For beach information, call the San Francisco Visitor Information Center at tel. 415/283-0177. Most days it's too chilly to hang out at the beach, but when the fog evaporates and the wind dies down, one of the best ways to spend the day is oceanside in the city. On any truly hot day, thousands flock to the beach to worship the sun, build sandcastles, and throw the ball around. Without a wet suit, swimming is a fiercely cold endeavor. Only two beaches are considered safe for swimming: Aquatic Park, adjacent to the Hyde Park Pier, and China Beach, a small cove on the western edge of the South Bay. But dip at your own risk -- there are no lifeguards on duty. Also on the South Bay, Baker Beach is ideal for picnicking, sunning, walking, or fishing against the backdrop of the Golden Gate.

Ocean Beach, at the end of Golden Gate Park, on the westernmost side of the city, is San Francisco's largest beach -- 4 miles long. Just offshore, at the northern end of the beach, in front of Cliff House, are the jagged Seal Rocks, inhabited by various shorebirds and a large colony of barking sea lions (bring binoculars for a close-up view). To the left, Kelly's Cove is one of the more challenging surf spots in town. Ocean Beach is ideal for strolling or sunning, but don't swim here -- tides are tricky, and each year bathers drown in the rough surf.

Stop by Ocean Beach bus terminal at the corner of Cabrillo and La Playa to learn about San Francisco's playful history in local artist Ray Beldner's whimsically historical sculpture garden. Then hike up the hill to explore Cliff House and the ruins of the Sutro Baths. These baths, able to accommodate 24,000 bathers, were lost to fire in 1966.