Top Bay Area beaches for summer heat relief
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People under the sun at Baker Beach in San Francisco last month. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images
It's time to dip your toes in the water.
Why it matters: We're due for an intensely hot summer, with potential record-breaking temperatures.
- While health experts warn against lingering in the sun during a heat wave, spending time at the beach can help provide relief.
Here are some beaches to check out this summer:
San Francisco
Baker Beach offers sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands. Harbor porpoises often hang out among the cliffs.
- The northern section of the beach is considered clothing-optional.
- Picnic areas and restrooms available. Leashed dogs allowed.
China Beach, tucked into the Sea Cliff neighborhood, features great spots for sunbathing and play.
- According to San Francisco folklore, it's named after Chinese fishermen who used the beach as a working site after facing discrimination in the gold mines.
- Grills, picnic tables and restrooms available. No pets allowed.
Marshall's Beach is beloved by photographers and birdwatchers for its stretch of sand and boulders.
- You can only access it by foot off the Batteries to Bluffs Trail in the Presidio.
- Like Baker Beach, some parts are frequented by nudists.
- No restrooms. No pets allowed.
North Bay
Black Sands Beach is a dark sand beach located in Sausalito below the Marin Headlands.
- Accessible via a steep trail from the clifftop, it offers beautiful views of Point Bonita and the ocean. It's also an ideal spot for tidepool explorations, and seal and sea lion sightings.
- Picnic area and restrooms available. Dogs not allowed.
Kirby Cove offers an unmatched panoramic view of San Francisco at the historic Battery Kirby.
- There's a steep, mile-long trail to get to the cove.
- Campgrounds, barbecue pits, picnic tables, fire rings and restrooms available. Campsites must be reserved.
Muir Beach is a quiet stretch of coastline three miles west of Muir Woods in Marin County.
- A local favorite, it includes a cove, beach and lagoon as well as an overlook trail.
- Fire rings and restrooms available. Leashed dogs allowed.
South Bay
Pacifica State Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the Bay. There you'll find people fishing, windsurfing, geocaching and more. There's also a recreation trail along the ocean.
- Restrooms and showers available. Leashed dogs allowed.
Gray Whale Cove State Beach in Half Moon Bay is named for its frequent sightings of gray whales and features a sheltered cove surrounded by cliffs.
- The sand on the beach is sourced from the granitic rocks of Montara Mountain.
- Picnic area and restrooms available. Dogs not allowed.
Pistachio Beach is a hidden gem off Highway 1 in Pescadero. Its scenic view of the ocean makes it a perfect location for whale watching, sunbathing and photography.
- Leashed dogs allowed.
East Bay
Albany Bulb is located along the Albany waterfront. A former construction debris landfill, it's turned into a park full of informal outdoor sculptures and artworks created from the debris.
- It's not the most sandy beach but is home to 150 species of birds, wildflowers and lots of walking/cycling trails.
- Restrooms available. Leashed dogs allowed.
Ahead of your beach visit, make sure to bring enough sunscreen and check the tide. It's also important to plan accordingly for trash disposal so that our beaches stay clean and healthy.
- And if beaches aren't your thing, check out our list of public swimming pools instead!