If you are going to San Francisco…

…make sure to not miss out these spots:

• Kirby Cove for sunrise
• Breakfast at the Hollywood Café
• Enjoy the spirit at Fisherman´s Wharf
• Visit the Lombard Street
• Take a Cable Car down the hill

So what is Kirby Cove and why should you go there?!

Kirby Cove is my favorite secret spot in the San Francisco area! I read not much about this place online – it seems that not many people know about this place and it has not yet found his way into travel guides (lucky for us! :-))

It is a beach on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge and offers a BEAUTIFUL view over the Golden Gate Bridge & San Francisco. There is also an awesome campground – but I was not able yet to reserve a camping spot online. Maybe you are more lucky 😉

Don´ forget to hop up the swing!! (I had to seach for it after I read something about it online 😉 It is located on the left side of the beach! Don´ miss it out – it is sooooo much fun!

What time should I visit Kirby Cove?

It depends on what you would like to see. I would suggest the sunrise time – that´ what I did. And I really enjoyed it. But the Con is definetly, that you will not have a direct view of the sun going up over the water. The hill, where the Golden Gate Bridge starts is “in the way” of a direct sunrise – but it´ still absolutely beautiful to go there by this time. There was only one more couple, when we went. The campground was still sleeping – so this is the opportunity for great pictures!

I would also consider to go back to this place in the evening – I can imagine that it must look stunning to see the Golden Gate Bridge painted into red light and to take those pictures of it – the sun should be shining on it directly from this point of view. Should be lovely!

My adventure!

When I went to San Francisco last time I only had 2 days to cover all the nice spots of this great city. Because I rented a car, I was easily able to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge for the sunrise at Kirby Cove. But I am sure it would also be possible to just Uber there in the early hours 😉

You can easily park your car at the Golden Gate Bridge Vista Point. Instead of hiking down to the Batter Spencer Point you take it left to follow the trail down to Kirby Cove. You will walk through the campground – so be quiet and respectful of the sleeping people there for sure! I even saw some deers in the morning hours walking around the campground – so peaceful and quiet, just a few minutes drive outside of San Francisco! The hike to the beach is about 1 mile down the hill.

Trail to Kirby Cove

Do not go too late, if you do want to see those beautiful colors, when the sun is starting to make the way up.

When the sun comes out, you can see the sun touch the city in the background of the Golden Gate Bridge and lightening it up beautifully:

It is another beautiful moment, when the sun is making the way over the hill and is lightening up the Kirby Cove Beach for the first time of the day…

I have been there in the end of June and it felt so good, when the sun came out, because it was actually quite cold before. So be prepared: Take a sweater and then you can just peel out of it whenever the time comes 🙂

Last but not least comes the best part. THIS made Kirby Cove the perfect spot for me 😉 There is a SWING! You can climb on it & swing, while watching the Golden Gate Bridge – how amazing is that?

I am definetly planning on coming back another time – and this time maybe also for sunset. It is an incredible place to hang out! Enjoy your visit! 🙂