Sunset at Fort Funston.
Ryan Curran White/Parks Conservancy
Beaches of the GGNRA
Discover your coastal parklands
Golden Gate National Recreation Area Beaches
The GGNRA's best beaches in San Francisco and Marin
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From sandy shores to surfing paradises to spectacular views, the coastal parklands of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) have a San Francisco Bay Area beach escape for everyone.
Want to volunteer to help keep our beaches safe and healthy for everyone? See our calendar of upcoming beach clean-up volunteer events.
You can also be a part of the legacy of the GGNRA by joining our community of Parks Conservancy Members! Memberships help preserve the parks and improve access—and come with lots of benefits! Memberships start as low as $35 for one year. Become a member today!
Grab your sandals and a spare jacket (this is the Bay Area, after all), here's our list of the GGNRA's beaches in San Francisco and Marin counties:
Bay Area beaches in the GGNRA by county:
Parks
The GGNRA's Best Beaches in San Francisco
From expansive beaches that seem to stretch on forever to tiny pocket beaches nestled into coastal bluffs, the sandy shores of the GGNRA have something for every beach lover.
Parks
The GGNRA's Best Beaches in the North Bay
Whether you’re a beachcomber, a nature enthusiast, or simply seeking breathtaking views, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) parklands in Marin County have a coastal paradises for everyone.
All Bay Area beaches in the GGNRA
Parks
San Francisco
Gaze in wonder towards the Bridge and Marin Headlands from outside the Golden Gate at mile-long Baker Beach. It's nestled at the foot of rugged cliffs on the Presidio's western shore. An easy stroll from the parking lot, you'll find a picnic area with tables, grills, and restrooms.
Parks
Beach
You’ll feel like a pirate as you descend the steps to the black sand on this hidden beach in the Marin Headlands.
Parks
San Francisco
Locals consider China Beach a civic secret, tucked between Lands End and Baker Beach in the Sea Cliff neighborhood west of the Golden Gate.
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Beach
East Beach provides a safe space for all to play in the bay waters and for people-watching. Bring food from home for a picnic or something to throw on the grill and enjoy a meal outdoors overlooking the Bay.
Parks
San Francisco
Hold on to your hat. Fort Funston features 200 foot high sandy bluffs on San Francisco's southwest coast where the winds blow reliably wildly. No surprise it is one of the premier hang-gliding spots in the country. Dog owners will be happy to know they can take leashes off here.
Parks
Marin County
No beach in the world has a view like this. From its sandy shore just west of the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge, look east to a stunning panorama of the city. Limited parking. Camping reservations required.
Parks
San Francisco
While visiting the biodiverse shorelines of the Presidio, you can’t get much closer to the Golden Gate Bridge than at Marshall’s Beach. This rugged stretch of sand and rocks is a favorite destination for photographers. Even clothing-optional sunbathers are known to frequent on warm days.
Parks
Beach
On the Mile Rock Trail, you'll pass by this short path while hiking the Coastal Trail at Lands End. In just a short distance, you'll have a spectacular overlook of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, and even Point Reyes on a clear day.
Parks
Marin County
Just a few miles from Muir Woods, Muir Beach is a lovely haven with a restored lagoon. Redwood Creek, home to a rich variety of shorebirds, salmon, and trout, empties here. The beach lies in a quiet and dramatic cove with its own sheltered picnic area.
Parks
San Francisco
Picture a 3.5-mile stretch of white beach with few tourists and no highrises. It's just you and the waves and the seabirds at Ocean Beach, on the westernmost border of San Francisco, adjacent to Golden Gate Park.
Parks
Marin County
Endlessly explore the vast wilds here, one of the most stunning oceanfront parks in the world. This 70,000-acre peninsula north of San Francisco stretches from the wild and wind-chilled great beaches on the northwest side (where Sir Francis Drake landed in 1567) across forested ridges to the south.
Parks
Marin County
Windswept, exhilarating, and covered with unique red and green pebbles, this beach is just three miles northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Parks
Marin County
Amble along the alabaster sands here, one of the most perfect beaches on the California coast. Find it 35 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge via Highway 1, which unwinds atop heart-stopping cliffs.
Parks
San Francisco
The fine ruins here excite visitors' imaginations. Adolf Sutro, a visionary 19th-century San Francisco mayor, built a home and gardens on a bluff overlooking the Pacific. Today all that is left are dreamily romantic gardens. Below it, on a rocky shore, are the vast remains of Sutro Baths.
Parks
Beach
The 1.8-mile, well-groomed trail to Tennessee Beach begins at the trailhead parking lot, about a mile down Tennessee Valley Road.
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The Golden Gate National Parks Volunteer Program is a cooperative parkwide effort of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Presidio Trust.
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By developing meaningful, lasting connections between staff across organizations, PYC is creating a unified community of practice in the GGNRA.
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