The honest take
Every visitor wants a sunset photo, and most of them fight for it on a crowded pier. Locals drive to Sunset Cliffs instead: a mile and a bit of sandstone cliffs, sea arches and tide pools where the Pacific does its best fireworks impression every evening, completely free.
Get there 45 minutes before sunset so you can park, wander and pick your rock. The southern end, the bigger open park near Ladera Street, is calmer and easier to walk than the busy stretch further north.
The one thing visitors get wrong: the edge. These cliffs are soft sandstone and they crumble. Stay well back from the drop, ignore anyone climbing down a sketchy path, and take your photo from somewhere boring and safe. Your followers will survive.
Worth it? Skip it?
Worth it if
You want the best free sunset in the city, a stroll with a view, or a picnic with surfers for entertainment.
Skip it if
You’re with small kids who bolt, you need a sandy beach, or you can’t resist leaning over edges.
Quick facts
| Area | Point Loma (Sunset Cliffs Blvd) |
| Cost | Free |
| Parking | Free street parking along Sunset Cliffs Blvd; fills up near sunset |
| Best time | The hour before sunset; low tide for the tide pools |
| Kids | Older kids, with a firm hand near the edge |
Photo: Taylor L. Spurgeon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
