find your beach
10 of my favorite beaches in norcal, just in time for sf summer
this week was the first time in a while where I had a morning that I went out and grabbed my coffee without needing a jacket!!!! you know what that means? sf summer is just around the corner
san francisco summer means a lot more than just a jacket-less morning. it also means a jacket-less afternoon and a jacket-less night. haha, just kidding. kind of. this is my favorite time of year in sf — everyone is so excited to be outside and there is an energy shift throughout the whole city. august and september brings us festival season, long dinners spent on a wine bar patio, and sunset picnics every night of the week
I think we all know that our city’s beaches are unlike socal beaches. first off, the water is not warm (usually) and second, you need to go out of your way to get to them. all of that being said, our beaches are so beautiful and so unlike any other place in the world. how lucky are we that we have a stretch of beach to be able to watch the sunset while looking at the golden gate bridge? how lucky are we to stare at a black sand beach and have miles of green rolling hills in the background?
here’s my list of my favorite beaches in norcal. some are close and right down the street, others you need to plan a whole day around. my wish for you, and for this list, is that you visit one that you have never been to, or just haven’t visited in a while. would love to hear what your favorite beach is :)
let’s get into it:
#1 baker beach
a note: this beach is great because you are usually pretty protected from the wind. grab a sandwich and some salt and vin chips + lay out
travel time: 15 mins from the city
best time: late afternoon into sunset - you get the beautiful view of the bridge with golden hour
what’s around:
the presidio is right behind you, I love tunnel tops on a sunny day (they have great food trucks and there’s space to sprawl out)
if you want to be active, the batteries to bluffs trail is so pretty
#2 china beach
travel time: 15 mins
best time: mornings (the beach itself is pretty small and it fills up)
what’s around: (spoiler - so much)
lands end trail
sutro baths
the whole richmond district is right under your fingertips. my favorite things:
clement st farmers market
hologram (coffee shop / bistro)
teruaki is a great place to pick up sushi to-go (can bring it down to the beach for a picnic)
my richmond guide linked here
#3 ocean beach
a note: we spend oh so much time here, and I am just going to say this: this is not your everyday “let me go tan” beach. there is usually a breeze, unless it’s late sf summer. make sure you check the weather before you go!
travel time: 20 mins
best time: sunset !!!!!!!! or early morning if you’re going to surf / watch someone surf (ask me how many times I’ve had a 6am wakeup after shane was obsessing over surfline the night before)
what’s around (again, so much):
SUNSET DISTRICT <3 MY HEART AND SOUL
ruby’s (so good for tacos + margs to bring down to the beach)
outer sunset farmers market
java beach
avenues (one of my favorites, grab a spam musubi)
my whole sunset guide, linked here
#4 rodeo beach
a note: this is a great beach for hiking + enjoying the view!
travel time: 25 mins over the bridge into marin headlands
best time: early afternoon (so you have time to walk around the whole area)
what’s around:
honestly, not much around the actual beach! but great hikes and viewpoints
can grab coffee/food in sausalito: the joinery and equator coffee (their gluten free waffles at this specific location are a 10/10)
#5 stinson beach
a note: this is a vast and open beach. great for spending a wholeeee day here
travel time: around 50 mins - go early so you can get a parking spot
best time: get there in the morning because parking fills up FAST, this is one of my favorite spots during norcal summer (september + october)
what’s around:
the whole town of stinson is so cute: parkside cafe, live water surf shop, and the bookstore are my favorites
on your way back into the city, hit hook fish for some poke
#6 montara beach
travel time: 35 mins south
best time: sunny afternoons (low tide if you want to see the tide pools) or sunset
what’s around:
keep driving south towards half moon bay!
the barn in HMB, one of my favorite spots in northern california - has such a cozy feel
coastside farmers market (saturdays)
dad’s luncheonette (I have never been, but it is at the top of my list. please report back if you’ve tried!)
#7 point reyes north beach
a note: NOT A SWIMMING BEACH! the current is very very strong!!! but still a great place to picnic and read on a warm day
travel time: 1.5 hours from the city (this is best for a day trip)
best time: anytime of day but it’s nicer during the summer and fall
what’s around:
point reyes station: cowgirl creamery, visions (a really cool store), brick maiden breads
oysters from hog island or tomales bay!
#8 lovers point beach
note: this is a smaller spot, but easy to walk down to if you’re in the area. we always come here on our way back up to the city from carmel-by-the-sea
travel time: 2 hours — probably best for an overnight trip
best time: summer! you can actually get into the water - it’s so clear
what’s around:
coffee at six over - they also serve rocky’s matcha!
all of my favorite places in monterey and carmel, guide linked here
#9 pacifica
a note: this is a great learning-how-to-surf beach. there are plenty of surf schools in the area if that is something that you are interested in <3
travel time: 25 mins
best time: morning to mid afternoon! this is one of my favorite drives in california, this little cove is so pretty
what’s around:
um hello, the most beautiful taco bell in the world?
craftsman coffee is so great too, I love their seasonal drinks
#10 crissy field beach
a note: this is where I go to touch grass / sand when I am hungover lol. the mornings are very calm here, but it does get very crowded very quickly in the summer so plan ahead
travel time: 10 mins, depends where you are
best time: early morning or late afternoon
what’s around:
watch the surf at fort point (just on the west end)
grab a mint mojito at the philz truck on the marina green
mentally adding a note that I should make a cow hollow / marina neighborhood guide
Thank you all so much for reading - I hope everyone is having an amazing Sunday :) Good luck to anyone who is running (or ran) the SF marathon!! xoxo
Love Always,
Su
this post came at the perfect time with the weather warming up this week 🫶🏼