Getting a suntan or catching a wave are the main attractions at popular Pacifica State Beach, as well as at Rockaway Beach just north.
Pacifica State Beach
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
11.87 MILES
When Frederick Law Olmsted, architect of New York's Central Park, gazed in 1865 upon the plot of land San Francisco Mayor Frank McCoppin wanted to turn…
14.91 MILES
Hedonism is alive and well at this transit hub turned gourmet emporium, where foodies happily miss their ferries over Sonoma oysters and bubbly, SF craft…
16.4 MILES
Alcatraz: for over 150 years, the name has given the innocent chills and the guilty cold sweats. Over the decades, it’s been a military prison, a…
15.16 MILES
Is there a science to skateboarding? Do toilets really flush counterclockwise in Australia? At San Francisco's hands-on science museum, you'll find out…
11.74 MILES
Since at least the 1980s, if you stroll through San Francisco's Mission District you've likely noticed the neighborhood's profusion of colorful murals and…
20.73 MILES
Muir Woods National Monument is located just a few miles north of San Francisco in Marin County, and is a prime peaceful destination for reflection within…
12.26 MILES
Was it the fall of 1966 or the winter of ’67? As the Haight saying goes, if you can remember the Summer of Love, you probably weren’t here. The fog was…
14.59 MILES
If you look close today at the clinker-brick buildings lining these narrow backstreets, past the temple balconies jutting out over bakeries, acupuncture…
Nearby attractions
1. Gray Whale Cove State Beach
2.34 MILES
This is one of the coast’s popular clothing-optional beaches. Park across the road and cross Hwy 1 very carefully to the beach. It's located just south of…
2.65 MILES
About 5 miles south of the town of Pacifica, this wide-open crescent is a local favorite for its pristine sand. Inland the park encompasses McNee Ranch,…
2.71 MILES
Trails climb from Montara State Beach to access the undeveloped 4000-acre park of Rancho Corral de Tierra, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation…
4.79 MILES
Located where a branch of the San Andreas Fault meets the ocean, this city park with landmark offshore rock formations is the closest spot to the…
5.18 MILES
At Moss Beach, this marine reserve protects tide pools teeming with sea life. Walk out among the pools at low tide – wearing shoes that you can get wet –…
6. San Bruno Mountain State & County Park
7.83 MILES
Look at a driving map of the Bay Area and you may wonder at an odd island just south of San Francisco where roads are absent. This is San Bruno mountain,…
8.08 MILES
Grassy dunes up to 200ft high at Fort Funston give an idea of what the Sunset District looked like until the 20th century. A defunct military installation…
8.73 MILES
Busy Half Moon Bay is bordered by this 4-mile-long, crescent-shaped beach. Stop by the park visitor center (open weekends only) at the parking lot to…