S.F. Bay Area
San Francisco Attractions
Sutro Bath Ruins

Sutro Bath Ruins
below Point Lobos Avenue
off Ocean Beach
San Francisco
415-561-4323
Map*

Historic Sutro Bath Ruins
Feeling adventurous? Hike down one of the trails to explore the concrete ruins of the grand
Sutro Baths.

Built in 1896 by former San Francisco Mayor, Adolph Sutro, Sutro Baths was spread over three acres.

Swimming at Sutro Baths
The massive glass enclosure contained seven swimming pools at various temperatures. There were slides, trapezes, springboards and a high dive. Together, the pools held 1.7 million gallons of water and could be filled in one hour by high tides. There were 20,000 bathing suits and 40,000 towels for rent. The Baths could accommodate 10,000 people at a time.

Entertainment at Sutro Baths
An amphitheater, seating up to 3,700 people, provided a variety of stage shows. Three restaurants could accommodate 1,000 people at a sitting. There were natural history exhibits, galleries of sculptures, paintings, tapestries and artifacts from Mexico, China, Asia, and the Middle East,
including popular Egyptian mummies.

Despite the Baths glamour, they were not commercially successful, so Sutro's grandson converted part of the Baths into an ice-skating rink in 1937. Years later, in 1964, developers bought the site with plans to replace the Baths with high-rise apartments. A fire in 1966 destroyed what was left of Sutro Baths.

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