Cliff House - San Francisco

Overlooking Sutro Bath Ruins

What is the Cliff House? A restaurant? An attraction? A historic site? An ocean-side retreat? The Cliff House is all of these things and more, a place where visitors can go to experience a whole range of San Francisco treats all in one location. It is a building with a bar, a bistro and a fine dining establishment where travelers can satiate their taste buds with local flavors. It is a historic building which is adjoined by the historic sites of the Camera Obscura and the Sutro Baths. It is a tourist attraction, and it is a favorite respite for locals. Perhaps best of all, it is a place located right on the beach, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, where waves crash against boulders and sea lions frolic in the freezing water.

The Cliff House was first built towards the end of the nineteenth century and has been rebuilt twice due to fire damage, but the current structure has been in place since the early twentieth century. Since its early days, the Cliff House has been a place where locals go to enjoy fine dining and entertainment and a place where travelers go to get the best of the San Francisco beach experience. Today, the Cliff House is known as much for its peaceful atmosphere and historic appeal as it is for its excellent food.

Many people come here just to enjoy a drink while looking out over the Pacific Ocean. There is an outdoor balcony as well as an indoor bar, both of which overlook the rolling waves of the water. Visitors can sip their beverages while watching sea lions play in the water. Whale-watching is also an option during the late summer months. Visitors can also do more than drink here; they can get a small meal at the bistro or enjoy fine dining at Sutro’s. The bistro is decorated with autographed pictures of celebrities but visitors may scarcely notice them because of the excellent view of the water they have while they are dining.

When they finish their meals, guests can take time to walk around the Cliff House building. This area has a rich history, which includes information about the lives of the rich people who once enjoyed the multi-media entertainment options available here in the olden days. This history is displayed throughout the building on inviting plaques and supplemented with artifacts including menus from the original restaurants.

For a true experience of this history, visitors need only step outside and gaze out over the Sutro Baths which were once a part of the Cliff House area. These baths were enjoyed by bathers at the turn of the century, and the ruins of the baths stand today as a glorious monument to that time. If you close your eyes and listen to the lapping of the waves against the ruins, you can almost hear the laughter of the many people who made this area their hot spot for entertainment. And even when you open your eyes, you can hear the laughter of the people who are enjoying a day at this glorious beach-side attraction.

Preview your trip with Cliff House Video, Sutro Bath Ruins, and Ocean Beach Coast

By: Kathryn Vercillo, Copyright SFTRAVEL LLC