Vista Point

This is one of my favorite tourist spots to visit whenever my family & other loved ones visit from out-​of-​state or another country. Although the view is breath taking, remember this is a highly sought after tourist spot, so be prepared for crowds and difficulty finding parking. Despite all of that, this location is definitely worth the trouble.

The place to go when you want to see the Golden Gate Bridge or walk across it. This is the spot!
Easily accessible with a very short deceleration lane and then you can either continue onwards to Sausalito or there’s an under-​the-​road tunnel that puts you back onto the Bridge back into San Francisco. On busy days, the parking lot here is going to be crazy. There are not nearly enough spaces, but that’s how it goes.
Great view of the bridge, plenty of space to get your selfie picture with it behind you, the Bay, Alcatraz and if it’s a good clear day, you can get a terrific shot of the City of San Francisco as well. Look out if you’ve got vertigo. There’s quite the drop.

Classic view of the golden gate bridge– drive over the gate and pull to the first right exit (circular parking lot).
Bring your selfie sticks or ask someone to help you take a pic of this iconic spot. You can see alcatraz from here too. There’s a bunch of the magnifying glass things that you can out 50 cents in to see better. Awesome view of the SF skyline… I came during the day but I’m sure it’s nice a day.
Plenty of parking. Go when it’s not foggy so you can see the Golden Gate Bridge in all it’s glory with downtown SF as the backdrop.
Classic tourist spot.

You can’t give it less than five stars! This is one of THEE best spots for selfies with the GG bridge as your backdrop! On this occasion, we hiked to the top for a higher view of the bridge. There were interesting military bunkers along the way. Never knew they existed!
As to be expected: lots of tourists! Expect to circle around for a parking spot. We came during the day but I’m sure the views can be just as spectacular any time.
The plus side: it’s free!

A MUST SEE!
This is my favorite spot to see the Golden Gate Bridge and I always bring my friends here to take a picture. The only sad thing is that sometimes it could be foggy and the bridge would be invisible.
The downside to this place is the lack of parking and some people being rude. If the first stop doesn’t have enough parking, you could drive up farther down the road since there are a couple more stops there.
WOULD COME BACK AGAIN!

Vista point is one of my favorite spots to see the Golden Gate Bridge. I used to come here all the time as a kid, and the views are spectacular whether you visit during the day or in the evening.
I came here with my family, and the views were as lovely as I remember. Although it took a long time to find parking, it’s definitely worth the wait. My son loved taking photos of the bridge and city from this spot!
We really weren’t prepared for the crowds though. The moment we were ready to take that perfect shot, someone would step right in front of us and ruin the photo. It took us a while to get some good pics.
This is wonderful spot to enjoy some unique views of the city and bridge. I look forward to coming back during an evening when we can see all the beautiful lights of the city!

Vista Point in Sausalito, CA.
OMG-​OMG, If you have never been here before, I highly suggest you come here. It’s really hard to explain the feeling I got coming here. I was memorized, excited, giddy, happy and totally felt at peace on my first visit to Vista Point. For me it was like a little slice of heaven.
Okay let’s get this out for the haters/​complainers/​People full of themselves/​bitter people etc etc and so on and so on.
The Parking can suck, It’s like way too many beans and not enough tortillas. Some people can’t keep their composure and go nuts off the limited parking. Other then that, I did not see anything wrong with this place.
The Goods: Very kid friendly-​Perfect for a date-​Cool for a bike ride-​Awesome view-​Free Parking.
So I brought my grandparents here for thier 61^st anniversary a month ago. To be honest I didn’t know this place was this beautiful. There’s placing to park along the road and view points to check out the scenery. We went to about two view points to look at everything and fell in love with everything.
The last view point is the best in my opinion. There’s this old Army bunker you can check out. But the best of the best. There’s a perfect, I mean perfect shot of the Golden gate bridge. I stayed for who knows how long, just admiring it all.
If you never been to Vista Point, please check this place out.
Sincerely VD.

Another place to hit up if you want a great view of San Francisco. It gets windy and chilly here, so bring a windbreaker!

I LOVE SF CITY! And the Golden Gate Bridge definitely a tourist spot to hit whenever you go to the city. I’ve been to the other sides of the GGB but I’ve never been to the vista point side where you get the upper view of the bridge. Luckily my friend was nice enough to drive me to this location after viewing the opposite end.
The view is so much nicer up here. Although the parking sucks, it’s worth the view and the mini hike up there. We waited about 15 minutes for parking on a weekday just to go and see a different perspective of the bridge. It’s not as crowded as the other location down below but it still can get crowded as the parking stalls are limited. The sky was clear and perfect that day. Definitely one to remember and a kodak moment for your tourist memories.

This vista point is on the other end of the Golden Gate Bridge, opposite of the Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion. I entered here by mistake one time before I accidentally passed GGBP and had to cross the bridge.
This parking lot is a little less crowded than GGBP but still pretty crowded. The up side is that it’s free parking. However, if you have to make the trip back across the bridge to continue your journey, then you’ll have to pay a toll (I think it’s $ 7 – 8). There aren’t toll booths but they would take a picture of your license plate and send home a bill.
If you want to walk the bridge, this and GGBP are the two best options. However, if you want a different perspective of the Golden Gate Bridge, check out Fort Point!

If you are visiting (heck if you have lived here your whole life) San Francisco. Rent a car, hijack an über/​lyft driver and take the first exit after crossing the GG bridge… Alexander ave onto Conzelman Road.
The lookouts here are some of the best in San Francisco. Parking lots on the weekend are mobbed. If you are a bit adventurous keep on the road and at the roundabout go down… you can visit the marine mammal center and rodeo beach… where there are amazing hikes (visit the WW2 cannon turrets and hidden bunkers.
From here you can head North to some amazing hiking in the surrounding valleys and hills and Mt Tam.

When you cross the Golden Gate Bridge from South (SF side) to North (other side), Vista Point is your first a stop on the right — it almost looks like an exit ramp off a highway. People usually drive in an out pretty quickly after getting photos of the bridge, so parking is plentiful all around the circular Vista Point. The bathroom line here can get a bit long though, it’s decently clean. I thought the view of the bridge here was alright. You see the bridge at an angle, and I think I might prefer seeing it longitudinal from farther away, if that makes sense.

Beautiful views of San francisco and the back side of the Golden Gate bridge. So happy we came with a tour instead of driving ourselves. This is a stop for a great pictures on the way to Saulsalito. So happy we were able to check this out.

It was dark, it was hella cold, crazy windy, and almost nuts to be walking up the side of a mountain! But, in the end, my friends, it was all worth it. Luckily my friend and I came on a clear night to see the Golden Gate Bridge. Forget catching a view of the GG from that silly tourist spot below, take the route up the side of the hill. The view will definitely make you appreciate this amazing city that we live in. I love you SF.

This is a must see when you cross the bridge, the views from this side are breathtaking. But don’t just look back over the city or the bridge, make sure to see the sights there like the soldier standing watch. The night view is amazing. We did not go back for the day view, but we saw the city lights from afar.

Great place for views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco!
Went on a Saturday afternoon, and it was very busy, but people are constantly leaving so the wait for a parking spot isn’t long at all, and well worth the visit.

We were lucky to go on beautiful day with no fog. If you are coming from SF, go to Vista Point first (on the right), then back under the freeway and off to the right (instead of the on-​ramp) to the less crowded hillside with many lookouts at different elevations. You cannot go to the hillside viewpoints first; there isn’t a way back to Vista Point from there. All free, except the Bridge toll.
Vista Point has bathrooms.

When I want to see tourists from around the world I will stop here. If I want the best view of the bridge and the SF I will go to the other side where the buses cannot go.
I am amazed that people will stand on the stone wall; I guess it makes for more dramatic selfies. However, I think that a vacation would be ruined if a person slipped off and crashed down the hill. It would make a great photo journalism image.

Really one of the best spots for that iconic Bay Bridge/​city view. My grandparents used to take guests there when I was little and I went again recently with visitors from out of town, glad to know it’s still as beautiful (and chilly) as ever. As always you run the risk of fog, but honestly, it would probably be just as spectacular if visibility wasn’t too bad w/​the bridge surrounded… Anyway, the day we went it was pretty clear, we went late morning in late Dec.
There are a couple spots to park and take pictures when you first turn off the freeway and start to head up the hill. I’d recommend to head up to the top one first, it’ll be easier to get to the lower spot coming down. That way you’re not feeling the pressure of blocking traffic while waiting to turn and you’re not trying to cross lanes. You may have to wait for a spot, but they free up pretty frequently, it’s not like anyone is staying for an hour. Though if you want to play it safe, have someone that is willing to stay in the car and idle in the lot waiting for a space while the rest of the party checks out the view.
Pass the first view point and go up to the second, there’s another small parking area and the view is still cool. At this one you see the bridge but also more of the coastline, which is still a very pretty view. Definitely not as large as the lower view point closer to the bridge, but it’s also nice that it’s not as crowded. We stayed for about 15 minutes then headed down.
The lower spot has a slightly larger parking lot but it’s still not that many. Unlike the upper area where you park and the view is right by the car, here you need to take a little walk. It’s not far but I’m glad I had comfortable shoes b/​c the ground can be a little uneven and it’s a slight uphill. It leads to an old fortress, you can still see where the old gun mounts were. Anyway, you can see Horseshoe Bay, Alcatraz, Angel Island and, if visibility isn’t too bad, Treasure Island and the Bay Bridge.
All in all, a great spot to stop by, take some pictures and appreciate that iconic coastline of SF.

WOW I can’t believe it took me this long to make it out this way. As if compensate (the city coffers, that is) for this atrocity, my GPS directed us on our way back from Marin to first cross the Golden Gate Bridge, do a U-​turn, and cross the bridge again to get to Vista Point. Yup, double toll, since I live in the city. Thanks, GPS.
But, despite that slight, still totally worth it. Historically a fan of checking out the GGB from Fort Mason, or going up to Twin Peaks to get a view of both the bridge (s) and the city, Vista Point offers a completely different ground-​level view of the bridge and entire northern coastline of the city.
Absolutely better than the view from Fort Mason, though a little less directly comparable to Twin Peaks: that one comes down more to a matter of personal preference. Though, on one comparable point, while both are about equally windy (on a good day), Vista Point was noticeably less chilly.
***Accessibility Info***
Venue — Well, I mean, it’s really just a giant parking lot, so accessibility isn’t too relevant here. That said, the sightseeing binoculars mounted along the walls were actually around sitting height, surprisingly.
Bathroom — I don’t seem to recall any public pay ones here, whereas the other scenic points definitely had some civilized relief stations.