Visitors guide to Ocean Beach

 

The water’s cold, but if you have never dipped your toes into the Pacific Ocean, this is a must-see.

 

Ocean Beach is the only oceanfront beach in the city (Pacifica is another fine choice, down the coast in San Mateo County). Ocean Beach has sand for miles. You won’t see a lot of swimmers; mostly tourists pushing their kids into the water while making sure they themselves don’t get wet because, well, we mentioned the water is very cold. The air temperature also can get quite cold at Ocean Beach, especially when the wind whips up and the sand is blown around. Think Alaska in the winter. High surf and windswept sand sometimes leads officials to close the Great Highway, which is a terrific bike ride on other days.

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Ocean Beach is one of the top spots for surfers in the Bay Area (but nothing compared to nearby Santa Cruz). 

  

Fires are permitted in the pits on the southern end of the beach, on the opposite end from the Cliff House, across the street from the edge of Golden Gate Park.

 

The Great Highway runs along the beach for 3.5 miles. It's lined by windswept bike paths amid succulent-covered sand dunes.

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Just across the Great Highway in the western edge of Golden Gate Park, check out the authentic Dutch windmills donated by Queen Wilhelmina herself in 1902. The Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden sits alongside the southernmost windmill and is spectacular in summer.

 

Good eats: Trek up the hill from Ocean Beach to the famous Cliff House, preferably for dinner and a memorable sunset. Or just go hang out and enjoy the views from up there while downing a hot fudge sundae at one of their window tables.

 

Oddly: The song "Motorcycle Drive By" by Third Eye Blind was written about San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. 

 

Beware: The rip currents here are ferocious. Swimmers drown fairly often. Just sticking your feet into the water can lead to trouble. A record seven surfers were killed at Ocean Beach in one year (1998).

 

Nearby: Keep going south on the Great Highway and you'll run into pretty Lake Merced and Harding Park, a cypress-covered public golf course where major pro tournaments are often held.

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Photo op: The Cliff House is spectacular, and that's before you take in the view from up there.