San Francisco Beaches

There are a lot of great reasons to locate a beach near you. Spending time in the sun, enjoying the water, and creating memories with your friends and family are a few examples.

Locating a beautiful swimming beach in San Francisco with lots of room for beach activities isn’t too difficult. Below is a collection to help you locate a beach near you. Get started, by entering your zip code in the following box below.

Beaches Near San Francisco

Remember that the weather on the beach is very different than what you find in the city. Wind can be colder and gusty whenever it is coming onto the beach.

Beaches could be temporarily closed due to water quality concerns caused by temporary occurances such as bacteria, stormfall runoff, or chemical spills. Review the website of the beach before leaving for the beach for more information.

San Francisco, CA Beach Rules

While different beaches in San Francisco will use unique rules for using the beach, prepare to follow the following guidelines for any beach in San Francisco that you attend.

  • All container made of glass are prohibited on beaches.
  • Fires may not be allowed on the majority of public beaches in San Francisco.
  • Do not attempt to visit the beach whenever it’s not open.
  • Even if a lifeguard is nearby, know that you are entering the water at risk to yourself.
  • Never disobey a request from the lifeguard on duty. If the lifeguard tell you to stop doing something, then you must follow through.
  • You must swim within the permitted regions for beach goers.

San Francisco Beach Tips

  1. Never Litter. Do not contribute to the problem of litter on the beach. If you take things to the beach, you should pick up not leave anything behind. Be sure that you dispose of your trash in an appropriate waste or recycling can.
  2. Research the restroom layout. Restroom details are likely the least of your worries before you plan out your beach visit. However you don’t want to be stuck in a situation when you have to go to the restroom fast but you can’t find one in sight. If you cannot locate bathroom information on the website of the beach, you should assume that a public bathroom or facility is not open. Make sure that you use the restroom before driving to the beach.
  3. Remember extra clothing. Everyone knows that the weather in San Francisco changes at a moment’s notice. It’s especially important if you are wanting to go for a swim, so pack plenty of warm clothes like a jacket, blankets, sweatpants, and shirts.
  4. Protect your skin. The sunscreen you bring should be waterproof if you’re thinking of getting wet. It must be re-applied whenever you get back on the beach to stay protected.
  5. Store items in a mesh bag. It may be simple to find a purse, tote bag, or waterproof travel bag to store beach gear such as towels, kid toys, tents, and Personal Flotation Devices. However, these bags trap water from leaving, causing mold growth or just keeping beach gear from drying out.
  6. Prepare for bugs. If you plan on going to the beach in the morning or the evening, there’s a good chance that mosquitos, horse flies, beach hoppers and other annoying bugs could ruin your experience at the beach.
  7. Avoid the crowds. San Francisco beaches will be busy, especially on summer weekends. Be sure to get there before noon if you can.
  8. Always stay in the designated swimming area. If there’s a ropped off swim area it is probably unsafe to venture outside of that region. There could be dangerous objects under the surface, be assigned to boaters, or is unmonitored by lifeguards.