Few walks in any city offer vistas as stunning as you'll experience crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. On the east side, the round yellow hills of Marin County rise over the endless expanse of the Pacific Ocean. On the west side, Alcatraz Island and the skyscrapers of San Francisco beckon.

Near both ends of the bridge you'll find crumbling gun emplacements from over a century ago. These are open to the public and you can wander around, clambering through the passageways and tunnels. On the Marin (north) side you can, if so motivated, continue walking into the hills for hours. On the San Francisco (south) side you can walk all the way downtown along the shore of the bay — it's parks almost the whole way — or follow along the Pacific coast which will eventually lead you to the stunningly beautiful Lincoln Park. And don't forget to look down at the water when you're on your way across the bridge. You're quite likely to see insane surfers risking their lives, and if you're lucky, you'll spot some dolphins or even a whale.

Getting there

Buses 28 and 29 stop at the bridge.

Contact information

Web site: www.goldengate.org