China Beach

Small beach with great view of Golden Gate Bridge

Parking is street side

You see lots of surfers practicing

It is windy and foggy lots of time. Great time to catch the sunset by the Bay.

There's a free parking lot...just walk down a flight of stairs to this semi secluded beach/cove with a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. It also seemed like a great place to go crabbing/fishing off the shore without having to deal with crazy crowds on the pier; as we saw several groups of people casting their poles out and reeling in Dungeness crabs!

Unlike neighboring Baker Beach, China Beach is much smaller and almost feels hidden among the mansions in tony Seacliff. Like China Cove across the bay in Marin, this spot was named for the Chinese fishermen who arrived in the throes of the Gold Rush. What's ironic about the name is that the beach was established at the behest of one of San Francisco's most racist mayors whose campaign slogan was "Keep California White"

In fact, it was named after him (James D. Phelan Beach) until he died in 1930 and eventually got the current name. Isn't it ironic, y'think? It's a tiny cove at the end of a lengthy staircase and divided into two tinier beaches by a huge rock. At the same time, there's a large shuttered building that flanks the beach and looks to function now more as an observation deck for the great views. I saw restrooms and showers were operating as well.

There's also a concrete driveway that goes right to the sand and offers additional shelter from the high winds. I wouldn't say there's that much to do here unless you're a kite surfer or a polar bear. However, it's a worthwhile climax to a hike on the Land's End Trail since it's just a short stroll away, or if you're here at low tide, I heard you can walk directly to and from Baker Beach. I'd wear your inflatable water wings if you plan to do that.

RELATED - Going to the beach? Here's a collection of beaches I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3rMOJ7b

Preciosa playa limpia no hay mucha gente ni perros me encantó mucho hermosa vista del puente Golden gate

Not many people there at all. Don't think they have bathrooms. Went very early as well..

Great little local beach in San Francisco

After admiring the beautiful homes in the Sea Cliff neighborhood we drove towards the end of Sea Cliff Avenue and parked our car at the small (free) parking lot... wow! to be able to live in the few oceanfront homes and see this view of the ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge 24/7. View to left is the entrance to SF Bay. To the right is a nice view of the Golden Gate Bridge. China Beach is not as big as Ocean Beach but it's a nice, clean beach located west of Baker Beach (between Baker Beach and Lands End).

Before heading down the steps toward the beach be aware of the warning sign. You can head down to the beach either by a long paved ramp or take the stairway. We took the wooden stairs and it led us to the Park Recreation Building with a rooftop deck and restrooms (during the pandemic the restrooms are closed. Porta potties only). Anyway, just be aware that it isn't safe to swim and wade at the beach. There are no lifeguards. The rip currents that form just off the beaches are dangerous, beware of cold water and strong currents.

The small cove, hidden away in an exclusive neighborhood, is protected by rock walls on both sides. There is actually a history behind China Beach and how it got its name. This area was once a camp for Chinese fishermen during the Gold Rush Era. Chinese Americans have erected a monument to honor this history.

No food concessions but there is a picnic area with tables and grills... Life's a Beach. Enjoy!

Review #2040

It's been years, and yet I am just realizing that I did not grieve for a relationship I lost many years ago. Be it the words of a therapist, recent separation, or a dream, there are some things that bring you back and force you to beg the question, "Am I really okay?"

According to the information on the modest rock before you enter China Beach, this beach was a place where Chinese fishermen would find respite centuries ago. The brief historical background ends with the message that they helped establish one of the area's most "important industries and traditions." Of course, one would find this somewhat ironic given the racism that was so profuse (one might argue still today) back then, but nonetheless, I finally learned why this place is called "China" beach.


It's been years, and as I came back to China Beach, I recalled a time when I was still too young to know what grief was. Strangely, this visit was full of bliss as we ate and drank, laughing about stupid things, cursing the things that were f***** up, and sitting speechless as we watched the waves ebb and flow (just as they had for the countless people who visited this beach generations before us). I could imagine others having done the same. After all, isn't this what beaches are for?

China Beach provided us with respite as we enjoyed the somewhat reclusive nature of the place. It's quite a small beach that boasts mighty views. You can see the Golden Gate Bridge's entirety from here as well as marvel at the hills in the distance. The size of the beach can be a downside for those who want to practice more social distancing. However, when we went, there was quite a bit of space near the shore.

Note: The parking lot is large enough to fit maybe, from my humble estimate, 30 cars? Not quite spacious.

Me and my friend both recently went to China Beach along with Baker Beach. Both beaches are close to one another.

China Beach is much more compact while Baker Beach has a lot more sand making it a better beach if you want to go for a nice long walk.

China Beach has an awesome view of Golden Gate bridge that is similar to the one you get on Baker Beach.

The coolest thing me and my friend experienced on China Beach while we were here was people watching. We watched some of the polar bear club members swim laps in the Pacific Ocean with simple bathing suits.

Although it was August when we were here the air was quite cool. I had on several layers with a hoodie and even then felt like I would have liked a nice wind breaker jacket. It was pretty awesome seeing those folks swim laps in the ocean.

Other people watching we saw were a family on rocks over the ocean doing cannonballs and front flips from a rock into the ocean which am sure will make a lovely memory for them for years to come.

There are so many hidden gems in San Francisco and China Beach is definitely one of them. Most people know Baker Beach but just one rock away is this cute little beach surrounded by all the beautiful Presidio/Sea Cliff houses which I definitely recommend looking around. The views are comparable to Baker Beach with far less people. Hot tip: Come early in the morning as parking can be difficult to find later on.

The Beach is also connected to Land's End through a trail and would highly recommend visiting there too. Also during wintertime, it's crab fishing season and there are a lot of people fishing for it early in the morning which is pretty cool to watch.

Have I been in the city all my life without setting foot at China Beach? Perhaps so. I didn't get any childhood flashbacks as we tried to find the small little ol' parking lot them followed the fishermen and tourists to the shore.

Not only was this little adventure so refreshing, but it was also not crowded at all. We saw a couple of people fishing, a family or two playing in the (cold) water, 1 surfer, and a few tourists that knew the place better than I did apparently.

After you park your car, walk down the steep steps to get to the ruins, then walk down more steps to get to the shore. There's 2 sets of steps, but if you look to the left, there's a cute little cove that's worth checking out. We thought it was going to be freezing and windy, but not even! Wear a jacket, yes, but "spare the snow jackets, mom!" So not necessary.

The view of the Golden Gate Bridge is truly breathtaking here. It's one of those places you visit, so you can stop time, and remind yourself you're standing in one of the most beautiful cities. While the kids are busy running up and down the steps, you can use that 45 seconds of quiet to just ...reflect. The crisp air, the blue skies, and the bright international orange colored bridge pillars...ahh, so nice!

There wasn't much to do there, but it's still worth the trip! We spent maybe 30 mins tops before we realized we were hungry and wanted birria tacos :)