How to Bike Across San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge
As a Bay Area cyclist, I think it's great travelers can bike the Golden Gate Bridge (or GG Bridge, for short). At the same time, biking across the Golden Gate Bridge isn't exactly a chill ride on a suburban bike path. It's just as much a route and a road as it is an iconic tourist attraction, with many San Francisco cyclists using it as the jumping off point for longer cycling trips in the North Bay and Marin.
If you'd like to bike the Golden Gate Bridge on your next trip to San Francisco—or if you’re a local who has it on your bucket list—here’s what you need to know before biking the Golden Gate Bridge.
1. Get a bike
Odds are, if your’e reading this, you’ll need to rent a bike for this little adventure. These are my recommendations for bike rentals for going across the Golden Gate Bridge:
Blazing Saddles - Blazing Saddles is one of the most popular bike rental companies in San Francisco, offering rentals and bike tours. However, you will have to bike a few (mostly flat) miles along the bay from their Fishermen’s Wharf location to get to the bridge. A basic bike rental starts at $40 per day.
Sports Basement - If you live in the Bay Area, Sports Basement is the best place to rent from because any money you spend on a bike rental here can also be used towards the purchase of a new bike through them. They also have a wide variety of options, from road to mountain to eBike, as well as options for kids. A basic bike rental starts at $40 per day.
eBike rentals - Worried about conquering those hills? Get an electric assist bike for the day. Rentals start at $75 per day.
Bay Wheels - Owned by Lyft, you can find Bay Wheels stations all over the city, including a few in the Golden-Gate adjacent neighborhood of the Presidio. However, there are no stations to return them in Sausalito, so if you rent one of these, be prepared to bike back across the bridge to return it. It’s generally a better option if you’re just biking across and back (without going into Sausalito). Prices vary.
2. Plan to spend at least 2-3 hours to bike across and enjoy the views
The Golden Gate Bridge is 2.1 miles long and it while it only takes about 15-25 minutes to bike across the bridge itself, depending on how strong of a cyclist you are, you’ll also want to budget in time for getting to the bridge, and having a little bit of fun after you’ve crossed. Most areas of the city will take from 20-45 minutes to reach the bridge. Once across, bike about another 10-15 minutes downhill to reach Sausalito or challenge yourself by spending 30-45 minutes biking up Hawk Hill (to the left of the bridge) for some of the best views of the city.
Overall, I’d plan at least 2-3 hours to get to the bridge, cross it, and spend some time exploring the North Bay.
3. Wear a layer to protect yourself against the wind
The Golden Gate Bridge can be very windy, even when the rest of the city is not. When I biked across the bridge for the first time, I was startled by it. I also didn't wear a top layer, and was pretty cold the whole way across. Now I usually bike with a light windbreaker (I have a basic windbreaker from Columbia that I love).
On particularly windy days, be prepared for strong gusts as you round the pillars. Before you get there, downshift a gear or two and be prepared to slow down.
4. Go early or on a weekday to avoid crowds
If you want to avoid the crowds on the Golden Gate Bridge, go early in the morning, around 8 or 9am, or on a weekday. Especially in the summer and early fall, the bridge starts to get more crowded around 10 or 11am.
5. Only one side of the bridge is open to cyclists—but it changes depending on time and day
Both the west and east side of the Golden Gate Bridge have bike paths, but only one side is open to cyclists at a time. The west side of the bridge (left side if you’re coming from San Francisco) is open to cyclists after 3pm on Fridays and all day on weekends. This path is open to cyclists only.
If you’re crossing the bridge during the week or before 3pm on a Friday, you’ll bike on the east side of the bridge (the right side if you’re coming from San Francisco) and share the path with pedestrians.
To get to the west side from the welcome center, go up the hill on the right side of the highway and curve around to go underneath the bridge. To get to the east side, go up the same hill and continue straight.
6. Wear a helmet, y’all
Please wear a helmet. Even before you reach the bridge, you’ll share the road with cars. Once on the bridge, accidents are still possible. I’ve seen cyclists break too fast and flip over their handlebars or run into other cyclists on the bridge. Be safe. Wear the helmet.
7. Stay to the right and ride single file
The Golden Gate Bridge is biked by tourists, distance cyclists, and commuters alike (if you're into distance cycling, getting across the bridge into the North Bay is the first step to hopping on some pretty amazing bike rides—one of my favorites is biking up to Point Reyes National Seashore).
To be respectful to other bikers, especially those who need to pass you, it helps to stay to the right and ride single file. It's also safer this way, since the bridge supports two-way traffic and no one wants a head on collision (yikes!)
8. Signal, then pull over if you want to stop
You're at one of the most iconic tourist destinations in the nation so naturally you’ll want to stop and take a photo or enjoy the view—but this is still a roadway. To be safe, signal to other cyclists that you’re about to stop (most cyclists will place an open palm behind their back with the palm facing the cyclist behind them) then pull over completely.
It’s also best not to stop at the entrance to the bridge since it's a blind spot for cyclists coming off it. I've seen a few collisions here, so to be safe, go a little ways away to pull over and watch for others coming around the bend.
9. If you bike back to San Francisco, know how to get back on the bridge
A lot of people like to bike across the bridge and down into Sausalito, then take the ferry home. It makes for a pleasant ride, but you can also ride back if you want to make your ride a little longer and more challenging (since you’ll be climbing back up the hill you just rode down).
If you’re biking on the weekend or after 3pm on Friday, continue uphill and through the tunnel under the highway. Then, take your first right and go uphill towards Hawk Hill. If you go straight, you'll end up on the highway with the cars (I’ve seen it happen!).
If you’re biking on a weekday or before 3pm on Friday, take a left before the tunnel. Yes, you’ll technically be biking towards some “do not enter” signs but that’s OK. This is the right direction. Just stay on the shoulder (with the fence on your left-hand side) until you reach a parking lot. Then, you’ll see an entrance to the bike path.
10. Once you’re across, keep exploring.
Most people will continue downhill to Sausalito after biking across the bridge. If you bike across on the East (right) side of the bridge, simply take a right and continue downhill until you see water on your righthand side again. If you bike across on the West (left) side of the bridge, you’ll need to go up a small hill and turn right (a left turn will take you up Hawk Hill). Then, take a left (away from the highway onramp) and follow that road all the way down to Sausalito.
After crossing the bridge, some excellent places to continue on to include:
Bike to Sausalito for lunch at Fish, an excellent seafood restaurant, The Joinery for beers, salads, and roast chicken, or the Bar Bocce for drinks and bocce along the water.
Continue biking to Tiberon and take the ferry back to SF from there (this ferry is less crowded than the Sausalito one as well).
Challenge yourself with a ride up Hawk Hill for some great views of the bridge.
With kids? Check out the Bay Area Discovery Museum.
How to get to the Golden Gate Bridge by bike
Most rent a bike spots will be along the water. If you're renting from somewhere not on this route, use Google Maps to plot your route— its bike directions are almost always spot on, and will even give you an idea of elevation (re: hills) in advance.
Bike directions from Sports Basement Presidio to Golden Gate Bridge
If you're biking from within the city, go through Golden Gate Park for a scenic, redwood-filled ride before you reach the bridge.
Read Next: How to Bike from San Francisco to Point Reyes for a Weekend Getaway
Best Hotel for This Trip: The Jay
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