San Rafael Beaches

There are plenty of excellent reasons to go to a a beach in your area. Regardless of the activity – swimming, grilling on the beach, playing volleyball, flying a kite, going on walks, or just getting a tan, beaches are a home to a wide range of fantastic activities.

Locating the perfect swimming beach in San Rafael with lots of room for activities on the beach isn’t hard. Below is a list to help you search for a beach close to San Rafael. Begin, by entering a zip code in the following box above the table.

Beaches Near San Rafael

The majority of beaches in San Rafael, CA will be accessible to everyone, however many are private beaches. Be sure to look at their website to find out if you can go to the beach without breaking any rules. Do not be shocked if a beach you wish to visit is closed because of their daily hours, being closed on certain days, or seasonality.

Beaches could be temporarily closed because of water quality concerns caused by unexpected events such as bacteria, stormfall runoff, or chemical spills. Check the beach’s website before you leave for the beach for water quality concerns.

San Rafael, CA Beach Guidelines

While each beach in San Rafael may have various guidelines on how to attend their beach, be prepared to follow these common rules for any beach in San Rafael that you go to:

  • Alcohol is not permitted.
  • Always listen to the lifeguard on duty. If the lifeguard ask you to stop doing something, then you have to follow through.
  • You should always know that you are entering the water at your own risk, even if there is a lifeguard on duty.
  • Fires may not be permitted on the majority of public San Rafael beaches.
  • Only go to the beach when it is open.
  • Only swim inside the designated regions for beach goers.

San Rafael Beach Checklist

  1. Avoiding rip tides. This might not be on your mind if you’re wanting to go to beaches on a small lake, however rip tides should be a cause for concern go to an ocean beach or a large lake which experiences rip tides. Learn the indicators and learn what to do if you are stuck in a rip tide.
  2. Get a shady area. If you suspect that locating shade could be tough, or if you know that there may not be many shady areas around, pack your own shade! Bring a beach umbrella, shaded tent, or some sort of equipment that provides shade. Be sure that you use equipment that has enough air ventilation.
  3. Where are the public restrooms. Restroom locations are likely the least of your concerns before you plan your beach visit. However you never want to be caught in a spot where you gotta find a restroom pronto but there isn’t one nearby. If you cannot locate bathroom information on the beach’s website, then you can assume that a public bathroom or porta potty is not open. Try to go to the restroom prior to leaving for the beach.
  4. Only swim in the specified swim area. If there’s a designated swimming space it is probably not safe to venture beyond the area. The area may have sharp objects under the surface, be reserved for watercraft, or is unmonitored by a lifeguard.
  5. Dispose of Trash. No one likes to visit a garbage ridden beach. Whenever you bring stuff to the beach, you are required pick up your litter. Make sure to throw away your trash in a designated trash or recycling receptacles.
  6. Prepare for cold weather. Even if you’re expecting a hot day in San Rafael, you should know that the weather in San Rafael can change without warning. This is particularly necessary if you are wanting to go in the water, so pack extra warm clothes such as sweatshirts, blankets, pants, and shirts.
  7. Will the beach have lifeguards? Many large San Rafael beaches will have a lifeguard on duty, however do not count on a lifeguard being there. If you are concerned about yourself, young kids or anyone else that you bringing to the beach, it’s a good idea to bring correctly sized life vests for anoyone who need them, and also understand that you are entering the water at your own risk.
  8. Keep the insects away. If you want to go to the beach early in the day or late in the day, there’s a decent chance that mosquitos, biting flies, beach hoppers and other nuisance insects may ruin your beach experience.