After having left the Southern California coast to cover the best places to SUP and arming our readers with recommendations for San Diego, Orange County, and Los Angeles County, we pointed our paddles north. We began with a look at top SUPing spots in Santa Cruz, but now we look to its more famous neighbor of San Francisco.
San Francisco is an important destination to cover for paddlers for two reasons. For one, the San Francisco Bay is the largest estuary on the West Coast, covering somewhere between 400 and 1,600 square miles. As a result, it’s teeming with places to launch a SUP and explore. Secondly, the city is home to the second largest airport (SFO) in California and also connects to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) line, which together makes San Francisco an easy to get to destination for travelers who always have an inflatable stand-up paddleboard (ISUP) in tow. To be honest, the Golden State’s “Golden City” is a must-visit port of call for anyone reading the Sea Gods blog. So without further ado, let’s have a look at the best places to paddle board in San Francisco.
Top 5 Paddle Boarding Destinations to Bring Your Sea Gods ISUP to When in San Francisco California
Golden Gate Bridge
Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate and up
There’s no way that we could launch a list of the best places to SUP in Frisco without mentioning the Golden Gate Bridge, which is the Bay Area’s most iconic landmark. And don’t worry, you don’t have to parachute off of it with your ISUP to enjoy a paddle next to the orange vermilion overpass. There are two convenient places to launch. Advanced paddlers will want to do so from Baker Beach (view location). It’s for advanced paddlers (through most of the year) because its shores are exposed to incoming swell from the ocean, which brings waves and strong currents. Intermediates can enjoy the experience by sticking somewhat close to shore, but always check the surf report (link above) for Baker Beach before paddling out.
Furthermore, consider the Carta Marina top-rated touring SUP (pictured above) as your primary vessel. What about beginners? Head over to Golden Gate Beach (view location). This launch and paddle area is protected by Fort Point (historically known as the Castillo de San Joaquín) so the water is calmer and more accommodating.
Aquatic Park Cove
Skill Level: Beginner
Looking for an easy-peasy place to paddle that puts you in the middle of San Francisco’s top attractions? Aquatic Park Cove is a small protected cove that you can actually take a Cable Car to (don’t forget to deflate your ISUP first!). It’s located downtown near the sea lion laden Fishermans Wharf, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, and more. Moreover, when you paddle to the mouth of the cove, you will enjoy a direct view of Alcatraz Island. Be sure to paddle with caution at the exit of the cove because while the view will lure you closer, the current can rip you away into the bay. Beginners can rely on our Elemental Wave SUP Board (CX version pictured below) for stability and ease of use. Also see the beautiful ULF version here.
Treasure Island
Skill Level: Beginner and up
Who doesn’t want to paddle board at a place called Treasure Island? While it’s not as wondrous as it sounds, it’s an ideal isle for paddlers of all skill levels. It’s home to the sheltered and calm-watered Clipper Cove, where beginners can cruise without concern. Intermediate and advanced SUPers can venture out of the cove and paddle a full circle around Treasure Island, spying incredible views of Alcatraz, Angel Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, and downtown San Francisco. To get here, pack your Sea Gods ISUP into your wheeled hiking backpack (comes with ISUP purchase) to take the Treasure Island Ferry from the San Francisco Ferry Terminal. When done paddling, relax at Aracely Cafe on the island before taking the ferry back to the downtown core.
Berkeley Marina
Skill Level: Beginner to intermediate
Have you always wanted to say that you went to Berkeley? While we can’t help you with admissions into UC, we can certainly help you SUP it! Berkeley Marina gets top grades as a place to paddle board in San Francisco. Beginners are invited to enjoy the protected area which is surrounded by lush green parks, boat houses, sailing vessels, and all sorts of watercraft. Intermediate paddlers can take a few more strokes into the open bay, which is generally free from current concerns as the winds and tides point paddlers toward land. The marina is also very accessible and amenity-rich, with ample parking along with bathrooms, outdoor showers, and nearby shops. And as you may expect from a harbor along university grounds, Berkeley Marina is a very social place to SUP. You will smile and shaka with fellow paddlers, kayakers, windsurfers, and sailors along the way.
Ocean Beach
Skill Level: Advanced
We’ve taken it fairly easy on you all with the recommendations above. But now it’s time for something for the advanced paddlers who want to challenge themselves with their Ketos CX Racing ISUP. Given its open exposure to the Pacific, Ocean Beach is predominantly a surfing wave, but it does welcome hardcore SUPers to battle chop and ride waves to its sandy shores. It’s why Red Bull Heavy Water, a highlight on the pro Standup Paddleboard circuit, runs are Ocean Beach in the autumn. We don’t recommend that you go out in any sort of heavy conditions (view the surf report) but on days between 1-4 feet with ideal winds, it can be a blast. Just promise us that you’ll wear a premium personal floatation device and your accompanying leash.
Make sure you pack your new Sea Gods inflatable stand-up paddle board and essential accessories before your next excursion to enjoy the best SUPing spots detailed above. If you have any questions about our products, shipping, and warranty feel free to contact Sea Gods USA at any time.