option when we were here as the restaurant seemed closed.

in
Review №6

Lovely welcome center indeed! It is located near the famous bridge and you can get many information and well as pamplets and the merchandise as well. It can be packed depending on the hours you are coming here. Staff are very friendly and helpful. Merchandises are lovely but quite pricey, at least for me. But still a cool place to be.Came here for the first time in 2012 then coming back again in 2015 and 2017 and still smitten with the famous bridge. You can walk around the area and climbed up a bit to see more views. I would love to go back indeed.

Ro
Review №7

The shop was really cute. They had nice things. I regret not buying a tote bag so I plan to go back. I felt 6 days in SF wasnt enough to get the full vibe.

W
Review №8

Friendly, helpful and attentive staff. The welcome center is a souvenir shop surprisingly affordable for many items they sell. The items they seem varies from common objets such as appearl and books to snacks and drinks. We found serval items on sale. The store is very clean and organized. It is not crowded considering the amount of people that visit the Golden Gate bridge. The store adheres to strict COVID protocols such as monitoring the amount of people inside the store and requiring all patrons to wear mask regardless of vaccination status. There are hand sanitizers at the entrance and checkout. I would recommend checking it out. I was informed that proceed from purchases goes to improving the park facilities.

Ro
Review №9

The Golden Gate Bridge overview is by the welcome center, there’s a lot of information about the bridge and a restaurant close by, if you want to do the bridge walkway that’s on the opposite side by the coastal trail by Cranston Rd.

My
Review №10

The famous Golden Gate Bridge. It is beyond my expectation. If you are a kind of person who loves to go biking. This is the good place.

Vi
Review №11

Beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge is available from the Welcome Center. If you are planning to get click of the bridge then a must visit to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center. You can see the calm waters, cargo ships, Alcatraz, and other places from here. Also, it has access to the walkway on the bridge from the Welcome center.

Je
Review №12

Such a beautiful view of the bridge from here!! This is a great place to take photos and there is access to walk on the bridge from the Welcome Center as well.There is a small shop for souvenirs, a restroom, and a restaurant.Parking was a little tricky - we looped around a couple of times and ended up paying $7 to park down the street because the Welcome Center lot was full.

Pe
Review №13

The Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center is a fantastic place to take in the beauty and immensity of this storied and iconic bridge.In light of current conditions face-coverings and social distancing are required.Always check ahead of time since area access and services adapt to changing conditions and temporary closures are possible.Weather-wise, you never know what to expect! It can be blue skies or dense fog.It’s fun either way!

Is
Review №14

Not bad for a welcome center!! The views of the Golden gate bridge were SPECTACULAR. The welcome center is full of collectables and golden gate bridge merchandise. Loved it!! Theres tons of trails that start here, so make sure to come check it out!!!!!

Ma
Review №15

The view of this place is amazing! You need to visit this place. We arrived in Uber and was perfect. You can take pictures with different points of view, and also there are information about the bridge and details about the construction. Also you can across the bridge walking is not a far way, around 30 minutes.

Da
Review №16

This is where you start your trek over the bridge! Its a pleasant environment with some facilities, some food, a store, and all sorts of facts and insights about the incredible Golden Gate Bridge and its astounding vision and engineering achievement. You can get a free passport stamp (or stamp whatever else you want) here with the date on it too. Be sure to get that stamp if you visit.

Da
Review №17

Awesome!Cold wheather 🥶

Ha
Review №18

Go early the avoid the crowds. We went during covid and there was no one around. It was great. We went at 10am on a Saturday just after they lifted the stay-at-home orders. There was barely anyone around. It was a beautiful day and no fog! Highly recommend for history buffs and teenagers. Kids might get tired with all the stairs and hills. We didn’t go in the café. With covid we didn’t even mind not going in.

Da
Review №19

Koby was very helpful on the entire area. He recommended, mapped out hikes in Marin (after you walk across) and walking back to the city by the coast line. Everything on the store was priced reasonably. Everyone was very nice.

St
Review №20

Offers one of the most impressive vantage points of the bridge...worth a stop!

Ra
Review №21

Come here for a great view of the bridge on a sunny day with almost 0 effort. Parking is somewhat limited.

li
Review №22

Omg is wonderful, one of the best places in San francisco

Jo
Review №23

We walked across the bridge on a Sunday mid-morning. Parking near the bridge was limited, we paid $2.00. The restrooms and area seemed pretty clean. We walked across on the bay side, there was a no bikes sign posted, ots of bicyclists were on the ocean side. It was quite a walk, the sign said 1.7 miles. It was very noisy due to cars.

Ma
Review №24

This is an amazing San Francisco adventure. It is so cool to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. It is incredible to see the massive pillars and cables. It is so windy on the bridge so make sure to dress warm. It is a long way across the bridge and watch out for bikes.

ma
Review №25

Very nice view from here especially on a clear day. This place also tells us the history of golden gate. Can find sufficient parking.

An
Review №26

3 things to do..1. Viewing Deck2. Walk on the bridge3. Hike down to the fort.Walk till first column to get clear view of the city. Restrooms are okay. Parking is paid. Typically, if youre attempting to do #1 & #2, you would need 45 mins of parking. It takes about 1 hr round trip for #3

De
Review №27

Incredible view, up there it is quite windy, it is worth climbing up there and checking out the 360 ​​view we have from there !!!

Ma
Review №28

Loved this place. Friendly staff.

Er
Review №29

A great way to start your day in the city of Holy Faith, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Review №30

GGB was amazing. The nice weather made it even better. Been there in October. Of course everything around is expensive you must not expect to buy a bottle of water under 4$. A lot of tourists of course. Getting there is as easy as getting back to the city!

Te
Review №31

Come to SF, Come to GG bridge

TW
Review №32

For those who want to visit & walk across the bridge, this is the place to start.It does get crowded but heck, its a good place to start taking pics of the bridge from hereHead up north from the centre & you get to the start point of the bridge where the walk across can take between 20-30mins to the far side of the bridge (Sausalito)

Go
Review №33

Great start to kick off your journey. Make sure you walk to the other side and up to the mountain via the trial. And enjoy the view from the bridge to see and watch dolphins, sea lions and with loads of luck even a 🐋....

Ga
Review №34

Great people helping tourists find cute things to bring home.

JO
Review №35

Spectacular views in all directions. Nice exhibits. Parking is tricky -- but doable. Well worth spending the time to walk around.

Ra
Review №36

A MUST, when you are in San Francisco and must be visited beforehand you cross over to the world famous Golden Gate Bridge, a land mark for US.If you are young and sturdy, take a walk FYI this place towards under and across the bridge. Views are fantastic and you feel this one the best engineering marvel of the world.Very informative and picturesque, it tells you details lay outs at different stages of construction and its beatification.A nice point for capturing the awesome views of bridge on its best angles and contours And Fort point side too!!Me and my better-half were here in September 2019 but the moments are still lingering!!!!

Gu
Review №37

Love this place, love the view. Came here for a moment just to make sure that I would have some great memories to be remembered when I was in USA. I dont have a chance to cross the entire bridge as its almost sunset when I arrived here. Hopefully one day will have a chance to visit this place again.

Rh
Review №38

Beautiful lookout spot. You could definitely have a bit of lunch here if you could find a spot at the limited tables. The walk from here to Fort Point onto Palace of Fine Arts is simple beautiful and ultimately peaceful. I am an out-of-towner so I was unaware that races are held here, so you might run into an increased amount of runner traffic.

C.
Review №39

I visited the Golden Gate Bridge with my wife and daughter on Saturday August 28th which was an amazing experience. We had the unfortunate experience of visiting the welcome center at around 12 pm and were checked out by the most incredibly rude, unfriendly, and cold employee. (An African American female). She could not have provided worse customer service. She not only rushed us through the check out but acted annoyed that she had to do her job. I asked her if she was in a rush and she simply ignored me and further rushed me through the check out process. Mind you, we had just attended my brother’s funeral (an untimely and tragic death) which was the reason we were actually near San Francisco; and the visit to the Golden Gate was a way to keep positive amidst our mourning. The fact that such a indecent and rude individual is employed at the welcome center is the reason for my one star rating

os
Review №40

Very nice place everything its close hotels restaurants.

Mo
Review №41

This place was cool but the staff person I talked to gave me VERY wrong information. I was concerned about the height of the bridge but wanted to try to walk it. She told me to just stay to the inside and I’d be fine.WELL.... The inside of the path is the bike lane and you do NOT want to get in their way. They will completely scream at you. The bridge watchers will too. So the only option is to walk on the outside of the path which is right up against the edge. Needless to say I had to forego my hope of walking across. I think if I was allowed to stay a few feet from the edge I would have done better and been able to cross. I wish they’d do one side of the bridge pedestrians and one side bikes. Or give them each a different path instead of shared.If you find my review helpful be sure to ‘like’ it!

Ho
Review №42

Beautiful area of the Golden Gate Bridge. It has a lot of things to do and see. Biking around and across the bridge is so much fun. Everyone need to at least make plans to visit this place. It is a bucket list thing to do in life. The great Beauty of America.

Er
Review №43

Beautiful place to visit. The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. One of the best places to see and photograph the Golden Gate Bridge is from the Golden Gate Overlook and Visitors Center.

Ja
Review №44

We wanted to see both views from both sides of the bridge, so we stopped by here.Theres free parking at the Langdon Court Parking lot. We also though this area had the best views near the Presidio. Its about a 5 minute walk to the welcome center from there.Theres also pretty good views from the welcome center. We liked the south side better than the north side.The welcome center itself was nice. It had a large gift shop.If youre deciding between the two, I thought this was the better side to visit. Plus you dont have to pay a toll to drive back across the bridge.

An
Review №45

Lively and beautiful place. The welcome center is a crowded place and they could improve the restaurant and facilities a little but beyond that, its calm and beautiful. It feels good walking across the bridge itself (~40 mins) and also through the foliage to the fort below (20 mins) and then to Crissy field and the marina (1 hour).

Pr
Review №46

Park at Battery East parking lot.Its close to the visitor center and easy access to trails . If you park at visitor center there is too much traffic ..Average time at SF golden gate is 2-3 hrs . You can spend more if you prefer walking on the bridge end to end .

An
Review №47

Very easy to find. Although I dont recommend trying to visit in an RV! Not too busy at the time. Big gift shop and great views of the bridge. Check times of the national park features though as the fort was closed when I went. Knowledgeable people there too.

Re
Review №48

Whether you wanna buy Golden Gate Bridge souvenirs or get detailed information on the know-how of the neighborhood, this is the place.This store is more like an abode of big or small souvenirs, from the apparels to books, from the key chains to cutest fridge magnets, youll find every possible travel souvenir you can ever think of.The lady at the reception was very friendly & so was every other staff member, all of them are highly approachable & happy to help.PS- No restrooms in the store. Public restrooms are located right across the road.#Day2 #SFO

Ro
Review №49

Great place... Definitely the busy point of the bridge!Most of the time busy, this is the tourist attraction, so its expected.

St
Review №50

Great place to come and see the Golden Gate Bridge. Pay to park, there are plenty of spaces, even when its crowded. From here you can walk the bridge, little park areas, and more! You can even ride your bike around. I would say 90% of the park areas are paved, so its great for wheelchairs. The souvenir store had great little gifts and the employees were very knowledgeable and helpful.

BG
Review №51

Great place to visit and take pictures of the bridge. Parking is hard to come by. We found a spot but cost $5. Seems cheap to me. You can walk onto the bridge and take some cool pics. For some reason you cant take your bicycle onto the bridge sidewalk so bring a bike lock. Theres a cool souvenir shop to get a cool gift also. Theres a nice walking trail and park near by.

Ka
Review №52

Cool place to get a few good photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge & to understand a little bit about its construction. The model bridge that is present here is also pretty cool to look at & play around with.

di
Review №53

This is a good spot to check out Golden Gate Bridge. A very good view to say the least. Im not sure if the other areas are as good as this one. Very convenient too. The parking is 5 bucks. And a little walk under the bridge to get here. It is definitely worth the walk and worth it to come here. Good photos and selfies.

we
Review №54

The bridge is amazing as-well as the welcome center, but after evening, it is way to foggy. I couldn’t really see the bridge. I just came early at that time. And also prepare for the coldness. The coldness is Hilarious! You have to make sure to bring a jacket. You will be freezing.

Ci
Review №55

Check another one off the bucket list. Some might say its over rated. But I, quite frankly, was impressed. We could see Alcatraz from our vantage point. And as long as we were in California, might as well see as much as we could.

Ya
Review №56

Loved it. First day we went at 7.00 p.m. Mostly the place will be covered by clouds. Getting clear picture depends on the Sunny day. Afternoons will have little clear sky. This place is in everyone’s most wanted check list.

Sh
Review №57

DO NOT PARK IN THE BATTERY EAST PARKING NEAR THE VISITOR CENTER TO THE RIGHT OF THE BRIDGE. A gentleman who worked there warned us that the thieves strike there often because they know tourists that park there have all their belongings in their cars. When we went back to our car, three other cars who had also parked there had their windows smashed. Glass all over the ground. We only got lucky, and I feel awful for those people. I would take an Uber, or pass entirely. We felt safer in LA, and that’s saying something.

Th
Review №58

This place has great views of the bridge and has pathways you can walk to actually get on the bridge.

ma
Review №59

What a fantastic place to visit, was here with my daughter Kat to celebrate her 21st birthday. Well worth a visit

Su
Review №60

Iconic place... had a great time

Ch
Review №61

Just want you to Buy Buy Buy....... Cant have enough key chains

Ku
Review №62

I thing beats the golden gate. Maybe the Brooklyn bridge but nothing else

Ha
Review №63

A must visit in SF! This place is a great view of the golden gate!

Lo
Review №64

The welcome center was mostly a souvenir shop, but having a bus stop there made traveling to it very easy. There are some great photo spots and it is easy to find your way to walk the bridge.

Ji
Review №65

Nice place to relaxed, but watch out for bicyclist. A lot of them. Parking way cheap $1 for an hour and half. In Chinatown parking 1 hr is $5. Update July 2021

Er
Review №66

Nice place to stop by and see the bridge. There is a lot of information about the bridge and its history which is very interesting. Also you can find some models of the bridge, or segments of it, in which you can pull or push to understand its physics. Unfurtuntly not all models are in tip-top shape.

Review №67

Presidio Golden gate. Beautiful place to hike, jog, run, bike across the bridge and back, picnic at Crissy field, fishing, sailing, kiting while enjoying the oceanfront and view of the Golden gate bridge.

U
Review №68

Great place. Such an awesome view of the bridge ...

Su
Review №69

One of the best places to visit in the world. This masterpiece has been filmed in thousands of movies and it was great great experience to walk over it, stand on it and bike 🚲 around it.

Tr
Review №70

Absolutely amazing!! We drive a little ways past the Information center towards the beach. The views were spectacular. Unfortunately the dog hid the Golden Gate Bridge, but it was still worth it.!

R
Review №71

I really want to see this place for quite a long time.It meets the expectation when visited.Keep a swear shirt in handy, may require while walking across the bridge.May be oy one eatery available here for quick bites.Some public bus transportation drivers may not be friendly when try to board the bus.Before coming to this place, do some check then plan accordingly.

Ne
Review №72

If you are in SF then coming to this place is must. Golden Gate Bridge View from here is amazing park and small trail is very good.

J
Review №73

Amazing view but come before 8am to get parking

Je
Review №74

I love coming here to bring family and friends who come to visit me in California! You can get a great view and picture here of the Golden Gate Bridge. There’s a place to stop for souvenirs and eat at a restaurant. You and your family can take walks on the trails or ride bikes. You can also see the Old Presidio if you like. Or just watch the ocean and listen to the waves crashing into the winds.

G
Review №75

A good place to start a photo-op visit of Golden Gate Bridge. Walk around and pose for photos, enjoy the beautiful scenery, grab a bite, buy souvenirs. On a sunny day, come in the late morning or later for the best photos. Be a responsible tourist and walk only on the designated walk paths. Also be wary of cyclists. Check the weather forecast when visiting as the place can get really windy.Parking was convenient, but we visited on a weekday.

Al
Review №76

Everything is just so perfect 😯😲😲 I am very happy o visited that place..😇😎🌊🌞🐳🏄🏊 will come back soon..

Ta
Review №77

Its a nice place with beautiful views.Good parking spot available.Its windy!!!

Ph
Review №78

Definitely stop here if you are in the area, especially before 8am. It was quiet and I didnt have to pay for parking quite yet. The view was breathtaking.

Ja
Review №79

Very nice! Go during sunset September to avoid the fog and get some great pictures.

J
Review №80

Love it! We walked south to north point of it after hopping off the Big Bus tour. Wonderful experience on an iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Several location in South point for perfect pictures.

JA
Review №81

Its an American icon, a world wonder, built back when men were men...... with the strong of your back and the sweat of your brow! #AMERICA

L
Review №82

A popular and busy spot for everyone to take photos with the beige behind them! The great thing about this spot is there are serval different little locations for tourists to take their photos at different angles and distances. Just follow the paths and find a cool little spot to take your photos.

Tr
Review №83

Was very cool only wish fort point was open the day we were there ...

Al
Review №84

Best place to be, very good coffee sold in cafeteria. No movies are sold in the welcome center.

li
Review №85

I had never been until the other day! The welcome center has a shop all things golden gate bridge related. Its always packed with tourists.

De
Review №86

Simple and nice

Tr
Review №87

Truly amazing place! Get all information about travel from San Francisco and great spot to take pictures for your life time memory. We can see the nice view of Golden Gate Bridge.

De
Review №88

Parking is limited, so you gotta be patient. I would prefer an Uber or ride a bike to this point. If you plan to drive on the bridge, it is a toll road.

Ra
Review №89

Beautiful view of the golden bridge

Ca
Review №90

I enjoyed this complimentary tour by SF library.

A
Review №91

So many historical snippets and architectural models for golden gate bridge. must visit, if you are history-savvy!

Ha
Review №92

A must visit if in SFThe iconic Golden Gate Bridge built in 1937 has completed 81 years this May. Painted in “International Orange” often misconstrued as Red was something I learned during my visit.Outside the Welcome Center has wonderful explanation of the how the bridge was built, engineered and popular to all ages of people.Get a light jacket and prepare to be chilled even during summer

Ju
Review №93

It is pretty cool place! but you should know it is totally difficult to find parking lot! I recommend you visit after 4 pm!

Cl
Review №94

We walked from our hotel in Fisherman Wharf to Vista point and back going foot slogging over the Golden Gate, 11 miles, but if you like walking youll love doing this.

ka
Review №95

Beautiful experience! The bridge is definitely a site to see and if you have the time to see it, you should! Be prepared for a lot of traffic and tourists. Everyone was pretty friendly too! We were lucky to see it without the fog, so we were blessed!

Ju
Review №96

The Golden Gate Bridge is a must-see stop in any trip to the Bay Area. My girlfriend and I walked from the Pacific Heights neighborhood, down to the Bridge, while walking along the scenic route. You’re better off going to the welcome center than walking to the Bridge itself as the views are much nicer. If you follow the path down towards the water and walk away from the bridge (going eastbound) you will eventually get back to Fisherman’s Wharf. Avoid lunch time but don’t skip if the weather seems bad; the fog adds to its largesse and would provide for a truly San Franciscan vibe for any typical tourist photo op!

Fu
Review №97

Pretty good place to stop and take great pictures of SF Bay, SF skyline, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Limited paid parking, a little confusing traffic pattern, but the store was good - you can find some nice souvenirs.

Ca
Review №98

They closed really early at 4 on a weekday, so that was kind of a bummer after we walked the bridge up and back. The grounds are clean, and they have neat facts about the bridge all around it.

Ah
Review №99

U can see the whole view buy gifts from point as well access the bridge 🌉

Ab
Review №100

One of the best places to visit in the bay area. DON’T LEAVE YOUR BELONGINGS UNATTENDED or IN THE CAR. Car breaking is an issue in San Fransisco

Information
100 Photos
100 Comments
4.6 Rating
  • Address:Golden Gate Bridge, Coastal Trail, San Francisco, CA 94129, United States
  • Site:http://goldengatebridgestore.org/
  • Phone:+1 415-426-5220
Categories
  • Gift shop
  • Book store
  • Tourist information center
  • Souvenir store
Working hours
  • Monday:9AM–5PM
  • Tuesday:9AM–5PM
  • Wednesday:9AM–5PM
  • Thursday:9AM–5PM
  • Friday:9AM–5PM
  • Saturday:9AM–5PM
  • Sunday:9AM–5PM
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair accessible entrance:Yes
Amenities
  • Good for kids:Yes
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