Pacifica, though often overlooked by day-trippers to Half Moon Bay and other coastal towns, has many charms of its own.
Only a short 45-minute drive from Los Altos, visitors can explore beaches, hike, tour historical buildings, dine on seafood and more.
Incorporated as one city in 1957, Pacifica, beginning just south of Daly City, is actually made up of nine very distinct and geographically divided districts. The Sharp Park area contains the main “downtown,” with many historical buildings, the Pacifica Municipal Pier, a few shops, restaurants and a museum of local history.
The Pacifica Coastside Museum (1850 Francisco Blvd.) is located in the “Little Brown Church,” built in 1910. Visitors can learn about Pacifica from its Ohlone beginnings to its Prohibition days of speakeasies and beyond. Exhibits include a working model of the Ocean Shore Railroad, the Portola Expedition, Pacifica in World War II, the Ohlone People and more. Hours are 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. For more information, call (650) 355-1909.
A little farther south is the Rockaway Beach community. Oceanside, Rockaway is home to Nick’s Seafood Restaurant (founded in 1927 and featuring fish and chips, crab sandwiches and lobster ravioli, as well as live music Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons) and Breakers for breakfast and lunch (a word to the wise: one pancake is equivalent to a stack elsewhere).
To work off the meal, the Pacifica View Beach Park trail meanders past the former quarry and finishes at a row of memorial gardens. Rockaway also has a number of boutiques, a popular coffee shop (Pacific Java Cafe), a tea room (Lovey’s Tea Shoppe), a wine bar (A Grape in the Fog) and a few dispensaries.
Just over the next hill to the south is the Linda Mar district, featuring a long sandy beach popular with surfers, families and beachcombers. It’s also home to what many refer to as the “world’s most beautiful Taco Bell,” right on the sand.
Heading inland, the Sanchez Adobe (1000 Linda Mar Blvd.) is a San Mateo County park on the site of a 1786 mission outpost, before which it was an Ohlone village called Pruristac. The restored adobe residence dates to 1842. The park is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and noon to 4 p.m. weekends. For more information, call (650) 359-1462.
The nearby San Pedro Valley Park (600 Oddstad Blvd.) encompasses 1,052 acres of hills and forest, with trails ranging from easy to difficult, including some that meander along San Pedro Creek and others that culminate in an ocean view. At certain times of day, wildlife is abundant, featuring a glimpse of rabbits, deer and many species of birds.
After a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus, the Pacific Coast Fog Fest is set to return Sept. 24 and 25 along Palmetto Avenue. Launched in 1986, the festival features a parade and marching band competition, arts and crafts, food and beverages, and music and other entertainment. Don’t let the name scare you off – September is actually one of Pacifica’s least foggy months.
For more information on a day trip to Pacifica, visit visitpacifica.com.
