Sutro Baths

The Sutro Baths, the world's largest indoor swimming complex, opened to the public on March 14, 1896. Adolph Sutro, a wealthy and former mayor of San Francisco, built the edifice, which featured fine art and natural history exhibitions as well as seven seawater pools that could accommodate up to 10,000 swimmers at once. Sutro envisioned the baths as a weekend resort for the typical San Franciscan, keeping fees cheap and even constructing an inexpensive railroad to convey guests to Lands End. Even so, those modifications were insufficient to make the Baths financially feasible.

Sutro's family rebuilt part of the Baths into an ice rink and other amenities after his death in the hopes of attracting more guests, but to no avail. The baths remained in the red as a result of the Great Depression, reduced public transit, and stricter health rules. Sutro's grandson sold the property out of the family for $250,000 in 1952, and despite constructing a waterfall and an arcade, the new owners were unable to earn a profit. The Sutro Baths were permanently closed in 1966 and quickly burned down in what was termed a suspicious fire. Although the Baths are no longer standing, the seashore ruins have become a major tourist attraction.

Google rating: 4.7/5.0
Address: 1004 Point Lobos Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121, US