Lands End Beach (Mile Rock Beach)

Close to San Francisco, Lands End Beach is a clothing-optional beach which is particularly quiet and private during weekdays.

To reach it, drive west along Geary Blvd and take a right at the fork onto Point Lobos Ave. You can park by continuing along to a large car park or by turning right again onto El Camino del Mar and parking at the end. There’s a trail leading down the steep cliffs and it’s a 10-15 minute hike culminating in rough steps to the beach.

On weekends, the beach can be busy, being so close to San Francisco and just around the headland from Golden Gate Bridge. The landmark Pyramid Rock is offshore from the Lands End Lookout.

Land End Beach has no facilities and is mostly covered in boulders with some sheltered patches of sand. It can be bleak on a chilly day with wind and fog obliterating the view.

The Lands End Trail is a wild and windy clifftop hike with stunning ocean views taking in cypress and eucalyptus stands on this spectacular headland.

Lands End is also known as Point Lobos, lobos meaning “sea wolves” or sea lions. At low tide you may spot some wildlife and you can see the remains of several shipwrecks from the promontory.