Black Sand Beach is a beautiful, mile-long stretch of black sand just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. On a sunny day, it’s best to try and arrive in the morning, as the parking lot can fill up quickly. To get down to the beach, you’ll need to hike for about 10 minutes down 250 or so wooden steps. You’ll feel it in your legs on the return trip to the car, so keep that in mind when considering how elaborate you want to make your picnic (tip: don’t plan on taking a big cooler).

Once you’re down on the beach, spread out your picnic blanket, relax, and explore the shoreline. Because of the hike-in nature of this spot, it tends to be much less crowded than other beaches in the area. Please note, this is technically a “clothing optional” beach, but most of the nudists hang out on the south end. Regardless, be prepared to see a naked body or two.

This parking lot can be a bit tricky to find, but it's directly off of Conzelman Road, past Hawk Hill, and down the hill along the coast. There will be a dirt parking lot on your left. Look for Upper Fishermans trail signage.

Photos:Ryan Devenish;Robb