Mile Rock Beach at Lands End, San Francisco, California

Mile Rock Beach is a wild and glorious refuge on the Pacific Ocean, just steps away from the bustling Outer Richmond. Getting to the beach is half the fun as you walk out on the newly restored and breathtakingly beautiful Coastal Trail. Enter the trail at El Camino del Mar and Point Lobos Avenue, just up the hill from the Cliff House and the Sutro Baths. (The usual trail entrance at the back of the Merrie Way parking lot is closed for renovation until the spring.)
What you'll find: The Coastal Trail follows the rail bed of the steam-powered Cliff House railroad, which was built by Adolph Sutro to lure people from downtown San Francisco out to the baths and the Cliff House. Although landslides forced the railroad to close in the 1920s, the rail bed itself is now part of the Coastal Trail, with dazzling views of the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands. Read More....

Lands End Beach, San Francisco, California

Lands End is San Francisco’s wildest and rockiest coast. Trails at Lands End offer a cliff-top walk through shadowy cypress, with scenic overlooks, 30-mile views of the coast, and foot access to several shoreline pocket beaches.
Kind: Hard rock cliffs with pocket beach.
Location: Trails begin at the Cliff House and Sutro Bath ruins off Point Lobos Ave. To start out deeper into the Lands End area, there is a large parking area at the end of El Camino Del Mar off Point Lobos Ave. It is also possible to access Land's End Beach from crossing the golf green at the Legion of Honor and finding the Coast Trail.
Facilities: None, restaurants adjoin area at Point Lobos Av.
Fee/Open: Free, Merrie Wy parking lot above Sutro Baths ruins. This lot is gated 1:30am - 7:00am.
Dogs: Good. Recommended are the Sutro Baths area and Lands End Beach area for their explorability and water play, and Fort Miley for nice open space. Keep on-leash for the Coast Trail.

China Beach, San Francisco, California

The tiny cove of China Beach lies between Baker Beach and Lands End. Legend has it that local residents named China Beach for the Chinese fishermen who, long ago, anchored their junks in the cove and camped on the beach. You can see a monument to these early residents at the trailhead near the parking area at the end of Seacliff Avenue.
 China Beach’s sheltered pocket of sand provides access to the water and a place to stretch out or picnic in the sun. The beach offers a picnic area, sunbathing, good play spots for children, and fine views of the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate.
This tiny secluded cove offers views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands. Sheltered from the wind by rocky cliffs, this San Francisco beach is popular for swimming and sunbathing. Lifeguards are on duty from April to October. Access the beach via a steep paved access road.

You'll find a sundeck, a picnic area with barbecues, and restrooms with showers. Parking is limited. Dogs are not permitted at this beach.

Fort Funston Beach, San Francisco, California



Photo by Mark Hogan

On the dunes at the south end of Ocean beach, towering above the Pacific Ocean, Fort Funston is one of the premiere dog hangouts on the Peninsula. As its name suggests this park was once a military outpost and two-gun battery that pointed seaward to protect mid-20th Century San Francisco from an attack. Read more..
Fort Funston is located south of the San Francisco Zoo, across Highway 35 from Lake Merced. Take Highway 35 South from the city and exit on your right after John Muir Dr to reach Fort Funston’s main parking lot.
Beach Access: From the main entrance, there is a 'rope ladder' trail which descends steeply through sand about 250' (elevation change) to the beach. Small multi-use (equestrian/foot) paths access the sizeable bluff area south of here. A main trail extends north from parking into the upper Fort Funston area. From the John Muir Entrance, a second trail descends from the cliffs but requires more hiking to reach. From the end of Sloat is a long parking area which is often full. This 'flatlands' approach requires a 0.8 mi. beach walk to get to where the cliffs begin. The best way to access the best beach is from the main parking area. Note however, that in spite of its huge capacity this lot can also fill up on a popular day.
Facilities: Main Entrance: Handglider staging/assembly area, vault toilets (plus handicapped), water, phone, paved trails.

San Francisco Nude Beaches

This map shows all the beaches in San Francisco. The ones with pushpin-shaped markers are nude beaches. Read more...

Milagra Ridge, San Mateo County, California

Milagra Ridge’s scrub-covered ridgeline runs east to west, offering impressive views of the cliffside town of Pacifica, the ocean, and the coast.
The ridge is critical habitat for the endangered Mission blue butterfly and home to Red-tailed Hawks, which can often be seen spiraling overhead. Wildlife at Milagra Ridge, especially the endangered species, relies on the efforts of volunteers to ensure their survival and ongoing health. Volunteer efforts organized through the Park Stewardship program offer drop-in workdays and special projects.. The scenic amble along Milagra Ridge can be a walk through history. First used by native Ohlone people, this land was later claimed by Spanish settlers and Mexican rancheros. The U.S. Army installed a gun battery here in the 1940s, and during the Cold War built a Nike missile station on Milagra and nearby Sweeney Ridge. Remnants of post-World War II’s Battery Construction #244 and a Nike missile launch site dot the ridge. In 1987, Milagra Ridge became part of the Golden Gate National Parks, and today is the focus of community efforts to restore the wildlife habitat and help ensure the survival of a number of rare and endangered species found within this national parkland.

http://milagracanyonranch.com/

Mavericks, Half Moon Bay, California

Maverick's or Mavericks is a surfing location in Northern California, San Mateo County. It is located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) from shore in Pillar Point Harbor just north of Half Moon Bay at the village of Princeton-By-The-Sea. After a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet (8m) and top out at over 80 feet (24.4m). The break is caused by an unusually-shaped underwater rock formation.
Mavericks is a winter destination for some of the world's best big wave surfers. Very few riders become big wave surfers; and of those, only a select few are willing to risk the hazardous conditions at Maverick's. An invitation-only contest is held there every winter, depending on wave conditions.
The big waves of the Mavericks Surf break over an ocean reef off Pillar Point near Half Moon Bay. During the off-season, it's easy to get a look. From Hwy 1, take the South Capistrano Rd exit near the Half Moon Bay Airport. Follow the road past the harbor entrance. Turn left on Prospect Way and west onto Harvard Avenue. After it merges with West Point Avenue, follow the road up the hill to the Pillar Point Marsh lot and hike about one mile uphill, along the sandy footpath to the viewing area on the bluffs.

Lindamar, Pacifica California

Linda Mar, San Mateo County is a mile-long stretch of beach between the north point and Pedro Point. Because this place is somewhat protected from swell and wind, it is a mostly beginner to intermediate wave that has become staggeringly popular with the gentry.
Pedro Point has had a thriving surf scene since the '40s, but things have changed since the balsa days. There was a time when the only surfers in the parking lot at Linda Mar were a couple of guys in cut-off Levis with their boards strapped the wrong way to the roof of a GTO or a Camaro, or going further back, to the roof of a Woody. These days, the parking lot at Linda Mar seems to be full of SUVs and people with surfboards. Many of those people are women. Linda Mar has its epic days, but for the most part, the surf ranges from poor to so-so, and the water is crowded with beginners and intermediate surfers. "It's the poor man's Cowell's," as one local surfer described it.
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National Geographic: Santa Cruz's Boardwalk Among Best In U.S.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk was ranked by National Geographic as one of the top 10 boardwalks in the nation.
"Created more than a hundred years ago as the West Coast answer to Coney Island, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is one of the last seaside amusement parks remaining in the U.S.," National Geographic said
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The Hook, Santa Cruz California

The southern tip of that charming stretch of rocky shoreline collectively known as Pleasure Point, The Hook is located down the stairs at the end of 41st Avenue. On bigger days you might get away with shortboard but it's generally big sticks out there. Be prepared for a taste of localism, not recommended for beginners.

Partington Cove, Big Sur california

Sitting on the northern boundary of Julia Pfeiffer State Park is Partington Cove. More than 100 years ago homesteader John Partington built a tunnel that is six feet wide, eight feet high, and one hundred feet long through a formidable rock promontory. Built as a wagon trail for mules to haul lumber and tanning bark to ships waiting in the cove, you can still see the iron eyes secured in the rock faces used for the ships. On the point you can also see an old rusty stanchion that was used in the operation.
After parking, look for the metal gate on the ocean side of Highway 1. You'll proceed down the well maintained but steep access road with views out to the coast.
Where the path begins to level out, you'll reach the first junction where, going straight, a short trail heads off to the left past a kiosk. The kiosk provides visitors with information about the sea life just offshore, and you can walk by and back towards the highway into a small wooded canyon.
This short spur is picturesque and follows Partington Creek a ways up until the large rocks and plants block further progress. The creek itself emerges from a large culvert that passes under the highway. Read More....

Salinas River State Beach, Monterey California

Salinas River State Beach combines perfect sands with the most unspoiled beach dunes on Monterey Bay. This hidden beach is well-loved by local nature fans.
Birders love it for the many species that congregate in the adjacent slough. Photographers love it for the sweeping views of Monterey Bay and breathtaking sunsets. Surf fishers love it for the frequently biting striped bass and surfperch.
To reach Salinas River State Beach, take Highway One to the Del Monte Blvd. exit just south of Moss Landing. Head west on Del Monte, which will soon become a dirt road. Follow the dirt road to the Salinas River State Beach and National Wildlife Refuge parking lot.