Keller Beach is a small beach within the boundaries of Miller Knox Regional Shoreline in Point Richmond. Over the summer, we headed over to Keller Beach so our kids could splash around in the Bay, after we finished hiking in the hills of Miller Knox as part of one of our 2013 Trails Challenge hikes.
I wasn't expecting TOO much from a a San Francisco Bay beach but I was pleasantly surprised with Keller Beach. It was a small beach which reminded me a "White Sands" beach that we visited on the Big Island, Hawaii so immediately it brought back memories of our family trip to Hawaii.
I read some reviews on Keller Beach prior to going and visited the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) website to read about swimming in this section of the San Francisco Bay. Certain sections of the SF Bay are not safe to swim in because of the high levels of bacteria. Keller Beach is close to the ocean inlet so its more "ocean" water than "bay" water like in the south bay but the EBRPD regularly tests water at Keller Beach.
During our visit the water was safe to swim and when we arrived people were splashing and swimming in the calm cold bay. Our children are not really "water babies" but the love the idea of "swimming" near the water. They just really like to play in the mud, wet sand, sand dunes etc. So they spent the rest of the afternoon running away from the waves, getting their feet wet and through mud into the air!
We arrived on a gorgeous, perfect Bay Area weather day....not too hot, not too cold but I can imagine how chilly it would get there when the infamous San Francisco Bay fog rolls in. The beach must get also very stormy when we get a bad weather storm comes in.
Mount Tamalpais and the San Rafael Bridge
Keller Beach has restrooms, showers and picnic tables, no-fee beach and has FANTASTIC views of Mount Tamalpais, San Rafael Bridge and the rest of the Bay. Some reviews I read had complaints of "too much" seaweed and how the neighboring residents should clean up the seaweed....apparently these people have never gone to a beach.
Keller Beach is a great place to dip you toes or swim (if you want) on the Bay, especially after a hiking at Miller Knox Regional Park. Once again an urban EBRPD park has changed my point of view of the urban outdoors.
Do you know of any urban outdoor areas that have surprised you?
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