Sheltered from Bay chop by Municipal Pier, the calmest open-water launch in SF. A natural starting point toward Ghirardelli Square or the piers. Water stays in the low 50s-60s, so a wetsuit is strongly recommended.
Tap ♥ to watch a spot’s conditions.
Alviso Marina / Alviso Slough
Alviso · South Bay
Stevens Creek Reservoir
Cupertino · South Bay
Coyote Lake
★ 4.1 out of 5 · Gilroy · South Bay
Lexington Reservoir
Los Gatos · South Bay
Vasona Lake County Park
★ 4.8 out of 5 · Los Gatos · South Bay
Shoreline Lake
★ 4.4 out of 5 · Mountain View · South Bay
Palo Alto Baylands / Flood Basin
Palo Alto · South Bay
Calero County Park
San Jose · South Bay
Clementine Lake
Auburn · Sierra Nevada
Rollins Lake
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Colfax · Sierra Nevada
Sand Harbor
★ 4.6 out of 5 · Lake Tahoe · Sierra Nevada
Pinecrest Lake
★ 4.4 out of 5 · Pinecrest · Sierra Nevada
Jenkinson Lake
★ 4.7 out of 5 · Pollock Pines · Sierra Nevada
Fallen Leaf Lake
★ 3.4 out of 5 · South Lake Tahoe · Sierra Nevada
Waterman's Landing
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Lake Tahoe · Sierra Nevada
Aquatic Park Cove
★ 3.8 out of 5 · San Francisco · San Francisco
Crane Cove Park (Dogpatch)
★ 3.9 out of 5 · San Francisco · San Francisco
Mission Creek / McCovey Cove
★ 3.6 out of 5 · San Francisco · San Francisco
Black Miners Bar
Folsom · Sacramento
Folsom Lake
Folsom · Sacramento
Foster City Lagoons
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Foster City · Peninsula
Pillar Point Harbor
Half Moon Bay · Peninsula
Redwood City - Chesapeake boat ramp
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Redwood City · Peninsula
Redwood Creek / Bair Island
★ 3.1 out of 5 · Redwood City · Peninsula
Westpoint Harbor
Redwood City · Peninsula
Seal Point Park shoreline
★ 3.1 out of 5 · San Mateo · Peninsula
Bodega Harbor (Westside Regional Park)
★ 3.4 out of 5 · Bodega Bay · North Bay
Corte Madera Creek
★ 4.5 out of 5 · Corte Madera · North Bay
Russian River - Steelhead Beach
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Forestville · North Bay
Russian River - Sunset Beach River Park
★ 4.9 out of 5 · Forestville · North Bay
Lake Sonoma
★ 3.2 out of 5 · Geyserville · North Bay
Russian River - Johnson's Beach
★ 4.6 out of 5 · Guerneville · North Bay
Healdsburg Riverfront Regional Park
★ 3.1 out of 5 · Healdsburg · North Bay
Russian River - Veterans Memorial Beach
★ 4.8 out of 5 · Healdsburg · North Bay
Heart's Desire Beach
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Inverness · North Bay
Lake Berryessa
★ 4.5 out of 5 · Lake Berryessa · North Bay
Miller Boat Launch
★ 4.8 out of 5 · Marshall · North Bay
Bayfront Park
★ 4.4 out of 5 · Mill Valley · North Bay
Napa River - Kennedy Park
★ 3.5 out of 5 · Napa · North Bay
Novato Creek
★ 3.3 out of 5 · Novato · North Bay
Petaluma River
★ 3.5 out of 5 · Petaluma · North Bay
Drakes Estero
★ 4.4 out of 5 · Point Reyes Station · North Bay
China Camp
★ 4.7 out of 5 · San Rafael · North Bay
Galinas Creek
★ 3.5 out of 5 · San Rafael · North Bay
McNear's Beach
★ 4.0 out of 5 · San Rafael · North Bay
Santa Rosa Nagasawa Park
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Santa Rosa · North Bay
Spring Lake
★ 4.4 out of 5 · Santa Rosa · North Bay
Dunphy Park
Sausalito · North Bay
Horseshoe Cove
★ 4.8 out of 5 · Sausalito · North Bay
Turney Street Public Boat Ramp
★ 4.4 out of 5 · Sausalito · North Bay
Schoonmaker Beach
★ 4.4 out of 5 · Sausalito · North Bay
Blackie’s Pasture
★ 4.9 out of 5 · Tiburon · North Bay
Strawberry
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Mill Valley · North Bay
Alameda Estuary
★ 4.1 out of 5 · Alameda · East Bay
Crown Beach
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Alameda · East Bay
Encinal Beach
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Alameda · East Bay
Encinal Boat Ramp to Ballena Bay
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Alameda · East Bay
Albany Beach
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Albany · East Bay
Big Break
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Oakley · East Bay
Berkeley Marina
★ 4.1 out of 5 · Berkeley · East Bay
Del Valle Regional Park
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Livermore · East Bay
Jack London Square (Oakland Estuary)
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Oakland · East Bay
San Leandro Bay
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Oakland · East Bay
Shadow Cliffs Regional Park
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Pleasanton · East Bay
Keller Beach / Point Richmond
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Richmond · East Bay
Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Richmond · East Bay
Richmond Marina
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Richmond · East Bay
Lodi Lake
★ 4.9 out of 5 · Lodi · Central Valley
Elkhorn Slough
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Moss Landing · Central Coast
Loch Lomond Marina
★ 3.3 out of 5 · San Rafael · North Bay
Coyote Point Recreation Area
★ 4.6 out of 5 · San Mateo · Peninsula
Pacifica State Beach
★ 4.5 out of 5 · Pacifica · Peninsula
Jarvis Landing / Newark Slough
★ 3.1 out of 5 · Newark · South Bay
Lake Elizabeth
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Fremont · East Bay
Lake Merritt
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Oakland · East Bay
Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Fremont · East Bay
MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline
★ 4.1 out of 5 · Oakland · East Bay
Contra Loma Reservoir
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Antioch · East Bay
Antioch Marina
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Antioch · East Bay
Dutch Slough
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Oakley · East Bay
Paradise Beach Park
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Tiburon · North Bay
Corte Madera Creek - Larkspur Landing
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Larkspur · North Bay
Abbotts Lagoon
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Inverness · North Bay
Doran Regional Park
Bodega Bay · North Bay
Clear Lake State Park
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Kelseyville · North Bay
Lake Merced
San Francisco · San Francisco
Crissy Field East Beach
★ 3.8 out of 5 · San Francisco · San Francisco
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
★ 3.0 out of 5 · San Francisco · San Francisco
Discovery Park
Sacramento · Sacramento
Nimbus Flat
★ 3.3 out of 5 · Rancho Cordova · Sacramento
Granite Beach
★ 4.3 out of 5 · Granite Bay · Sacramento
Donner Lake
★ 4.1 out of 5 · Truckee · Sierra Nevada
Kings Beach
Kings Beach · Sierra Nevada
Echo Lakes
Echo Lake · Sierra Nevada
Huntington Lake
★ 4.5 out of 5 · Lakeshore · Sierra Nevada
Shaver Lake
Shaver Lake · Sierra Nevada
Union Valley Reservoir
Pollock Pines · Sierra Nevada
New Melones Lake
★ 4.5 out of 5 · Sonora · Central Valley
Don Pedro Reservoir
★ 4.2 out of 5 · La Grange · Central Valley
New Hogan Lake
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Valley Springs · Central Valley
Woodward Reservoir
★ 4.1 out of 5 · Oakdale · Central Valley
Morro Bay
★ 4.6 out of 5 · Morro Bay · Central Coast
Avila Beach
★ 4.8 out of 5 · Avila Beach · Central Coast
Carmel River Lagoon
★ 4.3 out of 5 · Carmel-by-the-Sea · Central Coast
Willow Creek Recreation Area - Lake Natoma
Folsom · Sacramento
Suisun City Marina
★ 4.7 out of 5 · Suisun City · North Bay
Belden's Landing
★ 4.2 out of 5 · Suisun City · North Bay
Point San Pablo Marina
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Richmond · East Bay
Silver Lake
Kit Carson · Sierra Nevada
Folsom Lake - Beals Point
Folsom · Sacramento
Lake Wilson (Riverfront Regional Park)
★ 4.4 out of 5 · Healdsburg · North Bay
Santa Cruz Harbor
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Santa Cruz · Central Coast
Alvarez Ninth Street Park
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Benicia · North Bay
Lake Solano (Putah Creek)
★ 3.7 out of 5 · Winters · North Bay
Angel Island State Park
★ 4.9 out of 5 · Tiburon · North Bay
Bay Point Regional Shoreline
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Bay Point · East Bay
Baywinds Park
★ 4.5 out of 5 · Foster City · Peninsula
Black Point Boat Launch
★ 4.6 out of 5 · Novato · North Bay
Cullinan Ranch Boat Launch
★ 4.6 out of 5 · Vallejo · North Bay
Cuttings Wharf
★ 3.3 out of 5 · Napa · North Bay
Dickson Ranch Boat Launch
★ 3.7 out of 5 · Novato · North Bay
Downtown Napa - Main Street Dock
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Napa · North Bay
Eden Landing Ecological Reserve
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Hayward · East Bay
Emeryville Marina
★ 3.9 out of 5 · Emeryville · East Bay
Islais Creek
★ 3.7 out of 5 · San Francisco · San Francisco
Petaluma Marina
★ 4.9 out of 5 · Petaluma · North Bay
Petaluma River Turning Basin
★ 4.3 out of 5 · Petaluma · North Bay
Pittsburg Marina
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Pittsburg · East Bay
Riverview Park
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Pittsburg · East Bay
San Francisco Marina (Gashouse Cove)
★ 3.8 out of 5 · San Francisco · San Francisco
Brannan Island State Recreation Area
★ 4.9 out of 5 · Rio Vista · Sacramento
Cosumnes River Preserve
★ 5.0 out of 5 · Galt · Sacramento
Buckley Cove Park & Boat Launch
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Stockton · Central Valley
Isleton Public Dock and Boat Ramp
Isleton · Sacramento
Walnut Grove Public Dock
★ 4.3 out of 5 · Walnut Grove · Sacramento
Lower Sherman Island Fishing Access
★ 4.0 out of 5 · Rio Vista · East Bay
Lakeshore Park Lake
★ 3.6 out of 5 · Newark · South Bay
Martinez Marina
★ 3.8 out of 5 · Martinez · East Bay
Russian River - Guerneville River Park
★ 4.8 out of 5 · Guerneville · North Bay
Mother's Beach
Marina del Rey · Greater Los Angeles
King Harbor
Redondo Beach · Greater Los Angeles
Cabrillo Beach Launch Ramp
San Pedro · Greater Los Angeles
Marine Park (Mother's Beach)
Long Beach · Greater Los Angeles
Marine Stadium
Long Beach · Greater Los Angeles
Alamitos Bay - Bayshore Beach
Long Beach · Greater Los Angeles
El Carmel Point
San Diego · San Diego
Playa Pacifica
San Diego · San Diego
Crown Cove
Coronado · San Diego
Agua Hedionda Lagoon
Carlsbad · San Diego
La Jolla Shores
La Jolla · San Diego
Oceanside Harbor
Oceanside · San Diego
Santa Clara Point
San Diego · San Diego
Dana Landing
San Diego · San Diego
Ski Beach
San Diego · San Diego
De Anza Cove
San Diego · San Diego
South Shores Park
San Diego · San Diego
Shelter Island Shoreline Park
San Diego · San Diego
America's Cup Harbor
San Diego · San Diego
Glorietta Bay Park
Coronado · San Diego
Pepper Park
National City · San Diego
Chula Vista Launch Ramp
Chula Vista · San Diego
Channel Place Park
Newport Beach · Greater Los Angeles
Lido Park
Newport Beach · Greater Los Angeles
10th Street Beach
Newport Beach · Greater Los Angeles
Montero Beach
Newport Beach · Greater Los Angeles
Bayside Drive County Beach
Corona del Mar · Greater Los Angeles
China Cove Beach
Corona del Mar · Greater Los Angeles
Baby Beach
Dana Point · Greater Los Angeles
Stone Lagoon
Humboldt County · North Coast
Hookton Slough
Hookton · North Coast
Hooper Beach
Capitola · Central Coast
Morro Bay State Park Marina
Morro Bay · Central Coast
Marina Park
Ventura · Greater Los Angeles
Lake Perris
Perris · Greater Los Angeles
Silverwood Lake
Hesperia · Greater Los Angeles
Castaic Lagoon
Castaic · Greater Los Angeles
Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake · Greater Los Angeles
Pyramid Lake
Lebec · Greater Los Angeles