San Francisco Gay Beaches

While the water of the Bay Area can be downright frigid (and, at times, shark-infested), warm days bring the city to the coastline of stunning beaches. This city has one of the highest concentrations of gay beaches of all American cities. Here is our guide to the best gay beaches in San Francisco.


Go nude

Baker Beach (1504 Pershing Drive, Golden Gate National Recreation Area) has a clothing-optional status. The north section of the beach (closest to the Golden Gate Bridge) is the nude sunbathing area where you can tan those pasty cheeks once and for all!

Although Land's End Beach (8379 Geary Boulevard) is not an official clothing-optional beach, people sometimes get a little carried away and find their bathing suits magically vanish! This rocky beach is also known for its cruising.


Picnic in the park

The gay beach at Dolores Park (19th and Dolores Street) isn't a beach but an urban sunbathing hot spot on a sloped grassy field with expansive views of the city. Sunny Sundays bring the largest gatherings of shirtless picnickers pouring liberal glasses of rose.

Alternatively, take an adventure with a special guy to Marshall Beach (the southwest corner of the Presidio, close to the 25th Avenue Gate), a remote gay beach in San Francisco, that offers some of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge. It picks up where Baker Beach ends and is nearly a mile long.