With miles of shoreline in every direction, the San Francisco Bay area offers fantastic kayaking and standup paddleboarding year-round thanks to its temperate mediterranean climate. From San Jose in the south bay to Marin county in the north bay, the SF bay area is lined with numerous water features like beaches, harbors, islands, peninsulas, and reservoirs which all make for great paddling.
Whether you live in the San Francisco Bay area or are just visiting for a week, paddling is an excellent way to escape the city or also explore the urban landscapes of San Francisco and Oakland from a new perspective while also getting a fantastic upper body and core workout.
You don’t even need to own equipment as many of the best paddling spots on this list offer rentals on-site.
What makes a Bay Area padding spot great?
Good conditions with light wind and calm water are crucial for a good paddling experience, especially for standup paddleboarding. In addition, great views are the whole reason we want to get out and paddle in the first place. Lastly, accessibility is essential for a good paddle spot. Accessibility includes easy parking, easy launching, and availability of rentals if you don’t have your own kayak or paddleboard.
This list brings all of these factors into consideration, to give you the best all-around kayaking or paddleboarding spots in the San Francisco bay area.
1) Richardson Bay, Sausalito
Rentals: Sea Trek Kayak & SUP Center
Going north from San Francisco across the Golden Gate bridge you can find the picturesque town of Sausalito, along the shore line of Richardson Bay. Richardson Bay is a harbor with some protection from the inlet of the San Francisco bay, meaning you can enjoy calmer waters and lighter winds. Richardson Bay offers some of the finest waterfront views in all the SF bay area, earning it the top spot on this list.
While paddling, you can look south across the bay and see downtown San Francisco, Angel Island, and Alcatraz Island. As you venture south along the shoreline of downtown Sausalito outside the protection of the harbor, you can also see sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, an iconic American landmark.
As you paddle north along the Sausalito shoreline back into Richardson bay, you can take in the view of stunning villas perched on the lush hills of Sausalito and Tiburon. In addition, you can paddle up close to unique houseboats floating along the shoreline, some with stunning design and others that have seen better days.
2) San Francisco waterfront
Rentals: City Kayak at Pier 40 | Dogpatch Paddle (near Crane Cove Park)
Launch: Pier 52 boat launch | Crane Cove Park
The San Francisco waterfront provides hours of stunning, urban scenery with numerous spots to launch or rent kayaks or paddleboards. In general, the waterfront along the eastern side of the city south of downtown offers the calmest waters as it has more protection from the wind coming through the mouth of the San Francisco Bay.
There are several San Francisco landmarks that are perhaps best viewed while paddling the urban waterfront. The newly built Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, lies on the shores of Mission Bay just north of Crane Cove Park. Going a bit further north is McCovey Cove which is positioned at the mouth of Mission Creek and lies along the right field wall of Oracle Park, the home of the SF Giants. The views of Oracle Park from McCovey Cove are unmatched and the area fills up with many fans on game days who take in the spectacular view while paddling.
Going further around the SF waterfront, you can take in the sights of the Bay Bridge, the stunning city skyline, and the many piers along the shore. Last but not least is the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, which makes for an All-American paddling backdrop. Make sure to check the conditions before you go, especially for paddling to the Golden Gate, as the winds and waves at the mouth of the SF bay can be quite challenging.
3) Oakland waterfront
Rentals: California Canoe & Kayak at Jack London Square | Mike’s Paddle (Alameda Island)
Launch: Estuary Park | Tidewater Boating Center
Across the bay, the area around the Oakland waterfront and adjacent Alameda Island offers multiple fantastic spots for kayaking and paddleboarding. Alameda Island protects the Oakland shorefront from the wind and waves of the greater bay, forming a quiet channel that’s great for kayaking and paddleboarding. Along this channel you can enjoy some urban scenery with waterfront views of Oakland’s Jack London square and the port of Oakland with its huge cranes and cargo ships. As you paddle west towards the mouth of the channel, you are greeted with views of the Bay Bridge and the skyline of downtown San Francisco.
Although it is less protected from wind, the west side of Alameda Island along the bay is also a great spot for paddling. Make sure to check that wind is light while planning to paddle here. Mike’s Paddle is a hub for paddlesports in Alameda and is along a protected cove which is great for begineers. The benefit of paddling on the bay side of Alameda Island is that you get sweeping views of downtown San Francisco and the Bay Bridge. In addition, you can paddle up alongside the massive USS Hornet, a retired aircraft carrier just north of Mike’s Paddle along the shore.
4) Foster City Lagoon
Rentals: California Windsuring (just down the street from Foster City Dog Park)
Launch: Foster City Dog Park
The Foster City Lagoon is a labyrinth of canals that wind through a neighborhood of waterfront homes. Wind conditions at the lagoon are usually great for paddling since it is fairly well-protected from the San Francisco bay. The lagoon is a great spot for Great spot for aircraft spotting as this lagoon is right beneath the landing approach for SFO airport.
You can park and launch for free at the Foster City Dog Park, and kayak and paddleboard rentals are available at California Windsurfing nearby.
5) Tomales Bay
Rentals: Tomales Bay Expeditions | Lawson’s Landing
Launch: Miller Boat Launch
Tomales Bay is a long and slender 15 mile inlet along the Pacific Coast about an hour north of San Francisco, near Point Reyes Station. With a ridge that blocks the wind blowing off the ocean, Tomales Bay has relatively calm waters that make it great for paddlesports. The bay is surrounded by hills and beaches and on the water you have a chance to encounter marine wildlife like birds and harbor seals.
6) Stinson Beach
Rentals: Stinson Beach Surf & Kayak
Less than an hour north of San Francisco along the Pacific coast, Stinson Beach offers miles of stunning shoreline, making it a very popular day trip and also a great place for kayaking and paddleboarding. Just inland from Stinson Beach is Bolinas Lagoon, a Nature Preserve with calm waters that also makes for a great paddling spot. While paddling the lagoon you can get up close with wildlife like seals, pelicans and jellyfish. Make sure to come early as parking is limited and often fills up by noon.
7) Lake Del Valle
Rentals: Del Valle Regional Park
Located just south of Livermore in the East Bay, Lake Del Valle is a dependable paddling spot with its calm waters and many miles of shoreline. Del Valle is a slender lake, about five miles long, and is surrounded by the beautiful hills of Del Valle Regional Park. Winds are usually minimal with the surrounding hills, making for a pleasant paddling experience.
There are a wide variety of boat rentals available at the Lake’s marina, including kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, and motor boats. You can also launch your own water vessels. The park also offers excellent fishing, camping, and picnicking spots, so you can make it a full day trip or even an entire weekend of outdoor fun!
8) Shoreline Lake
Rentals: Shoreline Lake Boathouse
Shoreline Lake is a small man-made lake located next to the infamous Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View near the shoreline of the San Francisco bay.
With fairly calm waters and beautiful views, Shoreline is a serene location for kayaking and paddleboarding. The lake is also a popular windsurfing spot so while paddling you can watch windsurfers catch the wind coming off the bay. You can spend a full afternoon here as there is also a beach and great spots for picnicking, as well as a restaurant right on the lake.
Shoreline has a boathouse with a variety of boat rentals available including kayaks, standup-paddleboards, peddalboats, sailboats, and windsurfing. You can also launch your own vessel.
9) Lexington Reservoir
Launch: Lexington Reservoir County Park
Lexington Reservoir is a man-made reservoir nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains just south of Los Gatos along Highway 17. It is a slender lake about 2 miles long and has beautiful views of the surrounding Santa Cruz mountains. There is a cool pipe feature in the northeast corner of the reservoir that you can even paddle through when the water levels are high enough, often in the spring. The county park also has a picnic area on-site and trailheads for several great hiking trails.
Note that there are no rentals available at Lexington, so you will need to bring your own paddle gear.
10) Port of Redwood City
Rentals: California Canoe & Kayak Redwood City
Launch: Port of Redwood City Launch Ramp
The Port of Redwood City is a quiet waterway alongside Bair Island State Marine Park in Redwood City. It has a semi-protected creek that also opens up to San Francisco bay. Make sure to check that wind conditions are mild as this channel can get choppy when winds pick up.
It’s free to park and launch your boat at the Port of Redwood City Launch Ramp, and rentals are avaiable at California Canoe & Kayak Redwood City.