Neighborhood
South Beach
Oracle Park, the Embarcadero, bayfront dining and condo living.
About South Beach
South Beach is the newest neighborhood on this list: a stretch of the waterfront south of the Bay Bridge that was rail yards and piers until the 1990s, and is now mid-rise apartments, a ballpark and a promenade. It has no Victorian core and does not pretend to.
What it has is the bay. Oracle Park sits on the water with a public walkway behind right field, the Embarcadero runs flat and wide in both directions, and the Bay Bridge lights up at night over Rincon Park.
It is sunnier than the west side, busy on game days and quiet otherwise, and about as stroller-friendly as San Francisco gets.
Our neighborhood lines are based on DataSF's Analysis Neighborhoods, adjusted where visitors use a smaller area or a different name: Dogpatch and Fisherman's Wharf stand on their own, and the Richmond and the Sunset are each kept whole.
How Far Is It?
- Union Square1.3 mi · a 25 minute walk, or a few minutes on the T-Third
- Fisherman's Wharf2.5 mi · a flat 45 min walk or 20 min on the F-line
- Golden Gate Park6 mi · 20–25 min drive
- Golden Gate Bridge5.5 mi · 15–20 min drive
- SFO airport13 mi · 18–25 min drive, or Caltrain to Millbrae
Getting here: The T-Third light rail runs through to Chinatown via the Central Subway, Caltrain terminates at 4th and King, and the 10 and 30 buses serve the area. Embarcadero BART is a 15-minute walk. Parking is scarce and expensive on game days, easier otherwise.
What to See
Oracle Park
The Giants’ ballpark on the bay. The waterfront arcade behind right field is free to stand in, and you can watch three innings through the archways.
McCovey Cove
The patch of bay where splash-hit home runs land and kayakers wait for them during games.
Rincon Park and Cupid’s Span
A 60-foot bow and arrow by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, planted in the lawn since 2002.
The Bay Bridge Lights
An LED light sculpture across the western span, on after dark.
Mission Creek Houseboats
A small floating-home community tucked behind the ballpark, and one of the odder corners of the city.
Chase Center
The Warriors’ arena a mile south, with a public plaza and a big screen outside.
Things to Do
Walk or Bike the Embarcadero
Flat, wide and scenic in both directions, and part of the Bay Trail.
Take the Ballpark Tour
Ninety minutes on the field, in the dugout and up in the press box, on non-game days.
Mission Bay Parks and Playgrounds
New waterfront parks with play areas, lawns and very little wind shelter.
Where to Eat
Red’s Java House
A shack on the pier selling burgers on sourdough since 1955. Cash-friendly, no frills, bay view.
The Grove
Comfort food and long tables, and an easy stop with kids.
Waterbar
Oysters and seafood under two-storey aquariums, with the bridge outside the window.
Upcoming in South Beach
Places We Rate in South Beach
Delancey Street Restaurant
Oracle Park
Rincon Park
South Beach Harbor Park
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What is there to do in South Beach?
Walk the Embarcadero, watch a Giants game or take the ballpark tour, see the Bay Bridge lights from Rincon Park, and let kids loose in the Mission Bay playgrounds. On game days you can watch three innings free from the waterfront arcade behind right field.
Can you watch a Giants game for free?
Yes, in a sense. The public walkway behind the right-field arcade at Oracle Park is open to anyone, and stewards rotate people through in roughly three-inning shifts. The kayakers waiting for splash hits in McCovey Cove are half the entertainment.
Is South Beach good for families?
It is about as stroller-friendly as San Francisco gets: flat, new, wide pavements, waterfront parks and playgrounds, and the T-Third running through. It is busy on game days and quiet otherwise.
Where do you park near Oracle Park?
Expensively, and it surges on game days. Caltrain terminates at 4th and King next to the ballpark, and the T-Third connects to Chinatown and Union Square, which is what most locals use.
Recently Closed or Moved
1 place in South Beach has closed, moved or changed name. Each one keeps a page saying what happened, when, and where that was checked.
- Pier 24 Photography CLOSED