Pacifica
Pacifica is on the Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Popular for its beaches, Pacifica has a mix of Bay Area hippies and blue-collar folks (especially in the fishing industry). It's the kind of place where you'll find a gun store next to a yoga studio.
- For other places with the same name, see Pacifica (disambiguation).
Understand
Climate
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Get in
By car
Pacifica is approximately 15 minutes south of San Francisco on coastal Route 1.
By transit
Take Samtrans 112 or 118 from Colma BART station, or Samtrans 110 from Daly City BART station. You will get off at Linda Mar Park and Ride, where you will walk down the street to approach the beach.
The price to travel to Pacifica via BART and bus varies depending on the station you board at but you will get a transfer discount once you tag off at BART and tag on, on the bus.
Get around
If you are a solo traveler, once you get off the bus, you can walk to the shopping center near the park and ride and then walk to the beach where the Taco Bell Cantina is. However, to get around in Pacifica, it's suggested to use a ride-share service or drive your own car around, due to the limited frequencies of the buses.
See
Pacifica is has numerous public beaches.
The most popular beach is Linda Mar State Beach at the southern end of Pacifica by Pedro Point. Linda Mar is a very popular surfing spot and has a well-known beach front Taco Bell.
Sharp Park Beach is by the fishing pier and fronts Sharp Park Golf Course. It is a black sand beach with a dangerously steep shoreline.
Rockaway Beach is between Linda Mar and Sharp Park and is a small cove and beach in a commercial area with hotels and restaurants. A nice hiking / biking trail connects Linda Mar, Rockaway and Sharp Park and goes over the intervening headlands.
- 🌍 Gray Whale Cove State Beach (Devil's Slide), Highway 1, ☏ +1 650 726-8819. The two nicknames derive from the fact that 1) gray whales can be seen from the beach and 2) there are steep landslide trails. This is a clothing optional beach.
Do
Pacifica is the only town in San Mateo County where consumer fireworks are legal (you might hear them going off in the middle of the night sometimes), and it has a big Fourth of July celebration.
- There is a Fog Fest the last full weekend of September.
Eat
- 🌍 Nick's, 100 Rockaway Beach Ave, ☏ +1 650 359-3900, info@nicksrestaurant.net.
- Guererro's Taqueria, 164 Reina Del Mar Ave and 713 Hickey Boulevard. M–Sa 10AM–9PM, Su 10AM–8PM.
- 🌍 Colombo's Delicatessen, 484 Manor Plaza, ☏ +1 650-355-5023, ColombosDeli@yahoo.com. M–F 8:30AM–6PM, Sa 8AM–5PM, Su 9AM–4PM.
- 🌍 Gorilla BBQ, 2145 Coast Highway 1, ☏ +1 650-359-RIBS (7427) (7427), gorillabbq@yahoo.com. Noon–8PM (or until sold out), closed Tuesdays.
- 🌍 High Tide Cafe, 5500 Highway 1.
- 🌍 Breakers, 145 Rockaway Beach Ave (Half-block up from the beach), ☏ +1 (650) 557-1274. Normally: Daily 7:00AM – 3:00PM, but as of Oct 2020 temporarily closed due to pandemic. A popular breakfast and lunch joint. The crab cakes and omelettes are particularly praised. Large portions, and plenty of vegetarian choices. Be prepared to wait for a seat on weekends, but the brunches are worth it. Brunch $20/person inc tax.
Drink
- 🌍 A Grape in the Fog Wine Bar, 400 Old County Road, ☏ +1 650 735-5854, wine@agitf.com. M–F 4–10PM, Sa 2–10PM.
- 🌍 Winters Tavern, 1522 Francisco Blvd, ☏ +1 650 355-6162. Noon–2AM.
Sleep
- Lighthouse Hotel, 105 Rockaway Beach Ave, ☏ +1 650 355-6300, toll-free: +1-800-832-4777, fax: +1 650 355-9217, reservations@pacificalighthouse.com.
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott San Francisco Pacifica, 500 Old County Rd, ☏ +1 650 355-5000.
Stay safe
Be careful when swimming at the beach. The undertow is strong, and once in a while someone drowns.
Exercise caution when driving near the tunnel at "Devil's Slide" near the water to the south of Pacifica. The cliffs are steep and sometimes people drive off the road.
Stay healthy
Check for ticks after hiking in fields in the bay area. There is a high rate of lyme disease transmission in the Bay Area. If a bulls' eye rash develops at the tick bite site, immediately seek medical help and treatment with antibiotics.