Heads up for anyone planning a pool day during this heat wave -- I called McNears Beach Park ahead of time and the pool is currently closed and won't be opening until June. Really appreciated that the park rangers answered right away and gave clear information -- it saved us a trip, especially with the limited parking in the area. Sharing in case it helps someone else plan their day. read more

A great family park, with a beach, pier to check out views or to fish from. Swimming pool. BBQ and picnic areas. Wildlife such as the turkeys I took pictures of. Deer, and many other furry friends. Great for walking or jogging. There's plenty of open space for the kids to run around and play. Parking is free. Many portable toilets. read more

McNears Beach - Wild turkey - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

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It's a nice picnic area for a big group and there's also a swimming pool nearby, nice place to go walking by the beach and ther's a place to go fishing. read more

Have been to McNears, the last few years for the summer parties for my work. Every year the weather has been nice, parking is free, and it's a nice get together to bbq or have a catered party. They have a pool where you pay and you have to have the spot at the park reserved. Other than that watch out for the geese's and enjoy your time. read more

Another reminder of this gem, located away from San Rafael. This is a park, with fishing pier and swimming pool, easily accessible from the city. Head toward Peacock Gap Golf Club or neighborhood and you will see the signs on your right. A great family spot, or a quiet, no one will bother you place to sit with your thoughts. read more

nice place to go with the family and fish and have a good time to enjoy the weekend theres plenty of places to fish of the shore off the pier and palm trees for shade read more

McNears Beach - 30+ INCHES CALIFORNIA HALIBUT CAUGHT - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

Every time I visit this pool people are swimming with Full Clothes On! Except no shoes. Otherwise Full Clothes On. It's a bit Gross.

I luv McNears Beach park. This is the type of place folks want to keep a secret because it's just that awesome. It's a 55 acre park that lies in a sheltered cove of San Pablo Bay. As of July 1, 2024, it's free. Yup, that's right... no more parking fee. But the lot does fill up quickly, and when it does, entry is closed. This park is beautifully maintained. What it offers is... -Beach access: The San Pablo bay is right there. The sand is gravelly and pebbly. Kayaks and paddle boats are allowed to launch. But during low tides, it may be difficult due to the mud flats. The water quality is tested weekly to make sure it's at safe levels for recreational use. There are no lifeguards though. -Swimming pool: It's free but I'm not sure if it's free for non residents. The pool staffing is limited. Once the pool capacity (per the staffing) is reached, folks have to wait. -Fishing pier: CA Fish and Wildlife allows fishing on a public pier without requiring a fishing license. Even if you don't fish, it's a nice walk out to see the views. -Tennis Courts and Pickleball Courts: First come use. -Sand volleyball court: First come use. -Picnic area with tables and a BBQ: They are available by reservation only. -Hiking Trails -Green Lawn Things to Note: -Dogs are not allowed, unless they are service dogs. -Groups of 20 or more need a reservation. -No amplified music or noise is allowed. For additional information on hours and reservations, go to the Marin County Parks website. read more

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i saw a fish caught off the pier, i have never caught off the pier, i have tryed many times !!!! the weather is nice their alot of time. the people who fish their r nice, friendly, to talk to. no dogs alowed, butte theirs plenty of goose shit to make up 4 no dogs !!!!! read more

Clean, very nice bathrooms, pretty quiet. Awesome place for a picnic, there's a dock too, I just didn't go on it, and plenty of pebbley shoreline. -parking -good bathrooms -tennis courts -dock and shoreline (not a sandy beach tho!!!) -shells!! kept kids entertained -plenty of picnic table areas -super pretty flowers and trees read more

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Its so nice to have this place to sit and watch the water and tankers go by. Great for family outings. Picked up some yummy sandwiches from San Venetia Market for a picnic. read more

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Ample parking and great facilities. The beach is pretty rocky and brown so not the best for that, but super easy to get to if in Marin. Nice spot for a little outing with little humans read more

McNears Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Why haven't I written a review about this wonderful hidden gem, never too late! We've been to many kids' birthday parties here, there's a nice pool, picnic areas, BBQ grills, recreational areas, fishing areas, clean restrooms, etc. It's just the perfect place to spend a day with family and friends. Super kid-friendly, when I dropped off the kids for their friend's party, I told the park ranger I will be real quick turning around, no need to pay the entrance fee. Be sure to advise them you're dropping off if not staying long. I stay away from the beach and water. They do a great job keeping this place immaculate. Lovely place to come and relax when taking a stroll, and taking in the beautiful scenery. Not a hidden gem these days, sharing is caring on Yelp. 'Til next time ~ happy trails & see you on Yelp (SYOY)! read more

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It was a hot Saturday inland and I was looking for a waterfront park that didn't require a full day driving or fighting with hoards or beach goers. Headed to McNears Beach later in the day (around 6 pm) to enjoy the bay front and a short walk along the water. Parking and day use is free, making this a popular weekend spot. Going late in the day, I did find a spot easily. It closes at 8, so many visitors were packing up. It's not a beach in the traditional sense. There are a few small swaths of rocky shoreline. However, there are plenty of grassy areas and picnic tables to make up for that. There's a fishing pier (the very end is closed due to storm damage but you can still walk out a ways,) and short walking paths to enjoy the bay views. We even found some empty Adirondack chairs to relax in at the end of our short walk. I would imagine it's pretty crowded and loud during weekend days, but it's a nice locals park with unique views of the San Pablo bay and cool breezes on hot summer days. read more

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I don't know San Rafael well, but I've seen the sign for this beach on my way to China Camp. Apparently sometime before the Big Earthquake, this was a fashionable beach resort along the lines of Sutro Baths. Now it's just a small family-friendly beach that overlooks San Pablo Bay. It's not ideal for sunbathing since the shoreline is pretty rocky, but the concrete fishing pier drew quite a few fishermen and the parking lot was almost full up with their trucks and vans. That may account for the required $5 entry fee as I didn't see that many amenities other than some patches of green for cavorting and the orange Adirondack chairs set up for lounging. RELATED - Exploring north of San Francisco? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2tIHlkV read more

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It's a nice place with some nice views. There are lots of tables and cute chairs. It was not too cold with a gentle breeze prefect for getting away from the heat wave. There is plenty of shady areas also. There was some construction going on and some kind of business making it very noisy. The portapotty was disgusting. read more

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Ok this beach is really pretty and nice, but the "pier" area is closed, and there are wasps literally everywhere. It is a nice place to have birthday parties if you can stand the bees! read more

McNears Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

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I moved to San Rafael in May of 2023 from Santa Rosa. I'm in property management and the property where I was has a pool for the residents. The property in San Rafael did not and my youngest daughter just loves going to pools and beaches. I found McNears quite by accident and cannot emphasize how much we both love this park! Last summer we were at the pool just about every other weekend, when I have her. She has participated in children's events and we will go just for a walk along the beach while the pool is closed. She loves going to the pier as well to see if any of the fisherman have caught anything. She now wants to learn how to fish so yup, daddy got her a fishing pole! Now I have to remember because it's been about 25 years since I have fished. The biggest surprise for me was the first time we were there last year I posted some pics of us on Instagram and tagged the location. A day later a former roommate of mine from Oakland responded to the pics. He is the supervisor for northern Marin department of forestry...I believe that's what it is. But it was fantastic to be back in touch with a friend after over 10 years. There is nothing negative I can say about this park. I have noticed on really nice days at around 10ish am if you haven't arrived to get parking in the lot, you're gonna park on the side of the road and walk down. The other great thing about this park is it's free! No entry fee, no parking fee, no pool entrance fee! At least it was last year due to a grant that San Rafael received for its parks. I think I may actually go practice some fishing tomorrow just so I know what I'm doing when I take my daughter enjoy this spot it's truly a breath of fresh air. read more

McNears Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

I love this place! and I will always love this place. McNears beach is a private waterfront beach area located in northern California and requires a small five dollar admission to enter. Mostly because that money is used to pay the staff and to maintain the property and keep it in it's naturally fantastic and beautiful form. During your time here you can come across dears, rabbits and other kinds of wildlife. so, don't be alarmed and just appreciate seeing wildlife in their natural element. Plus it's amazing to be able to see them without the fear of harm. Unfortunately, due to climate change, The last few years have affected the overall quality of the location. Not in a terribly bad way but someone like me who goes there pretty regularly has noticed a few major changes.. Due too climate change the water has been drastically receding and they're not able to water the grass in the main field area because they need to preserve what they can. So, although the grass may not be as vibrant as it once was, I figure a little bit of brown won't hurt anyone. So, although the water isn't as high as it once was and the grass isn't as green, heck! Even the animals don't come around as much, but it's still a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. So plan a day of fun, bring your Friends, family or just go if you want to have a great time and relax. But go! This place really is nice. read more

McNears Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

This was our second visit to this Beach. Its deceiving in name because its more than a beach. I would consider this more of recreational area than just a beach. The beach isn't even the best part. The company I work for utilizes one of the picnic areas for our party. Its near the pool and walking distance to the pier and beach. They do not allow dogs. You have to have real deal service dog credentials in order to bring your dog. Which is a bummer because this place would be perfect for dogs. You have plenty of room to spread out with your friends and family. This year we took advantage of the pool. With your paid admission you also get to go to their pool. Two of my kids and my man swam this year. We had plenty of seating on beach chairs they provide. Life guards are on duty as well. The pool is awesome. Its well worth the admission. Don't forget to go walk along the pier. I like seeing what the fishermen are catching out there. This is a beautiful well maintained park and worth the admission to come visit. read more

Review for the pool: Poorly staffed. If you come to this pool expect to wait an hour to get in. The pool isn't at capacity, they are so understaffed they just won't let you in. It's really a shame. It would be a great pool and experience if they just staffed it properly. read more

PICNIC: This is a actually a Beach with a beautiful park and picnic area in San Rafael . It's kinda hidden but once you find it you will keep coming back. I came here for a friends birthday last year and recently went back with my family. It's got a beautiful clean concrete pier that goes into the bay and has a gorgeous picnic area with lovely well kept neat grass with palm trees. Also has barbecue areas, a pool , tennis courts and beach volleyball courts . We walked for about 50 minutes exploring the park with my family. It was absolutely calming and therapeutic! Very serene and totally worth visiting. Entrance fee and parking is $5. Park closes at 5pm. They are park rangers to remind you just that . Cute Long Beach . Must come Back! Will come back soon ! read more

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Always a good time at McNears Beach. It was surprisingly quite crowded when I arrived at 5pm today despite that it was a tad windy. Love that there is grass and sand so you can enjoy as you like (either/or/both). Parking is usually easy in the parking lot and you can pay the park rangers or self pay at the ranger station. read more

This place was amazing! My friend invited me to catch up. Her husband fished on the pier while all the kids played with their water guns. There were geese and a small beach along with a pool (although closed). I loved the vibes and weather of this place and would definitely go there again. There are clean public bathrooms and the overall facility seemed friendly. read more

Sometimes you need a reason to escape the city. My reason is almost always in search of the sun and fun. I needed a mini vacation and was reminded of the warm weather by a friend who is fortunate to live up in the sunny parts of the North Bay. He reminded me how beautiful the area is and how close I was to it. It really was a brilliant idea, the beauty of the San Rafael area and memories of McNear's brought me back to the resort. I used to come here as a kid with my uncle Bruce, it was his favorite place to BBQ, lay out in the sun and let us kids swim all day. Such good family memories there. That's what I wanted, so I packed a picnic, two days in a row and hit McNear's in search of some tan lines. All I could imagine was laying out in the sun, bikini Beks. ;) For $10, you can bring your car load of peeps and for an extra $5, you can swim all day in the pool. They have the greenest fluffiest grass, blue skies and the warm breeze made it really easy to close my eyes and relax. For that, these trips were priceless. I've decided to make McNear's my new getaway spot. I hope to spend lots more time in the Marin area, the sunshine is good for my soul. Xoxo, beks. read more

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It's a very nice beach. They keep the beach pretty clean. The views are so nice. Really cool that they have showers so you can wash up before getting into your car. read more

There is a very large parking lot, volleyball courts on either side, a public pool with lockers, grills and seating throughout. The view is spectacular. read more

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Had the most amazing time. Chose this spot for our annual family picnic this year and everyone just loved the surrounding. The park opens at 7am and we reached thr 8.30, set up our spot. U can take ur own grill if u dont want to use theres. There is no rules with where u wana do the bbq as long as u know what ur doing. Theres a $10 entry in the weekend and holidays and $5 monday thru friday. Theres also a swimming pool which is $5 per person. We had a 2 and 1 year old whose admission was free but the 7 year was charged so iam assuming it may be free for under 5. Theres a tennis court which is first come first serve. Two vollyball courts come with huge picnic area which if is reserved goes to the people who reserve it. But the place is so big, you can play ur own vollyball anywhere. So overall its an amazing place. I loved it and so did my family. read more

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Love the place, need to get control with the bees and take care of the baby pool better otherwise

I came here a year ago in the off season. It was a sunny February day so my friend and I decided to take our babes out there. It was so quiet and peaceful on a random week day. We were some of the only people there. Lots of green grass with views of the bay. They also had a beach area where you could put your feet in the water. A little bit of a walk from the parking lot but worth the small trek. The park seemed very clean and well kept. Parking was $5 during the week. I'm looking forward to making another trip out there soon. read more

You're closed on Saturday?! Along with much of the week? Are you insane? Thanks for making swimming easier... won't bother to go somewhere that takes weekends off. Swimming really is a weekend and all week activity. Pools in the area can be tricky. read more

What else can't be said?? Lainie pretty well covered it. My roommate and I brought her .. NOT MY! ... children here for a few days during the summer. I can sympathize with the Adult swim, but I am, also putting my fingers in my ears, and sticking out my tongue at them too. Priceless!! You know what they say about payback ... now it's my turn! There is not much of a beach to speak of, just a pool, picnic tables, and lawns. While I didn't smell any french fries, or much Coppertone, the smell of chlorine was there. For a public pool, it's not too bad, but I miss having my own pool as a kid! The showers in the changing room have hot water, but only one temperature. Check it out next summer! Just beware of the yellow jackets .... those buggers are nasty, and want some of your food, and will be more than happy to bite and sting you for it. read more

I love everything about this park except the $10 parking fee. Everything else about it is beautiful. You get the best of everything - a beach, a swimming pool (and kiddie pool), green park with plenty of shady trees, tennis courts, a store with snacks...what more can you ask for? And the weather is always bright and sunny each time I'm here - and I've been here every summer for at least the past 10 years or so. It's a great place to spend the 4th of July, but you have to arrive early to claim your space because the park doesn't allow reservations. Also, dogs aren't allowed in the park so that's a bummer, although I understand why the rangers wouldn't want to walk around cleaning up dog poop. Also, you can bring your BBQ grills and cook your meals right there on the spot since the park doesn't sell food. It's also a 10 minute drive from any stores, so make sure to come prepared with food and drinks because the store only sells ice cream and snacks. I recommend checking them out on a sunny weekend. It's a beautiful place. read more

Not a bad place to spend an afternoon chillin' and bbq-in. I came here with some friends to picnic and swim (in the San Pablo Bay) not the swimming pool (which is $5 to enter) on top of the $10 entrance fee into the park. My friends and i found a great hidden cove along the water and set up our picnic there. Swimming in the bay wasnt bad. If you want to do some open water swimming, this venue offers fairly gentle waters at a decent temperature (still need a wetsuit). The water is brown-ish green with a really slimy mushy ground. There is some current which made it hard to make headway in some areas. It's pretty rocky along the beach as well; i cut my foot getting back onto shore. Get here by 11 am and you should have no problem finding parking. After 1 pm gets packed. read more

McNears Beach - Picnic area - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

This beach is so pleasant, if a little windy. It attracts a diverse crowd, from families to students to seniors, but never feels crowded. Ample picnic space, but not a lot of sand if that's your thing. You're supposed to pay $10 to come in with a car, but when we went, there was no one sitting in the booth so you could just drive through. We felt guilty and put money in the box anyway though. There was one guard who drove through in a golf cart every few hours and asked if we were drinking booze. We said no and he drove off without getting out of his cart. Chill place. -1 star for mean geese. read more

McNears Beach - A calm green space besmirched by mean geese - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

Excellent service, awesome friendly Rangers, amazing picnic place and quiet spot!! Well done guys

McNear's Beach has been a great place over many years to enjoy a fun family day. With a large lawn area, a swimming pool, tennis courts, volley ball, pier and beach it offers a multitude of choices to have your picnic and there is something for everybody! Last time I was here I ended a (stand up) paddle board and paddled all around the bay from this beach. read more

McNears Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

I can't believe I have been missing out on this place. It has something for everyone. The pools, the tennis court, the fishing pier, and los of trees with shade to sit under and simply relax. I like the view and the landscape seems taken care of. The only bad thing is the parking pavement is cracked and needs fixing. I plan to hold family reunions here every year! read more

McNears Beach - view of the pier - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

My greatest sense memory is smell. The smell of corn tortillas toasting over a flame transports me to my abuelita's house. The smell of cornbread baking takes me back to my nana's. The smell of Coppertone, chlorine and hot french fries takes me back to McNear's Beach. We went to McNear's Beach many weekends during the summer months. My mom grew up in Mill Valley and loved to spend time in Marin whenever possible. We would load up the car with towels, an old gold chenille bedspread, our big ol' red cooler filled with sodas and salami & swiss cheese sandwiches and head over to McNear's. The place was always packed on weekends with little family picnics spread all over the grassy areas. My mom would slather us with Coppertone and send us off to swim. McNear's had the dreaded ADULT SWIM. . .20 minutes of each hour when all the kids had to get out of the pool and let the old fogies enjoy the pool without threat of injury from wild cannonballs. Whilst the adults took over my pool, I would run to the beach and dig up the little sand crabs and play with them. The minute the tyrannical lifeguards blew the whistle indicating the end of adult swim. . . I'd run back to the pool and rule the roost for another 40 minutes. One of the highlights of the day was when my mom would give us each a dollar and we'd go to the concession stand and get an order of steaming hot french fries. . .the combination of dire hunger from swimming all day and running around like a maniac made these fries the holy grail of fries. .. hot, salty, greasy and plain delicious. These fries were even worth the dread 1/2 hour of waiting after I ate to get back in that pool. Calling McNear's a beach is generous. . .it's not the beach like I think of a beach . . to me a beach is like Ocean Beach . .waves slamming on shore ferociously. At McNear's the sea laps at the shore in sweet, gentle ripples. When I was a nanny I'd bring my charge, Joshua, to McNear's. The baby pool was far too chaotic for him. He preferred to be placed right at the water's edge where the little waves would lap at his lusciously fat baby thighs; each and every time the water touched him he would break out in peels of unadulterated joyful giggles. .. like the sea was playing a game only for him. He held his first sand crab here. He ate his first french fry here. I had lots of time to kill in San Rafael on Monday so I ventured down the old hill to the empty parking lot. It was a gorgeously sunny day and the place was deserted. They say nothing stays the same but I felt like I was in a time warp here. It was exactly the same save for the shore has changed slightly and they added a fishing pier that gets brisk business. Other than the fishermen way out on the pier, I was alone. I walked the grounds and marveled at how little it had changed. The pool was closed for the winter but not covered and I tried to calculate how much of my youth was spent in that very pool. I walked over to the beach and dug around until I found a sand crab. . I let it skitter across my hand. I was walking around the pool area which is surrounded by grass and came upon a doe and buck just lying on the grass. I stopped. They stared. I stared. They were so beautiful. I sat on the grass and we watched each other for a while. I got up to leave and they just lay there. . .unafraid. I spent pretty much the whole day there with a good book, the sound of the sea lapping on the shore and the memories of many happy sunny days spent here. read more

McNears Beach - Beaches Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Beach? Not so much. Park? Yes. Great place for a picnic (on the grassy areas), and for large groups. And, great for parents wanting to shoo the kiddos away to the pool area - yep, that's what we did. Kiddos loved it, and we did too! Worked on our tans as much as possible, on the "beach". I wouldn't really call it a beach, as it's very rocky, and there's no tide. So, the water here isn't very inviting... no swimming for me. And, it costs a few bucks to enter... and a few more bucks if you want to swim in the pool (which made me question, why would I want to swim in a pool just a few feet from a beach?). I wouldn't go out of my way to visit again, as I just want to splash around and work on my tan... on, a sandy beach. But, due to the sheer numbers here, this appears to be the place for company picnics, family reunions, and large parties. read more