This is a post on how to ride your bike over the Golden Gate Bridge and to take the ferry back to downtown San Francisco.
- Overview + Route
- Where to Rent Bikes
- Bike Tours
- Golden Gate Bridge Guide
- Visit Sausalito + Ferry Back
- Free Tours by Foot
OVERVIEW AND ROUTE MAP
Riding your bike over the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the best ways to experience this world-famous bridge and world-class views!
If you don't have your own bike, there are many places where you can rent bikes at very affordable prices. Most offer free, self-guided tours to enhance your ride.
When you get across the bridge to Sausalito, you will quickly realize that it is a gorgeous little town full of small shops, restaurants, and parks with great bay views to enjoy.
When you are finished in Sausalito, you can simply hop on the ferry and come right back to San Francisco and relax back at your hotel!
Tips For Biking Across the Golden Gate Bridge
There are a few things you may want to keep in mind before heading out for a bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge.
1. Wear a Helmet
Anyone under the age of 18 must wear a bike helmet according to California state law, and it's just a good idea in general.
All bike rental and tour companies will provide a helmet for you to wear.
2. Expect a Long Ride
If you're coming from Fisherman's Wharf, you can expect to travel approximately 8 ½ miles to reach Sausalito.
From there, you can then take the ferry back to Fisherman's Wharf.
3. Set Aside 3-4 Hours
You can complete this entire trip in under 4 hours. However, the total time depends entirely on how you want to experience the trip.
We recommend taking your time when making this trip across the Bay.
MAP AND ROUTE
This is not a detailed route.
Our Golden Gate Bridge self-guided tour
Click on the map to expand it.
A (green pin): Start out at Fishermen’s Wharf and ride along the water towards the bridge.
The first part of this ride will be uphill, but in the second half of the ride, you get to really ease back going downhill.
You also get some great views of the Golden Gate Bridge in this direction.
NOTE: When you get to Crissy Field on Old Mason Street, you can either turn onto Crissy Field Ave. and continue toward the bridge or continue North to the Warming Hut.
If you choose the latter path, you'll have to turn left and go up Long Ave until you reach Battery E Trail.
This is a longer way around, but it offers more opportunities to take in the views.
B: When entering the Golden Gate Bridge, you will probably have to get off the bike, as there the area will be crowded with pedestrians.
We recommend using our self-guided tour of the Golden Gate Bridge.
On the bridge, bikers share the sidewalk with pedestrians and there are sidewalk hours for the east or west side to ease the traffic.
The west sidewalk is open to bikes from 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm Monday through Friday and from 5 am - 6:30 pm on weekends.
The east sidewalk is open to bikes from 5 am - 3:30 pm Monday through Friday and after 6:30 pm every day of the week.
The west sidewalk is intended specifically for cyclists, so we recommend using that side if at all possible, but the east sidewalk offers excellent views of the San Francisco Bay.
You don’t have to remember the times, just follow the signs.
Check out this 15 min GoPro video from Fisherman's Wharf to Sausalito.
Once you are on the bridge, you will realize that you are actually riding up a slight hill. In combination with the wind, the ride can be a bit tiring.
But don’t get discouraged, just take a couple of breaks and take some great pictures or enjoy the spectacular view of the Bay.
C: Once you made it across the Golden Gate Bridge, there is a viewing point called North Vista Point.
Enjoy the view and slap yourself on the shoulder: You just biked the Golden Gate Bridge!
D: From North Vista Point, take the curvy road down the hill.
You will ride down Alexander Ave and share the street with vehicle traffic. It is a relatively easy ride, as it is mainly downhill.
Once you get closer to the water, you will be going in the right direction towards Sausalito. From there, you can easily take the ferry right back to Fisherman's Wharf.
But we definitely recommend spending some time in Sausalito first!
E: Make sure you know the ferry times in advance. For ticket prices, click here.
And when you're ready to go, enjoy the ferry ride and the great views of the San Francisco skyline, and the Golden Gate Bridge.
You will also pass Alcatraz on your cruise but you won't stop there. (For more info on Alcatraz read our blog post on Alcatraz.)
BIKE RENTALS FOR GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
San Francisco is a very bike-friendly city, so there are plenty of places where you can get a good bike rental for a great price.
Here is a list of places you can visit, along with the locations.
Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.
How to Save Money on Golden Gate Bridge Bike Rentals
Before we get into details about the types of bike rental services available in San Francisco, we provide a few tips about how to save money on this activity.
1. Use a Tourist Pass
Some tourist passes include a free bike rental which you could use to bike across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Depending on how you use these passes, you can save between 20% - 50% or more on various fun activities in the Bay Area.
The following bike rental services are currently included for free with various San Francisco tourist passes:
- Bay City Bike Full-Day Rental | San Francisco Sightseeing Pass
- Blazing Saddles All-Day Bike Rental | Go City San Francisco Pass
- Unlimited Biking Golden Gate Park Bike Rental | Go City San Francisco Pass
2. Use Basically Free Bike Rentals
This rental service offers a voucher for the entire amount you paid which you can use at the Sports Basement store.
It's basically like getting your money back for the rental fee!
3. Book Online Ahead of Time
Although it's very convenient to just walk into a bike rental location and rent a bicycle, most companies (including those listed below) offer discounts when you book online.
4. Check Discount Sites
Groupon and LivingSocial frequently offer deals on local activities and services such as bike rentals, so you might be able to save some money by using their websites or smartphone apps.
Bay City Bike Rentals and Tours
Though they run several bike tours around San Francisco, Bay City Bike Rentals and Tours also offer bike rentals for those interested in exploring the city on their own.
You can choose between a regular bicycle rental or an electric bike rental.
Though the latter is significantly more expensive than the former, an electric bike can often be preferable when roaming around the Bay Area's famous hills.
SF Independent Bike Tour and Rental
- $32/adult | $25/child
- Included with the San Francisco Sightseeing Pass.
- From $75 per person
Reviews of Bay City Bike Rentals and Tours
Bay City Bike Rentals and Tours are generally very well rated on TripAdvisor and Get Your Guide (read the reviews here).
Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals
- $36/adult | $20/child for 24 hours
- Included with the Go City San Francisco Pass.
A majority of the reviews for Blazing Saddles are overwhelmingly positive, earning the company a 4 out of 5 stars rating on TripAdvisor.
Unlimited Biking Rentals
San Francisco to Sausalito Bike Rental
- $17.36/Adults | $16.28/Children for 2 hours
- $34.72/Adults | $32.55/Children for 4 hours
- $43.40/Adults | $40.14/Children for 24 hours
- Included with the Go City San Francisco Pass.
Golden Gate Bridge Electric Bike Rental
- $32.55 per person for 2 hours
- $65.10 per person for 4 hours
- $73.78 per person for 24 hours
Bike the Bridge Rentals
Half-Day San Francisco Bike Rental
- $30/Adults | $26/Children for 24 hours
Golden Gate Bridge Bike Rental
- $40/Adults | $28/Children
Other Bike Rental Options
- Cost: $32 for 24 hours, but $25.60 if booked online!
- Location: Multiple, but most convenient is 425 Jefferson Street.
- Cost: $26 for 24 hours
- Location: 1772 Lombard Street
- Cost: $32 for 24 hours, but $28.80 if booked online!
- Location: Multiple, but most convenient is 2 Marina Blvd.
GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE BIKE TOURS
Sometimes walking around San Francisco can be a bit impractical, and it can also be physically demanding for some visitors.
If you want to travel across the Golden Gate Bridge without using a car or bus, bike tours are one of the most exciting and interesting alternatives.
Thankfully, there are quite a few companies that offer this service, so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty finding a tour that fits your schedule.
How to Save Money on Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tours
This section will provide information about the best ways to save money on bike tours of the Golden Gate Bridge.
1. Use a Tourist Pass
As with bike rentals, you'll find that some San Francisco tourist passes offer free Golden Gate Bridge bike tours.
Depending on how you use these services, you could save 20% - 50% off or more.
The following bike tours are included with San Francisco tourist passes at no extra cost:
- Unlimited Biking Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tour | Go City San Francisco Pass
- Unlimited Biking Golden Gate Park Bike Tour | Go City San Francisco Pass
- Bay City Bike Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tour | San Francisco Sightseeing Pass
2. Check Discount Sites
Sites such as Groupon, LivingSocial and even Goldstar often provide discounts on bike tours in San Francisco, and sometimes they also offer additional coupon codes so you can save even more!
3. Book Your Tour Online
Most of the companies that offer Golden Gate Bridge bike tours will provide discounts of 10% - 20% off when you book your tour online.
BAY CITY BIKE TOURS
When it comes to traditional guided bike tours, few companies are as well regarded as Bay City Bike Tours.
Rather than focusing on other types of excursions, they put all of their efforts into providing excellent guided trips throughout the city.
Starting at Fisherman’s Wharf, this bike tour will take you across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Sausalito.
Once you’ve completed the tour, you’ll take a ferry back to your starting location to complete the cycle with a nice and relaxing boat ride.
Bay City Bike Tours has a 4 ½ out of 5 stars rating on TripAdvisor and Viator (read the reviews), with a majority of reviews suggesting that they provide high-quality service.
Ticket Prices
- $65 for Adults (price may increase if you upgrade to a better bicycle)
- $45 for Children (you can also rent trailers and tag-a-long options for $35)
- $95 for Electric Bike upgrade
- More information or to book.
- Included with the San Francisco Sightseeing Pass.
Schedule Information
- Tours begin at 10 AM every day
- 1 PM Tours are available from March–October
- Expect this bike tour to last for 2–3 hours
- You will be traveling approximately 8 miles
BLAZING SADDLES BIKE TOURS
No matter how you prefer to bike across the bridge, Blazing Saddles provides a service that will make it easy.
In addition to their guided bike tours across the Golden Gate Bridge, they also provide a self-guided tour and an electric bike option as well.
Prices will vary depending upon the tour you select, but a bike rental is included with each trip.
A majority of the reviews for Blazing Saddles are overwhelmingly positive, earning the company a 4-star rating on TripAdvisor.
There are a few negative reviews, but many of them appear to mention issues that could not have been avoided.
Ticket Prices
- Golden Gate Bridge Guided Tour
- $55 for Adults
- $35 for Children
- 24-hour bike rental included
- Golden Gate Bridge Guided Tour w/ Sausalito Ferry Ticket
- $78.75 for Adults
- $53 for Children
- 24-hour bike rental included
- SF Guided Electric Bike Tour
- $108 per person
- 24-hour electric bike rental included
Schedule and Itinerary
- Golden Gate Bridge Guided Tour
- Tours begin daily at 10 AM & 1 PM
- Tour should last about 3 hours, but may last longer
- Arrive 15 minutes early to avoid any problems
- SF Guided Electric Bike Tour
- Tour begins daily at 10 AM
- Tour should last about 3 hours
- Arrive 15 minutes early to avoid scheduling issues
TIP: If you’re comfortable with finding your way around the city, you might want to consider obtaining a full-day bike rental with the San Francisco Go City Card.
Blazing Saddles works with this company to offer discounts on their bike rentals.
Whether you go with the All-Inclusive Pass, the Explorer Pass, or you choose to build your own pass, this is an excellent way to save money!
Unlimited Biking Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tours
This is another popular bike tour company in San Francisco, and they offer multiple tours across the Golden Gate Bridge.
If you're looking for a good alternative to some of the other options listed, Unlimited Biking is an excellent option.
This company also has multiple bike tours included with the Go City San Francisco Pass, making it easy to save money on their outings.
Ticket Prices
- Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tour
- $59.68 per person
- Included with the Go City San Francisco Pass.
- Golden Gate Park Bike Tour
- $48.82 for Adults
- $43.40 for Children
- Included with the Go City San Francisco Pass.
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