Which would you prefer if you had a choice?
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Where??
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Water is nice, but the stuff on the other side of the “front” would be what makes the difference for me.
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It depends where for me too. Also depends if I’m buying or just visiting. Personally for visits, I like the beach.
For buying it would depend if there are still natural dunes and storm protection on the beach side, and if there are any significant flood insurance cost differences.
We have family who are boaters who would 100% say bay front so they could dock their boat outside the home.
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Whatever is the least expensive. I’m not overly concerned about the view
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Wouldn’t storm, flood, and/or tsunami vulnerability and protection matter for any place near water.
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Yes, but some areas are more prone to flooding than others.
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Need more details. Busy beach front? Secluded beach front? I’m not sure what “bay” front means - like water is there but nothing between water and the house?
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Around here it’s ocean front vs bay front and there are two massive bays. We’re halfway between the ocean and one of the bays. (Both the ocean and the bays have beach front.) But in none of the situations would you have privacy since California beaches are pretty much public property.
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Instead of beach front, I should have said ocean front.
Ocean front is generally higher priced but less privacy. Many people on the beach. Bay has no beach. Water come to your yard. Great for boating and private since there’s no beach. Not sure if I like the water coming to the yard blocked by a wall.
We are about 3 blocks from the beach—a short drive from the bay. I’m glad not to be closer to the beach because it will be even MORE corrosion than we already have. We get salt water on our windows screens already as it is! Some of the units we looked at that were on the marina and seemed to have a lot of wood rot and other damage related to water and corrosion. I prefer to be able to go TO the view rather than live right next to it.
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Without knowing specifics about the area or location of the houses/building lots, I would say bay front. No sand (depending on location and whether there’s a bay beach), no beach erosion, no beach access points with people parading by to get on the beach (less vehicle traffic?) Also, being directly on the beach takes a toll on the outside of the house and the windows of the house - salt deposits and seagull 
results in the need for frequent window cleaning.
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We vacationed on the bay side of Cape Cod for many years…and we actually loved the beaches there. Waves weren’t as big and the water temps were slightly higher.
So…there are beaches at some bay areas.
Grandparent lived on a bay at the Jersey Shore…lovely beach. They lived one block back from the actual beach which was much better WRT storms. But again…less waves and warmer temps. But yes, a nice sandy beach.
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Thinking of places like Mission Bay, which has a beach.
If it were me, ideally, I’d like easy access to the beach - either by walking or golf cart but I’d rather live on the bay side. I think the endless battle with sand would drive me nuts and I’ve been in beach front houses where the windows were blurry from salt wash. We rented a house on Mission Beach once and noticed the birds like to have target practice with the windows. Whoever owns window cleaning businesses there much make a fortune.
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For what? Condo? Hotel? Airbnb?
I would like whichever allows for better views of sunrise or sunset
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Practical considerations aside, I love the sound of the ocean so would opt for that
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My dream house would be on top of a cliff on the ocean.
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Would it be your only year around home? Or a vacation home?
Depends how/if you want to use the water. If you like to sun and swim maybe beach. If you like to boat or only want to look at the water (and assuming no beach) then maybe bay.
I don’t know though that I’m ever comfortable with a house so close to the water that only a sea wall separates the two.
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For renting a place on vacation? Oceanfront.
To purchase a property? Neither.
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