Pacifica Community Guide
Pacifica offers a very specific lifestyle and is what I would consider a true hidden gem in the Bay Area. It’s not for everyone but if it is for you, there’s a lot to love. It’s a secluded oceanfront city north of Half Moon Bay and south of San Francisco. You can enter via Highway 1 from the north or south, or take 280 to 35. It’s not all that accessible which adds to its remote feel but can deter people who need to commute.
The area we now know of as Pacifica is a combination of several beach communities that eventually morphed into one, and incorporated into San Mateo County in 1957. Because of that, there is no true town center or downtown. There are shopping plazas with all the basics—grocery stores, banks, restaurants, coffee shops, medical offices—but for big box stores and a shopping mall, you’ll need to head north to Daly City. The area has stayed mostly residential, with no true industrial area or big businesses. There is a mix of home styles that represent its varied origin. You’ll find 50s tract housing, oceanview condos, custom-built new construction, Cape Cod-style homes and beach bungalows with a lot of personality.
Pacifica, CA / Photo by: Fabian Quintero on Unsplash
The area is a series of hills with many of the neighborhoods nestled into its valleys. Though up high, you’ll find some of the most affordable ocean views in the Bay Area. There is usually limited real estate inventory. People who choose the Pacifica lifestyle generally fall in love with it and they don’t want to leave or change the way things are in their quiet beach town.
One common misconception is that Pacifica is always cold and foggy. If you’re close to the ocean then yes, you’re likely to experience a lot of this weather but that’s not the case for every neighborhood. Because it’s a hilly area, the fog gets trapped on the ocean side, leaving much of eastern Pacifica warm and sunny. Sun Valley is furthest from the ocean and could be considered the warmest neighborhood. Linda Mar is also known for its sunshine. It’s Pacifica’s largest neighborhood with mostly 50s and 60s tract housing, plus San Mateo County’s oldest home, the Sanchez adobe ranch house.
Aerial view of the Linda Mar and Pedro Valley areas of Pacifica, CA / Photo by: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Pacifica is popular with surfers and you can sense that vibe down by the beaches. It’s really unique to the Bay Area, and feels almost like a (colder) hip LA surf town. Pacifica Skatepark is across from Pacifica State Beach, which is more commonly called Linda Mar or Taco Bell Beach. Its namesake Taco Bell has become a tourist destination and has even been referred to as the “world’s best” taco bell. It was recently turned into a Taco Bell Cantina where you can order a drink with your budget meal and enjoy an ocean view. I’m always looking for unique coffee shops and that’s what you’ll find nearby at Soul Grind Coffee Roasters. It has artisan coffee and farm-to-table food in an atmosphere that embraces surf culture. It shares a shopping center with surf shops, Devil’s Slide Taproom and High Tide Cafe and Creperie. Rockaway Beach is further to the north with its own selection of oceanfront restaurants.
Surfing in Pacifica, CA / Photo by: Kai Schreiber, CC BY-SA
Another reason to visit Pacifica is the wealth of outdoor activities. It starts with the beaches but there is so much more than just that. Go to San Pedro Valley Park and hike Montara Mountain for panoramic views, bike paved Devil’s Slide Trail to experience the rocky coastline up close or whale watch along the paths of Mori Point. There is also good fishing, crabbing, equestrian trails, a golf course, archery club and tennis facility. Historical sites include Pacifica Coastside Museum inside of the city’s first church, built in 1910. One of the most unique buildings in Pacifica is Sam’s Castle—built by railroad magnate Henry Harrison McCloskey in 1908 to look like his wife’s childhood home in Scotland.
The Pacifica School District consists of four K-8 schools, two K-5, one 6-8 middle school and a homeschool program. There are two public high schools (Oceana and Terra Nova) under the Jefferson Union High School District. Some students living in northern Pacifica will attend Daly City public schools. Private schools include Good Shepherd School (K-8) and Pacific Bay Christian School (K-12).
There are 11 neighborhoods that make up Pacifica:
1. Fairmont
The northernmost community with tons of views, accessible shopping and a very doable SF commute.
2. Edgemar
A stop on the original Ocean Shore Railroad with mostly 40s homes and some pockets of new construction.
3. Pacific Manor
Mostly 40s and 50s tract housing with some apartment buildings.
4. Westview and Pacific Highlands
Up in the hills with Scottish street names, Cape Cod-style homes and spectacular views.
5. Sharp Park
A beachfront community with one-way streets, fishing pier, beach cottages, new developments and Sam’s Castle.
Sharp Park golfcourse in Pacifica, CA / Photo by: Allie_Caulfield, CC BY 2.0
6. Fairway Park
A late 50s development surrounded by nature, including Mori Point and Sharp Park Golf Course.
7. Vallemar
A woody, shaded neighborhood with an eclectic mix of homes along Calera Creek.
8. Rockaway Beach
A well-known tourist area with hotels, restaurants, small shops and contemporary homes on the other side of Highway 1.
9. Linda Mar
A large community of tract housing with family amenities, including parks, community center, theater, schools and skate park.
10. Park Pacific
A newer development with large homes built in the 70s.
11. Pedro Point
A hillside community at the mouth of Devil’s Slide with one-of-a-kind homes and picturesque views.
Pedro Point, Pacifica, CA / Photo by: C N, CC BY-SA