If you feel like changing up your typical beach routine, we've got you covered with the Bay's best swimming spots. From lagoon oases to clothing-optional jaunts, there are plenty of local gems to help you stay cool.
SAN FRANCISCO
Aquatic Park Cove (Beach St & Hyde // Fisherman's Wharf)
Right off the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, this protected cove is a welcome open swim oasis located a hop, a skip, and a jump from the highly more touristy Fisherman's Wharf. It does get crowded on the weekends, so come early or be prepared to share the waters!
Stow Lake (50 Stow Lake Dr // Golden Gate Park)
Tucked away in Golden Gate Park, this lake is perfect for those who want to take a turn around the water without getting wet. Yes, there's no swimming allowed in the lake, but you can rent a paddleboat by the hour and take a quiet lap around the waters while you converse with the local ducks. It's a perfect escape for someone who wants a break from the urban cityscape but doesn't want to completely leave the city.
China Beach (490 Sea Cliff Ave // Seacliff)
Not to be confused with China Camp up north, this tiny secluded cove between Land's End and Baker Beach, gives lucky beach-goers a nice view of Marin Headlands and Golden Gate Bridge without the crowds of the aforementioned local beach haunts. It's sure as heck cold, but since it's a protected cove, it's a safer beach to swim at.
Sava Pool (2699 19th Ave // Parkside)
Yes, we know that a city like San Francisco isn't going to boast all the hidden swimming holes, so we're opening up the floor to cool public pools. But Sava Pool, with its clear-paned facilities and subsequent views of Stern Grove, might as well be a secluded lagoon. Take a dip in this urban oasis.
You've probably passed by this spot's beautiful mural-adorned building without even realizing it housed a pool. Tucked between the Valencia and Guerrero, this pool and playground complex is a friendly neighborhood jaunt with plenty of lanes and open waters for lap-swimmers and leisurely loiterers alike.
EAST BAY
Shadow Cliffs (2500 Stanley Blvd // Pleasanton)
Pleasanton keep its swimming culture pleasant with Shadow Cliffs, where a multitude of ducks will be your swimming partners. It's a humble swimming beach that used to be a gravel quarry back in the day, and for a modest parking fee, you can bring friends, family, and even dogs (for another fee) for a nice day at the lake.
Don Castro (22440 Woodroe Ave // Hayward)
Hailed by the Alameda Parks service as an "urban oasis," you can certainly find solace in this public, clear-watered lagoon along the borders of Hayward and Castro Valley. For a thrill, the adjacent lake boasts fishing wildlife-gazing opportunities, and for hikers, the area hooks up with the Bay Area Ridge Trail and the Chabot to Garin trail. (P.S. Doesn't that name sound like it belongs to a noble Spanish lord?)
Lake Anza (Lake Anza Rd, Off Central Park Dr // Berkeley)
This is definitely one of those East Bay classics in terms of swimming summer fun. Located within Tilden Park, it's surrounded by lush green trees and sandbanks. It definitely gets crowded, so buck up and get ready to share the Anza waters!
Contra Loma (1200 Fredrickson Ln // Antioch)
Much like Don Castro, Contra Loma is a deep East Bay oasis with a swimming lagoon open to all. So much, in fact, that they even offer swimming lessons in the summer! When you're lounging about, you can peep some of the park's beautiful wildflowers and even take a trail to the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve.
Del Valle (7000 Del Valle Rd // Livermore)
This park is truly an East Bay gem, nestled in an oak-covered, and even makes for a great overnight trip. Camp on the grounds, take a swim in the lake, windsurf on the lake, boat on the lake, take an interpretive tour of the lake....you get the idea. For experienced backcountry hikers, the park connects with the Eastern side of the Ohlone Wilderness Trail.
NORTH BAY
Bass Lake (Mesa Rd // Bolinas)
As with many things in Bolinas, Bass Lake is secluded and suits are optional. In fact, it's so secluded that you have to hike to get there. It's totally worth the couple mile jaunt, but you really have to want it: ticks and poison oak are common friends of the trail starting at the Palomarin Trailhead, and since it's an unofficial swimming spot, you're taking the plunge (literally) at your own risk. Directions are easily Google-able if you're up to it!
Almost adjacent to the nearby China Camp Park, you can take a calm swim in the tranquil San Pablo Bay, or if you're itching to swim in a pool instead, there's an actual pool on the grounds you can use for an extra fee.
Spring Lake (393 Violetti Rd // Santa Rosa)
If you have young ones and want to take a good swimming adventure up in Sonoma County, Spring Lake has the good you're looking for. Cool yourself off in a sandy swimming lagoon, grill up some lunch, take the family (or friends, or the whole gang) on a kayak tour, or even let the kids play in the brand-spankin' new inflatable water park on the grounds.
SOUTH BAY + PENINSULA
Garden of Eden (2100-4166 State Rt 9 // Felton)
As the name suggests, this is a secluded oasis where clothes are definitely optional. Nestled in the Henry Cowell State Park around Santa Cruz, this is a great forest lagoon to soak up some nature and take a dip. Like Bass Lake, you have to take a bit of a complicated hike to reach your paradise, but here are some reliable directions.
Memorial Park (9500 Pescadero Rd // Loma Mar)
Like Eden above, this swimming hole is shaded by lovely redwoods trees to make for a lazy afternoon. It's also a great spot to car-camp, take a hike, and best of all, go banana-slug watching. Since it's often sparsely visited, you can soak up that precious alone-time with some local trees.
Oyster Point Park (95 Harbormaster Rd, #1 South // South San Francisco)
If swimming with the added company of planes taking off from SFO just south, then Oyster Point is your ideal location. It boasts a 2.5 acre sandy swimming beach, in a small cove, on a man-made peninsula. If you're looking to expand your adventures into the boating realm, this is a great harbor to launch 'er off.
Written by Hailey Simpson
