Sutro Baths

Situated on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, are a series of empty water tanks, the remains of what was once a massive and elegant seaside resort. Today, Sutro Baths are part of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area and remain a popular spot for hiking, exploring and enjoying the wonderful scenery.

The Baths' History
The Sutro Baths were developed in 1886 by Adolph Sutro, who also owned nearby Cliff House and built the railroad that connected the area with the rest of San Francisco. The railroad helped draw crowds to the three-acre Bath complex, which included a huge glass enclosure containing six pools, which together, held 1,685,000 gallons of water and could be filled or emptied in a single hour (with the assistance of changing tides). In its heyday at the turn of the century, as many as 25,000 people a day used the Bath facilities, which, in addition to the pools, included three restaurants, a 3,700-seat amphitheater, and galleries filled with natural history exhibits, artworks, and cultural artifacts from China, Egypt, Japan, Mexico and Syria.

By the 1930s, the Baths were no longer a commercially viable enterprise. The owners tried for a time to sustain the complex by turning the largest tank into an ice skating rink, but this proved unsuccessful. In the 1960s, demolition of the complex began in preparation for the development of apartment buildings on the site. Although a fire sped the demolition efforts, the apartment houses were never constructed.

Visitor Center
Before you head off to the Bath ruins, be sure to stop at the National Park Service's Visitor Center, which is on the lower terrace of the Cliff House. In addition to providing useful information about the history of Sutro Baths and the Cliff House, the Center has a plethora of materials related to sea lions and the other wildlife that frequents the area. The Park Service Rangers also lead interesting tours through the ruins of the Baths. The Visitor Center is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. Call (415) 556-8642 for details.