Transforming how we experience & care for the San Francisco Bay through urban swimming
Swimmable
San Francisco Bay
The health and resilience of our region’s communities and natural ecosystems depend upon the health of the Bay.
We’re working towards a clean, safe, accessible, fishable, and swimmable Bay by:
Empowering communities to reclaim their right to a healthy Bay
Advocating for policies that expand equitable swimming access to the Bay
Supporting blue-green infrastructure improvements to secure a revitalized and resilient waterfront
Cultivating partnerships with governing authorities, environmentalists, urban planners, climate scientists, fishers, and water recreation clubs
Presenting up-to-date data on local water quality, conditions, and safe swimming practices to enable swimmers to make informed decisions
Promoting ecological literacy and responsible stewardship of the Bay
Is the water clean enough to swim in?
Thanks to the Clean Water Act, the tireless work of San Francisco Baykeeper, and many other initiatives, the San Francisco Bay is clean enough to swim in on most days!
The SF Public Utilities Commission and Department of Public Health monitor the water quality of San Francisco’s beaches weekly.
Where would you like to swim?
The San Francisco Bay has many excellent swimming spots and a rich history of urban swimming. But, for decades, vast stretches of the shoreline have been degraded by industrial use and fenced off to the public. In San Francisco, there are 7 miles of urban waterfront between Aquatic Park and Candlestick Point State Recreation Area with no swimming access.
New parks, trails, development, and climate adaptation initiatives along the waterfront present many new opportunities to expand public access to the water for safe swimming.
San Francisco
Aquatic Park
People have been swimming at this sandy beach since at least the 1860s. Aquatic Park Cove is well used year-round by recreating families, open water swimmers and rowers of the Dolphin and South End clubs, Sea Scouts, and triathletes in training.
The Aquatic Park & Pier Project is working to rebuild the deteriorated Muni Pier and revitalize the waterfront between Aquatic Park and Fort Mason.
San Francisco
Crane Cove Park
The calm and protected waters of Crane Cove in sunny Dogpatch are great for swimming! In 2020, the Port of San Francisco opened this new park with water access for kayaking, paddle boarding, and wading, but swimming is officially prohibited.
We launched a survey in Spring 2025 to assess community interest and questions about swimming at Crane Cove. Join over 250 advocates for safe swimming at Crane Cove by taking our survey below!
San Francisco
China Beach
Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, this small cove on the ocean side of the Golden Gate Bridge offers a wild refuge for advanced open water swimmers.
City Splash 2024, Charles River, Boston, MA. Photo: Aram Boghosian
Swimmable Cities
We’ve joined the international urban swimming alliance, Swimmable Cities!
Since July 2024, organizations from 72 cities in 27 countries worldwide have signed the Swimmable Cities Charter and declared their support for regenerating local waterways and championing the Right to Swim. Join the global movement shaping the future of urban swimming and help us change policies and practices to open safe swimming sites throughout the Bay!
