The Most Beautiful Hikes in the Bay Area

The views on these treks will take your breath away, and not just because they're steep.

By daisy barringer

Published on 15/09/2022 at 08:47 PM

In a town like San Francisco, where there’s a gorgeous view at the top of every hill or around every corner, it’s easy to take the stunning scenery for granted. But if you need a little reminder that the Bay Area is actually probably one of the most beautiful places in the entire world, just lace up your sneakers and head out on one of these hikes across a variety of skill levels, which span San Francisco, Marin County, Oakland, and Berkeley, and which are sure to cause your jaw to drop and your heart to soar (both literally and metaphorically).

Tomales Point Trail

Near Marshall in West Marin
Hike distance: 9.4-miles roundtrip
You don’t have to hike all the way to Tomales Point to enjoy the panoramic views along this trail, but if you do, you’ll see where the bluff at the northern end collapsed into the ocean (a warning to be careful because it could easily happen again). The first three miles of the trail are well maintained, and you’ll get not only gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean, but also possibly of the elk that live on the Tule Elk Reserve (stay on the paths because they’re cool with humans on hiking trails but don’t love ones who go off-trail). Go as far as you’d like (this is a great sunset hike if the fog isn’t hanging around), and be sure to leave time to check out McClures Beach (a steep 0.4-mile hike from the trailhead), a small cove surrounded by cliffs.

Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park

Oakland
Hike distance: Five-mile loop
Sure, Muir Woods is home to some of the most magnificent old-growth redwoods in the Bay, but good luck getting a reservation unless you plan your trip far in advance. If you can’t snag one, head to this hidden gem instead, where you’ll find the largest natural stand of coastal redwoods in the East Bay. They aren’t old-growth-unfortunately, logging in the 1800s took those down though you can still see the stumps-but they are second growth, and most stand at around 150-feet-tall. The park is 1,833 acres and has tons of hiking trails, but the one you want to hit is the Steam Trail (easy and wide) to the French Trail to the West Ridge Trail. It’s the perfect distance to get a good feel for the park, and you’ll stay cool under the shade of the redwoods.

Land’s End

Sea Cliff, San Francisco
Hike distance: About two miles each way
At the northwestern corner of San Francisco, there’s a hike along cliffs that offers some of the most stunning views you can imagine. The winding, but almost completely flat, coastal trail is well-maintained and easy enough that pretty much everyone can do it-which means it can get pretty crowded on the weekend. Your trek will provide views of the ocean, Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands, and China Beach. While you’re there, you can also explore the ruins of Sutro Baths, learn about the steam train that used to carry passengers from Downtown to the baths, see the remains of three shipwrecks, and get plenty of awesome photos. Bonus: At the end, you just have to walk another ten minutes or so (along the pathway adjacent to Ocean Beach) to find yourself at Park Chalet, where you can reward your hard work with cold beers and tacos on the back lawn.

Angel Island

San Francisco Bay
Hike distance: Six miles roundtrip
There is so much to do and see on Angel Island, the “Ellis Island of the West,” but you’ll want to hit up The Sunset Trail, a nearly six-mile round-trip hike that takes you to the top of Mount Livermore, the highest point on the island. At 788 feet, you’ll get views of the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Golden Gate, and San Francisco skyline. In order to get to Angel Island, you’ll have to take the Golden Gate Ferry from the Ferry Building, which departs four times a day. The hike to the summit is strenuous, so pack a picnic (or grab one at the cafe) to enjoy at one of the picnic tables once you make it up. And once you’re finished, stop at the Angel Island Cafe for a much-deserved cold beer or glass of wine before your ferry ride home.

Mt. Diablo

Contra Costa County
Hike distance: 6.1 miles
At 3,849 feet elevation, Mount Diablo is one of the Bay Area’s tallest mountains. And you know what that means: amazing views… and a lot of work to get to the peak. The Grand Loop takes at least half a day, but provides the ultimate, birds-eye view of the Bay Area, and, on a super clear day, you can even see the Farallon Islands, Sierra Nevadas, and Mt. Lassen. It can get steep at times, so you’ll want to wear shoes or hiking boots with good tread. And pack more water than you think you’ll need-there’s not a lot of shade.

Mt. Tamalpais

Marin County
Hike distance: 1.2 miles
If you’re into gorgeous sunsets, the East Peak on Mount Tam is the place to be on a clear evening. The highest point is at 2,570 feet and super easy to reach. In fact, the Plank Walk Trail is so easy and short that we’re going to recommend you start with the Verna Dunshee loop first. This trail gives you views of San Francisco, Northern Marin, and the East Bay, and is a full loop that’s only a little more than half a mile. When you arrive back at the parking lot, get onto the Plank Walk, which is about a quarter of a mile and takes you all the way to the summit. Linger here, watch the sunset, and then head back down before it gets too dark.

Dipsea Trail

Mill Valley to Stinson Beach
Hike distance: 9.7 miles out-and-back
If you live in San Francisco and haven’t hiked the Dipsea Trail from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach, it’s time to change that. The moderate to difficult (definitely not for beginners) trail gives you everything you want in a Northern California hike and more… at times, maybe a little too much more, but you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, Mt. Tam, the Pacific Ocean, redwood trees, Stinson Beach, and there’s a chance you’ll also spot some wildlife along the way. You’ll also get to walk the famous Dipsea Stairs, cross a creek, and experience the steps best known as Steep Ravine. It’s a long hike, so bring layers and water, and maybe plan to have lunch in Stinson while you’re there. (If you’re not feeling up to the entire hike, there’s also a slightly shorter hike that starts at Stinson and gives you a similar experience in 7.5 miles.)

Alamere Falls

Point Reyes National Seashore
Hike distance: 13.6 miles out-and-back
TLC once warned us against chasing waterfalls, and it might have been because they went on this particular hike and were totally exhausted. Either way, now that the song is stuck in your head, ignore the lyrics and definitely go chase this 40-foot tidefall that cascades down a cliff and directly into the beach. While the massive waterfall is definitely the highlight of this trip, the ocean views as you walk along the cliff are breathtaking throughout. This hike is pretty intense, there are also a couple of steep parts, and the trail can get a little crowded, but it’s totally worth it. If you want to stop at Bass Lake and have a go at the rope swing on your way back, be sure to start at the Palomarin Trailhead.

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve

San Mateo County
Hike distance: 1.3 miles
If you want great views without a lot of work, look no further than the Anniversary Trail. Like the name implies, Windy Hill Open Space Preserve has 1,335 acres of open spaces, with grassland ridges that can be hard to find in the Bay Area. The Anniversary Trail is one of the easiest hikes in the preserve, but it has 360-degree views from the ocean to the bay. As the name also implies, it can get windy so bring a jacket.

Tennessee Valley

Marin County
Hike distance: 3.4 miles roundtrip
The Tennessee Valley Trail is another easy and popular hike thanks to the fact that it’s a pretty flat walk with minimal hills and maximum views. The trail winds through coastal hills, and though it starts out paved, it turns into a dirt path after about half a mile. Ultimately, you’ll end up at a tiny, sandy beach that’s sandwiched between bluffs on either side. Look carefully, and you’ll see a hole in the black rock cliffs that’s been carved by ocean waves. Go at low tide, and you may see the engine of the SS Tennessee, which was shipwrecked in 1853 and from which the area gets its name. Although dogs aren’t allowed on the trail, be prepared to see a lot of horses, as the path is near some stables and is horse-friendly.

Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve

Berkeley
Hike distance: 3.2 miles
Behind the historic Claremont Hotel is a 208-acre preserve with picturesque hiking trails. The Stonewall-Panoramic Trail is the primary trail, and will take you to some of the best views in the Berkeley Hills that include Downtown Berkeley, Downtown Oakland, and the San Francisco Bay. The climb will definitely get your heart rate up, it’s just over a mile and you gain about 700 feet of elevation-ultimately, it’s totally worth it.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat!

Daisy Barringer is a freelance writer who grew up hiking around SF and is glad that now that she’s an adult, she can reward herself with a beer afterward. Follow her on Twitter.

San Francisco

How to Celebrate Black History Month in San Francisco

Support and celebrate SF's Black community.

By daisy barringer

Published on 07/02/2023 at 09:20

Though it’s something we need to be doing every day of every month of every year, Black History Month encourages us to pay tribute to the struggles and oppression generations of Black Americans have faced, as well as their often-neglected triumphs and achievements that have helped shape this county and make it better. It’s a time to reflect on how we can do better to confront racism and oppression, which this year’s theme, “Black Resistance,” echoes. This is especially important in a town like San Francisco, where the Fillmore District was known as “the Harlem of the West” before the city displaced a vast portion of the neighbourhood’s Black community in the ’60s and ’70s. This displacement continues today, as the Black population is the only racial group that has declined in every census since 1970.

If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Black History Month, there are lots to do. Whether you want to educate yourself by attending films, performances, or conversations, share the joy at a parade or dance party, or do a little bit of it all at a drag show, here are just a few ways you can get involved and have a lot of fun while doing so:

Visit San Francisco Public Library branches for workshops, films, performances, and more

February (and throughout the year)
Library branches and online
SFPL’s “More Than a Month” celebration focuses on the theme of resistance this year. Family-friendly and adult events include film screenings, musical performances, book clubs, workshops, and more.
Cost: Free

See art, poetry, films, talks, and more at MoAD

February (and throughout the year)
SoMa
Right now, at the Museum of African Diaspora, you can see the first and only West Coast exhibition of “The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion,” which highlights the work of 15 contemporary fashion designers “whose images present radically new perspectives on the medium of photography and art, race and beauty, and gender and power.” The museum, which has a robust year-round program and event calendar, has a slew of events to attend, including youth poetry readings, film screenings, open mic nights, book clubs, artist talks, and more.
Cost: Event prices vary; GA to visit the museum is $12 but free every second Saturday of the month

Check out films, art, reading, talks, and more at BAMPFA

February (and throughout the year)
Berkeley
There is always something interesting to discover at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA). During Black History Month, you can see films by Pratibha Parmar, “Felwine Sarr: Music, Freedom, Africa,” a conversation through music with the Senegalese writer, scholar, composer, musician, and more.
Cost: Varies

Enjoy menu specials honoring Black community members at Old Skool Cafe

February (and throughout the year)
Bayview
For Black History Month, Old Skool Cafe is adding the favourite meals of notable Black community members to the menu each weekend. The nonprofit, youth-run supper club helps at-risk, formerly incarcerated, and foster care youth ages 16-22 gain the skills and experience they need to succeed in various front and back-of-house restaurant roles. Bayview hero/community advocate Mrs. Dorris Vincent is first up, followed by Judge Trina Thompson, Delroy Lindo, and Mayor London Breed.

Walk beneath the Marting Luther King, Jr. Memorial waterfall

February (and ongoing)
Yerba Buena Gardens
Did you know that Yerba Buena Gardens is home to the country’s second-largest memorial to Dr. King? Visit the sculptural waterfall featuring glass panels inscribed with his inspiring words at 750 Howard Street.
Cost: Free

Attend the Commonwealth’s “Dreaming Forward: A Celebration of Black Joy, Power, and Excellence” conference

Thursday, February 9
Embarcadero
On behalf of Dr. Sheryl Evans Davis and the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, the Commonwealth Club is hosting its second annual Dream Keeper Initiative, a day-long conference/celebration/call-to-action featuring special guests, including April Ryan of TheGrio and CNN.
Cost: Free

Celebrate Black Love at Oakland First Fridays

Friday, February 10
Telegraph Avenue from West Grand to 27th Street
Telegraph Avenue transforms into a dining, shopping, and art-appreciating party on Friday, February 10, from 5 pm to 9 pm. There will be food, artist, and retail vendors and a host of Black artists, authors, and entertainment. Please note: This event was rescheduled from February 3 because of potential rain.
Cost: Free

Have a ball at an all-Black drag show at Oasis

Friday, February 10
SoMa
“Reparations with Latrice Royale” is an all-Black drag show hosted by Latrice Royale, the beloved Drag Race star who also happens to be celebrating her birthday.
Cost: $15 to $60

Dance all night and shop all day at the Afro Soca Love carnival and marketplace

Friday, February 10 – Saturday, February 11
341 13th Street, Oakland
Afro Soca Love creates experiences that act as a “gateway to building bonds and strengthen relationships-between communities, individuals, and Africa and its diaspora.” See for yourself at the all-ages marketplace (Saturday), where you’ll find food and drink, fashion, beauty and wellness, home decor, and more. But before the shopping comes the dancing at the 21+ Friday Night Carnival, a culturally immersive music experience with music from all over the world.
Cost: The marketplace is free; tickets to the Friday Night Carnival start at $20

See a live performance of “Words That Made the Difference: Brown vs. the Board of Education”

Saturday, February 11
Unity Palo Alto
See a live theatrical performance based on the true events that occurred in the fight to end school segregation. The script draws from trial transcripts of the five cases brought together in front of the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Earl Warren’s memoirs, and the play is set in the courtrooms where it all happened. There will be a Q&A with the playwright before the performance and the cast afterward.
Cost: Free

Courtesy of San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company

Go to the I, Too, Sing America album release party

Saturday, February 11
Mission
Head to the Brava Theater Center to celebrate the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company’s album release of the music created for I, Too, Sing America, a soulful and uplifting performance that moved audiences when it debuted last year. The night includes an album-listening and sing-along party, DJs, dancing, an open bar, and more.
Cost: $40

Go on the Black Liberation Walking Tour of West Oakland

Saturday, February 18
West Oakland
Take a walk with David Peters, founder of the West Oakland Cultural Action Network, and Gene Anderson, the author of Legendary Locals of Oakland, to learn about resident voices and document sites of cultural and historical significance in the neighbourhood. Peters is a local native, and Anderson is an Oakland historian whose family has historical roots in West Oakland.
Cost: $50 ($30 for West Oakland residents)

See a screening of The Black Kung Fu Experience followed by in-person demonstrations

Sunday, February 19
Great Star Theater, Chinatown
The Chinese Historical Society of America is celebrating Black History Month and social unity with a screening of this film about how a group of African American pioneers became respected in a subculture dominated by Chinese and white men. Afterward, there will be demonstrations and talks with Sifu Donald Hamby and Sifu Troy Dunwood, who “will speak about their success as internationally recognized martial arts masters, their Chinese Kung Fu teachers, and what this practice means in relation to diversity, race and inclusion issues.”
Cost: $15

Sip wine made by Black winemakers at a free tasting event at STEM Kitchen + Garden

Thursday, February 23
Dogpatch
STEM Kitchen + Garden is hosting an afternoon wine tasting celebrating Black-owned wineries in its gorgeous indoor/outdoor space, and best of all, and it’s free to the public!
Cost: Free

Attend the San Francisco African American Arts & Cultural District Gala Fundraiser

Saturday, February 25
Bayview Opera House
Enjoy an evening of talent, fashion, and community inspiration at SFAAACD’s 1st Annual Gala Fundraiser. Carla Duke, Television News Director at CBS-KPIX Chanel 5, will host the event, which includes inspiring words from keynote speaker Aniyia Williams, an artist, tech creator, and system-preneur.
Cost: $100

Attend a Black History Month & Chinese New Year Poetry Reading on Angel Island

Saturday, February 25
Angel Island
There is so much history in poetry at the Angel Island Detention Barracks Museum, which makes it a fitting location for poets Chun Yu and Michael Warr. The co-founders of Two Languages/One Community will share their poems and stories in English and Chinese, accompanied by projected images of text and photographs.
Cost: $10 to $21

Feel the joy at the Black Joy Parade

Sunday, February 26
Downtown Oakland
This parade and festival celebrate the “Black experience past, present, and future.” Be prepared to experience “more Black joy than you ever imagined,” starting with the parade (beginning at 14th and Franklin) at 12:30 pm. The family-friendly festival follows (main entrance is at 19th and Franklin) will include 200-plus Black-owned small businesses selling food, drinks, clothing, art, and more. There will also be two stages with Black performers, including The Black Joy Choir.
Cost: Free

Take a sound bath at Grace Cathedral in honor of Black History Month

Monday, February 27
Nob Hill
Take an immersive sound bath featuring Fractals of Sound, a collective of top Bay Area musicians Egemen Sanli, Phoenix Song, and Sam Jackson, with special guest Destiny Muhammad. Together, they will create a “soundscape deeply rooted in world music,” allowing you to take a meditative journey in one of the most beautiful places in San Francisco.
Cost: $25 to $75

See Tsitsi Dangarembga and Angela Davis at City Arts & Lectures

Tuesday, February 28
Civic Center
Co-presented with MoAd, City Arts & Lectures is hosting novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga and scholar and activist Angela Davis for what’s sure to be a riveting conversation.
Cost: $36

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Daisy Barringer is an SF-based freelance writer who spent many childhood days wandering around the Exploratorium. Follow her on Instagram to see what she’s up to now.