Golden Gate Bridge: The Colour Was Nearly Battleship Grey

The War Department wanted the bridge painted in black-and-yellow stripes for aviation visibility. The Navy wanted battleship grey. The colour we know – International Orange – was chosen by consulting architect Irving Morrow, who saw the orange primer applied to the steel and insisted on keeping it. The Golden Gate District eventually agreed. It was the right call, and the decision was fought over considerably more than most people know.

The bridge spans 2,737 metres across the Golden Gate Strait, connecting San Francisco to Marin County. When it opened in May 1937 it was the longest suspension bridge in the world; it held that record until 1964. Construction ran from 1933 to 1937, using about 83,000 tonnes of steel. The cables alone contain enough wire, unspooled, to circle the Earth three times.

Walking Across

The pedestrian path on the east side is open daily. The crossing of 2.7 km takes 45 minutes to an hour on foot, with views east over the Bay toward the San Francisco skyline and west over the Pacific. The wind is almost always significant regardless of air temperature; a windproof layer is non-optional in all seasons. Cyclists use the east side on weekdays and the west side on weekends.

This is the right way to experience the bridge. Looking at it from the deck with the water 67 metres below and the cables rising into the towers overhead is different from any photograph.

Fort Point

The Civil War-era fortification sits directly under the south anchorage of the bridge, and the view upward at the suspension structure from water level is the most striking angle available. The fort was built between 1853 and 1861 and was designed to be demolished to make room for the bridge approach; engineer Charles Ellis designed the bridge’s south arch specifically to preserve it instead. The fort is managed by the National Park Service and open for tours.

Marin Headlands

Cross the bridge northbound and take the first right exit into the Marin Headlands: a series of ridges with views back toward San Francisco, the Bay, and the bridge together. Hawk Hill is the most accessible viewpoint, a short drive from the highway exit. The walk to the ridgeline takes 15 minutes. This is the angle that fills travel photography and it is earned rather than manufactured – the view is genuinely as good as it looks.

Getting There

Parking at the bridge’s south visitor centre fills early on weekends, often before 9am. The 28 Muni bus serves the south end from central San Francisco. Cycling from the Ferry Building or Fisherman’s Wharf is about 5 to 6 km on dedicated lanes through the Presidio. The classic half-day route cycles across the bridge to Sausalito and returns by ferry to the Ferry Building, seeing both the bridge deck and San Francisco Bay from the water.

The Presidio

The 1,491-acre former military base between the bridge and the city has been converted to national park use. Crissy Field on the bay side has a restored tidal marsh and a flat path with bridge views. Fort Mason and the SFMOMA anchor the eastern edge. The Lodge at the Presidio and Inn at the Presidio are both in converted military buildings and sit within the park grounds.

For eating near the bridge: the Warming Hut at Crissy Field is the practical option for coffee and snacks on the bay side. The Cavallo Point lodge across the bridge in Marin has a restaurant with views back toward San Francisco.