Hidden gems - Beaches in San Francisco, United States not to miss (Updated March, 2024)

Hidden gems: Beaches in San Francisco

Discover the city's hidden treasures—remarkable spots that are relatively undiscovered but offer exceptional experiences. Our selection criteria? A rating of 4.5 or higher with fewer than 150 reviews. Explore these lesser-known yet outstanding places that promise a delightful visit in San Francisco. This list contains 77 places from Beach category.

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Within San Francisco

Carmel Beach

Beach

5.00 (7 reviews) (~87.49 km from centre)

Three Mile Beach

Beach

👍👍 This beach is right next to four mile. It is a very small area where the tides can come up pretty far (so be careful). It's beautiful and secluded but can be tricky to walk through because it's a pretty rocky area. There is still quite a bit of debris from earlier storms this year too, but it's nice...

5.00 (5 reviews) (~94.86 km from centre)

Elmar Beach

Beach

👍👍 Well worth the trek. Clean, white sand. Perfect for wading and sun worship.

5.00 (5 reviews) (~33.96 km from centre)

Rockaway Beach

Beach

👍👍 Gorgeous little beach. There is a small hike to the south side cliff and the north side cliff which offers gorgeous views. Sand is dark colored. Beautiful area at sunset. There is a restaurant Nick's that offers ocean view dining and has live music and dancing Friday and Saturday nights.

4.90 (121 reviews) (~20 km from centre)

Limantour Beach

Beach

Swimming, horseback riding & picnicking draw visitors to this large beach backed by dunes & cliffs.

4.90 (85 reviews) (~49.93 km from centre)

Pomponio State Beach

Beach

👍👍 This was a fun, random stop to stretch our legs while driving down Hwy 1. We saw some cool caves and there was a lot of ocean life in the little puddles on the bluffs. A fun place to explore and move around before getting back on the road.

4.90 (71 reviews) (~53.34 km from centre)

Crissy Field South Beach

Beach

👍👍 It's a beach so it's got water and sand, but it also has nice views of Golden Gate Bridge and plenty of parking. It's also easy to get to on foot or on the 30 bus. There's construction happening nearby for the Presidio Tunnel Tops but you won't hear it because the ocean and people chatting drown it...

4.90 (41 reviews) (~4.27 km from centre)

Sculptured Beach

Beach

👍👍 Sculptured beach at Point Reyes national seashore is truly a National treasure! Gorgeous, loooong beach with beautiful flowers along the shore and it's cliffs. It was a nature feast. Kids can have hours of fun here. If you visit at low tides, you can enjoy tide pools too. The cliffs are sculpture...

4.90 (17 reviews) (~45.28 km from centre)

Stinson Beach

Beach

4.90 (12 reviews) (~23.09 km from centre)

Indian Beach

Beach

👍👍 It's a .5 mile or .8 km from the parking lot. There are steps, plaques, and a bridge along the way. The beach is nice, with lots of crushed shells along the shore.

4.90 (11 reviews) (~57.74 km from centre)

Lake Temescal Beach

Beach

👍👍 Beautiful little park, with a little lake and beach to hang out by. Hidden gem for sure. Perfect for morning or evening walks good mix of sun and shade plenty of seating through out

4.90 (8 reviews) (~18.3 km from centre)

Drakes Beach

Beach

👍👍 Great idea just for one time short trip. Although, this place is special because you can see the seals really close while they are resting on the beach. And if you hike a bit up, really close from the parking (couple of meters) you will be able to observe beautiful view of the ocean and the cliffs....

4.80 (134 reviews) (~55.03 km from centre)

Pleasure Point

Beach

👍👍 Beautiful scenery, must see!

4.80 (106 reviews) (~99.58 km from centre)

McClures Beach

Beach

Secluded public beach with a wide expanse of sand, rocky cliffs, tidal pools & scenic views.

4.80 (96 reviews) (~65.89 km from centre)

Kirby Beach

Beach

👍👍 Wonderful little hike down to the beach. Amazing views. Seems like the best time to take in the views is in the winter! Went down for sunrise in February and there wasn’t another soul there!

4.80 (78 reviews) (~8.08 km from centre)

Point Reyes Beach North

Beach

👍👍 I ended up at this beach because the road to the light house was closed. No regrets.. it's so beautiful and not over crowded. My dog loved the beach but was scared of the roaring waves, but who can blame him they were loud and amazing. The beach was easy to access it is a bit tough getting back up....

4.80 (71 reviews) (~58.91 km from centre)

Sharp Park Beach

Beach

Beyond its nature trails & coastal views, this scenic beach features a popular fishing pier.

4.80 (67 reviews) (~17.58 km from centre)

Scott Creek Beach

Beach

👍👍 Beautiful views of the ocean and little bit of a climb down to the beach. The only downside was that couldn't put up a tent due the windy conditions on the coastline.

4.80 (55 reviews) (~84.17 km from centre)

Stinson State Beach

Beach

👍👍 One of my favorite places to go in the bay area not too far and a good area if you come on the weekdays. Weekends do get crowded when it is warmer out. Long Beach front is nice just because it brings larger crowds and give more room for people to distance each other. The waters can be cold but if it...

4.80 (50 reviews) (~23.01 km from centre)

Dunes Beach

Beach

Panoramic bay shoreline with unobstructed views, calm waves, bluffs, dunes, trails & a bike path.

4.80 (48 reviews) (~32.89 km from centre)

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Hidden gems: Beaches in San Francisco, United States