Baker Beach, San Francisco

“The cure for anything is salt water:
sweat, tears, or the sea”
-Isak Dinesen

Soft sand hits your feet, sun caresses your shoulders, and the salty scent of the ocean breeze fills your nose. It is one of my very favorite moments, that moment when you step onto the beach and walk towards the sea. Isak Dinesen was correct when he said that the sea can cure anything. All of my day-to-day worries melt away the instant I see the ocean before me. Foamy white waves crash into the shoreline and the sparkling blue water of the Pacific Ocean goes as far as the eye can see.

It has been over a year since I have traveled and although university stops me from going away as far and as long as I would like, I had a wonderful opportunity to spend some time in San Francisco with my aunt. Although we only had a weekend to spare, we did our best to make the most of our second visit to this vibrant city. My auntie and I both agreed that our favorite day was the day that we spent on Baker Beach. Roughly a mile long stretch of sand, Baker Beach awards sunbathers a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge on one end and a picturesque residential neighborhood (apparently home to Robin Williams) that overlooks the ocean at the other.

Eager to explore every inch of the beach, I dragged my auntie with me on a walk towards the Northernmost point of the beach. The closest we got to the rocks at the north end of the beach, the more naked men we saw. For those of you who will be visiting Baker Beach for the first time, just remember that the North side of the beach is considered a nudist beach due to the “clothing-optional” policy. Despite the many naked old men we walked by (and I say good for them if they’re confident enough to want to let it all hang out on a sunny day), the views of the ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge from that end of the beach were picture perfect.

If you get tired of lounging around and walking up and down the beach, I would recommend hitting up Baker Beach’s sand stairs for a decent leg workout. The stairs take you from the sand up to the road, where you have gorgeous views of the bridge, the beach, and every direction of water. If they look daunting to you, I promise they are worth it!

To top off our afternoon, we spotted a group of dolphins on our walk from the steps back to our blanket (aka, a stolen hotel bed sheet). Unfortunately, there’s no photos to show for it but it was a beautiful moment. I think it is so important, whether you’re traveling or not, to make time for something that makes you feel happy and rejuvenated.

For me and my aunt, that is the ocean so it was easy to decide to take up an entire day for this. Although I live in a land-locked province, I try to make a point to get to the ocean at least once a year. It might not sound like much, but being by the water fills me up in a way that nothing else can and I come home feeling so at peace with my life.