Across from a wild stretch of beach just 15 miles south of San Francisco, Pacifica Beach Hotel blends natural beauty with easy access to urban attractions. Step out onto your balcony for spectacular coastal views, and go exploring on Linda Mar Beach, a prime surfing spot. Ask for tips on local points of interest, then return to your suite to slip into a private whirlpool tub. The hotel also has an indoor pool, a nice plus given that summertime fog can keep temperatures on the cool side, and swimming in the chilly Pacific in the Bay Area typically requires a wetsuit.
During your stay, you’ll find that the city of Pacifica itself has a lot to offer in the way of outdoorsy diversions, in addition to the many that come with a beautiful beach. If you want to work on your ollies or fakie big spins—or have daredevil kids in tow—the Pacifica Skatepark is the place (and it’s free). Frontierland Park is perfect for a post- or pre-beach picnic, and hiking trails crisscross the area—Mori Point and Milagra Ridge offer view of the city of Pacifica and the coastline, and if you make your way to the top of Montara Mountain, on a clear day you can see all the way to the San Francisco skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge.
By dinnertime, you’ll have an appetite—sample exotic flavors of Peru, including seven kinds of ceviche and chupe de mariscos (a seafood and shellfish chowder), at Puerto 27, the hotel’s on-site restaurant.