I decided to check out the Marin Headlands as my last stop on my Highway 1 trip. I never knew about this wonderful beach called Rodeo Beach in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This unique beach is just 2 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge and is largely made up of coarse, pebbly chert grains, both red and green in color. Interesting fact is that its mineral composition sets it apart from every other beach in the state!
Rodeo Beach is characterized by a spit of around 50 meters (164 ft) width at the mouth of a long embayment, known as Rodeo Lagoon. For much of the year the lagoon is cut off from the ocean, making the beach spit a baymouth bar.
There’s a cool bridge one has to walk over to get to the dark, pebbly sand, which gets really hot from the sun. You definitely need to wear shoes to not burn your feet! I strolled from the bridge to the ocean, walked around a bit, and then headed back out because it was very busy with people and really hot out which was amplified by the dark colored sand. I’ve read that it’s a popular surfing spot, although there’s a risk of shark attacks.
Check out more photos in my Instagram post!