From the Dumbarton Bridge (and its companion railroad bridge) to the San Pablo-Richmond Bridge, the San Francisco Bay Area is a study in traffic bottlenecks. The six Bay Area bridges—Dumbarton, San Mateo (the longest), Oakland-Bay, San Pablo-Richmond (the two double-decker bridges), Benicia, and of course, the Golden Gate Bridge—connect hundreds of thousands of commuters. You’ll get a great sense of these vital arteries, as well as a good look at the new construction going on beside the existing Bay Bridge.

Note that the very best time to view Bay Area bridges is during rush hour, when all those poor drivers are stuck in traffic while you whiz around in a helicopter.