UCSF Pediatric Transplant Picnic (McNears Beach) - San Rafael, CA

We were invited by BFF Gia and her family to attend the annual UCSF Pediatric Transplant Picnic. Several hundred people gathered for a picnic at McNears Beach in San Rafael to celebrate something much bigger than just the end of summer. Each family there was celebrating the life of a loved one who has undergone an organ transplant surgery at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

There were so many activities, including live music and kayaking on the San Francisco Bay! We spent several hours at McNears Beach.

Set in a beautiful sheltered cove with mature landscaping, this 55 acre regional park is located along the shores of San Pablo Bay in San Rafael. The fishing pier is extremely popular. Facilities include a swimming pool, snack bar, sand volleyball courts, several group picnic areas of varying size, expansive turf areas, and newly renovated tennis courts. The pool and the snack bar operate during the summer season only. The narrow, bayside beach offers a fun, safe place for general beach recreation and easy carry-in boat access for kayaks and canoes. McNears is a designated "trailhead" on the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail, an ongoing effort to create a network of launch and landing sites to inspire people in human-powered boats and beachable sail craft to explore the San Francisco Bay. The pier and parking are accessible. McNears has something for everyone.