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When I need a quick beach fix that’s close to Sacramento, Pacifica is my go-to pick.

Located about 15 miles south of San Francisco along Highway 1 in San Mateo County, Pacifica is about 100 miles from Sacramento and, depending on traffic, about a two-hour drive. That’s closer than some of the other seaside towns that turn up in internet searches near Sacramento, like Sonoma County’s Bodega Bay or Stinson Beach, though this low-key weekend jaunt is overlooked by many — myself included.

I used to drive through Pacifica on the way to other coastal destinations but only really discovered its charms in the early 2000s while working for the then-called State Department of Fish and Game, attending a couple of meetings there for the Fish and Game Commission and the Marine Life Protection Act effort.

There were several surfers on the MLPA team, and they’d get up early to catch a few waves at Rockaway Beach before starting their day. With the hotel we stayed at just steps away from the ocean, it was in a perfect location. Surfing is one of the easily accessible outdoor activities found in Pacifica, which features hiking trails, scenic overlooks, a 6-mile stretch of beach and a very special Taco Bell. A Taco Bell? More on that later.

My wife, Sharon, and I have become Pacifica regulars, usually staying in the Rockaway Beach area, either at the Pacifica Lighthouse Hotel or the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites. Those two hotels, along with the 1950s-retro Seabreeze Motel and the Inn at Rockaway, are literally steps from Rockaway Beach and its quaint shops, as well as the 98-year-old Nick’s Seafood Restaurant, which shares a parking lot with the Seabreeze. The Pacifica Beach Hotel, meanwhile, is at the south end of Pacifica State Beach.

With a population of about 36,000, Pacifica is known for its fogged-in days year-round, but during a trip in June we hit perfect sunshine, picking a Monday stayover to make sure we could grab dinner at one of our favorite haunts, the classic Nick’s, which is open Thursday through Monday.

Nick’s opened in 1927 as practically the only business in town (Pacifica was incorporated as a city in 1957) and is still run by the Gust family. Nick’s and the Seabreeze, which was also built by the Gust family, face Rockaway Beach and the parking lot off Old Country Road — one of my favorite unofficial rest stops in Northern California.

In the shadow of Half Moon Bay and its legendary Mavericks surf location about 15 miles south, Pacifica isn’t known for its huge surfer waves, but beaches such as Rockaway and Pacifica State Beach (aka Linda Mar Beach) are still popular and can get quite busy. I’ve run into more than one business person from the Bay Area getting in a quick midday surfing break. Rockaway Beach and its distinctive rock formations was one of many Bay Area film locations for the 2012 sports drama “Chasing Mavericks.”

Up and over the adjoining hill, just south of Rockaway, is one of the more picturesque moderate hiking trails in NorCal. The zigzag path lined with seaside wildflowers, utilized by joggers, hikers, bicyclists, dog walkers and folks with baby strollers, offers breathtaking views of Rockaway Beach to the north and the mile-long Pacifica State Beach to the south. The paved path winds along Highway 1 and features numerous benches on which to rest and take in the views. The vibe is jovial, and every time I’ve taken that hike, I’ve run into visitors from all over the world.

Continuing to the very south end of Pacifica State Beach is what was called “the most beautiful Taco Bell” in a 2022 Business Insider article. It would be very hard to find one more scenically located than at that 5200 Coast Road address, which started as an A&W restaurant in the early 1960s and transitioned to a Taco Bell in the 1980s. Located on the beach with outdoor seating directly facing the ocean, the restaurant surged in popularity with the advent of social media. Since then, it’s gone through several remodels — including earlier this year — to become a Taco Bell Cantina that serves alcohol.

Also worth a visit, about three miles north of Rockaway Beach is the Pacifica Municipal Pier, Sharp Park Beach and Downtown Pacifica. The pier, when it’s not closed due to bad weather or storm-induced damage, offers a 1,140-foot stroll over the ocean and is a popular whale watching location. It’s also the only pier in the Bay Area where fishing is free with no license required — a perfect finish to a perfect getaway.

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