The Top 5 Places To Paddle Board In San Francisco
When most people think of San Francisco, they may imagine cable cars, Chinatown, tech giants, big hills, and fog. Paddle boarding isn’t often associated with the City by the Bay, despite all of our glorious water. Perhaps for good reason. Just grabbing a board and launching off Pier 39 might result in an unplanned tour of the underside of the Golden Gate Bridge., thanks to the legendary currents.
Yet, with the right information and planning, paddling the San Francisco Bay can be one of the most rewarding experiences of any visit. The key is to know where to go, when to go, what gear you’ll need, and how to read the tides. We’ve covered all of those things in our previous posts (which I strongly recommend reading before heading out on any paddle session. For this post, let’s talk about the “where” part of the picture. Here are the top 5 places to paddle in San Francisco. Note, that there are awesome spots outside of the city that we’ll cover in another post. This one is all about San Francisco proper.
#1 Crane Cove Park
Launch: 18th & Illinois Street
When Crane Cove opened in 2020, it changed the game for water sports in San Francisco. With a gentle, protected cove, beginners can learn to paddle and building confidence, before heading out into the greater Bay. Crane Cove is the perfect launching site for explorations to all of the sites along the central waterfront, including McCovey Cove, Mission Creek, Pier 52, Pier 70 and Islais Creek. Crane Cove is the only place on our list with both paddle board and kayak rentals + lessons available. Nearby you’ll find a bounty of wildlife, easy routes to catch amazing views of the city. You’ll also find fellow paddlers more than any other location, which adds a level of safety through strength in numbers. Crane Cove has definitely become the top site for paddling in San Francisco.
A view of the Central Waterfront, including Crane Cove Park, Pier 52 & McCovey Cove
#2 McCovey Cove / Mission Creek
Launch: UCSF / Mission Creek Dock
Mission Creek is a close second for calm waters, great views, and access to wildlife. If you can find parking and have your own gear, the Boathouse at UCSF has a public dock from where you can launch. From there, it’s a gentle float out to McCovey Cove and Oracle Park. Once you pass the ballpark, you’ll want to be careful to remain close to the shoreline, whether you head north to the Bay Bridge or south towards Pier 50 and the Cape Hudson / Cape Horn cargo ships. There are no rentals or lesson currently at Mission Creek Boathouse. Bat Rays have been frequently spotted darting about in Mission Creek, which makes for stunning silhouettes if you’re lucky enough to spot them.
#3 Aquatic Park / Crissy Field
Launch: Aquatic Park Beach
Perhaps the most iconic of our recommendations, but also logistically challenging. First, this is Fisherman’s Wharf, which means parking will be incredibly limited. Since there are no rentals nearby, you’ll need to bring your own gear, which makes parking close even more important. You might consider bringing an inflatable board and blowing it up on the beach for convenience. For paddling, you mostly want to stay inside the protected area of aquatic park. If you do venture out, consider heading to the right, towards the protected harbor next to Hyde Street Pier. If you do choose to head out beyond these protected coves, make sure the currents are in your favor, the conditions are calm and you are experienced enough to handle whatever may come. Other sites seem to blindly recommend paddling at Crissy Field Beach and we warn you that you should always proceed with caution in such exposed waters. The views of the Golden Gate Bridge are certainly impressive, but never sacrifice safety in favor of a photo moment. There are certainly many days when the water may play nice, just make sure you are aware and prepared.
#4 Pier 70 / The Stack
Launch: Crane Cove Park
Most paddlers from Crane will head North towards Pier50 and perhaps even around to McCovey Cove. But the secret stash is located around the Dry Dock at Pier 70. Here you will find a dystopian wonderland of ruined piers and abandoned shipbuilding facilities (currently being remodeled into a wonderful commercial district). If you’re looking for some solitude, amazing city views, wildlife, and a little Mad Max vibe, this is your spot. Just past the Stack at the Power Station, you’ll find Warm Water Cove, where birds flock in droves and seals are as curious and playful as they come.
#5 Islais Creek
Launch: Islais Creek Dock
What Islais Creek lacks in charm, it makes up for in funk. You might ask, why on earth would I want to paddle here? Well, for those looking for a different vantage on the city, you’re sure to get it from Islais Creek. In the middle of an industrial zone with a concrete plant on one side and a massive / active shipping pier (Pier 80) on the other, paddling up Islais Creek can feel like you’re in another world. The deep water channel takes you under two bridges and may have large ships on the North side. It’s humbling to be in the shadow of these massive vessels, including the berths and cranes along the Pier. You’ll also catch the always-active concrete plant on the south side. There is parking at the dock, ample bird poop on the dock and enough sketch in the neighborhood to catch some quizzical looks as you launch. But hey, you wanted different.
BONUS: Pier 52 / Mission Bay
Launch Pier: 52
Pier 52 and Mission Bay are the next bay over from Crane Cove. This used to be the place to launch before Crane Cove opened. If you have a motorized watercraft, this is still the best place to put in. There is a large parking lot adjacent, so for some with their own gear this might be a better place to put in considering the parking woes of the Dogpatch. Also, it’s about 1/3 closer to McCovey Cove, so if you’re headed North, you’ll save some strokes launching here. The Bay itself is wide open and mostly protected. Because it’s bigger, it gets choppier conditions than Crane Cove, but on a good day, it’s smooth like glass and an amazing place to paddle.