Hard to imagine from these ruins, but Victorian dandies and working stiffs once converged here for bracing baths in itchy wool rental swimsuits. Millionaire Adolph Sutro built hot and cold indoor pools to accommodate 10,000 unwashed masses in 1896, but the masses apparently preferred dirt – despite added attractions including trapezes and Egyptian mummies, the baths went bust in 1952. At low tide, follow the steep path past the now-ruined baths and through the sea-cave tunnel to find sublime Pacific panoramas.
These splendid ruins made a fitting backdrop for 1971's May–December comedy classic Harold & Maude, and recently set the scene for theatrical performances by the Bay Area's We Players (www.weplayers.org). Above the baths are the new Land's End Lookout visitor center and café plus the Sutro Heights Park public gardens, built in 1885 and restored with native plants.
