Perles Beach


Shhhh. The trail to this secluded beach with jaw-dropping views out to Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco is mostly grown over; few know the beach exists. You'll find the tiny footpath at the end of the fence to the east of Battery Ledyard (a 1-mile walk from the ferry dock). Climb down at your own risk.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Ayala Cove

0.84 MILES

Ferries arrive and depart at this lovely sheltered cove and it's here you'll find the visitor center (with a tiny museum), cafe, tour departures, marina,…

2. Angel Island State Park

0.92 MILES

Rising in the middle of San Francisco Bay, Angel Island has been a military base, immigration station, WWII Japanese internment camp and Nike missile site…

3. Quarry Beach

1.05 MILES

This lovely white-sand beach is the island's best and it's easy to reach. It's fairly sheltered but can still get a little windy; the riptides can be…

4. Angel Island Immigration Station

1.19 MILES

Nicknamed the 'Ellis Island of the West,' Angel Island's early-20th-century US Immigration Station is a 1.5-mile walk or bike ride from the ferry dock…

5. Railroad & Ferry Depot Museum

1.41 MILES

Formerly the terminus for a 3000-person ferry to San Francisco and a railroad that once reached north to Ukiah, this late-19th-century building showcases…

6. China Cabin

1.8 MILES

The saloon of the 1866 steamer sailing ship PS China was brought to this site when the ship was decommissioned in the late 1800s. Since then it's served…

7. Old St Hilary’s

1.87 MILES

This fine 19th-century example of Carpenter Gothic architectural style can be seen from almost anywhere in Tiburon. Hiking trails lead from above it onto…

8. Alcatraz

2.13 MILES

Alcatraz: for over 150 years, the name has given the innocent chills and the guilty cold sweats. Over the decades, it’s been a military prison, a…