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- Coastal San Francisco Peninsula: Pacifica, California. The laid-back beach town of Pacifica is just south of San Francisco. It’s a twenty-minute drive down HWY 1, or SamTrans bus #110 from Daly City BART to the coast.
- Coastal San Francisco Peninsula: Half Moon Bay, California. The town and crescent-shaped bay of Half Moon Bay, California, is about a 45-minute drive from downtown San Francisco.
- San Francisco North Bay: Muir Beach, California. A scenic drive north over the Golden Gate Bridge, through the Marin Headlands going west of Muir Woods National Monument on HWY 1, brings you back to the Pacific Ocean coastline.
- San Francisco North Bay: Stinson Beach, California. Continue traveling twenty minutes north on HWY 1 to arrive at the small beach town of Stinson Beach.
- Head to Santa Cruz’s Famous Boardwalk. Located a little under two hours south of San Francisco by car, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is one of the best places to visit around San Francisco for a fun, beachy day.
- Enjoy Gentle Waves at Crissy Field East Beach. Located in the lovely Presidio and sporting stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field East Beach is one of the best beaches in San Francisco for families.
- Have Fun at Coyote Point Recreation Area. Found about a half-hour drive south of San Francisco in San Mateo, Coyote Point Recreation Area is one of the best San Francisco beaches for those looking to get active.
- Surf at Pacifica State Beach. Also known as Linda Mar, Pacifica State Beach is one of the best beaches near San Francisco for those looking to ride some waves.
- Half Moon Bay
- Bodega Bay
- Pacific Grove
- Crescent City
- Fort Bragg
- Carmel-by-the-Sea
- Stinson Beach
- Eureka
- Santa Cruz: Northern California Beach Towns
- Mendocino
Even though it is only about 1 hour south of San Francisco, you'll feel like you are in a different world when you visit Half Moon Bay. This beautiful area will give you a wide range of activities no matter what you like to do, including horseback riding, hiking, cycling, bird watching, golfing, cruising along a bike, or sunbathing, depending on th...
Another delightful beach town that is well worth the visit is Bodega Bay. I love this one because, depending on our route, you can either cruise the whole way by the coast or hit the wine country on the way. You will find great ocean views, and the beach here is beautiful. You can even take horseback rides on the beach if you want. What makes the v...
If you decide to go in the other direction, you will find the beautiful town of Pacific Grove about 2 hours south of SF. This is another one of the gorgeous northern California beach towns as its population is only about 15,000. Pacific Grove is one of the most peaceful locations you will find anywhere. Their cute downtown area offers several great...
Heading back up north, we go towards Crescent City, about a 6-hour drive away from San Francisco. It is another small northern California beach town with about 7,000 people in it and is mostly a stopping point as people travel back and forth from Oregon to California. However, don't let that stop you from visiting, as it is full of wonders and grea...
The first thing that you will hear from other people when you mention Fort Bragg is "Are you going to visit Glass Beach?" As you can guess, that is because there is a beach with all kinds of colored glass on it. Luckily, the waves have worn down the glass, which is rounded and quite beautiful. This small town is also full of cute stories, great par...
Just about 15 minutes south of Pacific Grove, you have the tiny beach town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, with a population of around 3,000 residents. Even though it's small, you will find a lot of fun things to do here. You can do a little shopping, check out their incredible art galleries, or do a little wine tasting. The historic Carmel Mission is here a...
Like many Northern California coastal towns, Stinson Beach has its roots in the late 19th century during the region's rise in dairy farming. Just over half an hour's drive from the Golden Gate Bridge, the town is now a popular vacation destination for people looking to spend time away from the city. The beach is a major attraction because it's wide...
Among the larger northern California coastal cities in California, Eureka has a rich history and played a significant role in the logging industry that drove much of the region. Founded on Humboldt Bay in the middle of the 19th century, the city was also involved in the California Gold Rush. Before that, it had been home to the indigenous Wiyot peo...
Sitting in a prime spot overlooking Monterey Bay, about 1.5 hours south of San Francisco, is the famous and thriving city of Santa Cruz. With a choice of stunning beaches on a spectacular coastline, this city has a rich cultural history and one also famed for its surf culture. The historic Boardwalk, which dates from 1907, cemented the city's popul...
A fascinating small town on a headland surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Mendocino has become a popular tourist destination despite having a population of only around 1000 people. This charming Northern California coastal town offers a surprising number of guest houses and bed and breakfast options, and the small and secluded beach is a great place ...
- Pacifica. Pacifica is a great escape just south of San Francisco with unbeatable ocean views, interesting and well-preserved historical sites, and fantastic restaurants.
- Bodega Bay. Bodega Bay is known for being the filming location of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963) starring Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor. Whether or not you’re a film buff, this gorgeous small town is a peaceful place to explore with some quintessentially NorCal vibes.
- Calistoga. This small city in Napa Valley is perhaps most famous for the breathtaking Castello di Amorosa winery. It’s styled to emulate a Tuscan castle from the 13th century with 5 defensive towers, 107 rooms, handmade antique bricks from Europe, hand-painted frescoes, and more.
- Rockridge. This small tree-lined stretch of College Avenue in Oakland is a quirky and fun way to spend an afternoon. Go shopping down the main street filled with indie bookstores, gourmet cafes, home goods outlets, vintage shops, and excellent restaurants.
- Crescent City. Crescent City was founded as a shipping city– or rather, as a shipwreck city, because the rugged coastline did in quite a number of ships between 1865 and the 1940’s.
- Trinidad. Trinidad is an official gateway to the California Coastal National Monument. The Gateways include other towns on this list like: Fort Bragg, the Monterey Peninsula/ Pacific Grove, the Lost Coast/Shelter Cove and Pidgeon Point near Half Moon Bay.
- Shelter Cove. Shelter Cove is by far, the most out of the way coastal town in Northern California. You can’t drive directly north from Fort Bragg, nor can you drive directly south from Crescent City.
- Fort Bragg. Fort Bragg was founded in 1857 as a military garrison. It was named after army officer Braxton Bragg, who at the time had served the U.S. in the Mexican–American War.
Jul 25, 2024 · Baker Beach is perfect for soaking in the sun, but large waves and strong currents make the water unsafe for swimming. 📍1770 Gibson Rd, San Francisco. 2. China Beach. Photo by Ed Schipul on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. China Beach is a quaint beach between the larger Baker Beach and the iconic Lands End.
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Aug 10, 2024 · 2) Cayucos. Big on surfing, Cayucos is a mellow little beach town in Northern California. Just 9 minutes north of Morro Bay is Cayucos, a tiny town of about 2,600 people. Now, it may be small, but Cayucos is big on personality – and one of the cutest quaint towns in Northern California. It’s like stepping back in time.
