Beaches in NorCal (San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento: house, high school, camps)

[jessemh431]

Are there any good beaches in NorCal that are somewhat warm. I'd like to go to UCSC or UCD, but I want somewhere within a few hours drive of a good beach. Is the only good beach in the area Santa Cruz beach? Or are there any closer to the SF, SJ, Oakland area?

[humboldtrat]

Santa Cruz is the safest and warmest beach in the area because it's in Monterey Bay. Other beaches along coast between SF and Santa Cruz are very cold. There are also dangerous undertow or rip currents that can pull you out to sea. As for beaches in near Oakland or San Jose, do you mean SF bay? Don't know of anyone swimming in the bay. I have seen windsurfers near the west end of the San Mateo bridge (Hwy 92) near Coyote Point park. I think there is a beach of sorts at Coyote Point (a county park) near San Mateo. Coyote point park - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[BearBranch]

"Marin has great beaches for beachcombing, tidepooling, wave-watching and sunning. All are good year-round, except when it's foggy or windy.

The map left shows beach locations.The reference to hikes at the end of each description refers to the book, Hiking Marin, 141 Great Hikes in Marin County, ©2006 by Don and Kay Martin.

1. McClures Beach at Point Reyes
This is Marin's most scenic beach with rugged coastline framing both ends. During superlow tides, there are great tidepools at the south end. Note that swimming and even wading are not advised due to very dangerous surf conditions.
Directions from Hwy 101: In Greenbrae, W on Sir Francis Drake, R on Hwy 1 for 200 yds, L on Bear Valley Rd, L on Sir Francis Drake, R on Pierce Pt. Rd. to the end. See Hike G16.


McClures Beach
2. Tennessee Cove
The 1.8 mile hike to Tennessee Cove is the most popular beach hike in Marin. At the beach, the cove is surrounded by towering cliffs. During low tide, you might be able to get around the southern end to reach another small, sandy beach with interesting rock formations
Directions from Hwy 101: Near Sausalito, W on Hwy 1 for 0.4 miles, L on Tennessee Valley Rd. to the end. See Hike A7.

3. Stinson Beach
Stinson Beach is the summer mecca for sunbathers on those rare, hot weekends at the coast. However, by noon, the parking lot fills up and traffic comes to a standstill. Tip! A sunny morning at Stinson Beach in February is often delightful.
Directions from Hwy 101: Near Sausalito, W on Hwy 1. See Hike B16.

4. Drakes Beach at Point Reyes
This is the nicest beach on Point Reyes. The tall cliffs provide shelter from the usual northwest summer winds. There is a visitor center, cafe and memorial to Drake here.
Directions from Hwy 101: In Greenbrae, W on Sir Francis Drake, R on Hwy 1 for 200 yds, L on Bear Valley Rd, L on Sir Francis Drake, L on Drakes Beach Rd. See Hike G12.

5. Rodeo Beach in the GGNRA at Marin Headlands
Rodeo Beach is the easiest ocean beach in Marin to reach. The beach provides sunning, walking, surfboarding and semi-precious stones.
Directions from Hwy 101: At the Golden Gate Bridge, take Sausalito exit and follow signs for Marin Headlands and the beach. See Hike A4.

6. Limantour Beach at Point Reyes
You can take long walks on Limantour Beach, over a mile in each direction. Limantour Spit lies at one end and Sculptured Beach at the other end, both walks worth doing if it isn't too windy.
Directions from Hwy 101: In Greenbrae, W on Sir Francis Drake, R on Hwy 1 for 200 yds, L on Bear Valley Rd, L on Limantour Rd. See Hike G9.

7. Hearts Desire Beach in Tomales Bay State Park
This cozy little beach on Tomales Bay offers warmer water than the ocean with swimming possible in the late summer and early fall. You can also walk 0.5 miles through a Bishop pine forest to lovely Indian Beach.
Directions from Hwy 101: In Greenbrae, W on Sir Francis Drake, R on Hwy 1 for 200 yds, L on Bear Valley Rd, L on Sir Francis Drake, R on Pierce Pt. Rd, R into Tomales Bay State Park. Fee. See Hike G14.

[BearBranch]

"San Francisco's Ocean Beach Running the entire west side of San Francisco, ocean beach is the city's largest beach. One can walk unimpeded all the way to San Mateo County. Fort Funston is located along the same beach at the south end of the city. The Pacific Ocean can sometimes offer great Surfing along Ocean Beach. For local surfing tips check out the Bay Area Surf Page.
Playland-at-the-Beach Although no longer a part of San Francico's ocean front. This amusment park stood for decades as the city's premier entertainment center. The beach in front of where Playland stood and at the foot of the Cliff House is a favorite bay area surfing spot.

China Beach Since gold rush times, this cove located in Pacific Heights, was used as a campsite by many of the chinese fishermen who worked in and around San Francisco bay. Today it is a favorite spot for swimming and more private sunbathing. One of the safer beaches in the summer when lifeguards are on duty. China Beach is located at Seacliff and 28th Ave. just off of El Camino Del Mar.

Baker's Beach Probably San Francisco's most scenic beach with its spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands. Actually located in the Presidio, Baker's Beach is just west of the Bridge. It is a favorite sunbathing beach for the locals when the weather gets warm.

[ImRandy]

Humboldtrat is correct that the ocean side beaches between San Francisco and Santa Cruz tend to be a little cold for swimming. You'll find people using the beaches for water sports but they're in wet suits. Those beaches are excellent for walking though and when it heats up inland people flock to them for relief. On rare occasions they get so packed you'd think you were in Southern California.

As for the Bay, people do swim in it but I wouldn't call it a really popular pastime for "regular" folks. There are several open water swim clubs and a few popular races that take place on the Bay. The Tiburon Mile for example is next month. For the most part though most people don't swim in it citing either the temperature or pollution or both.

In the Santa Cruz area, Santa Cruz beach is the biggest but I think Capitola is the best. It's further away from campus though. Both get really crowded when it's warm out.

If you go to UCD it's a bit impractical to think you'd be going to a beach in the Bay Area let alone Santa Cruz. It's just not that close. In all likelihood you'd be going to a beach on the American River in Sacramento. A popular pastime is floating down the river and finding a random sandy beach along the way for lunch. Another alternative would be the Sacramento River delta area. A longer drive but if you have access to a boat it can be very fun.

[jessemh431]

lol. i like the SoCal beach reference. Yes, our beaches are VERY crowded every day in the summer. I have gone almost everyday this summer to one of the places only locals know about and i have to set up my towel at least 25 yards from the water unless i want to share a towel with some stupid tourists.

[ImRandy]

Yeah, I grew up in Southern California. We used to drive to Ventura to go to the beach. I thought it was crowded there, uncomfortably so when there was another person within 10 or 20 yards of us. It wasn't until I was in high school that I visited Zuma and the Malibu beaches. I remember thinking to myself, my god, why would anyone come here? The water was warmer but people were, gasp, right next to each other. Then I visited some of the southern beaches. Zuma seemed practically desolate by comparison. You couldn't even see the sand for the mass of humanity.

Anyway, the point I was going to make was Northern California beaches pretty much max out at say the north end of Zuma crowded not LA/OC crowded. No walking on top of the crowd to get to a beach and you can see the sand even on a hot day.

[jmz707]

Sorry, there are no Beaches to swim in Northern California (unless you are asking for hypothermia). Santa Cruz would be the closest beach swimable, and it's even a little cold there.

[missknowitall22]

Try Bodega Bay.Its a nice beach. Yes, its cold but not too bad. People do swim in it and I been going there for ten years. You get use to it.

[18Montclair]

I love the fact that so much of the Bay Area's coastline is uninhabited.