Beaches in Bay Area

[TheSiege]

Whenever I am in Palo Alto visiting family, I usually go to Santa Cruz to go to the beach. Anyone have any other suggestions or locations that would be better for swimming and what not. I have been to monterey about 200 times and its always too cold to really swim anyway. Just looking to change things up for the kids. Thanks

 

[rednas]

Go down to Big Sur and have a whole beach to yourself.

 

[Printer Bandit]

Half moon bay
Mavericks

 

[TheSiege]

We will be going June, Big Sur has desirable temps, similar to SC, but pretty far. HMB and Mavericks will be pretty cold for swimming

 

[TheSiege]

I should mention, it would be desirable to find some areas with tide pools that have a lot of marine animal activity.

 

[BoomerD]

The water off California is bone-chilling cold until you get down near LA...or San Diego.

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/beach/california-ocean-temperature.html

Keep in mind...those waters are in "the red triangle," home to lots and lots of Great White Sharks...EXCELLENT place for children to go swimming...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Triangle_(Pacific_Ocean)

 

[TheSiege]

The water off California is bone-chilling cold until you get down near LA...or San Diego.

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/beach/california-ocean-temperature.html

Keep in mind...those waters are in "the red triangle," home to lots and lots of Great White Sharks...EXCELLENT place for children to go swimming...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Triangle_(Pacific_Ocean)

I've swam in Santa Cruz tons of times, between the ambient temp outside and the water temp, it seemed fine to me...

 

[brainhulk]

The water off California is bone-chilling cold until you get down near LA...or San Diego.

http://www.beachcalifornia.com/beach/california-ocean-temperature.html

Keep in mind...those waters are in "the red triangle," home to lots and lots of Great White Sharks...EXCELLENT place for children to go swimming...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Triangle_(Pacific_Ocean)

San Clemente and San Diego were the areas that got the more frequent shark encounters. LA and OC very seldomly until recently. Now it seems the juveniles have taken up residence

Edit - nm, i thought you were saying la and oc were shark infested

 

[dud]

Thought the OP meant Tampa Bay before I read the thread. From what I've read you REALLY have to like cold water to swim that far north ... any time of the year.

 

[Craig234]

I live in the bay area and never go to the beaches, the little there are. I think there are online guides, though.