Here’s proof that there’s more to Pacifica than fog…
While it may suffer through a cool, foggy summer- on a sunny day, Pacifica is a convenient beach town escape. Load the kids in the car for surfing, bowling, skateboarding, fishing, beaches, horseback riding and that oh-so-sweet touristy feeling can be yours in very little schleptime.
Digging the sound of Pacifica already? Just wait, there’s more! And they’re sure to have what you are in the mood for…
Family Fun: Climb the wooden play structure at Frontierland Park (below), then frolic in the green pasture, or hit the lanes at the retro Sea Bowl, where its sea cliff view will hopefully inspire high scores! And fortunately, skateboarding is not a crime in Pacifica: Pacifica Skatepark gives older kids a chance to practice their ollies.
Calling All Beach Bums: Watch the surfers weave through giant waves at Pacifica State Beach or waves rock and roll at Rockaway Beach, a good spot for sandcastles and frolicking dogs, and my personal favorite, Sharp Park Beach (located next to “The Pier”, the name the locals refer to this beach in general).
Hungry? If Gorilla BBQ “Ain’t Smokin’, they Ain’t Open!” and hopefully they are open for your sake on the day you swing by! Featured on the Food Network, this converted train car restaurant serves gourmet BBQ which you take out for a picnic. Or you can try to catch your own dinner at the Pacifica Municipal Pier, one the most popular piers around for its abundance of fish.
Tourist Time: Rockaway Beach Plaza is the place to get down and touristy. Find more restaurants and cute shops there like the creative up-cyclying boutique Ressurected, the year-round Christmas boutique Christmas by the Cove, and the Rockaway Farmer’s Market every Wednesday.
Take a hike! Hiking trails such as Mori Point, which can also be accessed at the end of a walk down Sharp Park Beach, Sweeney Ridge, San Pedro Valley Park and Milagra Ridge to get started. Many of these hikes offer sweeping views of the coast on clear days.
Feeling Sporty? Enjoy rounds of golf at Sharp Park Golf Course (a public course), bowling at Sea Bowl, surfing at Pacifica State Beach, skateboarding at Pacifica Skatepark, and horseback riding at Pacifica’s very own Sun Valley Equestrian which offers private lessons and summer camps. And FYI, the Sun Valley neighborhood lives up to its name! When the rest of town is encased in fog, a natural sun halo crowns this valley, and where those rays land, you’ll find this lovely ranch…
Sold on Pacifica? Well, pack the stationwagon and get going!
by Lillian Berman, KFSF