For almost one hundred and fifty years, visitors have traveled to the Cliff House at the westernmost tip of San Francisco's coastline to experience the magnificent natural setting and to enjoy entertainment and seaside recreation. Today, the Cliff House is part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, one of the largest and most visited urban national parks in the world.
Changing Faces
There have been three different Cliff House structures since 1863, each with a unique story of its own. Over the years, the most recent Cliff House structure (1909) was incrementally modified and remodeled to reflect a variety of styles.
The National Park Service completed a comprehensive design plan and an environmental assessment for the Sutro District in 1993. Based on the recommendations from the plan, the National Park Service has begun to refurbish the Sutro District. This presented an opportunity to enhance the Cliff House structure, unveiling existing 1909 portions, strengthening the site-building relationship, and improving the overall efficiency of the facility.
Visiting the Cliff House & Sutro Baths
The Cliff House and Sutro Baths is located on the north end of Ocean Beach, where Geary Boulevard and the Great Highway converge.
For More Information
Presidio Visitor Center
(415) 561-4323
Additional Sites of Interest
This website offers a closer look at one of the three incarnations of San Francisco's Cliff House, the Victorian Cliff House. The site includes a brief history, photographic images, blueprints, a 3D model, print ephemera and documents, and a discussion forum.
This website supplies historical information and accounts of San Francisco's Cliff House, and images of the building, including some in 3D.
Historical images of the Cliff House and Sutro Baths in San Francisco can be found.
This is an online archive of images and texts illustrating California's history and culture, including the Cliff House and Sutro Baths in San Francisco.
A website of primary source materials relating to the history and culture of the United States, including print, photographs, and films of San Francisco's Cliff House and Sutro Baths can be found at this site.
- California Historical Society
An online guide to images and articles about California history, including the Cliff House and Sutro Baths is available here.
- Western Neighborhoods Project
This website features images and articles provided by current and past residents and visitors about San Francisco's western neighborhoods, including information about the Cliff House, Sutro Baths, Sutro Heights, and Adolph Sutro.
This website includes information and images about Adolph Sutro and his Victorian Cliff House in San Francisco, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights Park.
