Head to McCormick & Kuleto’s for excellent seafood and a picture-perfect view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz
The Golden Gate strait stretches 1.6km between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The Golden Gate Bridge is the iconic suspension structure that spans it, linking the city of San Francisco to Marin County. Having opened in 1937 it was, until 1964, the longest suspension bridge in the world. The American Society of Civil Engineers quite rightly declared it one of the Wonders of the Modern World.
It was far from easy to build though. Once known as “the bridge that couldn’t be built,” the engineers in charge faced all sorts of adversity, from the natural - whipping winds, thick fogs and treacherous tides - to the human: a noisy bunch of nay-sayers. It took ten years of planning to get off the ground, but then just four years to get it done.
The single-suspension span is anchored by twin towers that reach 746 feet — once taller than any building in San Francisco. Two cables, each more than 7,000 feet in length and containing some 80,000 miles of wire stretch over the top of those towers and set their roots in concrete anchorages on either shore. The scale and enterprise of the project must be seen to be believed.
24 Carrot
The bridge takes its name from the strait, rather than actually being painted gold, to the dismay of some tourists. The bridge has in fact always been painted orange vermillion, otherwise known as “International Orange.” Carbon black and steel grey were rejected in favour of the warm orange that marks it out from the cool colours of the sky and sea. The repainting of the Golden Gate Bridge is actually a never-ending task as the metal beneath must be perfectly protected from the high salt content in the air.
Please note: your guide will not be joining you on the island, as private guides are not permitted to operate on the island. On arrival at Alcatraz, take an audio tour at a leisurely pace to hear tales of notorious felons such as Al Capone and Robert Franklin Stroud in this former fort, a military prison and maximum-security federal penitentiary. Once you are finished exploring Alcatraz Island (most people spend about 2 hours), you can hop any return ferry to San Francisco, where you will be dropped off at Pier 33.
Please note: This is a day trip including a private driver who is not allowed to enter the Park with you due to local regulations. You will be exploring Muir Woods Park and Sausalito with your group on a self-guided tour
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