Fort Point National Historic Site in San Francisco

Hidden gem. Has the best views of the Golden Gate bridge and over the bay. A bit of a walk to the Fort but worth the effort. Lots to explore over a three floors

The best things in life are free. You get the best close up pictures of the golden gate from the roof of Fort Point. Plus you can see there exhibit for a history lesson. If you get hungry or cold they have food and clothing for sale.

I first came here as a kid when I was obsessed with all things American civil war and this is as good as it gets to that time period for the west coast. In fact, apparently this is one of 3 forts of this era west of the Mississippi. It’s free entry, absolutely stunning masonry work on the inside, and you have unbelievable views of the bridge, bay, and city. They give talks around 11:30am every day, and a cool museum made out of the old barracks. They have some unbelievable period cannons and even a Spanish cannon from the original fort that dates to 1684. You can get around the whole fort pretty quickly, 20-30 mins to see everything but it’s close to a lot of other tourist attractions so it’s in a great spot. Highly recommend.

Before the bridge was built, the only practical short route between San Francisco and what is now Marin County was by boat across a section of San Francisco Bay. A ferry service began as early as 1820, with a regularly scheduled service beginning in the 1840s for the purpose of transporting water to San Francisco.The Sausalito Land and Ferry Company service, launched in 1867, eventually became the Golden Gate Ferry Company, a Southern Pacific Railroad subsidiary, the largest ferry operation in the world by the late 1920s. Once for railroad passengers and customers only, Southern Pacifics automobile ferries became very profitable and important to the regional economy. The ferry crossing between the Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco and Sausalito Ferry Terminal in Marin County took approximately 20 minutes and cost $1.00 per vehicle, a price later reduced to compete with the new bridge. The trip from the San Francisco Ferry Building took 27 minutes.Many wanted to build a bridge to connect San Francisco to Marin County. San Francisco was the largest American city still served primarily by ferry boats. Because it did not have a permanent link with communities around the bay, the citys growth rate was below the national average.Many experts said that a bridge could not be built across the 6,700-foot (2,000-metrestrait, which had strong, swirling tides and currents, with water 372 ft (113 mdeep at the center of the channel, and frequent strong winds. Experts said that ferocious winds and blinding fogs would prevent construction and operation.Although the idea of a bridge spanning the Golden Gate was not new, the proposal that eventually took hold was made in a 1916 San Francisco Bulletin article by former engineering student James Wilkins. San Franciscos City Engineer estimated the cost at $100 million (equivalent to $2.5 billion today), and impractical for the time. He asked bridge engineers whether it could be built for less. One who responded, Joseph Strauss, was an ambitious engineer and poet who had, for his graduate thesis, designed a 55-mile-long (89 kmrailroad bridge across the Bering Strait.At the time, Strauss had completed some 400 drawbridges—most of which were inland—and nothing on the scale of the new project. Strausss initial drawings were for a massive cantilever on each side of the strait, connected by a central suspension segment, which Strauss promised could be built for $17 million (equivalent to $423 million today).Local authorities agreed to proceed only on the assurance that Strauss would alter the design and accept input from several consulting project experts. A suspension-bridge design was considered the most practical, because of recent advances in metallurgy.Strauss spent more than a decade drumming up support in Northern California. The bridge faced opposition, including litigation, from many sources. The Department of War was concerned that the bridge would interfere with ship traffic. The US Navy feared that a ship collision or sabotage to the bridge could block the entrance to one of its main harbors. Unions demanded guarantees that local workers would be favored for construction jobs. Southern Pacific Railroad, one of the most powerful business interests in California, opposed the bridge as competition to its ferry fleet and filed a lawsuit against the project, leading to a mass boycott of the ferry service.In May 1924, Colonel Herbert Deakyne held the second hearing on the Bridge on behalf of the Secretary of War in a request to use federal land for construction. Deakyne, on behalf of the Secretary of War, approved the transfer of land needed for the bridge structure and leading roads to the "Bridging the Golden Gate Association" and both San Francisco County and Marin County, pending further bridge plans by Strauss. Another ally was the fledgling automobile industry, which supported the development of roads and bridges to increase demand for automobiles.

Its the Golden Gate Bridge, what more can I say? This is, in my opinion, the most iconic place to visit in San Francisco. I personally walked the bridge span without problem, but there are spots to stop on each side to visit without having to walk the entire bridge if you choose not to. Beautiful views from both sides! Definitely plan a visit.

Such a beautiful location to view the Golden Gate Bridge.

I have seen this place for years but never visited. I had no idea how much fun I was missing out on. Wow!! It was a blast seeing all the items and history. They have way more inside than I thought. Plus the fort itself is fun to climb and visit all the levels. The top is the best because you can see all around for there and you are right under the bridge. Im going again when I can spend way more time here.

Interesting museum and best photo spot for the Golden GateThe fort is a museum which is free. It was a former military fort from the American Civil War. Once on the roof, you have an amazing view on the Golden Gate. There are almost no tourists! Highly recommended!I love to share my culture and my love of life with everyone Jerome the French teacher

Such a great place to view the Golden Gate Bridge!

Such a delightful visit and lovely place, historic value and amazing views. The park ranger gave a well structured presentation and highly recommended. Be ready for amazing pictures and views.

Nice view of the bridge. Great place to take some photos.

My zen spot to run to each San Francisco visit. Take your pups, take a walk or run to Fort Point which gives you an incredible close-up view of the Golden Gate Bridge.The scene from Hitchcocks Vertigo was filmed here too!

Fort Point is a base built before the bridge that has a lot of historical importance to the area. The road to get here is easy to use, parking is usually available with ease, and theres no cost to get in. The ranger booth is right in the entrance, and be warned that its extremely windy the second you walk in through the main doors. The Fort itself is really cool and if you get to the top, the views are awesome. Self guided tour is the way to go here. The cancelation for your passport is right at the entrance, you cant miss it. Bathrooms outside are pretty clean and have running water in their fountain to fill up your bottle.

This is a great place to see the Golden Gate Bridge! The view is great since you can see the bridge span the opening of the bay. Also the fort is fun to look around and the location makes sense as a point of defense. We went on a fairly windy and cool day so if thats the case when youre visiting, bring a coat or at least a wind breaker. Great national historic site and worth the visit.

If you want to see Golden Gate up close, visit this fort! It’s free to enter and not many people or tourists there. Go up the stairs to the rooftop.Bring jacket.. it’s quite windy here & cold.

Very scenic views of the G.G.Bridge, the bay, parts of the forested presidio and sometimes even glimpses of seals 🦭 playing and fancy cruise ships going by. Take a bus, walk, ride a bike or scooter but my advice is never take a private vehicle here or really anywhere in San Francisco. These roads werent made for cars and pedestrians, animals including off leash dogs and wild coyotes always have the right of way as nature intended.

The fort is back open so we went in for a walk around the battlements. Theres not a lot to this place, but the stuff there is is interesting. See the cannons, cannonballs, quarters, and of course great views of the bottom of the Golden Gate Bridge. The railing is there and functional, but it was built in a time where shorter was good enough. The wind can come whipping through so make sure you dont get blown off.

Wow! Did not know this was here and stumbled on it when we went to look at the bridge. Free to enter! So many historical artifacts and lots of information to read. Really well put together museum. Would really recommend coming here! Great views of the bridge too!

Interesting museum and best photo spot for the Golden Gate.The fort is a museum which is free. It was a former military fort from the American Civil War. Once on the roof, you have an amazing view on the Golden Gate. There are almost no tourists! Highly recommended!I love to share my culture and my love of life with everyoneJerome the French teacher

Photos from here are some of the best, and you can also see the city from this location. Try to reach there in the afternoon to get good pictures. During the morning, there is mist, so pictures are not great then.

Didnt know this place existed, but I am glad I found it and visited. History, views of the bridge and very friendly staff!

Free... Great experience. A photographers dream. The Historic Fort is pretty much as it was. Natural lighting on the lower levels...kinda cool to wander around inside. The views of the bay and Gold Gate Bridge from the Forts roof level is well worth it. Parking is bad. Can get busy and fill up quickly. We parked far away and walked down to the fort. However if you are in to taking pictures...come here.

This is a very picturesque area which offers multiple scenic paths to explore. Fort Point is directly underneath the Golden Gate Bridge so you can get some unique views of it. The fort itself is civil war area and it’s free to walk in and explore. The park service has done great work creating exhibits, informational signs and impressive maintenance of the fort. You can access the top of the fort for some great views there as well. A short walk from the fort is Torpedo Wharf which offers great bridge views along with closer views of The San Francisco sky scape and Alcatraz Island. Another path from the fort affords views of the Presidio and Crissy Field. A lot of color along the trails with numerous varieties of wildflowers present.

We went on a Friday afternoon, the fort was open. There are breath taking views of the Golden Gate bridge. The fort itself is very well maintained and there are a lot of interesting displays to read. The only down side is that there is way too much emphasis on the Buffalo Soldiers in the fort. Good info on the lighthouse. The rangers were very friendly and helpful. There was no admission to enter the fort and parking was free. It was a little walk to the fort but not too bad. Note to all its windy in the fort so dress for it. Even with the sun out its cold as the wind comes off the Pacific Ocean. The best views were from the top of the fort so be sure to make your way up there. Overall a great place to spend an afternoon.

One of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge! And some bonus views of Alcatraz and San Francisco when there’s no fog. The entry is free and there’s even a small area in the Fort you can walkthrough where you can learn about the history of the area. Definitely must come here if you’re looking to see the bridge or views of the city! It does tend to get windy at the rooftop of the Fort (which is where you see the views of the bridgeso be prepared

Amazing to see and learn about a historic fort. Sat for the 15 minute account of how this site was founded and why the bridge was built around it. Walk up to the top floor for an epic view of the surrounding area. Its no wonder why this was such a strategic spot for the defense of San Francisco. If you want to do something that will take about an hour or longer if you have the time, then stop by and check it out.

What a fabulous place to visit. They have free ranger talks and tours and you can explore all four levels including the roof. They have some interesting exhibits in the barracks section.If you’re a movie buff you’ll instantly recognize the sight because many films were shot near there.Of course there’s an amazing view of the bridge too - and it’s free!

Great historical experience. Free admission! Plan to park a little ways away as parking is limited.Dress warm! Lots of wind.You could spend 2 hours here easily.Enjoy the views from the top.

Simply amazing site. The history of the fort is cool, and of course you can’t miss the many amazing vantage points to view the Golden Gate Bridge.

This place amazing views.A beautiful sunset spot in SF!There is no hassle entering into the building. The topmost floor closes at 4:45pm and the sites is closed by 5pm sharp so it’s best we plan accordingly.

#saturdaystyle around @fortpoint of @sanfrancisco.city willing i chill myself about my bike ride but i have to confess you that this place is absolutely perfect with the weather and It’s a better time to take a PIC and enjoyed the scenery together. I think that it’s a beautiful spot for relaxing and little walk. Absolutely amazing, uper windy, especially at the top. Definitely worth going to…🚴🚴🚴#saturday #fabiosilvaofficialprofile #instagram #picoftheday #appleiphone13promax #blogger #captions #design #explore #followforfollowback #goodvibes #instasquare #justdoit #keepgoing #livingagaininusa #motivation #newpost #outsideisfree #photography #quiteplace #reinventingthesteel #streetstyle #travelling #urbanandstreet #fortpointnationalhistoricsite #sanfrancisco #california #usa🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

You could park here and if you’re adventurous to go through the rocks at low tide, or scale the tide wall adjacent to the Fort, you could easily reach Marshall’s Beach within minutes. That beach is Nude friendly, gorgeous for sunsets, and breathtaking.

Fort Point is the best place to see the whole Golden Gate Bridge. I was here at 4:30pm, so I could see the sunset at the same time. When the sky change to red and orange color, that was really fit the bridge color! At this point, you don’t need to be charged. There are some parking lots, so you don’t need to worry about the parking situation.

Place was a bit chilly but it was absolutely perfect weather. My fur babies had a blast and enjoyed the scenery.

aside from nearly getting hit by a nissan murano, i’d say this was a nice place to explore. the trails nearby are steep, but cool. the view is beautiful and the bay itself is gorgeous from this vantage.little crab 🦀 all over, not too many tourists, and a lovely ocean spray.

Great place with nice 19th century architectural style typical from US and quite similar to New Orleans style.Theres as small exhibition showing how they were living in the fort but theres not much to see inside.The most important is the view to the bridge and beneath it, revealing all the structural details.Its Free entry ! And FREE parking which is incredible for San Francisco so go park there and walk up to the bridge, it takes 10 min and its really worth it !

Amazing spot with the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is the photo you want to get. Also it gets pretty windy out here so get a jacket

I personally enjoyed this fort for where it was as I enjoyed taking pictures from up there and being under the bridge. Others in my group enjoyed reading about the history. It’s all open with just a park ranger at the entrance. It’s very windy, especially up on the roof!

Gorgeous historical site with a sweeping view of the Golden Gate Bridge and wildflowers. Walk down the stairs for different angles of the bridge. Restrooms available. Parking but challenging at peak hours

Stumbled upon this beautiful building on our bike ride. The doors have always been closed and just reopened. Stunning views and hats off to the helpful guard at the gate who graciously watched our bikes since we didnt have locks. Thank you Alanna you made our day!!

You are right at the feet of the Golden Gate Bridge here. Wonderful area to hike, bike, and witness what makes San Francisco one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Historic site with beautiful view of Golden Gate Bridge and the bay. They also have junior ranger program at this location. Ranger Chris is very kind and shared a lot of knowledge children.

This is the perfect place to get a scenic San Francisco sunset, the sun sets right on the low hills across the bay and can be viewed in a way where the Golden Gate Bridge does get that gold glow!

Historic place takes you back in time.. Rangers are super friendly and are ready to share the history of the fortPoint .. thank you.Level 1 has many old canons to display and is open till 5.00 pmLevel 2 you can get panoramic view of the bay and up close view of Golden Gate Bridge.. it closes at 4.30 pm so be on lookout.Amazing views of the golden gate .. San Francisco downtown… ships passing by…

One of the most beautiful locations in the bay area! You can see the beautiful architecture of the Golden gate Bridge, read about a ton of the original people involved with their individual dedicated benches as well as a runners traditional hands. Gorgeous views!

Lovely place to watch the sunset! Although it does get quite windy and chilly so always be prepared and bring a jacket. Other than that you can drive here or walk here.

Great place with a lot of interesting history to explore. The rooftop was very windy but gave beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay and parts of the city. If you’re near the bridge or want to get great views and learn the history behind it, then you should definitely add this spot to your list.

Love! Ahhhh it’s such an amazing spot in such an amazing city. I love extreme closeness of the bridge, wavy ocean and distant city skyline! And even to climb the stairs up to vista point is also fun, since you will go through amazing flora! Love love love this spot.. oh yeah, sunsets here are must see as well!

A great place to pass the time, enjoy the scenery and learn history. Its like an outdoor museum full of history and exhibits. You will definitely get some exercise by walking, climbing stairs, and a little more. Awesome photo opportunities. Dress in layers as it can be windy. Great family outing! My wife and kids loved it.

A must must visit for any student of construction Architecture. Heritage light house now converted into a museum. The exhibits keep changing each time. The view from the foot of golden gate bridge is too beautiful. I highly recommend this place to people who love the golden gate bridge, as this is the closet point outside the bridge. Enjoy the scenic views from the top of the building. Take a walk inside the vaulted spaces and the spiral staircase. The building is the wheelchair friendly.