Our trip to San Francisco included a bike ride across the bridge to Sausalito and a ferry ride back. The clear afternoon air made for a great view of downtown on our approach to pier 39. Enjoying the view with a glass of wine or beer made it even more rewarding after the long and physical day to get here.
The bike shop is conveniently located near Ghiradelli Square and provides easy access to the sights at Fisherman’s Wharf and the gentle, level ride along the waterfront is ideal way to ease into the morning. Before long though, it is time to make the climb up to the southern end of the Golden Gate Bride. In low gear with legs pumping and heart pounding, the hard work is rewarded with stunning views. These stunning views also provide a great excuse to make frequent stops along the way to catch your breath. But the real reason for riding this way is to be able to ride across the bridge, and with the entrance in sight, it draws the weary cyclist on.
All the work is worth it. At the entrance to the bridge, it is possible to see the entire length of the 1.7 miles over to Marin County across the Golden Gate. The first half of the bridge has a slight incline to the middle, but it is a nice, gentle ride from this point. With the constant rush of cars whizzing by just a few feet away, it is not a tranquil ride but instead is exhilarating. A stop at the center leaves a rider looking down more than 20 stories to the cold and choppy waters of the entrance to the bay and a look out to the seemingly infinite Pacific. In a matter of short time the northern end of the bridge is upon us. After a brief look back to assure ourselves that we really were fortunate enough to have just biked across one of the modern wonders of the world, we make our way downhill now to Sausolito.
Sausalito, the small town near the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge is a picturesque waterfront village at the bottom of the hill. And as we coasted our way into town we sought out a place to eat, rest and decide which route we would take back. It didn’t take much discussion before deciding that we would have more pleasant memories if we caught the ferry across the bay back to San Francisco instead of another grueling bike ride. In fact, also by taking the ferry we would be taking in a tradition of this town that has lasted for more than a century. Sausalito has long been the spot for travelers to cross the bay, and before the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge it was where drivers would wait in long lines to cross to Hyde Pier on the other side. The ferry itself was actually part of Highway 101. Fortunately the long lines of cars have been replaced by a long line of cyclists waiting to complete the last leg of their journey.
The ferry ride is short but not too short. It is long enough to have a bar serving drinks that are perfect for relaxing after a demanding day. It is just right for sipping while taking in yet another perspective of the bridge from on the water on one side and Alcatraz Island and its imposing prison on the other. The downtown skyline of the financial district slowly approaches ahead and soon a memorable day will come to an end.
San Francisco, California October 2016
A brunch including banana pancakes and a couple of cups of coffee for energy helped after a twelve mile bike ride to Sausolito.
This sounds like a perfect San Francisco afternoon. I love the idea of cycling across the bridge. Knowing there’s wine waiting on the other side helps:)
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Wine seems to help with just about anything, doesn’t it?
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This is awesome! I didn’t realize it would be so cheap to get a bicycle there! wow! I agree wine always helps
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Miss San Francisco so much. We didn’t bike over the bridge and that is definitely a thing we won’t miss next time we are in town! 3$ bikes sounds amazing!
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Great stuff. What I love about biking tour/trip is that it is cheap and you can stop at anytime and anywhere you want. I’ve also tried biking around tourist areas but not on a bridge as long as the Golden Gate. This is something worth a try.
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The pic of the golden gate bridge sure does take away one’s breath. Great pic!
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Taking the ferry sounds like a lot of fun. That’s a lot of bikes!
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This is a perfect way to enjoy a day in San Francisco. Biking across the bridge is a very good idea. The way you describe the view from the water gave me butterflies in my stomach. I am fascinated with bridges and I love looking down to the waters. I will try to do the same when I visit San Francisco. Thank you for sharing this!
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Thanks. It was probably my favorite day that we spent there and would recommend it to anyone.
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I never thought to go on a bike ride while traveling. We love San Francisco! It looks like you saw quite a few fun things along the way. I would have taken the ferry back, too 🙂
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I had no idea that you can ride a bike to Sausalito. This was definitely a very nice experience. The Golden Gate Bridge is really beautiful and has an amazing scenery. It is a good that there is a bike rental shop in that area. Do they offer guided rides for tourists?
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I don’t know of any guided tours, but the biking trail system is very well laid out and the bike rentals came with maps that made it very easy on our own.
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I found that in San Francisco photographing the Golden Gate bridge was one of the best things to do. I actually walked all the way from Fisherman’s wharf to the bridge and over to the other side, taking thousands of pictures along the way. All the way to Sausolito by bike looks like a fun day with some hill climbs! I understand why so many take the ferry back, but I guess from the ferry you get some unique shots of the bridge too.
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That was quite a walk you made yourself. It is a photographers paradise and I would most definitely make the ferry trip again for the views, if not to save what little strength I had left in my legs.
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I am sure it was a tough bike ride but it seemed totally worth it. San Francisco is one of the destinations that I have always been curious about. I would love to have that view of the Golden Gate Bridge and to bike across it! What a cool experience that must be!
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Hopefully you will be able to make it to San Francisco one day. It is a wonderful city with so much to do and see.
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Definitely worth the ride. There is “iconic” and then there is Golden Gate bridge.
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I didn’t know about the bikes and their obsession with it! I’d prefer not to ride one in a city because you never know and if you are looking for directions, all that stopping and paying attention to the traffic is not for me. I’d prefer to walk 😉
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I agree about riding in most major cities, but San Francisco is very progressive in many ways including an incredible system for biking that is laid out for the enjoyment and safety of cyclists.
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Ha! I used to commute by ferry 🙂 All my time living in the Bay Area and I have never even walked across the bridge. Anyway, Sausalito is quite cute and glad you enjoyed yourselves! We call drinking on the ferry a “booze commute.” 🙂
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That’s the kind of commute I wouldn’t mind.
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I like cycling and didn’t realise it would be possible to ride a bike over the Golden gate (Brit that’s never been), I so wanted to go to San Fran, the views are so beautiful and it always looks so welcoming.
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Looks like a great mini adventure to have. Love exploring new areas on a bike. I have to admit I would have done the same and paid the $10 to get the ferry back.
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That was the best $10 I spent on the trip.
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12 miles on a bike? No thanks. Ferry all the way for me. I’ve heard Sausolito is a cute place to visit!
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I reckon I would love that bike ride! Even though I’m really not very good at biking, I love to hike and be able to stop off and take photos etc. And the pancakes afterwards sound great!
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How awesome that you can ride a bike across the golden gate and then ride the ferry back! How much does it cost to rent the bikes for a day not including parking fees?
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The rental fee was very reasonable. If I remember correctly it was about $25 each for the whole day. We avoided the parking by going to the restaurant that we ate at and they let us chain our bikes up out front for free. Well worth the wonderful day we had.
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I enjoyed how you described the bike ride. I would have caught the ferry back too! Sounds like a lovely day 🙂
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I always love the idea of biking as a way to explore a new city, as long as the citizens are used to it! Some cities just aren’t truly biker friendly but it seems that for here it is 🙂
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San Francisco is a very bike friendly town with miles of trails through parks and along the waterfront.
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What a perfect way to spend a day on the bay. I had no idea it was such a bike friendly place – but I think the ferry back was a great idea!
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