There are several beaches dotted along the city's borders with the bodies of water that surround the peninsula. The largest one, Ocean Beach, borders the Pacific Ocean. This strip of sand takes up the majority of the western border of the city. The tide was low during the time I was there so much of the beach is exposed. From the Cliff House, it runs south to the SF Zoo. A portion of that is adjacent to Golden Gate Park. Along this mutual area, the Beach Chalet restaurant and some windmills make their homes. The windmills are being restored but one is almost complete while the other hasnt entered is renovation stage.
Theres not much to see at the shoreline unless you are planning to take in the surf and the sun. The waves around here are not known for being particularly tasty or awesome. They are more know for the undertow than anything else. Many solar orbital cycles, decades for that matter, there was a beachside amusement park called Funland. It was never in competition with the grander boardwalks like Coney Island or even smaller local boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Long existent even before my arrival to the city, it was the place to go in the city. There were carnival rides and all the usual accutrements of attractions of that era. Once gone, it never returned. However, people have tried to petition to bring something similar back.
Overlooking the surf is a renovated Cliff House, where I took the previous pictures. There are some gourmet restaurants with great views of the sand and water to accompany lunch or dinner. A visitor's center provides information about the history behind the building. A small distance away is Louis'. This cafe has been in existence for quite a while and still draws a good crowd of people for breakfast or lunch. the restaurant is situated above what used to be Sutro Baths
Not much is left of the baths except for its foundation. The indoor pool was supplied by heated seawater from the ocean. From pcitures that Ive seen, the building had high ceilings and looked to be very large. Just off in the distance are rocks where birds and seals like to use as a rest stop or perch. As cold and foggy as the city gets, an indoor pool versus outdoor pool was a no brainer. However, there was an outdoor pool built near the SF Zoo called Fleischer(?) Pool
