The Great Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore

You may be on a vast, deserted beach stretching for nearly 10 kilometers within an hour of San Francisco. The Great Beach, also known as Point Reyes Beach, is part of the Point Reyes National Seashore, a national park located less than an hour from San Francisco.

This beach has enormous stretches of deserted, wide sandy beach, complete with heavy, pounding surf. The Great Beach stretches for 11 kilometers and is completely undeveloped and unspoiled. With two drive-up parking spaces on either end, right on the sand, access is simple. This beach is best for strolling and sightseeing than swimming because of the rough waves. Visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse in addition to the park's gorgeous beaches. The lighthouse, completed in 1870, is reached through a 300-step stairway that leads down the rocks. It's a very beautiful place at sunset.