Muir Beach feels like the California people imagine, but quieter and more honest. Instead of a crowded boardwalk or lines of shops, you come down a winding road through coastal hills and suddenly the land just opens up. The ocean isn't bright blue like postcards, it's deep gray-green, powerful, and constantly moving. The waves don't gently roll in... they crash. You feel it in your chest before you even step on the sand. The sand is darker and softer than most beaches, almost cool even in the sun. Behind you are tall grasses and weathered driftwood, not hotels. In front of you is nothing but horizon. There's a small creek cutting through the beach and a wooden bridge crossing it, which somehow makes the whole place feel more like a nature preserve than a tourist stop. People aren't blasting music or playing volleyball, they're walking, breathing, taking pictures, or just sitting quietly watching the water. If you want a loud beach day, this isn't it. If you want to slow down and actually feel the ocean, this is one of the most peaceful places near San Francisco. read more

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On our quest to visit all the nice places in California, Muir Beach is one of them. After visiting the Muir Woods National Monuments, we took a drive to see the Muir Beach near by. The parking lot is huge but quite crowded, we found a parking spot and walked to the beach. The beach is long and quite beautiful with all the rocks. The sands are not white as Cancun, but quite smooth. Walking from one end to the other is quite a hike. The winds is cold and the water is not warm either, but people still swimming. There are places for BBQ and picnic which are nice. The beach is so huge that finding a spot to sit or having lunch is not hard. We took many nice pictures and hike to the top of the beach. It's a nice place for a weekend. Plenty of restaurants near by in case we need to have lunch or dinner. If you hike in the Muir Woods National Monuments, you must try this beach. read more

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I love this beach! It's always peaceful, clean, and beautiful especially on a sunny day. There are also some great hiking trails that will get the heart pumping. read more

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There are places that take your breath away and leave you in awe of the sheer natural beauty. Muir Beach is one of those places. Free parking. Bathrooms at the lot. A great place for a picnic, tidepooling, or to just breathe. Truly awe inspiring...tread gently and enjoy immensely. read more

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I love coming to Muir Beach to get my Ocean fix! You can't beat sitting back & enjoying this masterpiece. Take a walk around and comb for sea glass & other cool trinkets & shells, so much fun! read more

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If you want a fire pit get there early! Our group had so much fun but we did have someone go super early and snag us a fire pit. The parking lot isn't super huge and they have restrooms there but then it is a little bit of a walk to the beach. The beach is a decent size but not super massive which we loved. We had so much fun together and I highly recommend! read more

Muir Beach - Parks Near Me - Muir Beach, California

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Talk about a windy road to drive on to get to Muir Beach! Located in Marin County, I enjoyed how unique this beach was compared to what I'm used to, Santa Cruz! The beach was busy, but the vibes were like a secluded private beach with the mountains and houses around. I haven't been to a beach in a while where you can hike or relax at the beach. When we arrived at the beach entrance, the free parking was full, so it seemed like our only option was to leave! Thankfully, someone left, and we got a parking spot. We walked over a bridge to the beach and down a path that took 5 minutes to get there. It was pretty windy and cold when we got there. Big rocks and a tide pool are also at the end of the beach. Don't worry, there is also a bathroom at the parking lot! read more

Muir Beach - Beach - Parks Near Me - Muir Beach, California

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Fantastic spot with great views and lots of space, the beach is phenomenal and the water as cold as the pacific gets

Love Muir beach! NorCal weather is tricky but when it's good it's amazing at Muir beach! It's dog friendly and plenty of tide pools to look at the beautiful sea life. Bring a picnic and enjoy a short walk from the parking lot to the beach. It makes for a great family day without spending. read more

Muir Beach - Parks Near Me - Muir Beach, California

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Amazing place to relax! Not too crowded in January but the wind was quite tolerable. Beautiful place to watch a sunset. Some people were burning wood for campfire which did bring the air quality down a bit but still a very nice place to hangout. read more

Muir Beach - Parks Near Me - Muir Beach, California

If you're looking for beautiful views and a beach full of dogs this one is for you! Good thing is that was exactly what I was there for. Adequate parking, and only a short walk to the beach. read more

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Adventured to Muir Beach on a grey Saturday, the 1st of June 2019. It is the only time I have come to the beach in my life and it was a bit by accident. I was driving to Muir Woods, which was partially full. After seeing the amount of cars already there at about 9:00 a.m., I decided to just continue on the road and see what I could find. Driving out to the coast I found the parking lot at Muir Beach, which was comparatively quiet. There are a number of different trails one can traverse, including one to an overlook that I did not go on. I went with an unmarked trail to the left on approach to the final trail to the beach. It ended up being bit of an out-and-back experience as the trail was not marked and I was unfamiliar with the area. A bunch of flowers were in bloom and the views were fun, though there were steep drop-offs to the water below in some places. Waves at the beach were fun to watch and matched the cloudiness of the day in tone. I took pictures and videos and tried something new with my online accounts, posting my pictures and videos all on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube as applicable (for example only the videos on YouTube). It turned out to be a fun exercise as I found that uploading my pictures/videos once I got back took about the same amount of time to publish as it took to collect while adventuring. Later, in the first half of 2021, I deleted my Instagram account and my Twitter account and tried to delete my Facebook account - though Facebook still refuses to delete my account... Even with those changes to my online presence, it was a fun exercise to execute at the time. Fun to revisit with a Yelp review now, and to see my self-growth in selecting fewer pictures to post. I was back to my car a little over an hour and a half after I set out for my hike and exploring. At that time (about 11:00 a.m.) the parking lot was full, though the waiting cars were patient as I cleaned the sand out of my shoes before departing and freeing up the spot I had parked my car in. read more

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Had a blast doing a beautiful hike along the coast and then had a picnic on the beach afterwards! Gotta get there early though. Parking and beach fill up quick! read more

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We checked the beach out yesterday 7/28 to try and get an idea of when to show up for a bonfire beach day but we were extremely disappointed to find 5+ dead birds on the beach and 1 being in a ceremonial display with symbols.. there was trash everywhere and dog poo in bags, not in bags. The bathrooms were all locked except one with a broken door frame and lock. There were three people working the parking lot but why is no one cleaning up the beach? Idk. Makes no sense, was extremely disappointed. read more

This is a relatively small beach, but never too crowded for the most part (I don't goto beaches in the heat too much so I can't say for summer). I like to come early before the bulk of the people get here, and the best part of Muir Beach are the many hiking trails along its shores. Each time I've come, I've gone a little further on one of their hiking trails which seem to go on forever. I don't know what a beginner hiking trail is, but I don't believe any of these trails are for beginners/friendly walkers...you will sweat and may need to take breaks on the inclines. The views and journey make it all worthwhile. I enjoy cooler weather and haven't been here when it's over 60, but sweat on these trails each time. The views are fully worth it all if you are up for a workout. Wear layers when hiking here when you think it's cold. The several times I've come it appears to be a family beach, they allow dogs off leash, there is fishing and it seems to be mostly locals from appearance. I'm a lover of beautiful beaches with smaller populations of ppl on it so cheers indeed to Muir beach. read more

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We rented a home in Muir Beach over Thanksgiving. I must say I was blown away. The views and area is spectacular. Also, this area is not low on things to do- hiking, kayaking, and my fav doing nothing! Check it out! read more

Muir Beach - View of Muir Beach. - Parks Near Me - Muir Beach, California

Decided to check out Muir Beach since we were visiting Muir Woods that morning. It was only us a few surfers and one other person so if you want to go to a beach that is more secluded this seems like a good option. Pretty typical Northern California beach nothing out of the norm here. Worth stopping by if you are in the area but I would not go out of your way to visit. read more

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Y'know how Hwy 1 hugs every possible curve in Marin? It crowds up quickly no matter what day of the week since Muir Woods and Stinson Beach become magnets for tourists and locals alike. That's why I likely prefer the respite offered by this snug, little beach in the shadow of a snug, little beach town. Except for the people who hang out at the popular Pelican Inn right at the turn, the the beach has a communal feel and a surprisingly good size parking lot. You know you're in Marin when you see an organic fruit juice stand next to the row of unisex restrooms. You cross a wide pedestrian bridge and make a right to get to the water. If you turn left, there are several hikes that gravitate toward the headlands including a particularly windswept, thigh-challenging one to Pirates Cove. BTW if you're looking for the Outlook, continue up Hwy 1 for about five more minutes (review: https://bit.ly/31hteUH). Trust me if you operate more optimally in the lower keys, this beach is the one for you. 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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Muir Beach is around the corner and down the craggy road from us, and its as often windy, wind whipped, foggy and moody as it is sunny, but welcome to the Northern California Coast. Those who love a fog horn will feel right at home on these frequently chilly and very occasionally warm shores. The beach is darker sand, and there are multiple houses up on the nearby wind tossed cliff overlooking Muir Beach. During low tide, if you hug the coast you can find tide pools and sea life and quite a bit of washed up seaweed. Trails lead to hikes on the nearby hills. Muir Beach features a public bathroom (permanent porta potties) and a medium-sized parking lot that fills up quickly on good weather days. For dog lovers, this is a leash-free allowed beach. Be careful here if you are sensitive to smoke, due to multiple fire pits dug into the beach and visitors creating fires with black plumes of smoke (often using accelerants such as lighter fluid, which are prohibited but unfortunately are used anyway) across a small beach. On cold days with multiple black smoke wafting fires going, this can create breathing issues for those with asthma or a breathing sensitivity. read more

Spectacular Ocean Views, Windy This was my first time at this beach. It's what you would picture a Northern California Beach would look like... I know it's pretty popular and I've only learned about it from my sister who participates in some of the 50K and 50-mile courses. She's passed through this beach over 100 times because one of the aid stations is set up here on Muir Beach. It is the closest beach to San Francisco and is located in Marin County, about 20 mins from the Golden Gate Bridge. The beach was a bit crowded when we arrived (a little after noonish) but we secured a nice spot in the middle part of the beach. It was 59° degrees... refreshing and a relief from our triple-digit heat in the valley. Plus it was a break from the smoke also coming from the River Fire burning in Placer County. The beach is smaller than the ones I've been to in San Francisco but this one is one of the best beaches in Marin County. Also, bonfires are allowed! They are offered seasonally: from May - November the beach offers 6 firepits, 3 from December to April. Fires are only allowed on provided fire rings. And the beach is dog-friendly. They need to be on a leash, though. Each end of the beach are rocks and there are tide pools to explore. My nieces and nephews enjoyed seeing hermit crabs and anemones as they explored that part of the beach. I also did not know about Little Beach located in a cove at the north end of Muir Beach -- it is a clothing-optional beach. LoL! Entrance and parking to the beach is FREE! The parking lot gets full fast but there are people leaving often. There are restroom stalls (not porta potties) by the parking lot. To get to the beach we crossed over a 450-foot long pedestrian bridge that connects the parking lot to the beach then a short sandy trail... Every time I go to the beach I'm always reminded of the 80's song "Summertime Summertime" by Nocera Take me, Take me to the water Summertime Summertime... Enjoy the rest of the summer, everyone! Review #2351 read more

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My bf and I decided to bring the munchkins to the beach to have a nice bonfire and some s'mores, yummm! It's was so beautiful and peaceful at this beach the water was ice old!! I only got my feet in and that was it for me. The girls had a blast and had so much fun running away from the waves and finding seashells to collect. It was a bit confusing on finding the parking lot but we managed to find it within minutes. Loved how there was a nice setup made by people that were once there so others can have their bonfire there. This is a perfect beach to come to for a nice bonfire late at night. read more

Muir Beach - Ocean view - Parks Near Me - Muir Beach, California

Another Marin beauty of a beach! Not nearly as crowded as Stinson or Rodeo Beach, but it definitely has its' share of beach goers. Ended a hike from Pirate's Cove here with a friend last summer, and this was the perfect way to relax after our hike. The trek from the parking lot to the beach isn't too long. You'll cross over a little bridge and bear a right until you hit the sand. There are all sorts of hiking trails nearby too. Me loves a good beach hike! It was pretty cloudy when we went but still warm enough to enjoy. There's actually a pretty nice sized parking lot for the size of this beach, but of course it fills up quickly. My friend and I were running fashionably late (cough cough) and had to park on the side of the road. Luckily there's lots of street parking once you pass up the restaurant on the corner (I wouldn't advise parking in their lot because you might get towed). There are restrooms right near the parking lot but they ain't the prettiest. All I'm gonna say is either hold your pee or hold your nose... you can decide when you get there. There are a few picnic tables near the parking lot and tons of fire pits right on the beach. The beach itself isn't huge but there's enough space to properly social distance. Lots of pretty driftwood all around. Like most Bay Area beaches, the water is freezing cold. However, your body will adjust. I only put my feet in but I did witness a few people swimming and surfing in the water. The waves are pretty calm here and the sand isn't super soft but still walkable. If you have furry friends, bring them with you! This is a very dog friendly beach and we saw so many little cuties while we were there. Would definitely come back here for a beach hike again in the future. read more

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It's pretty and best of all it's FREE! That's right - you don't have to pay to get to Muir Beach. Decent amount of parking. Pretty crowded at 4:30 on a Friday in June. Great views (and it's fun to look at the incredible houses on the hill). You can also have a fire in designated spots! Dog friendly! There were volunteers there trimming bushes, cleaning up the fire pits, and making sure the beach is in top shape! read more

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Amazing, Beautiful, clean, peaceful, quiet, nice people, dog friendly, I will go again.

Muir Beach is a different location and different parking lot from Muir Beach Overlook. Parking is free but was maxed out with a line of cars waiting for spaces on Mother's Day. Spacious pit toilets at parking lot. After a picnic lunch on the beautiful beach cove, we hiked the Coastal Trail alongside blooming spring flowers on a wide enough trail for social distancing. We sidetracked to the scary Lands End Point overlook located halfway between Muir Beach and Pirate's Cove. (pls avoid during windy condition) read more

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Love this beach! It's beautiful. I love the hikes connected to the beach and think those are very underrated. Has plenty of parking and the restrooms tend to be clean read more

Beautiful beach north of SF. Decided to come here after enjoying the Muir Overlook. Parking lot gets packed and we came on a weekday. I can't imagine what it would be like on a weekend. Probably chaos. The beach isn't the largest, but it was really packed. Ton of people also not wearing masks. Guess they don't care about COVID. Overall, a nice beach, and wouldn't mind coming again. read more

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Awesome waves and strolls in the sandy beach , cliff side hikes and parking on high with views of beach and rugged coastline read more

Went on a super hot day, parking was ridiculous-everyone and their cat was there, but good reason-the beach was cool, refreshing and relaxing. It's a fight to get there, to park and trek with your bags of stuff to get to the beach, but once you are there it's really nice. It's a very dog friendly beach so if you are not okay with dogs this is NOT the beach for you. We loved all the doggies and will go again only earlier to avoid the parking fiasco. read more

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Having a bit of time before our Muir Woods reservation, we decided to stop by Muir Beach. Plenty of parking and a short walk to the water. Restrooms are available, but be aware that the restrooms are simply a hole in the ground with no water stations to wash your hands. Small stretch of beach with makeshift fire pits and plenty of space for dogs to run around. You can explore the beach and take great pics if you walk towards the rocks and do a bit of climbing. There are also hiking trails in the area as well, with signs leading you in the right direction. read more

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Magic. Ever since the National Park Service and in teams of people to remove all the invasive non-native plants for Muir Beach it has come back with a vengeance. So much growth in areas where nothing grew before because probably if they weren't being choked off from water source and food. It has now become a magical green area by the parking lot which is to be just sand Mounds at one time trampled by heavy traffic to the beach. Now it's full of Honey Willow and native plants. The walk out to the beach is a beautiful walk to a pristine little beach that has brought so much joy to people throughout the decades. This is great place to stop off if you want something more intimate than Stinson Beach on a summer's afternoon or any time of year as a matter of fact. If you liked our review please vote below and follow us. read more

This is such an amazing spot for both hitting up the beach and hiking. We had a picnic lunch by the beach and then did our hike. It is not for the faint of heart, it was a strenuous hike up the mountain, but oh-so-scenic up top! The views and weather were just perfect. We arrived at around 5 and left close to 730. Just enough time to eat and a good hike. Highly recommend! Parking lot says full, but had plenty of space since we arrived later in the day. read more

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My dogs had a great time here. Is small, but still plenty of room to run around. Parking is Free and there is a great hike close by. read more

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It takes a while to get here but it's totally worth it! Winding along those steep and curvy roads through the fog just takes you to a different place. This is a must stop whether you're looking for a walk on the beach or opt for their trails. There is plenty of parking and bathrooms. The trails and beach area are both maintained nicely. I would love to go trail running here next time I'm in town and check out the Inn nearby or see if any of those gorgeous houses are for rent overlooking the water. read more

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Review #107 - 2020 My 38-year old niece & her two daughters and I have been meeting up once a month and we've been trying to explore new places together. Although my niece and her kids have been here before, she was more than willing to come along with us since I've never been here before. We grabbed some drinks & snacks before making our way over on Wednesday, June 24th. We showed up at around 2:15 PM and it was 65° with a light breeze, but still felt nice and warm. The beach was nice & not too crowded when we were there so we were able to find a spot to sit & enjoy our snacks while the girls played in the sand and water. We hung out for close to two hours before the weather started to get cooler & I told the kids that if we left soon, I'd buy them ice cream. Of course, as much as the girls enjoyed playing at the beach, they couldn't say "no" to ice cream. I had to use the restroom before we left and it was pretty disgusting--so I'd recommend going somewhere else before you get here or after you leave. The parking is pretty big so we were able to find a parking spot pretty quickly. Cell reception was pretty spotty during the majority of our drive over, but I was able to get reception once we got down to the beach. read more

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This beautiful beach was a wonderful stop after hiking in Muir Woods. We visited on a Friday afternoon. The parking lot was full, but the turnaround was quick. It was just a five minute walk from the lot to the beach. There were quite a few families there. Everyone was distanced and most wore masks when walking around. We enjoyed the views and my boys played on the beach and in the water. read more

Muir Beach - Love the sound of waves crashing against the rocks. - Parks Near Me - Muir Beach, California

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This seemed to be a popular spot with generous parking and restrooms available (no showers), and that meant a plethora of visitors, even on a weekday. You park a little ways from the actual beach. No biggie, but there were signs that it is a frequent spot for car break-ins, which makes sense given you can't keep an eye on your vehicle. So just beware and keep your valuables safe. The beach itself does not span a huge area of land, but there are different spots to explore. Mussels cover most of the rocks in the water, and if you enjoy seashell hunting, you will find plenty washed up on the shore, along with pretty stones, too. A few hiking trails are available in the sandy hills above the beach, but I didn't check them out, so not sure how long they are or what you will discover there. The very best part of my visit involved the two friendly pups wandering the beach and greeting anyone they happened upon. After giving one some snuggles and scratches I checked her tag which listed Muir Beach as her home. Love! I'm sure they really reside in one of the houses surrounding the area, but she was a real sweetheart, and made the beach feel a bit more special. read more

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Muir Beach is great! There's a relatively large (free) parking lot. It's a short walk from the parking lot to the beach and there are vault toilets. If you want to hike, this is a good spot to start (can go up to Muir Woods, or down towards Pirates Cove etc). There are also fire pits and it's a great spot to chill, read a book, and watch the sunset. read more

Groovy place !!! Also has a nice serene nudist beach cove off to the right end of the beach over some large rocks you'll enter a beautiful serene quiet peaceful cove with no wind and smooth glassy water the way the cliff breaks the wind !!! And beautiful peaceful nude people there enjoying the beautiful beach !!! In a very laid back peaceful way !!! Some very sexy and awesome earthlings there tanning their sexy hot bodies!!! and the water is wet !!! Th water seems beautifully wet for some wonderful reason!!! read more

A little piece of heaven! Possibly my favorite place on the planet although I really like Hawaii and France too. Returned to Marin County this weekend - my first time back in Marin paradise since June 2020. I did return in late August and in mid-November but they were short stops at the Good Earth grocery store in Mill Valley, while on my way to Oregon (smoky because of wildfires!) and on my return to California (dark and rainy night!). The weather was perfect yesterday. Sunny. Cold of course but that's the norm anywhere on the coast in the SFBA. I missed the sunset but that's okay because I captured the most amazing blue sky post-sunset at the Muir Beach Overlook. How did I get so lucky? read more

Muir Beach - Parks Near Me - Muir Beach, California