The Best Tide Pools in San Francisco

Tide pools offer a closer look at some of the ocean’s smallest creatures. Teeming with fascinating marine wildlife, these little pockets of water are a gateway to a whole new world only visible to those who pay extra attention during low tide. If you live in the Bay Area or are heading up there soon, add these coastal destinations to your bucket list and check out the best tide pools in San Francisco and beyond.

Must-See Tide Pools In San Francisco

Moss Beach Tide Pools

Just 22 miles north of San Francisco is Moss Beach; a romantic coastal retreat with some of the best tide pools in California. Within the Moss Beach area, avid tide pool fans usually head straight to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. Located just north of Pillar Point Harbor and Mavericks, this reserve offers the best tide pools in San Francisco by protecting and preserving the complex yet fragile community of sea animals along the coast and beyond. Look for anemones, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and numerous other cool marine life at this coveted spot for tide pools in San Francisco.

Consisting of a three-mile stretch of beach, marsh, tide pool habitat, clifftop trails, erosive bluffs, as well as cypress and eucalyptus forests, Moss Beach is an awesome place to discover San Francisco tide pools. And if you think this beautiful beach looks familiar but haven’t visited before, you might’ve seen it from the opening scene of Memoirs of a Geisha.

Pacifica Tide Pools

A getaway to Pacifica isn’t complete without a tide pooling adventure down at Linda Mar State Beach. Situated super close to San Francisco and a favored kid-friendly tide pool spot, Linda Mar is a must-visit for any and every marine life fan who hasn’t been yet. Head to the southernmost part of the beach to find the isolated rock pools and keep an eye out for the different kinds of crabs and sea anemones visible at low tide.

Besides awesome tide pools in San Francisco, Linda Mar offers plenty of other fun activities you should take part in. Hone your surf skills riding the gentle waves, bike along the scenic trails, go stand-up paddleboarding, and check out the nearby skate park; your day at Pacifica can be anything you like.

China Beach Tide Pools

Tucked between Baker Beach and Lands End, China Beach is a gorgeous locals’ beach with some of the best tide pools in San Francisco. However, before you head out to this tiny Bay Area beach, make sure to check out the tide schedule. Since the sandy parts are quite narrow, you might not find an empty spot at the beach when the tide is up. But when you coordinate your visit for when the tide recedes, you’ll see sea stars, anemones, mussels, crabs, and more cool critters clinging to the rocky crevices in the shallow pools.

While swimming isn’t safe at this cool Bay Area beach, you’ll find enough entertainment in the scenic hiking trails and the picturesque picnic spots with breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Coolest Tide Pools Near San Francisco

Duxbury Reef Reserve Tide Pools

The Duxbury Reef Reserve is where you need to go to find tide pools near San Francisco that’ll seriously leave you speechless. Located at the southernmost part of the Point Reyes Peninsula in Marin County, extending from Duxbury Point all the way to Agate Beach, this long and rocky reserve is basically a wildlife extravaganza.

Consult the tide forecast charts, head out there when the waves recede, and you’ll be treated with sights of rocky pools teeming with waterborne creatures. Since the rocks here are covered in pink coralline algae and encrusting coralline algae, the dominant color of these pretty tide pools near San Francisco is pink. You’ll see plenty of limpets, mussels, barnacles, snails, and anemones near the shore. However, if you venture farther on the reef, you’ll also come across more elusive creatures like colorful nudibranchs, and, if you are very lucky, octopus!

Mackerricher State Park Tide Pools

Mackerricher State Park in Mendocino is a treasure trove of tide pools near San Francisco. To get there, follow the boardwalk out to Laguna Point until you reach the stairs leading down to the bluff. There, you’ll find beaches, bluffs, headlands, dunes, forests, and, of course, little pockets of water teeming with small sea life of all sorts. The variety of sea creatures found here is arguably the most abundant along the Mendocino Coast, and many of the pools are easily accessible for kids of all ages.

You don’t have to bid the Pacific Coast vistas farewell just yet—hike the coastal two-mile trail from Mill Creek to Ward Avenue and you’ll fall deeper in love with the locale that you thought was possible.

Natural Bridges Tide Pools

Natural Bridges State Beach is known for three things: beautiful sunsets, surf-worthy waves, and amazing tide pools near San Francisco. While you should absolutely look down to see sea stars, crabs, anemones, and other colorful ocean life, don’t forget to keep an eye out for the shorebirds, migrating whales, and seals and otters playing offshore as well.

After you’re done exploring around the beach, pick a sandy spot to plop on and watch the magical sunset; we promise you won’t see anything quite like it anywhere else.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Going Tide Pooling in San Francisco

To have the best experience checking out the tide pools in San Francisco, as well as to ensure the safety of the environment, these are the necessary tips to keep in mind:

• The lower the tide is, the more creatures you’ll get to see under the waters. So make sure you go tide pooling at low tide.
• The rocks you’ll be stepping on to get a closer look at the tide pools in San Francisco are often very wet and slippery due to the incoming waves. Wearing the right shoes can very likely prevent an accidental slip and fall.
• The little marine creatures at the tide pools are extremely sensitive and the slightest pressure or accidental step could entirely ruin their ecosystem. Make sure to be extra careful with every step you take.
• Lifting the creatures causes them extreme stress, which can also sometimes lead to their death. So, admire everything from afar and don’t take home any souvenirs besides pictures.