It was one of Steve’s friends who suggested that we visit Lands End, and it turned out to be a great tip. Lands End is tucked away at the northwestern edge of San Francisco, where the cliffs drop steeply into the Pacific Ocean and the city suddenly gives way to wild coastal nature.
We started at Lands End Lookout, where there’s parking, restrooms, and a small visitor center. Below the cliffs lie the ruins of Sutro Baths, which were once the world’s largest indoor bathhouse. They were built in 1896 by Adolph Sutro, a former mayor of San Francisco, who wanted to create a public bathing complex where everyone could swim in seawater from the Pacific. The massive structure had six pools, slides, and diving towers, with water pumped directly from the ocean and heated to different temperatures. It was hugely popular around the turn of the century but fell into decay and eventually burned down in 1966 during demolition. Today, only the concrete foundations remain, but the site is still fascinating and gives a sense of how grand it must once have been.
From there, we followed the Coastal Trail, which winds along the shoreline with sweeping views of the ocean and the rugged cliffs. The path passes through a grove of old Monterey cypresses whose twisted trunks and dense canopies give the area an almost otherworldly feel. It’s like walking through a windswept fairytale forest, and together with the crashing waves below, it creates a truly special atmosphere.
We didn’t walk the entire trail, but far enough north to glimpse the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, half-shrouded in fog. It wasn’t the classic postcard view, but still beautiful in its own moody, San Francisco kind of way.
If you have a couple of hours to spare in the city, Lands End is definitely worth a visit. The Coastal Trail is an easy hike that you can do at your own pace. Stop by the Sutro Baths ruins, enjoy the quiet among the cypresses, and take in the stunning views of the Pacific.
