Pacifica's western-themed playground: a ticket-booth play structure, tube slides, climbing net and wall, balance beams, a tire swing and a sandbox, set against the hills. Big reservable BBQ picnic area for parties.
Beachfront at Rockaway Beach: outdoor heated pool and whirlpool, direct beach access, free parking, and Nick's restaurant next door. The affordable coastal-family basecamp 20 minutes from SF.
Beachside Pacifica classic at Rockaway Beach with a children's menu, live music some nights, and ocean views, casual enough for sandy kids.
A surf-town pocket playground shaped like a beached boat, with a surfboard entryway, carved sea creatures and two slides at different heights. Tucked behind the Pedro Point firehouse; easy to miss, rarely crowded.
A converted rail car on Highway 1 serving smoky brisket and combo plates. Takeout and fast, easy to eat at the beach or a nearby park.
A brewpub by the beach with a kids' menu of mac and cheese, chicken tenders and cheese pizza, and hula hoops to keep kids busy.
A paved trail along the old highway on the cliffs, flat enough for strollers and bikes, with big ocean views and seabirds.
Bluff trails with steps to the top, ponds dug for California red-legged frogs, and a path down to the black sand of Sharp Park Beach.
A long stretch of sand below the bluffs with a staircase down, and a good lookout for spotting whales offshore.
A pier outside the Bay where you can catch and keep Dungeness crabs in season.
