San Francisco has had a rich history of tolerating and are even supportive of birthday suits. There’s the World Naked Bike Ride in June every year; and the Bay to Breakers Race in May. among many other nude-related festivities throughout the year. In terms of going full monty on the beach, however, it is definitely more than just tolerated but actually legal and encouraged in designated areas of some of the beaches.
The northern part of Baker Beach is America’s largest urban nude beach, and the most popular in the San Francisco area. The most visited and the easiest to access, North Baker Beach is a nudist haven.
What Can You Find at North Baker Beach
The main beach features restrooms, BBQ pits, and picnic tables. It’s a public beach consistently packed with a mish-mash of different kinds of people – from men to women, young and old, to locals and tourists. Catering to families and the general public, the beach offers convenient facilities that make a day on the beach an enjoyable and convenient experience.
Further up the beach is North Baker Beach, where nude sunbathing is allowed. There are less facilities here and are mostly frequented by individuals sunbathing solo or by couples who want to enjoy the freedom of going naked on the beach.
A popular beach, it is frequented by locals for easy accessibility but also for beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge itself, as well as that of the Marin Headlands. Facing the Pacific Ocean with infamous rip tides, North Baker Beach is a sunbathing-only beach with no swimming or surfing allowed.
How to Find Baker Beach
The beach is located between the Golden Gate Bridge, which is 1.5km to 2km from the beach, and the neighborhood of Sea Cliff. When driving, a parking lot on Lincoln Boulevard is near the beach and makes for the nearest entry when driving a car; when taking the public transport system, take the #38 Geary Outbound bus and transfer to a #29 Sunset Bus, which will take you to Baker Beach’s northern parking lot area.
To find the nude area of the beach, simply head north towards the Bridge and go past the “Hazardous surf, undertow, swim at your own risk” sign. Going beyond the sign will have you witness individuals in all shapes and sizes basking in the glory of southern California’s eternal sunshine wearing only their skin.
North Baker Beach Guidelines
The beach is a pet-friendly beach as long as it has the leash on within the south of Lobos Creek and you may wish to take off its leash once you reach the north of the creek.
Gawking can get you kicked out from the beach; and sunbathing nude outside of the designated area can lead to steep fines. Baker Beach is a public beach, which means families and adults with kids can be found on any given day, so it’s best that individuals stay within the designated areas only.
There are cafes and restaurants nearby so there’s no need to worry about going hungry on the beach. Bring a towel at all times, and avoid bringing your camera.
Donning your birthday suit at North Baker Beach means that you respect each individual in the area, and that you must follow proper nude beach etiquette. No sexual activities, loud music, nor public displays of attention are allowed.
Tips for Baker Beach
- Bring a towel at all times.
- Definitely no yoga or any behavior that calls attention to yourself – nude beaches are for those who seek the freedom of being entirely clothing-free, as well as those who simply want to relax and want to keep to themselves. Doing yoga or calling attention to your body is absolutely discouraged.
- Activities to do at the beach include: frisbee, playing guitar, volleyball, and picnics by shaded areas.
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