PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE

Bay to Breakers

Name: Bay to Breakers 2026 - Runners Perspective
Uploaded: 2026-05-20
Description: San Francisco's Bay to Breakers is a 12K·15K city race that starts at Howard and Fremont streets and heads toward the Great Highway. First held in 1912, it combines a race atmosphere with costumes and

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

San Francisco
US

Geoffrey Weber · CC BY 2.0Carnaval.com Studios · CC BY 2.0Carnaval.com Studios · CC BY 2.0Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0

Race date in 223 days: May 16, 2027 Sun
City · Distance: San Francisco · 15km · 12km
Entry fee: $65Varies by event and entry period
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2027Date May 16, 2027 · Open

2026Date May 17, 2026

Official website ↗

Instagram

D-day as of Oct 5, 2026

About the race How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

San Francisco's Bay to Breakers is a 12K·15K city race that starts at Howard and Fremont streets and heads toward the Great Highway.

First held in 1912, it combines a race atmosphere with costumes and a street festival.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Highlights

Bay To Breakers · Highlights

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

First come, first served

Entry cost $65

Online, first come, first served;

tiered pricing ($65 → $69 → $109, including fees)

Entry fee Non-refundable · 15K bonus: an additional $15

Organizer's page

Groups

Entry cost TBD

Separate registration for the Centipede (a team running together connected in a line) and team categories

See the official Centipede and team pages for the rules for each category.

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 15km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 08:00

Time limitFinish closes at 13:00

Event	Start	Entry fee
Bay to Breakers 12K12km	08:00	$65
Bay to Breakers 15K Breakers Bonus15km	08:00	—

City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

START

The intersection of Howard Street and Fremont Street

Downtown San Francisco

FINISH

1000 Great Highway (Great Highway in front of Ocean Beach) · The finish festival is at 2100 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Golden Gate Park

Cut-off
You must pass the intersection of JFK Drive and Chain of Lakes Drive in Golden Gate Park by 12:30

Runners start · local time — The first wave starts at 08:00 — the final wave starts at 08:45

On May 16, 2027, both races start at the intersection of Howard and Fremont streets in downtown San Francisco.

The 12K course begins near San Francisco Bay on the Embarcadero,

passes through nine major parts of the city and finishes on the Great Highway at Ocean Beach, where the waves break.

Finish is located at 1000 Great Highway.

The event dates to 1912 and has more than a century of history.

Costumes ranging from bees and brides to unicorns and Spider-Man give it the character of a street festival.

Finishers receive finisher medal and an event T-shirt, and the finish festival includes water·aid station.

12K runners must pass the JFK and Chain of Lakes intersection in Golden Gate Park by 12:30 p.m.;

finish closes at 1 p.m.

Typical race-season temperature: around 14°C (57°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Water stations

Aid stations

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Race expo

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

Pick up your bib at the expo

If you did not purchase mail delivery or a VIP package, you can collect bib only at the expo.
A light shakeout run will take place at Stonestown at 17:00 on the day before the race.
Thursday, 5/13, 15:00–20:00; Friday, 5/14, 13:00–20:00; Saturday, 5/15, 10:00–18:00

Stonestown Galleria, 3251 20th Avenue Suite 390, San Francisco

Google Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

Tap your contactless bank card or phone wallet directly at the Muni fare reader or BART fare gate — a Clipper card is not required, but you'll always be charged the full adult fare.

Getting to the start

Embarcadero (BART Blue·Green·Red·Yellow / Muni J·K·L·M·N)

Embarcadero BART station is two blocks from the start at Howard and Fremont Streets.

On race morning four special BART trains arrive at 6:57–7:02 a.m. before regular service around 8 a.m.;

the Muni Metro subway opens early at 6 a.m. at select stations.

Getting to the finish

Great Highway (N Judah / 5R Fulton)

From the Great Highway finish, extra N Judah trains, N Judah express buses to Civic Center BART and extra 5R Fulton Rapid buses run after the race.

A paid shuttle ($18) returns to Embarcadero BART or Downtown between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

More details

Organizers advise against being dropped off by car;

if you must, use The Embarcadero.

Parking near the start is limited — book Financial District or SoMa parking ahead.

IC card

Clipper card (covers Muni, BART, and other Bay Area operators)

Clipper vending machines at BART/Muni stations, Walgreens and other retail partners, SFO/OAK airports, or order online at clippercard.com.

Works directly at the gates

Alternative: 1-/3-/7-Day Visitor Passport (includes cable cars) OR the cheaper Muni-only Day Pass (no cable cars) 1-Day Visitor Passport $12 (adds cable car access);

Muni-only Day Pass $5 — Worth it if you plan multiple Muni/cable-car rides in a day and want to ride the cable cars;

otherwise tapping a bank card per ride is fine for BART trips.

More details

Both BART (official Aug 2025 announcement) and Muni/SFMTA (rolled out ~Dec 2025) confirm 'Tap and Ride' lets riders pay adult fares with contactless Visa,

Mastercard, Amex, or Discover cards, or Apple Pay/Google Pay, directly at the fare gates —

no registration required.

Important limitation: tapping a bank card only pays the full adult fare — no youth/senior/disability discount fares.

Muni adult fare is $2.85 via tap ($3.00 cash).

BART fares are distance-based (average ~$5.18).

Source · checked Sep 22, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Public transportation is the best option for reaching the start.

Embarcadero BART station is two blocks from start line and is served by the Blue·Green·Red·Yellow lines.

The J·K·L·M·N Muni light-rail lines also run to Embarcadero station.

Parking near the start is limited.

Those driving can reserve parking in the Financial District or SoMa in advance.

Official shuttles include round-trip service and transportation after finish;

tickets must be purchased online before race day (Sunday).

The Millbrae BART park-and-ride shuttle boards from 6:30 to 7 a.m. Start waves run from 8 to 8:45 a.m. Costumes are encouraged,

but gear check is unavailable without a VIP purchase, so runners should plan to start without a bag to leave behind.

The VIP add-on costs 109 dollars.

Times are local to San Francisco. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels that make race morning easy

7 places

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Best Western Red Coach Inn

Hotel · 937m

7.8/10(645)

View on Booking.com

San Francisco Proper Hotel

Hotel · 904m

7.8/10(66)

View on Booking.com

Hotel Fiona

Hotel · 890m

7.7/10(233)

View on Booking.com

Hayes Valley Inn

Hotel · 412m

7.5/10(401)

View on Booking.com

Yotel San Francisco

Hotel · 886m

7.3/10(1568)

View on Booking.com

Soma House

Hotel · 925m

7.1/10(191)

View on Booking.com

Edwardian Hotel

Hotel · 265m

6.9/10(203)

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

50 experiences

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

RECOVERY & SPA1SIT-DOWN TOURS7CARB LOADING7LOCAL TRANSIT7FAMILY PASS7TRAIL & OUTDOOR7CITY TOURS7EASY WALKING7

Silent Disco Yoga at Baker Beach, San Francisco

$34

View on GetYourGuide

San Francisco Bus & Boat Adventure Full-Day Tour

$101

Bay to Breakers

About Bay to Breakers — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run

Bay to Breakers runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

See it on video,feel it through their stories.

Highlights

How to enter Bay to Breakers — registration routes

How to reach the start line —start with what fits you.

First come, first served

Groups

Bay to Breakers course map and elevation

The 15km I'll run

The intersection of Howard Street and Fremont Street

1000 Great Highway (Great Highway in front of Ocean Beach) · The finish festival is at 2100 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Golden Gate Park

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Water stations

Aid stations

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Race expo

Where and when to collect your Bay to Breakers race bib

To the start line,step by step.

Pick up your bib at the expo

Stonestown Galleria, 3251 20th Avenue Suite 390, San Francisco

Getting to the start

Getting to the finish

More details

IC card

More details

From race morning to after the finish.

The race is one day,the trip can be longer.

Hotels near the Bay to Breakers start line in San Francisco

Hotels that make race morning easy

Best Western Red Coach Inn

San Francisco Proper Hotel

Hotel Fiona

Hayes Valley Inn

Yotel San Francisco

Soma House

Edwardian Hotel

Time for you, before and after the finish

Silent Disco Yoga at Baker Beach, San Francisco

San Francisco Bus & Boat Adventure Full-Day Tour

Private Custom San Francisco Tour - Sunset or Night (Up to 6 People)

San Francisco Private Sunset/Night Tour by Lucky Tuk Tuk

San Francisco Early Bird GoCar Tour (3 Hours)

San Francisco Bay Cruise & Double-Decker Bus Night Tour

San Francisco Big Bus City Tour (Open-Top)

San Francisco: Alcatraz City Cruise with Ferry & Audio Tour

Mission District Small-Group Street Food Tour (Half Day)

San Francisco: Best Street Food Tour with a Local Guide

San Francisco North Beach Gourmet Ghost Food Tour

San Francisco North Beach & Little Italy Walking Food Tour

Half-Day Wine Tasting Tour (From San Francisco)

Napa Valley Wine & Food Tasting Tour from San Francisco

California Vintage VW Wine-Tasting Tour

Sausalito–San Francisco Ferry Ticket

San Francisco Bike Rental (BikesBooking)

San Francisco car rental (EconomyBookings)

SFO San Francisco Airport Golden Gate Lounge Access

One-Way Transfer from Napa Valley to San Francisco Airport

San Francisco Airport One-Way City/Outlying Area Transfer Service

Private Airport Transfer to and from Downtown San Francisco and SFO

San Francisco GO Card - All-Inclusive Pass

San Francisco GO Card - Explorer Pass

Alcatraz Day Tour & Aquarium + Muir Woods & Sausalito

San Francisco CityPASS

Grace Cathedral ticket

Cable Car Museum & Chinatown San Francisco Half-Day Small-Group & City Highlights Tour

San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum Admission Ticket

San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge E-Bike Rental

Guided Bike Tour from the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito

Alcatraz + Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tour (2 Days)

San Francisco: Soul of San Francisco Electric Bike Tour — Tacos & Chocolate

San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge Bike Rental

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

To the start line,
step by step.

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

With runners who dream of
the same start line.