Calling all fellow runners and party animals! The unique spectacle that is Bay to Breakers means you get to lace up those sneakers and let your freak flags fly because it's time for the wildest, wackiest, and most wonderful footrace on the planet!

Every year, tens of thousands of spirited souls hit the streets of San Francisco for this iconic event. Just 12km, but packed with fun, Bay to Breakers is a glorious blend of athleticism and pure, unadulterated fun. Whether you’re running, jogging or walking, you’ll be creating some great memories.

You’ll witness a colourful sea of costumes ranging from superheroes to sushi rolls, all pounding the pavement alongside serious athletes aiming for that PB. And let's not forget about the legendary centipede teams where groups of runners literally tied together, tackle the course as one magnificent, many-legged beast.

From the starting line at the Embarcadero to the breathtaking finish at Ocean Beach, Bay to Breakers isn't just a race, it's a celebration of everything that makes San Francisco one of a kind. The race itself is just part of a day of entertainment, including the Finish Live Festival at Ocean Beach, where runners and spectators alike get together for a big post-race party!

Date

The Bay to Breakers in 2024 will take place on Sunday 19th May

Start time

The race gets underway at 8.00am, and all runners must have completed the course by 1pm, when the route will be closed. (There is a cut off point at 12.30pm at the intersection of JFK and Chain of Lakes in Golden Gate park.)

Race course

The course is 12km in total, along the following route:

Start line at Main Street & Howard Street

Hayes Street

Hayes Street Hill

Along the Panhandle

Golden Gate Park

Conservatory of Flowers

Ocean Beach parking lot on the Great Highway, where there will also be the popular Finish Line Festival taking place.

Highlights of the course where large crowds of spectators will gather are Hayes Street Hill, the Panhandle and through Golden Gate Park.

There is still a full alcohol ban in place all along the race course, for participants and spectators alike.

The route and map is available here: Bay to Breakers course map

TV & Live Streaming

Purely because it can't be guaranteed to be "family friendly", due to the nature of some of the costumes means this race is something of a lottery for any potential broadcasters, which could help explain why there's frequently little in the way of TV or online video streaming coverage available.

However, organisers have started to tighten the rules on customers which meant that in previous years ABC7 provided a live stream of the Bay to Breakers - if this is repeated this year you'll be able to watch the webcast here: ABC7 live stream

Follow the official Facebook page for updated on the day: Bay To Breakers Facebook

The best bet for finding any form of online coverage that is actually live on the day may well be to check out some of the local webcams, of which there are quite a few in the area:

San Francisco webcams

Hotels and Accommodation

If you're planning on being in San Francisco or the surrounding areas for the Bay to Breakers weekend and looking for somewhere to stay then the city will be busy so we advise you to secure your accommodation well in advance - you'll especially want to be well rested if you're taking part in the race!

You can check out availability and make online reservations for local hotels here.

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