Paia Bay Beach

 

13

73

lily b.

San Francisco, CA

5/6/2008

love love love love LOVE.

i spent every waking hour here.
in my freetime, my friends and i would grab a spot in the shade and spend hours at paia bay.

it's not the ideal tourist beach .. but it's great for a local spot.

the waves are pretty intense (for a calmer, more swimmer-friendly beach, try baldwin down the street) but are good for body surfing and boogie boarding.  a local favorite for wave sports.  

the wind can kind of be a problem too.  a lot of days the wind would blow sand harshly and bitingly at you as you laid there.  we would spend days trying to get it out of our hair/ears/etc -- or most times not even bothering.

shade spots are quickly grabbed early in the afternoon so get there early.  if you want to avoid the wind at all, take a spot on the grass - - but don't expect an ocean view.

i'm rating this a 3 because even though i am in love with this place, it's not really a good spot for a leisurely day on the beach.   it's rough water, lots of sand-filled wind and more often than not inhabited by some sketchy folks/homeless.. . .

but alas, my heart will always have a place for paia bay.

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