Biking to the Golden Gate Bridge Itinerary

If you choose to drive and park in the Sports Basement parking lot, payment is required. 

Tip: If parking isn’t available in the Sports Basement parking lot, you can park at the East Beach of Crissy Field as well as at the Anza parking lot.  

Directions: At the west side of the Sports Basement parking lot, cross Mason Street to begin biking along Crissy Field on the Bay Trail. Look out along the shoreline to enjoy views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay, and Alcatraz. 

Once a busy airfield and transportation hub for the U.S. Army, Crissy Field has been restored into 100 acres of adventure. Start your adventure to the Golden Gate Bridge by riding along the old airfield while enjoying views of the bay, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Directions: Bike west along the path that runs alongside Crissy Field and Mason Street, also known as the Bay Trail. When you reach the crossroads of Mason Street and Crissy Field Avenue, take a left turn onto Crissy Field Avenue and head up the bike lane on the western side of the street. 

Stop to take in views of the wide, green expanse of the former airfield, the Presidio’s northern shoreline, Alcatraz, and the San Francisco Bay from this perch high above Crissy Field. 

Tip: Keep your camera near at-hand. You’ll want to capture the panoramic view from this vantage point – take in the sailboats bobbing on the San Francisco Bay, the perfect shot of Alcatraz in the distance, Angel Island right at center stage, and the iconic San Francisco skyline in the distance.  

Directions: Once you reach the top of the hill on Crissy Field Avenue, turn right and bike along the Presidio Promenade Trail. 

With sweeping views of San Francisco Bay, Crissy Field, and the City, Pilots Row is one of the most visible neighborhoods in the Presidio as you approach the Golden Gate Bridge. Once home to the pilots who worked out of Crissy Field, the neighborhood was built in 1921 with a distinctive ‘V’ shape, echoing the form of an airplane, and served as officers’ quarters during the 1920s, highlighting the area’s rich aviation history. 

Tip: If you love the thought of living in historic homes like Pilot’s Row, learn more about the different neighborhoods you could call home.   

Directions: Continue along Lincoln Boulevard on the Presidio Promenade Trail heading west towards the Golden Gate Bridge.   

Built in 2015, this vista lies between the Battery East Trail and Lincoln Boulevard/Presidio Promenade Trail and offers fantastic views. As you make your way past the vista, you’ll see historic brick and earthen batteries constructed in the 1870’s to defend the bay when the Presidio was a U.S. Army post.  

Tip: As you bike along the Presidio Promenade trail, you’ll see Fort Point National Historic Site below the Golden Gate Bridge in the foreground. 

Directions: As you bike along the Presidio Promenade Trail on Lincoln Boulevard, the trail splits from the road and offers a safe, enjoyable bike bath for visitors to use on their way to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center. 

The Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center tells the story of San Francisco’s most beloved icon, the Golden Gate Bridge. Explore history exhibits, chat with helpful staff, pick up a map of the Presidio, use the restroom before heading across the bridge and buy a souvenir to remember your adventure. 

Tip: Once you’re at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, there are lots of great places to snap your photo of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Directions: Turn off the Presidio Promenade Trail to stop and enjoy the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center and get any necessary supplies, souvenirs, or information before biking the span of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

The striking International Orange color, Art Deco design, and fascinating history of the Golden Gate Bridge make it a must-see San Francisco landmark and one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Continue biking to the western side and along the iconic landmark and take in the views of the Pacific Ocean, the Marin Headlands, and the San Francisco skyline.  

Tip: While you’re biking across the bridge, take in the views – you might even catch a glimpse of surfers riding a wave under the bridge. Note: if you’re biking in the morning, bikers ride on the eastern side of the bridge only.  

Directions: From the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, bike back along the Presidio Promenade Trail, under the Golden Gate Bridge, to the western side to enter the bike lane.  

On the far north side of the bridge, the H. Dana Bowers Rest Area & Vista Point offers iconic views of the Golden Gate Bridge with the Presidio and larger San Francisco area in the background.  

Tip: Vista Point has public bathrooms. You can also head west and bike under the bridge to go down to Cavallo Point. This is a great addition to the bike ride, but you’ll need to bike back up the hill to head back. 

Directions: Take the road that winds east towards vista point. You’ll go through a short tunnel under the freeway and will come out right at the Vista Point.  

You can get back to Sports Basement a few different ways. You can either cruise back down Crissy Field Avenue’s hill (next to Crissy Field Overlook) or you can stay on Lincoln Boulevard by the Pilot’s Row and cruise back to Sports Basement past Battery Bluff, San Francisco National Cemetery, and the Main Parade Lawn to get some fresh views.  

Tip: If you’re hungry, stop off at Presidio Pop Up food trucks, carts, and tents and check out the delicious array of food that celebrates the Bay Area’s diverse cultures. 

This inviting art deco cafe near the Golden Gate Welcome Center serves up refreshing hot and cold drinks, pastries, and savory food options like soups and sandwiches — with a stunning backdrop of Golden Gate Bridge views.   

Tip: Explore the area nearby and snap a selfie of you with the Golden Gate Bridge. At the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, get your Golden Gate Bridge souvenirs, snacks, and visit the restrooms.