What are the best beaches around the Bay Area? I prefer warm, quiet and with atleast some amenities around.?

Answer 1

Stinson Beach is my favorite. It's a cute little town with some great restaurants and gift stores, plenty of parking and a park with picnic tables and fire pits to cook. It is usually not too warm in the summer, although you might get some days without fog. If it's really hot in the valleys, it draws the fog in, but it can burn off by noon on good days.
Best times are from the end of August thru January, September being the warmest beach time. The water is usually too cold to swim in without a wet suit, but many people body surf at sunset. There are bathrooms and showers and places to change clothes. I would suggest going during the week as weekends are usually too crowded.
And yes, there are shark warnings posted and great whites have been seen by surfers. I am content to sunbathe, wade, jog and walk on the beach which is about 3 miles long. It has been warm enough to lie down and read a book in January if the wind's aren't high.

Answer 2

Warm? Forget it.

Santa Cruz is your best bet (it's really the ONLY beach in Northern California where higher temperatures allow for safe swimming), but even that isn't "warm" by Southern California/Mexico standards.

Otherwise, Half Moon Bay, Baker Beach, and Stinson Beach are the best places to stoll along the sand, light a bonfire, have a picnic, or during rare sunny days... sunbathing.

Only professionals dare venture near the water at any of these places, however (often in wetsuits). If you know what you're doing, the diving is spectacular and the waves are huge. But many casual beach goers die in Northern California every year because they don't understand that it's far more trecherous (aside from the freezing water, there are lots of rocks, strong currents, and sharks) than down South.

Answer 3

The Bay area is not known for its warm beaches, the water temp of the ocean around those parts is in the 55-60 degree range year round. Most of the coast is fogged in much of the summer. On those rare summer days when there is no fog Ocean Beach in San Francisco would be your best bet.

If you are willing to travel a bit south Santa Cruz is usually out of the fog and they have nice beaches with lots to do, including the boardwalk. The water is still cold.

Inland along the delta are other options.

Answer 4

Try Stinson Beach. It might not be warm everyday of the year, but it's quiet and has some nice amenities nearby. I always enjoy little roadtrips there.

Answer 5

You've never been to The City by the Bay. It's cool there year 'round- June is usually one of the coolest months! For warmth, you'll want to go to Santa Cruz or further south.

Answer 6

Your not going to get warm up there darling, they might be quiet they might have "amenities" dear god for people who need amenities at beaches, but they won't be warm.