Lands End Lookout Center

Took the bus out here from our hotel ($ 1 for seniors — great deal) and found the area to be beautiful and refreshing. There is a National Park Service Welcome Center which looks brand new with a very nice gift shop, stunning views and clean bathrooms.
There is parking available with warnings about break ins — that is a shame. While in the area you can walk down to the Sutro Baths which surprises me but I am glad that the area is accessible. A short distance away is Cliff House, a rather historic building and site (with another gift shop). While it is prominently marked by the NPS the real attraction here is a rather expensive restaurant. You need to ask how to get down to the observation deck. There are hiking trails as well, clearly marked. It is nice that the center is designed in such a way that compliments, rather that detracts from the beauty of the area.
We walked from here to the Legion of Honor which gave us another opportunity to see the neighborhoods of San Francisco.

If you are a tourist visiting our lovely city. Go!!!
Park you car here. Take a hike and visit sutro baths, the lands end trails, or baker beach (ignore all the pervs starring at the naked sunbathers!)
Better yet go to Gordo’s get a burrito and watch the sunset. Aint nuthin better in the world (okay maybe I’m exaggerating… but its pretty cool).

You can get a scenic view of the sutro baths and ocean from here from here. Great for picture taking, having a picnic, enjoying the ocean breeze, meditation and many more. The bathrooms are pretty clean and there is a giftshop next to it as well. You can start the Land’s end hike from here and make your way to Miles Rock Beach or Labyrinth as well. Time spent here is definitely time well spent.

Have guests in town? Study a bit of Sutro Bath history, start at Sutro Heights, then take them here. Look out, then wander the old baths. Even better — finish up with the easy Lands End trail for amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

This National Park Service Welcome Center is for the beautiful Lands End Trail and the Sutro Baths. The facility has a nice gift shop and restrooms available. Located on the hill overlooking the Baths and the Pacific Ocean this new looking building has a parking lot next to it. There are many signs warning of car break ins here so beware. You can also park on the street if you wish.
I wish I could say this is a good place to park your car to go explore the Sutro Baths and Trail but maybe not. That’s a shame. You can also park at the nearby USS San Francisco monument parking lot but they have the same signs.

Such a gem! We love stopping here after hiking through Lands End. The perfect spot to enjoy delicious coffee and gorgeous, sweeping ocean views. Make sure to browse the latest from their fun, educational gift shop! Oh, and clean bathrooms, too!

Missed the café that closed at 5 (it should stay open till sunset, a warm drink would have been perfect, considering how windy and cold it gets there) but the view is simply amazing. The vast Pacific Ocean in front of you and on either side of you there cliffs covered in trees with trails you can go explore in. Parking was available. Plenty of benches. Beautiful experience :) just be sure to bring a jacket!

While this place is absolutely beautiful… there are WAY to many people on this trail to even enjoy it not to mention all the jerks that have their dogs off leash… others like myself walk my dog in leash because i know not all people want to be bothered by off leash dogs, and not sure why when there are so many on leash dogs and so many people why you can’t just leash your dog??? i don’t’ need to go back, there are soooo many fantastic trails in the bay area that are not as crowded… If you go just to go please pack your patience and be prepared to deal with rude and inconsiderate people.

When this visitor’s center was first under construction, I was a bit dubious about whether it would add or detract from the area. As it turned out, it is actually a very worthwhile addition to Lands End. With a large lot nearby, the Lookout Center is a great starting or finishing point when exploring the Sutro Baths and Lands End Trail. There are clean bathrooms, water fountains, a small café and a gift shop. The design of the building compliments the surrounding landscape. Towards the back you can view the Sutro Baths below and sweeping ocean views, while escaping the outside chill.
The gift shop is pretty respectable with quality National Parks prints, books, guides, mugs, t-​shirts and unique souvenirs that focus on nature in the Bay Area. Inside the Center there are also a few artifacts from the area, both Native American and from the grounds of Mr. Sutros former home (there are statues from the grounds of his estate, which was right across the Great Highway.) The center also serves as a mini museum where you can learn more about the Sutro Baths and the history of this area.
I always stop here while in this area and try to take out of town guests, encouraging them to do their souvenir shopping at the Lookout. Unique, scenic and educational stop-​what more can you ask for!

Very cool mini museum with café attached. The bathrooms are always super clean and we’ll stocked. (this is a non-​negotiable option in my eyes!) Sit on a concrete bench over — looking the baths and soak up the beauty! Best view of the ocean!

Lands End is a beautiful spot to begin with, but add in a brand-​new visitors’ center on top of the cliffs with clean restrooms, a place to sit, and grab a drink and snack and you’ve got a winner. There’s a few ways to get here, and we ended up hiking the ~mile up the road from the beach by Golden Gate Park, and then spent some time surveying the land. The views are spectacular, and you can see the ocean and Golden Gate Bridge in all their glory.
Down below the visit center is the Sutro Baths, which are really neat to view and read about their history. Ruins in America are few and far between, and the hike to and from the old baths is not for the faint of heart. Wear good solid shoes and take your time.
There’s so much to see in this area, and the Lookout Center is a great spot to refil your water bottle and use the restroom before hiking off into the park.

This place is free to visit. I am not sure how far it is in a personal car since I went here in a tour bus but it didn’t seem too far at all. There is a nice public restroom and a great view right from the parking lot. The only thing that is REALLY note-​worthy of this place is. there is a view from up the hill when you follow a hiking trail along the coastline and it has a GREAT view of the Golden Gate Bridge! No one really told us about it so we had to explore to get there but it is really worth it. It may take you a good 5 minutes to hike there in a slower pace but it isn’t too bad. The parking seems quite small but I guess it is better to have people park and leave sooner than later so it kind of helps to get people moving in and out quickly. There is also a small gift shop but we did not end up checking it out so I cannot say much about it. There are also trails going down towards the water so you can check that out, too if you are in the mood. If we were locals we would definitely have stayed here at least an hour but we only had about 20 minutes so everything was cut short for us. If I visited SF again I would come back here at least once to scope it out a bit better! I will post some photos of the view so hope you enjoy!

Absolutely beautiful. Came here
Labor Day weekend almost impossible to find parking but succeeded. Beautiful drive from South Bay to RT 1. The stairs to ditto baths are pretty steep and there are quite a few of them which may be difficult for some people. The entire park is dog friendly which is great they must be leashed everywhere except for the beaches area near suttro baths. There is a little café there and restrooms at the lookout which were very clean and there were so many people walking in and out. Would definitely recommend.

The center has a lot of information as well as a coffee shop! Good place for souvenirs and maps! The view of the ocean from here is also pretty good, but not as good as when you walk on the trail. Definitely come here if you’re looking for some information for Lands End!

I ended up getting set up on a «blind date» here. My friend has no concept of time so she sent one of her friends over to meet me. I joked that it was a blind date.
That said, the views here are spectacular and if you want to get away and disconnect, Lands End is the place to go. You can see the ocean. Be sure to bring a jacket because no matter what time of year it is, I guarantee you’ll be cold without a jacket.
The path is a relatively easy hike depending on which direction you go you can finish in about an hour. Parking is also pretty easy and open if you plan on driving.

Wow, blue skies, red bridge and beautiful cypress trees. It takes some stairs up and you are in heaven. Very easy trail where you will breathe freshness and the sea. Looks like a very touristy place and also full of locals with their dogs and kids, you won’t regret the views, plus parking is so easy and convenient. I have to come back again as there are so many different trails that this was just first timer glimpse, but left a great impression.

Such a great place with an amazing view! We were just in time for the sunset and it was incredible! Whenever I go to these touristy places, I get a little worried about the parking. But do not worry! There are parking lots both across the Lookout and also at the Lookout. We parked across the street since we didn’t know where the Lookout was at first. It’s just right across the street, but be careful crossing since the cars are going pretty fast down hill!
They have a little information center with a gift shop right at the Lookout and you can’t miss it. The Lookout includes the amazing view of Sutro Baths, the ocean, and everything nature related.
It’s an awesome place with such a beautiful view, especially the sunset! I highly recommend this place. Everything is free and you’re making memories that you will never forget!

Ah so lovely so wonderful. This place is great. I can’t believe I’ve been living in the Bay Area for my whole life and never bothered to come here. You get stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and experience that is so wonderfully quintessential California. I love checking out the Sutro Baths here as well as the many walking trails. Parking can be a little difficult since so many people are here on the weekends, but just drive around and you’re bound to find somewhere with free street parking. I feel like there’s still so much out there to explore, I’ll definitely be back!

My friends and I parked here to go explore Sutro Baths. Parking lot isn’t that big but people come and go all the time so if you just stay in one spot, someone will bound to be leaving shortly.
Be sure to utilize the bathroom here before you go exploring. The gift shop was pretty cool and they even have a small café. It was a bit cold so my group invested in a few hot chocolate to keep us warm while we went exploring.
I will definitely come back here to do the hikes that they offer! Lots of great views of the coast of California!

A perfect place to just sit, chill, relax, reflect, and refresh. Listen to the waves hitting the rocks. Enjoy the wind hitting your face. Soak in all things nature.
Airfare + rental car: An arm and a leg.
Sunset on the rocks: Priceless.