Closest Beaches

Beaches Near San Francisco, CA

San Francisco has city beaches — Ocean Beach on the west side and Baker Beach below the Golden Gate — but the water is cold and sneaker waves are a real hazard at Ocean Beach. Stinson Beach sits across the bridge in Marin; Pacifica and Half Moon Bay are a short drive south. Locals swim in wetsuits, not trunks.

Plan This Week

Tuesday looks like the best day across this list.

Strongest single forecast: Santa Cruz Main Beach on Monday (86).

Within 60 mi

Baker Beach (San Francisco)

3.7 mi · ~5 min drive · San Francisco County, CA

Great day for photography.

63°F air 9 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (69)

Ocean Beach (San Francisco)

5.1 mi · ~7 min drive · San Francisco County, CA

Great day for photography.

60°F air 8 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (64)

Pacifica State Beach

13 mi · ~19 min drive · San Mateo County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

64°F air 3 to 7 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (72)

Stinson Beach

15 mi · ~21 min drive · Marin County, CA

Great day for photography.

64°F air 3 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (78)

Half Moon Bay State Beach

20 mi · ~29 min drive · San Mateo County, CA

Great day for photography.

68°F air 6 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (79)

Natural Bridges State Beach

60 mi · ~1 hr 27 min drive · Santa Cruz County, CA

Ideal for photography.

72°F air 5 mph wind Best this week: Monday (85)

Santa Cruz Main Beach

60 mi · ~1 hr 27 min drive · Santa Cruz County, CA

Ideal for photography.

77°F air 5 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Capitola Beach

61 mi · ~1 hr 28 min drive · Santa Cruz County, CA

Ideal for photography.

76°F air 3 mph wind Best this week: Monday (86)

Monterey State Beach

86 mi · ~2 hr 4 min drive · Monterey County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

61°F water 67°F air 3 to 7 mph wind Best this week: Monday (71)

Carmel Beach

89 mi · ~2 hr 8 min drive · Monterey County, CA

Great day for photography.

61°F water 71°F air 6 mph wind Best this week: Monday (76)

Pfeiffer Beach (Big Sur)

111 mi · ~2 hr 40 min drive · Monterey County, CA

Great day for photography.

69°F air 5 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (82)

Glass Beach (Fort Bragg)

138 mi · ~3 hr 19 min drive · Mendocino County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

64°F air 6 mph wind Best this week: Today (71)

Cayucos State Beach

181 mi · ~4 hr 21 min drive · San Luis Obispo County, CA

Ideal for photography.

66°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (82)

Morro Bay (Morro Strand State Beach)

187 mi · ~4 hr 29 min drive · San Luis Obispo County, CA

Ideal for photography.

70°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (84)

Avila Beach

202 mi · ~4 hr 51 min drive · San Luis Obispo County, CA

Ideal for photography.

83°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Saturday (82)

Pismo Beach

209 mi · ~5 hr drive · San Luis Obispo County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

Refugio State Beach

264 mi · ~6 hr 20 min drive · Santa Barbara County, CA

Ideal for photography.

77°F air 5 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (86)

Leadbetter Beach

278 mi · ~6 hr 41 min drive · Santa Barbara County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

78°F air 5 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (86)

Carpinteria State Beach

284 mi · ~6 hr 49 min drive · Santa Barbara County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

73°F air 5 mph wind Best this week: Tuesday (86)

Harris Beach State Park

313 mi · ~7 hr 30 min drive · Curry County, OR

Great day for a beach walk.

58°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Friday (69)

Leo Carrillo State Park

323 mi · ~7 hr 45 min drive · Los Angeles County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

76°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (85)

El Matador State Beach

326 mi · ~7 hr 49 min drive · Los Angeles County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

75°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (86)

Zuma Beach

328 mi · ~7 hr 52 min drive · Los Angeles County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

74°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Wednesday (85)

Point Dume State Beach

329 mi · ~7 hr 54 min drive · Los Angeles County, CA

Great day for a beach walk.

78°F air 5 to 10 mph wind Best this week: Thursday (84)

Gold Beach (South Beach Park)

337 mi · ~8 hr 6 min drive · Curry County, OR

Great day for a beach walk.

69°F air 12 to 16 mph wind Best this week: Friday (78)

Distance is straight-line, drive times are estimates

Mileage shown is straight-line distance from the center of San Francisco. Real drive times depend on highway routing, weekend traffic, and where in the metro you start. For summer Saturdays, plan 20–40 minutes longer than the estimates here. The range slider above filters by the same straight-line distance.