Surf: Two miles of heavy beachbreak fronting Pacifica, similar to San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. Picks up any swell from N, W, and S and can hold up to tow-in size. Lower tides work best. The north side of the pier often boasts a quality sandbar that holds size. Environment: There are parking spots overlooking the beach with restrooms nearby. Gets crowded when it’s small. Surf: General: There is a long stretch of open beach running south from Sloat Street and along the Daly City headland. There is surf all along there but few surfers, as access takes a bit of effort.

Pacifica begins at Mussel Rock, which is near the Daly City/Pacifica border. You can get there by taking the Manor Drive exit, and weaving north through the residential streets. There is a parking lot which has a view north to all that inaccessible coast below the Daly City cliffs.

From Mussel Rock all the way south to Mori's Point, there are around three miles of beach and reefbreaks, fronting the lovely coastal hamlet of Pacifica.

Did we say "lovely?" Well, that's going a little far. Pacifica can be lovely on the right clear, blue offshore day in fall, winter or spring. But generally, Pacifica is most often associated with gray gloominess, onshore winds and crummy surf.

Think of northern Pacifica as the NorCal version of Oceanside: miles of ungroomed beach, beachbreaks and reefbreaks overlooked by apartments, mobile homes and RV parks. There's a concrete pier down at the south end, like Oceanside, then the road ends at the Sharp Park Golf Course.

Pacifica is mostly a local scene, as the conditions are fickle and you have to be on top of it to get it. If you're driving north to south, you'll get an overview of the whole beach from up on top of the hill. If it looks like something is happening down there, take one of the exits and check it out. Tides: Varies. Size: Waist high-2X overhead Wind: E Swell: N, NW, W Bottom: Mostly sand, some reef. Paddling: Moderate. Spot Rating: Fun. Access: Easy. Several exits off Highway 1, parking along most of the beach. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Usually empty, occasionally crowded. Local Vibe: Very little, unless you happen upon a reef or sandbar where all 10 of the locals are surfing that day. Environment: Mostly clean. Hazards: Depression from the summer fog, nursing gray whales in the spring, nasty shorebreak on big winter days. Season: September-April