Getting on the Water: The Foster City Lagoon

Waterfront Leisure, Everyday Enjoyment

A centerpiece of the city's original master plan, the Foster City Lagooon integrates outdoor recreation into everyday living for a truly unique quality of life. Spanning over four miles of interconnected channels, it's purpose-built for your regular enjoyment. Because it's surrounded by residential neighborhoods and parks, the city maintains strict rules—like the 5mph speed limit—to keep the water peaceful, safe, and clean.

Boating & Watercraft

• Allowed Boats: To keep the lagoon peaceful and environmentally friendly, gasoline and diesel-powered motors are strictly prohibited. Only electric-powered boats, sailboats, and human-powered watercraft (such as kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, and pedal boats) are permitted.

• Boat Rentals: If you don't own a boat, Edgewater Marine (operating out of Boat Park) is the primary local rental provider. They offer a super cool lineup of easy-to-drive, eco-friendly electric boats, including luxury Duffy boats (which feature all-weather enclosures and Bluetooth speakers), colorful Whaly outboards, and beautifully restored, electrified retro runabouts from the 1950s and 60s.

• Human-Powered Rentals (Kayaks, SUPs, & Pedal Boats): If you want to do the steering with your own two feet or a paddle, California Windsurfing operates right on the water's edge at Leo J. Ryan Park (directly behind The Vibe recreation center). They rent out pedal boats (which seat two adults and two small children) for a very affordable $10 per half-hour, alongside kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and windsurfing gear.
  Note: California Windsurfing is famously a cash-only facility to keep their rates low, so visitors need to bring paper bills!

• Maximum Speed Limit: The lagoon has a strict maximum speed limit of 5 mph for all vessels. This ensures the water stays calm for paddlers, protects local wildlife, and respects the waterfront homeowners.

• Boat Launches: If you are bringing your own motorized electric boat or sailboat, the best spot to drop it into the water is the wide, concrete public boat ramp located at Boat Park. For human-powered watercraft like kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards, you have a lot more flexibility; you can easily launch directly off the sand at neighborhood beach spots like Gull Park, Marlin Park, and Erckenbrack Park, or use the specialized floating launch docks situated along the waterfront at Leo J. Ryan Park.
  Residents at The Triton can enjoy our private dock and boat launch, with helpful onsite storage for your own kayak or paddleboard.

• Boat Cruises: Edgewater Marine offers private Sunset Cruises and Guided Tours where they provide a licensed skipper to drive the boat for you. If you want some local knowledge with your boat ride, the Foster City Historical Society also runs guided History Boat Tours on select Sundays.

Lagoon FAQs: Good to Know

• Is it salt water? Yes. It is brackish salt water drawn directly from the San Francisco Bay. The city uses automated intake gates and a massive pump station to circulate Bay water through the lagoon to keep it clean and regulate levels.

• How deep / long is the lagoon? The lagoon has an engineered average depth of 6 feet throughout its channels. If you were to travel in a relatively straight line from the northern tip of the main channel down to the southern end, the lagoon is roughly 4 to 5 miles long. However, because it was engineered with dozens of winding residential fingers and side channels, the entire system contains over 16 miles of interconnected, navigable waterways and features roughly 13 miles of total shoreline to explore.

• Is the water good for swimming? Generally, no—it is best to stay on top of the water rather than in it. While the lagoon has sandy beaches (like Gull, Marlin, and Erckenbrack Parks), the water circulation is enclosed. Urban runoff and a large local population of geese and seagulls mean the city frequently issues water quality advisories due to elevated bacteria levels.

• Are there jellyfish? Yes. You will often see translucent Moon Jellyfish in the water. They are an invasive species that thrives in the lagoon's warm, brackish water (sometimes blooming in huge numbers during summer), but they are harmless to humans and do not possess a dangerous sting.

• Where can you go to swim instead? If you want to safely swim, locals use these nearby options. Just minutes away, Parkside Aquatic Park in San Mateo features a roped-off beach swim area and a playground. About 15 minutes north, Coyote Point Recreation Area in San Mateo offers a county park experience with a sandy bathing beach right on the open San Francisco Bay. Finally, driving just 30 minutes away over Highway 92 brings you straight to the Pacific Coast for ocean swimming and wading destinations like Half Moon Bay State Beach and Pacifica State Beach.

• How easy is it to kayak or paddleboard? It is incredibly easy and perfect for beginners. Because the lagoon is entirely enclosed by floodgates, there are no natural currents, tides, or large waves. It is as flat and glassy as a giant swimming pool.

• Do people windsurf in the lagoon? No, the narrow channels and residential buildings block the wind. However, Foster City’s Baywinds Park (located at 3rd Avenue right on the open San Francisco Bay shoreline) is renowned across the Bay Area as a premier regional destination for windsurfing and kiteboarding due to the intense wind tunnel effect across the water.

• Can you fish in the lagoon?
  Yes, non-commercial fishing is allowed. Because the water comes from the Bay, you can catch genuine saltwater species right from the park shorelines, including Striped Bass, Halibut, Leopard Sharks, and Bat Rays. A standard California sport fishing license is required for anyone 16 or older.

• Is there a path for walking or running? Yes, flat, beautifully paved pedestrian paths wind along the waterfront, most notably through Leo J. Ryan Park. Private residential backyards break up the path so it doesn't make one single giant loop, but you can easily string together miles of scenic running by connecting the neighborhood parks.

• Are dogs allowed on the lagoon beaches or in the water?
  Pups are welcome on a standard 6-foot leash throughout the paved waterfront walking paths and the open grassy lawns at neighborhood beach spots like Gull Park, Marlin Park, and Erckenbrack Park. However, to maintain water hygiene, dogs are strictly prohibited from stepping onto the actual sand beaches or entering the lagoon water. If your dog wants some off-leash playtime, you can head over to the city's two dedicated, fully fenced off-leash areas: the Foster City Dog Park (located right next to the boat launch at Boat Park) or the dedicated dog park space over at Sea Cloud Park.

• Is there an entry fee or parking fee to visit the lagoon parks?
  Nope. One of the best things about the Foster City Lagoon is that it is completely free to enjoy. Access to all the public parks (like Leo J. Ryan Park and Boat Park), the sandy beach areas, the public boat launch ramps, and the waterfront parking lots is 100% free of charge.

• Can you bring alcohol or have a BBQ picnic at the parks?
  Yes, but with some rules. Barbecuing is permitted, but you must use the city's permanently installed charcoal grills or bring a solid, non-flame-producing charcoal setup (no open wood fires). As for alcohol, standard park rules prohibit open containers of alcohol in the public parks unless you have reserved a picnic pavilion and secured a specific group permit from the city.

• Are there public restrooms and places to buy food nearby?
  Yes, the layout is incredibly convenient. Main parks like Leo J. Ryan Park and Boat Park have clean, permanent public restroom facilities. For food, because the lagoon winds right through the middle of the city, you are never more than a few blocks from shopping centers. In fact, Leo J. Ryan Park sits right across the water from the Edgewater Shopping Center, meaning visitors can easily walk or paddle over to grab lunch, coffee, or picnic supplies at the local restaurants and grocery stores.