Marshall’s Beach

San Francisco is a city that is full of amazing places for photography. However, when I am asked what my favorite spot is in the city, it is hard for me to not default to Marshall’s Beach. This small stretch of sand on the southwest side of the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most beautiful places in California with the massive rocks, waves crashing on the sand, and the staggering Golden Gate Bridge providing a backdrop to it all. If you want to check it out, here is all the information.

Details

1 mile walk
250 feet of elevation gain
Do not leave anything valuable in your car as there are often break ins
Parking at Golden Gate Bridge Overlook
This information is from my visit in 2018
Read about all of my favorite

Getting There

Marshall’s Beach is a popular summer destination, but getting there might be a hassle due to limited parking. However, it is reachable via foot from the Golden Gate Bridge’s main welcome center or through the Bluffs and Batteries Trail.
The Trip to Marshall’s Beach on Foot

The aforesaid photo was taken at the Golden Gate Bridge Overlook. About 30 vehicles can be parked in the dirt lot, and on weeknights, it’s usually not too crowded. Again, automobile break-ins are common in this neighborhood, so keep your valuables inside.

You’ll be leaving the parking lot through the trail that begins in the southwest corner. A sign marks the beginning of the set of stairs that lead down to Marshall’s Beach, from which this path continues for another tenth of a mile.

As you make your way down the trail’s numerous flights of stairs, you’ll be treated to breathtaking vistas of the coast. Keep in mind that the return trip is an uphill slog along the same stairs.

As you step out onto the sand, look to your right to take in a breathtaking panorama of the Golden Gate Bridge; this is the direction you’ll want to keep going in to reach Marshall’s Beach.

Since the whole place is so picturesque, I normally just go around and take pictures anywhere that strikes my fancy.

However, if you venture past the rocks, you’ll find an excellent vantage point for taking pictures of the bridge.

You’re free to stay as long as you like, but remember that you’ll have to retrace your steps to get to your vehicle. When I come here, I can always count on seeing at least a handful of other photographers.

Leave a comment below and tell me whether you believe that this location is one of the best places in the city to watch the sun go down.

Balighai Sea Beach

Balighai Beach in Odisha is best described as “pristine and unexplored.” About 8 kilometers from Puri, on the Puri-Konark Marine Drive Road, you’ll find this beautiful beach. The famous Lord Jagannath Temple is not far from this beach, which features white sand and is fringed by casuarina trees. The Olive Ridley Turtle is a protected species, and this beach is also frequented by a variety of rare migrating birds. The distance from Puri Beach through Puri-Konark Marine Dr. is 21.6 kilometers

Directions to Balighai Beach

In a train:

The closest train station is in Puriat, which is 8 kilometers from the beach. Trains depart from and arrive at the Puri Railway Station often, making it easy to reach other important cities in India like Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, etc.

By car:

Bhubaneswar and Kolkata are good places to start a road trip to go to a beautiful beach.

The quickest way to get to Balighai Beach from Bhubaneswar is through NH316, which is shown on the map above. You can also access Google Maps by clicking this link.

The fastest way to get from Kolkata to Balighai Beach is through NH 16, which is shown on the above map. You can also access Google Maps by clicking this link.

By air:

Bhubaneswar is home to the beach’s nearest airport. New Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai are all easily accessible from the Biju Patnaik Airport.

When to go to Balighai Beach and what the weather looks like
From March through May, during the height of the summer season, this beach can reach highs of around 45 degrees Celsius. The monsoon season, which begins in June and ends in September, brings “moderate” amounts of precipitation. Temperatures range from a high of 18 degrees Celsius to a low of 10 degrees Celsius during the mild and pleasant winter season (December–February). Therefore, the best time to visit this beach is during the winter, between the months of October and February.

Balighai Beach Attractions

This beach and its surrounding area offer a wide variety of interesting experiences. Here is a list of them:

1. Turtle Nesting:

The Olive Ridley Turtle can be seen on this beach between the months of December and January. The Sea Turtle Research Center is also located nearby, making this beach an even more attractive destination.

2. Bird watcher’s paradise:

This beach becomes a veritable “bird watcher’s paradise” in the winter, when a large influx of exotic birds makes it their seasonal home.

3. Water Sports:

This beach is a great spot to engage in a variety of water sports, like water skiing and parasailing.

4. Sunset views:

If you’re a photographer, you need to see the sunset from this beach at least once in your life.

In the first place, the Balihirana Deer Sanctuary

The Balihirana Deer Sanctuary may be found in close proximity to this beach. Many endangered deer species, including the Balihirana antelope and the Indian black buck, are housed in this refuge.

Facts and figures:

The white sand at Balighai Beach purportedly “glitters” and becomes very “magical” on full moon evenings. The beach also offers a stunning panorama of the Nuanai River as it empties into the Bay of Bengal.

Chandipur

Chandipur is a beach in Odisha’s Balasore district. The beach is around 16 kilometers from the Balasore Railway Station and is located on the Bay of Bengal’s shore. The beach is remarkable in that during the ebb tide, the sea recedes up to 5 kilometers. The beach encourages biodiversity because of its unique setting. Horseshoe crab can also be seen on the beach near Mirzapur, a nearby fishing market and village at the Budhabalanga River’s confluence (Balaramgadi). It’s a great area for a picnic. Here is one of Odisha Tourism’s Panthanivas (guest houses).

Defence Ministry (MoD) :

At Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island, the Indian Strategic Forces Command’s Integrated Test Range (ITR) is also located in Chandipur. The ITR has tested and fired a number of Indian missiles, including the nuclear-capable Prithvi, Agni, and Shaurya ballistic missiles, as well as the Akash and Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles.

Transport :
Traveling up to Baleswar by rail or road and then boarding a bus, auto, or taxi to Chandipur is possible. National Highway 16 provides access to Baleswar (NH-16). Balasore railway station is 16 kilometers from Chandipur sea beach. To view the important locations of Panchalinegeswar, Khirachora Gopinath temple, Chandipur Beach, Emami Jagannath temple, and Nilgiri Jagannath temple, hire a local guide and trekker.

Food :
In hotels and restaurants, a wide variety of seafood is offered. Here, fish is extremely cheap.