Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Ocean Beach

    4.2 (947 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

    Ocean Beach Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Ocean Beach

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Taylor M.

    This beach is a decent size. It's not too small or big. The sand is soft. The parking is free. Some of the parking is parallel leading up to the beach and there's some regular parking closer to the beach. There is no bathroom. We went on a weekday and the beach was pretty empty. If you walk down to the right of the beach, there's a cool cave with some water at the bottom.

    Jennifer D.

    A fun project. At first, I felt dumb about it but I leaned into it and spoke my thoughts, what I would say if they really were listening. I felt lighter after.

    signage
    James A.

    A 3.5 mile beach on the western edge of San Francisco, Ocean Beach has an interesting history initially known as a dangerous place for ships because of the heavy fog and dangerous sandbars. It was the place where surfing in Northern California was pioneered, where 'wood-choppers' (early surfers who carved boards from nearby redwoods) would risk life/limb to surf in the frigid water. I stopped by for a quick visit (in/out) since we were so close to the area. Admired how large and deep the beach is, and how uncrowded it was. The lack of crowds also meant plenty of street parking.

    Crab
    Diana M.

    Love the views here! Great weather and lots of beautiful scenery. The sand dollars all over the beach make this place very unique. The beach could use a trash pick up.

    Abel A.

    Walking/running/biking along the great highway, which runs parallel to the beach. SF is not known for beaches but this is still a great place to hang out or cruise by. Such a beauty. And perfect for breeze on a nice day. p.s. Staff does a great job to keep things clean.

    Found a beautiful spot today :) 4/20/26
    Sandy L.

    Morning walk in beautiful weather and even caught an amazing rainbow. Not cold at all, just a light breeze, fresh crisp air, and a gentle sprinkle of rain. One of those simple moments that just feels really good. Love it. :)

    SFFD SFPD practicing rescues
    Joseph A.

    Passing by Ocean Beach and noticed the SFFD and SFPD practicing rescues techniques out on Beach.

    Oceans calling
    Ultima M.

    TikTok lead me here lol I saw a tiktok about the Ocean Calling photo op and I had to come here and see and experience it for myself. Ocean Calling invites you to speak your words of love, grief and remembrance into the wind and the waves of the Pacific Ocean. Its a really nice spot, therapeutic and well thought out After Ocean calling we walked along the beachside This beach is a very nice beach, beautiful views. There are lots of people walking, running, riding bikes Street parking only

    Ocean Beach
    Kacey C.

    I always Love going For Walk on Ocean Beach to get Exercise on The Beach And it very Lovely Peaceful

    Beach
    Melody C.

    Ocean Beach is beautiful! Ocean Beach has a ton to offer. The weather near the end of October is literally perfect. What starts as a warm afternoon turns to a perfectly cool sunset. Be sure to always carry a jacket because the weather turns quickly and can be very windy. Outside of the summer weather, Ocean Beach is typically overcast and damp. The sand is powdery soft. Where it touches the water, it gets very firm and solid, perfect for a beach run. No matter the time or day, there are walkers, runners, dogs, kids, sun bathers, surfers, and swimmers. The waves are always tall and full of surfers and boogie boarders. Be careful if you choose to swim though! Even when the beach is busy, there are miles and miles of sand for you to find a quiet and secluded spot. Bonfires are permitted before 9:30pm in the pits using firewood. The parking lots are beach-front and have stairs leading directly to the sand. If busy, parking can be a little hard to come by. One thing to note is that the sand isn't necessarily the cleanest. There is quite a bit of plastic litter and trash. This means there are a TON of flies. The flies will swarm you and land all over you. Regardless, I definitely recommend visiting Ocean Beach, especially the area adjacent to Golden Gate Park!

    Hauntingly beautiful.
    Jenn R.

    Made a quick stop at the former Cliff House and saw Ocean Beach with all its glorious fog lingering around. It's hauntingly beautiful, devoid of people and all the modern conveniences that we encounter every day. Except for the light posts. And the concrete walkways. And people. If you want to see this particular view and looking for parking, it's located off the side of the road. Signs are posted, warning not to leave valuables in your car due to theft. THE RETURN? Yes, it's a beautiful look out point, despite the more than occasional gloom.

    Fiona T.

    Plan well! It's always cold and windy here. Bring weights for tents, canopies, etc. Blankets get really sandy. Pro tip: when you're trying to tell friends or family where you are, look at the parking lot. The stairs leading up to the lot has numbers like 15, 16, ... 20, etc. Fire pits get claimed really fast on busy weekends. Come early if you want to secure one on a busy weekend. There's a large ramp towards #15 for access to the beach without stairs. There's a white trailer with 3 restrooms. One is wheelchair accessible with a ramp

    Sunset :)
    Susan B.

    Came here specifically to see the sunset. Oh boy, it was super windy and cold. Bad idea lol. The view was very nice though. We braved the wind and cold. Be sure to layer up. Parking is free on their lot.

    Sand dollars

    See all

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 11
    Thanks 0
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jason H.
    3
    159
    388

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Vic C.
    149
    3997
    18110

    6 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 0
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Such a beautiful beach and great scenery surrounding the area! I recommend going on a hot day because the water is ice cold!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 25
    Thanks 0
    Love this 22
    Oh no 1
    Photo of DrBarbara S.
    287
    193
    148

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John S.
    214
    654
    1660

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of AJ B.
    161
    427
    3188

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mr G.
    1610
    482
    742

    5 years ago

    Helpful 16
    Thanks 0
    Love this 12
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kev H.
    127
    1165
    3934

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    7 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    This is a great place to chill after a hard week of work. I've never had any issues here.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kim T.
    1265
    417
    1812

    7 years ago

    Helpful 14
    Thanks 0
    Love this 15
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Scott H.
    140
    4037
    4391

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rakhi B.
    115
    35
    9

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 24

    Ocean Beach Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ocean Beach

    Are the volleyball nets there open for public use?

    There are no public volleyball nets at Ocean Beach.

    Are they allowing bonfires?

    Fires are currently allowed on Ocean Beach only in the fire pits provided. Read full information here: https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/management/obfireprogram.htm

    What are your hours of operation on Sundays? Can I do a Bonfire at the beach?

    Fires are only allowed in the fire rings that the park provides. The fire rings should be reinstalled by this Sunday, March 7, 2021. They are first come first serve. There is an 11 pm curfew on Ocean Beach and the parking lots close at 10 pm. Get… 

    Can I park my rv there?

    The parking lots at Ocean Beach are owned and managed by the City of San Francisco and close at 10 pm.

    Is there an outdoor shower at Sloat entrance to rinse off?

    Is ocean beach open right now and the parking lots? Am I able to go and spend a day on the beach and bbq at the fire pits?

    The beach and parking is open. Fires are currently not allowed in the firepits.

    Can you camp here? Even sleep in your car?

    Camping is not allowed. The parking closes at 10 pm and there is an 11 pm curfew.

    Are bonfires still allowed at the beach?

    At present bonfires are not allowed at Ocean Beach. Please check here for updates on the status:… 

    Are they allowing bonfires during this time?

    Beach fires are still prohibited at this time.

    Is the Great Highway freeway open to drive? I have been here before and they have blocked the roads due to the COVID-19 situation. I want to use this route to reach Land's End Trail.

    I went there couple days ago, it was still close. But i am not sure about today though

    Is there parking available nearby? looking walk my dog here today

    There is always parking within a block. You have to drive around a bit. But there is always an opening.

    What time should I get to Ocean beach to reserve a fire pit on Friday night?

    can't be reserved, so if you want one, just gotta show up early

    Is there a water fountain for drinking water nearby?

    Not really that I can recall. There's the Ocean Beach Chalet restaurant across the street that has a water fountain and restrooms inside.

    Is there a public bathroom?

    Yes, at the W end of Sloat Blvd. at the Great Highway.

    How early would someone have to be at Ocean Beach to get a fire pit?

    Are there any public showers at Ocean Beach?

    There are no public showers at Ocean Beach.

    Are dogs on leash allowed at the Ocean Beach area?

    Yes. Dogs are allowed on-leash at Ocean Beach year round from the north end to Sloat Blvd.

    Hows the walk down to the beach? Is it a hike down steep rocky cliffs like other beaches near Santa Cruz or is it a paved gradual decline?

    Smooth. There are a few steps to walk down from the sidewalk but other than that an easy jot to the water

    Are the no-alcohol rules for real at Ocean Beach? They won't really hassle a group of responsible adults about alcohol, will they?

    To be safe, just put your beverage in a concealed cup. So nobody knows what you are drinking.

    Are the walls at ocean beach free for anyone to paint on?

    Absolutely not. Preservation wall.

    View All 31 Questions

    Review Highlights - Ocean Beach

    it helped me destress after a long day.....and on weekend mornings, a group of us would run along the boulevard...

    Mentioned in 20 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Parks 17,178 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Presidio Tunnel Tops - Golden Gate view

    Presidio Tunnel Tops

    4.8(155 reviews)
    4.2 miPresidio

    So beautiful! Lots to explore. My son who is 7 and on the spectrum, loves the park area. It can get…read morecrowded on holidays or sunny days, so just keep that in mind. The entire play area is so well thought out, clean, well maintained. Restrooms are clean. Parking is plenty. It's just such a beautiful place to spend time with family and friends. There's usually a rotating coffee pop up that'll sell donuts and coffee or matcha. All delish and a cool way to learn of new cafes in the area. I've had the Salvadoran coffee pop up (can't remember the name) and what coffee Vietnamese iced coffee (yum!). Restrooms at the park are very clean, however my son has a sensitivity to noise so the bathrooms in the Sports Basement are where we go as they are quieter. Sports basement is a great place to checkout too. They have bikes you can rent for the family (the ones that ride like 6 people) and so on. Definitely check this place out when you're in the city!

    This area of SF has been our new favorite since avoiding it like the plague due to an unfortunate…read moresmash & grab years ago. Presidio Tunnel Tops is definitely the new parkland that The City deserves! This is a vast haven with lush greeneries and play areas for kids, adults and paw companions. Reservations are encouraged for larger groups with assigned picnic tables and lawn areas, otherwise, it's a first come first served basis with people setting up blankets in the well manicured grass turf. With magnificent views of the Golden Gate, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Palace of Fine Arts and SF's iconic skyline, while standing on one spot. What more could you ask for? Sans marine layer of course. This park is also near the Walt Disney Family Museum for fans of the house of mouse. Helpful reminders for first time visitors. Either get early for parking or forget the adjacent lots like the French Court area and just go to the Anza Avenue, Outpost Meadow or the Crissy Field East Beach parking areas. Parking is free after 6 PM to 8 AM, so that is a plus for sunset vigils. Don't forget to pay at any of the kiosks! Plate number is mandatory. No printed receipt needed. It gets chilly and windy here so bring layers even in the summer. If you can, bring your own snacks and drinks as food truck and Il Parco offerings can get tourist trap pricey. All-Gender restrooms with communal sinks are located by the Presidio Field Station and the cafe.

    Photos
    Presidio Tunnel Tops
    Presidio Tunnel Tops
    Presidio Tunnel Tops - Seating to avoid the wind

    See all

    Seating to avoid the wind

    Mount Tamalpais State Park

    Mount Tamalpais State Park

    4.8(433 reviews)
    10.5 mi

    Just past SF this park has so many different trail options perfect for all hiking levels. The…read moredownside is this place gets PACKED! My sister and I arrived before 8am at the Watershed parking lot and barely found a space. We did the trail that took us to the West Point Inn for the pancake breakfast and round trip was close to 5 miles so it was a great workout. There's gorgeous views and well! On the way back to the 101 however it's a mess. The road on the way down is crowded with parked cars, which makes driving through challenging. That's the only thing about this park, other than that I'd love to come back in spring when everything is green and vibrant!

    My first association of Mt Tam is from Cowgirl Creamery's best seller, Mt Tam Triple Cream with…read moreHeart cheese. Ever since then, I've wanted to hike this peak, today I have achieved my wish. Early June with mild coastal temp, 50s-60s. Started up Matt Davis Trail in the foggy forest, to Pantoll Campground, to West Point Inn where we can look down to the top of the fog layer, to the Fire Lookout building at the Peak. Then we came down reverse but split off to Steep Ravine and Dip Sea trail after the campground. I've also always wanted to climb that ladder. This hike provided views of the Pacific ocean on the West as well as views of Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on the East side. I thoroughly enjoyed the cool lush forest, but actually my favorite section was the single track along the slope of the open area after the Mt Tam State Park sign.

    Photos
    Mount Tamalpais State Park - Yummy time for critters

    Yummy time for critters

    Mount Tamalpais State Park
    Mount Tamalpais State Park

    See all

    Lafayette Park - Lots of monkey bars at Lafayette Park!

    Lafayette Park

    4.5(188 reviews)
    5.1 miPacific Heights

    We were in the area for a festival and read that this park was great for dogs and had a dog park…read morearea. We walked up the HUGE San Francisco hill to the park, and then the whole park is a hill. The park is beautiful, there are sidewalks throughout, a nice playground for kids, a dog park area with a fence around it, and a summit area. Near the summit there was a coffee truck, Native Twins Coffee, that was perfect to grab a coffee or matcha. The dog park was a good size, it's long and fenced in, but on the hill so if you're planning on playing fetch/catch with your dog it'll either be throwing up hill or chasing it downhill. There were some trees, so there was some shade in the area too, plus a water fountain in case your dog gets thirsty. I will say, there were dogs all over the park off leash, not just in the turfed dog area. The dogs that were off leash were well behaved, but we kept an eye on our dog (on leash) and the others around us just to be safe. The summit is really pretty with some areas to sit down and plenty of shade. The view was great, and there were groups of people there for a birthday party. The playground area also had some seating nearby and another party was happening in that area. Despite the giant hill, this was a very cute park. I'd definitely stop by again.

    We really enjoy coming to Lafayette Park Playground this morning for an early Easter egg hunting…read moreevent--it's quite unique compared to other playgrounds in the city. The layout is more challenging and perfect for little explorers who love to climb, balance, and stay active. My 3-year-old always finds something new to do, and it keeps them engaged for a long time. I also appreciate that babies aren't left out--there are designated areas where younger kids can safely play too. The restroom is conveniently located and clean, which is a big plus for families. That said, some of the rocky edges can be a bit risky for adventurous kids, so it's definitely a place where you'll want to keep a close eye on them at all times. The only downside is parking--it can be pretty tough to find a spot, especially during busy times. Overall, it's a fun and exciting playground that's great for kids of different ages, as long as you're prepared for a bit of supervision and a parking hunt!

    Photos
    Lafayette Park
    Lafayette Park
    Lafayette Park

    See all

    Ocean Beach - parks - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...