One Of Northern California's Best Beach Towns Offers Coastal Trails Near San Francisco

If you've got an ideal California beach town on your mind, you're perhaps imagining golden rays and soft sands between your toes. Or maybe you're picturing starting your day with a morning surf and ending it with a stunning sunset over the Pacific. While SoCal beaches are most often associated with this kind of scene, Northern California has its local beach town gems, too. Just 15 miles southwest of San Francisco lies Pacifica, one of the Golden State's best beach towns with trails, coastal views, and very likely a beach to match your mood — it has four in total.

Pacifica was incorporated in 1957 after the small coastal communities of Rockaway Beach, Sharp Park, Vallemar, and Linda Mar merged, taking the name of the 80-foot statue built for the Golden Gate International Exposition held between 1939 and 1940. Before merging, these communities had been linked together (and to San Francisco) by the Ocean Shore Railroad, which designed the layout of modern-day Pacifica and laid the foundation for part of stunning Highway 1. Travelers coming from San Francisco can reach Pacifica by public transportation in roughly an hour, as can visitors arriving at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). From other cities in the Bay Area, including Berkeley and San Jose, Pacifica is under an hour away by car.

While there are scenic hiking trails on the Oregon coast, the beautiful trails don't end at the state line. Pacifica is nestled between rocky oceanside cliffs and towering ridges, providing excellent opportunities for a beautiful trek, bike ride, or trail run away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Pacifica has a 7-mile-long waterfront trail connecting the black-sand Sharp Park Beach to Pacifica State Beach (also known as Linda Mar Beach). Easy sections of the trail run through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, leading out to Mori Point and some of the Bay Area's best-known coastal views. Mori Point is also accessible by the wheelchair-friendly Old Mori Road boardwalk. Optimally, visit during the spring wildflower season or when the weather is clear. To cap off your walk, don't miss walking along the ridgeline trail, too, where you may see the Golden Gate Bridge.  

Other trails in and around Pacifica provide dramatic coastal views and are historically significant to the area. The 1.3-mile-long (each way) Devil's Slide Coastal Trail was retrofitted from the former Highway 1 path. If you're looking to catch your breath, you'll find benches and information points along the route to enjoy the community's rich history and sights, including shore and marine birds. Another highlight, the Sweeney Ridge Trail, is not directly on the coast but provides dramatic coastal views. It leads up to a historic viewpoint where Spanish Army Captain Gaspar de Portolá became the first European to see the San Francisco Bay in 1769. On your trek, be prepared for inclement weather, and bring a windbreaker.

In addition to offering a collection of smaller beach towns, Pacifica boasts a quaint downtown with a wide selection of restaurants and cafes, a popular bookstore, and, of course, four majestic beaches. If you're keen to spot whales, you won't have to walk far. Blue, gray, and humpback whales will often search for food along the pier near Sharp Park Beach. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the 1,140-foot pier is closed due to cracks in the structure and has no official re-opening date. Visitors who are looking to treat their four-legged friend to a leash-free afternoon should visit Esplanade Beach. This secluded beach north of downtown sits below high bluffs and has a walking path and stairs leading down to the shore. It is noted to be one of the best beaches in California for a coastal escape.

Being on the Pacific Coast, seafood – especially Dungeness Crab and fish – is the name of the game in Pacifica. If you're hungry to try some of the local fare, Moonraker, beside Rockaway Beach, is recommended on Google Maps for its lobster macaroni and cheese, happy-hour oysters, and ocean views. Perhaps surprisingly, Pacifica is also well known for its Taco Bell. The city's unique beachside Taco Bell Cantina at Linda Mar Beach serves up fast-food favorites, along with an expanded menu and even adult beverages. If you swim there, be sure to stay north of Taco Bell, as the water has tested positive for high levels of bacteria from sewage for several years, as reported by SFGate. Once you've filled your belly, don't miss heading south along Highway 1 on a scenic journey to Half Moon Bay, another gorgeous coastal city with beautiful scenery and breathtaking views.