Mile Rock Beach / Lands End Beach

Located near the southern end of the iconic and world-famous Golden Gate Bridge, Mile Rock Beach is a narrow and rocky beach that is situated along the eastern shoreline near the bluff-top Lands End park in the city of San Francisco. The beach is situated in a cove and is a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Mile Rock Beach is littered with logs, so we recommend being careful while walking here.

Mile Rock Beach offers no lifeguards or other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. However, the adjacent Lands End park offers picnic tables, walking trails, and a visitor center. Dogs are allowed on-leash on Mile Rock Beach and are permitted off-leash only if they are properly trained to listen to voice commands. 

Mile Rock Beach offers many activities including sunbathing, tide pooling, hiking, wildlife watching, and picnicking. It is advisable to forego swimming, surfing, or any other aquatic recreational activities at the beach due to its excessively rocky shoreline, extremely strong water currents, and lack of lifeguards. Mile Rock Beach’s idyllic location offers great views of the Marin Headlands, San Francisco Bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge – and is an awesome place to take Instagram-worthy pictures. The water near the beach is home to seals, sea lions, dolphins, and migrating whales. During low tide, you can walk southeast from the beach along the coastline below Point Lobos. This portion of the San Francisco coastline has shipwrecks that can be explored. The Lands End park offers many other attractions which can be explored via hiking trails - the ruins of the Sutro Baths, which stood on this site during the 19th century, offers an interesting insight into the history of San Francisco. A public artwork named Lands End Labyrinth is a miniature rocky labyrinth that is also located near Mile Rock Beach. If you want to explore Lands End further, we recommend purchasing maps from the Lands End Visitor Center.

Getting to Mile Rock Beach can be hard –the Land’s End Visitor Center is located near 680 Point Lobos Avenue, and from here you have to take a rugged and steep access path down the bluff side to the beach. The final part of the access path is a staircase with over 200 steps leading to the beach. A free parking lot is present close to the visitor center near the intersection of Point Lobos Avenue and El Camino Del Mar.

There are many attractions near Mile Rock Beach. The California Academy of Sciences is one of the largest natural history museums in the world and offers interesting exhibits, an aquarium, and a planetarium. The Japanese Tea Garden has a picturesque Japanese garden that is one of the oldest in the United States and features a pagoda, ponds, and a tea-house. Another nearby attraction is The California Palace of Legion of Honor which features an extensive collection of interesting artworks and historical artifacts including a 4,000-year-old ancient Egyptian sculpture.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Mile Rock Beach. Sutro’s is an upscale gastro-pub that offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience and serves excellent Mediterranean, European and Asian dishes. A family-friendly option is Seal Rock Inn Restaurant which offers delicious lunch and breakfast dishes served in generous portions. Another option is the modestly priced restaurant Jiangnan Cuisine which offers authentic and delicious Jiangnan-Chinese dishes including a stewed duck in soy sauce and Wuxi-style and sweet-and-sour spare ribs.

If you are looking for a hotel near Mile Rock Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 5-Star Mansion on Sutter has rooms fitted with antique 19th-century furniture and paintings, and also offers numerous amenities including complimentary breakfast and wine, a fitness center, and in-room massage sessions. A more affordable option is the 3-Star Laurel Inn which has a bar, a lounge, and complimentary coffee and tea in the lobby. Another affordable hotel is the modestly priced 2-Star Rodeway Inn & Suites which offers complimentary breakfast.