Another vote for the coastal areas immediately proximate to San Francisco. Just about everything between Santa Cruz and San Francisco is neat. Do take the wander up Pescadero Creek Road from Route 1 to La Honda, stop off at Alice's Restaurant where Pescadero Creek road hits 84 to check out the bikers (usually 30-40 motorcycles parked there and across the road at the store on any given weekend day), and then take 84 back down to 1 again. Gorgeous spirited mountain driving, through the pine forests. There's some neat roadside scenery once you get down onto the flatter parts of 84. You'll do the uphill at about 25 mph, but coming back down, depending on your driving skill, you can take some of 84 at twice the posted limit (depends on how white you want your underwear to be when you get to the bottom).
Land's End in San Francisco (the area between Cliff House and the Golden Gate Bridge) is also great for seaside photos. The Square Figure Study shots and three of the panoramic figure study shots I have in my gallery were taken on the beach there. Park at the parking lot just above Cliff House (or the end of Geary Boulevard, depending on which direction you're coming from), and follow the trail along the cliff head that leads from the lot. Maybe 3/4 mile along, there's a set of steps that lead down to the beach. If you keep going, there are other routes down to the water, but they're neither marked, maintained, or permitted, and highly risky (some of the beaches they lead to can get cut off at high tide, and then you're talking emergency rescue and some serious 'splainin to do to the law enforcement types. Over on the Marin headlands side, the first fort you can stop at on Conzelman Road has a ramp leading down not far past it that is blocked to vehicular traffic. This road leads down to a black sand beach with views of the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a long steep hike, but fairly safe. The WW II fortifications at the top of the Marin Headlands are really cool, and if you get lucky, you might run into the Tunnel Singer (www.thetunnelsinger.com). I heard her performing there a few years ago, and it is truly amazing and haunting.
Land's End in San Francisco (the area between Cliff House and the Golden Gate Bridge) is also great for seaside photos. The Square Figure Study shots and three of the panoramic figure study shots I have in my gallery were taken on the beach there. Park at the parking lot just above Cliff House (or the end of Geary Boulevard, depending on which direction you're coming from), and follow the trail along the cliff head that leads from the lot. Maybe 3/4 mile along, there's a set of steps that lead down to the beach. If you keep going, there are other routes down to the water, but they're neither marked, maintained, or permitted, and highly risky (some of the beaches they lead to can get cut off at high tide, and then you're talking emergency rescue and some serious 'splainin to do to the law enforcement types. Over on the Marin headlands side, the first fort you can stop at on Conzelman Road has a ramp leading down not far past it that is blocked to vehicular traffic. This road leads down to a black sand beach with views of the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a long steep hike, but fairly safe. The WW II fortifications at the top of the Marin Headlands are really cool, and if you get lucky, you might run into the Tunnel Singer (www.thetunnelsinger.com). I heard her performing there a few years ago, and it is truly amazing and haunting.