Home
>
Outdoors
>
San Francisco Beaches

San Francisco Beaches

When you are planning a vacation to Maui or Rio de Janeiro you may put beaches on the top of you list of things to see. However, when planning a trip to San Francisco, you may have heard of North Beach, but North Beach doesn't have any beaches (though the neighborhood was named after a beach that used to be on its north shoreline). If fact, San Francisco has several beaches that provide diversions for residents and visitors alike.

Make no mistake about it, San Francisco is not Los Angeles. Unless it's an exceptional day, San Francisco beaches tend to be a little chilly, windy and foggy. However, this should not deter you from enjoying a nice afternoon at the beach. Many San Francisco beaches have beautiful panoramic views of the Marin Headlands, Point Bonita Lighthouse and the Golden Gate Bridge. Just be prepared with a sweatshirt or jacket in addition to your shorts or swim suit. Because of the latitude of San Francisco, the waters may be too cold for swimming (unless you brought your wet suit). Bring your beach towels, a sand bucket, a good book, a kite and a Frisbee to make the best of your afternoon at the beach.

San Francisco's most popular beaches are Ocean Beach and Baker Beach. Although East Beach at Crissy Field in the Presidio has become quite popular since the restoration of Crissy Field.

Ocean Beach is San Francisco's largest and longest beach running 5 miles up the entire west side of San Francisco. The northern end of San Francisco Ocean Beach popular among locals, surfers and visitors. The Cliff House towers above Ocean Beach perched on the edge of a coastal bluff that borders the north end of the beach. The beach is perfect for building sand sculptures and hosts a yearly sand sculpture contest. Ocean Beach has a very slight slope, making it ideal for wading in the surf. Surfers wearing wet suits are a common sight along this section of Ocean Beach.

Baker Beach is located in the Presidio just south of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. With its panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands, Baker Beach is a popular beach and picnic destination for San Francisco locals, especially on the weekends. Several picnic tables with barbecue pits are located to the east of the north parking lot. The beach has strong rip-tides, so swimming can be hazardous. A few fishermen may dot the shoreline. The north end of the beach is clothing optional, so families typically stay toward the middle and south ends of the beach.

Other beaches in San Francisco include Lands End Beach and China Beach, named for the Chinese fishermen who used to camp nearby. San Francisco Castro Beach is not really a beach at all. It's a park that has garnered the "beach" nickname because of all the Castro sun bathers that blanket its lawns.

Adding a beach to your San Francisco agenda may be a great way to slow down the frenetic pace of sightseeing and enjoy a more relaxed appreciation of San Francisco's natural beauties. Visit san francisco beaches for more information.

Jed Clark is a travel writer, photographer and long-time San Francisco resident. He maintains san francisco beaches, which contains travel tips and information about San Francisco destinations, attractions and neighborhoods.

Chicago charter limousine Crystal Lake .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how lab-grown muscles power a biohybrid hand for scalable prosthetics and research.

Reports of task scams have significantly risen in the past four years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some red flags.

iPhones have a hidden folder that eats up storage without you knowing it. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some tricks to free up storage on your device.

A recent ransomeware attack targeted Zacks, an American investment firm, and a cybercriminal claimed to have stolen records for millions of customers.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Researchers unveiled a new soft prosthetic hand that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column.

Accidentally deleting a text message on your iPhone or iPad is not a problem if you still need the message. Apple has a built-in way to recover it.

Just two months into 2025 there have been numerous Mac malware threats targeting Apple laptops, ranging from infostealers to malicious software.

A self-driving electric bus powered by artificial intelligence has an electric powertrain for zero-emission operation and an automated drive system.

SpaceX is slated to launch its Starship for the eighth time from Boca Chica, Texas, Friday, though plans could be thwarted if the FAA fails to give the green light.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips on how you can protect your devices against infostealer malware, which was used to infect 4.3 million machines last year.

Motional is developing autonomous vehicles capable of handling a wide range of real-world scenarios. Its high-speed robotaxi testing reached speeds of 75 mph.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explores whether there is artificial intelligence bias involved with the iPhone's voice-to-text conversion in the message app.

Apple's iPhone voice-to-text periodically flashes "Trump" when a user speaks the word "racist." Fox News Digital reached out to Apple about the flaw but did not hear back.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson presents five secret shortcuts: Adjust sound/vibration, share YouTube moments, fix tabs and tweak brightness.

VR transforms senior care: Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says immersive tech helps older adults explore and connect via virtual experiences.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says DNA tests pose privacy risks like shared genetic information, inaccuracies and hard data deletion.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says this enormous airship revolutionizes cargo transport by flying to remote areas.

Understanding the language of the internet can help you protect your personal information from bad actors. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.

Woven City is Toyota's experimental city that is a fully functional environment for people to live, work and play while doing research.

The line between spam and scams is thin. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson details his tips for identifying and avoiding phone scams, robocalls and unwanted solicitations.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Kurt the CyberGuy takes you through the steps to easily set your preferred web browser whether you're using a Mac, Windows PC, iPhone or Android.

San Francisco Beaches

Outdoors