Relax at Stinson Beach

Stinson Beach, California

4.3/5

based on 4 reviews

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Description

Added by Elena P

A stunning beach, 20 miles north of San Francisco.

Stinson beach is a popular destination for Bay Area residents and tourists alike. Located just 20 miles north of San Francisco, it is a 30-40 min drive away from the Golden Gate Bridge (it's a one-lane windy road once you're on HWY 1). It is also a popular stop when hiking the nearby Mount Tamalpais.

The sand is very fine, making it a great place for kids to play in and build sand castles. The beach itself is very flat, making it a great place for morning runs and sunset walks. Dolphins, whales, and seals have also been sighted.

Looking for a nearby hike? The Matt Davis -- Steep Ravine Loop can be accessed from the trailhead behind the firehouse in Stinson.

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Chillin

Swimming

Beach

Easy Parking

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Relax at Stinson Beach Reviews

Margaret L

Relax at Stinson Beach

02/28/23

A great flat sandy beach with wonderful views! It can get pretty busy here on the weekends and plenty of chairs around, so don’t expect a private place to yourself. Still worth a visit because it’s so close to the center of the city.

4.0

Dominic Pascucci

Relax at Stinson Beach

11/09/22

This is a great beach. On weekends, especially nice warm ones, the beach can be very crowded. You’ll be able find a spot to call your own as the beach is really long. Parking may fill up and traffic can be heavy in town. But if you can go weekday or don’t my some fog, you can have days when you’ll pretty much have the beach to yourself. Fries from the parks use cafe are a must before or after benching.

5.0

Andy

Relax at Stinson Beach

10/22/20

It's a popular spot for beach days north of SF. Would also recommend going farther north to Point Reyes or hiking the nearby Mt. Tamalpais.

4.0

Laura Hill

Relax at Stinson Beach

08/09/20

We saw a pod of dolphins here! Didn't spend too much time, but I saw lots of families and sandcastles. Would make for a great sunset spot!

4.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Cruising Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California

Start your drive on US Highway 1 aka Pacific Coast Highway just North of San Francisco. The drive will take about 1 -2 days so plan on overnighting somewhere. Hotels are scarce in the unpopulated areas but there all lots of Cabin rentals throughout and several campgrounds around. Just make sure you plan ahead. Most of the towns have a convenience store or restaurant.You can stop at Arched Rock ...

Bouldering & BBQ at Stinson

Stinson offers up a great beach day with a few activities for everyone to enjoy. If you head toward the south end of the beach, you'll come across a few boulder problems, including the 2 most popular: Are You Experienced and The Old Man. Are You Experienced is the smaller of these 2 boulders, but offers up more of the challenging problems. It's also more accessible since it's further from the c...

Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop

This loop is made up of three of the most popular Marin trails and for good reason. These trails offer not only expansive ocean views, but a variety of topography and environments. This 6+ mile loop offers up waterfalls, dense forests, redwoods, and open grasslands overlooking the pacific. Starting from the Stinson Beach Trailhead behind the fire station, you will cross over an old, wooden brid...

Matt Davis-Coastal Trail Loop

This hike is an alternative to the famous Matt Davis to Steep Ravine Loop. The hike starts at Stinson Beach, just behind the fire Station. I recommend parking at the Beach parking lot. The Matt Davis trail is one of the best constructed trails I have ever seen. After 2.2 miles, turn left on the Coastal Trail. You can then enjoy amazing views on the north of Point Reyes. On a sunny day, there i...

Dipsea Trail to Steep Ravine Trail Loop from Stinson

Rock Climbing Mickey's Beach

Mickey's Beach is a great spot for experienced climbers to challenge themselves. The west face of the main rock is home to some local favorites like Sex Porpoises (12c), named for the apparently promiscuous local marine life. There are only a couple routes rated as 5.10s, the rest are mostly 5.12s and 5.13s. That said, a beginner can make their way up most of the 5.10s and enjoy themselves. You...

Relax at Stinson Beach

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Download the Outbound mobile app

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Relax at Stinson Beach Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Cruising Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California

Bouldering & BBQ at Stinson

Matt Davis-Steep Ravine Loop

Matt Davis-Coastal Trail Loop

Dipsea Trail to Steep Ravine Trail Loop from Stinson

Rock Climbing Mickey's Beach

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