China Camp Beach

Located in the city of San Rafael, China Camp Beach is a long and wide beach that is a part of China Camp State Park.  China Camp Beach is situated north of China Camp Village that features a visitor center and exhibits about the nearby area from the late 1800s. China Camp Beach is surrounded by the San Pedro Open Space Preserve and Harry A. Barbier Memorial Park. China Camp Beach is filled with cyclists and runners – and is a perfect destination for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Marina Green Beach is also an awesome spot for swimming, camping, and windsurfing. The beach is a family-friendly spot and is a 25-minute drive from the Exploratorium, a science museum for kids at the Palace of Fine Arts.  China Camp Beach welcomes dogs on leash on the beach and in China Camp State Park. 

China Camp Beach offers many amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic tables, barbecues, accessible features, boat ramps, a pier, a museum, a snack store, a grass park, a tent campground, and an RV park.

There are many fun activities at China Camp Beach including swimming, fishing, camping, hiking, biking, horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, stand-up paddleboarding, photography, and beach walking.

To access China Camp Beach, drive down to 1898 North San Pedro Road to get to the beach’s paid parking lot that is within walking distance to the beach.

If you are looking for attractions near China Camp Beach, there are many options within a 28-minute drive of the beach. Birdwatchers flock to Rodeo Lagoon to see an incredible variety of birds and animals including egrets, great blue herons, tidewater goby, and California brown pelican. If you like hiking, Rodeo Beach Coastal Trail Loop is a steep and dog-friendly loop trail – it is a little over five miles long and follows the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean and Rodeo Beach. Bird Island’s white cliffs are very tall offering a prime viewing spot and are covered with cormorants, gulls, and pelicans. Another great attraction near China Camp Beach is The Marin Headlands Art Institute, an arts organization that hosts an internationally recognized artist-in-residence program and offers tours and exhibitions.

If you get hungry, you can drive 15 minutes to many restaurants near China Camp Beach. The Italian restaurant Original Joe’s Westlake serves authentic and traditional Italian items including pizza, pasta, lasagna, Fiorentina steak, ossobuco, risotto, and truffles. If you like Filipino cuisine, Fil-Am Cuisine offers adobo, kare-kare, lechon, sinigang, crispy pata, and bulalo. Another good restaurant near China Camp Beach is the vegetarian-friendly Boulevard Café that features cheddar grits, mac-n-cheese, meatloaf, and special vegan items.

If you are looking for a hotel near China Camp Beach, there are many within a 40-minute drive. The 5-Star Grand Hyatt At Sfo features a lounge, restaurant, and fitness center with a gym. Hotel VIA is a 4-Star hotel that offers many amenities including a 3,000 square foot rooftop bar, lounge, restaurant, and gym. If you are looking for affordable hotels near China Camp Beach, the 3-Star Hampton Inn San Francisco-Daly City has a fitness center – and the 2-Star The SeaScape Inn offers beautiful oceanfront rooms.