Beach Rambler

Walk Stinson Beach to Bolinas Lagoon

So you're in the mood for a long walk on the beach. Get an early start and get to Stinson Beach. Larger than Muir Beach and less rocky than Bolinas Beach, this Bay Area staple of pristine soft sand stretches for 3.5 miles up the coast, with mountainous views of Bolinas in the distance. It's an ideal place for a good, long stroll. On clear, sunny days, the southern end of Stinson looks plucked from LA, with its crowds, colorful sun umbrellas, and occasional Speedos (tan lines be damned!). This section belongs to the Golden Gate Natural Recreation Area, and is where you'll find parking (as well as picnic sites, and food stands). The ocean is lively with swimmers, surfers, kayakers, and curious seals bobbing nearby. Walking farther north, you'll notice a few things: fewer crowds, and dogs. The beach boundaries change from government land to County of Marin space (technically known as Upton's Beach, though there's no obvious sign on the beach marking the boundary). Go to the end and you're nearly at the mouth of Bolinas Lagoon, which you’ll likely have to yourself. Return the way you came. Ready to stroll?

Stinson Beach is located 20 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. From US 101 exit at the Mill Valley/Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit. Follow the signs to Stinson Beach. The parking lot fills before noon on hot weekends. No dogs on the National Park Service section of the beach (aka the southern part). Dogs are allowed on the northern part.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View