01
Best all-around beach day
Stinson Beach
Just South Of Dogtown On Highway 1 • Wide, Family-Friendly Ocean Beach • Best For Classic Beach Days
A long, sandy stretch with lifeguards, facilities, and room for everyone from toddlers to surfers.
Stinson is the default choice when you want a straightforward day at the beach: easy parking by coastal standards, a walkable town strip, and a broad swath of sand for spreading out. On warm weekends it draws half the Bay Area, so arrive early and expect a lively scene. Cooler or foggy days reward you with quieter walks, dramatic surf, and fewer crowds.
02
Classic surf town break
Bolinas Beach
Bolinas Village By The Lagoon • Low-Key Surf And Dog-Friendly Strand • Local Surfers’ Favorite
A mellow, tucked-away beach where small-town Bolinas meets consistently surfable waves.
Bolinas Beach has a lived-in, locals-first feel, with a sandy shoreline that fronts reliable beginner-to-intermediate surf most days. The lagoon side stays calmer, while the ocean side offers longboard-friendly peelers and a relaxed roll-out-of-the-van atmosphere. Parking and access can be tight, so treat the neighborhood with respect and pack out everything you bring in.
03
Best for long, quiet walks
Limantour Beach
Point Reyes National Seashore, South End • Wild, Dune-Backed Shoreline • Great For Long Walks And Birding
A sweeping, often windswept beach that trades crowds for open horizons, dunes, and wildlife.
About a 30–40 minute drive from Dogtown, Limantour feels much farther from everyday life. The beach stretches for miles between dunes and the gentle surf of Drakes Bay, making it ideal for long, meditative walks and spotting shorebirds and harbor seals offshore. Conditions can be breezy and cool even in summer, so bring layers and embrace the wild side of the coast.
04
Most dramatic scenery
Drakes Beach
Point Reyes National Seashore, Drakes Bay • Cliff-Backed Cove Beach • Best For Dramatic Coastal Scenery
A sheltered bay framed by pale sandstone cliffs, with a more protected feel than the open-ocean beaches.
Drakes Beach delivers a sense of scale you do not get closer to Dogtown, with towering bluffs rising straight from the sand. The bay’s orientation means the waves are usually calmer here than on the Pacific-facing side of Point Reyes, which makes it good for picnics, tide watching, and short wanders along the base of the cliffs. It still feels remote, so check weather and daylight before heading out, especially in winter.
05
Coziest cove near the city
Muir Beach
Muir Beach Village Near Highway 1 • Intimate Cove With A Neighborhood Feel • Great For Quick Coastal Escapes
A small, sheltered cove with a laid-back vibe, close enough for a quick outing but still tucked away from the city rush.
Muir Beach sits in a compact pocket of coastline, ringed by hills and reached via a short, scenic drive south from Dogtown. The sandy cove is popular with locals who come for sunset fires in the designated pits, tidepool exploring at low tide, and easy access to nearby hiking trails. Parking fills quickly, so time your visit for early morning or later in the day if you want a calmer experience.