Such a unique experience. I've lived in Pacifica for years and always wondered the history of this…read morecastle and what was inside. Now I know! Definitely worth a visit for anyone who likes unique history, movie buffs, and grand decor. Plus, delicious lemonade.

Who knew there was a castle in Pacifica? A nice visit if you're into history, architecture and want…read moreto see some views. Built in 1908 by the San Francisco rail magnate Henry Harrison McCloskey by the sea as a safe haven after his San Francisco home was severely damaged in the 1906 earthquake. It was later sold by his wife after her husband's death in 1914 Up until 1959, it had a reputation as a speakeasy, an illegal abortion clinic, a brothel and Coast Guard barracks during World War II. The castle was purchased and restored in 1959 by the late Sam Mazza, commercial painter and real estate magnate filled it with items from old theaters (fixtures, props) and items he purchased at garage sales...so a lot of kitschy items can be found. Place was never used as a residence but hosting parties and used as an event space. The place isn't as grand as I had imagined but definitely back in the day when Pacifica wasn't quite developed. A bit worn on the outside with no greenery and can see it providing a creepy backdrop at night. The docents (dressed as Mr and Mrs McCloskey) and Jeanette Cool, Executive Director of the Sam Mazza Foundation provided rich history that made it interesting and fun. The tour is 1.5 hours with a 10min video from 2000 of Sam Mazza at age 94...energetic and a bit quirky, eccentric with unique taste. All his real estate holdings, including the castle, and his art was left to his foundation after he passed in 2002. So now the castle provides tours, afternoon tea, holiday events and even a Halloween event with a medium...yeah friend bought tickets for that! An enjoyable visit with light refreshments after so grab a bite to eat before or after your tour

We randomly decided to spend the day in Pacifica and a quick google search recommended a visit to…read moreSanchez Adobe. We came upon the small museum/Interpretive Center and were greeted by two lovely ladies. One lady showed us around the center and gave us a nice overview of the exhibits and the history of the area. Then the other lady led us outside to visit the Adobe house. The second floor is being fixed so we only toured the first floor. We returned to the museum building and we watched a couple short educational videos on the tv. Then we took about 15 minutes to get a closer look at the exhibits and to buy some postcards. The visit was totally free. They mentioned that a lot of kids come here for a field trip and they have cute hands on activities for them. I left with a greater appreciation for the Indigenous Peoples and early California history.

Sanchez Adobe House (est 1842) is a historical landmark and a mission outpost of Don Francisco…read moreSanchez. It seats on a five-acre parcel adjacent to Linda Mar Blvd. It's a good spot to take event photography such as wedding. Free parking available. Overall, it's an interesting house.

A little zoo + a little science museum. Such a great combination! Our kid could easily spend half a…read moreday here. The zoo has both indoor and outdoor areas, with amphibians, birds, bobcats, raccoons, and more. They also had an otter, but sadly it recently passed away. There is also a playground that feels like a mini version of Magical Bridge Playground. The indoor science museum is full of hands-on, interactive exhibits. Everything is designed for kids to touch, explore, and play with, so they can easily spend a long time here. In the back, there is also a beautiful view of the bay with telescopes to look through. If you have a membership from another participating zoo, you may be able to get 50% off admission. There is an $8 parking fee to enter the park. There are lots of picnic tables nearby with a great view of the bay. You can watch the boats on the water and planes flying overhead while having lunch. Definitely a great place to spend a few hours with kids!

My 4yr old and 19m old enjoyed the playground, zoo, outdoor eating/ play area, and the hands on…read morescience activities. The little souvenir shop is quite small. If you're traveling with little ones, know there is no cafe or option to buy coffee other than a little refrigerator in the little shop so make sure you pack a lunch and snacks.

"Please don't play with the missiles!"…read more This site has interesting historical value, but there's not a whole lot to see here anymore. It's conveniently located on the Sweeney Ridge hiking trail, and it's not very difficult to get here. So perhaps worth a visit one time, but don't get your hopes set too high.

Grew up in the neighbor rat the base of trail so I've been here many time. I've even hiked to the…read moretop n bottom at night and encountered a mountain lion. One my favorite place to go and have a good time.

I can't believe it took us this long to visit this place! To be honest, I think we thought we had…read morealready visited before but we were wrong. What a gorgeous garden! It's pretty big to explore and took us a couple of hours to cover the basics. My only issue is I wish their signs were less confusing. I think having more maps throughout would be helpful as well. Maybe there was a brochure we were supposed to get when we purchased our tickets but that didn't happen. But overall, we very much enjoyed our visit and so glad we finally got a chance to explore. Botanical Gardens are one of our favorites.

A variety of beautiful and huge trees, birds(if you can spot them), and the best people to welcome…read moreyou in! What's not to like about this place! Besides they frequently host free and paid events and have a cute plant and bookstore. Love this place! Recently visited there for Flower Piano 2026 (ongoing from 10th to 20th September). Do not miss this! The lounge tickets were worth it on opening night.

The Sanchez Art Center; a wonderful community based gallery that host top notch professional art…read moreevents and workshops. Our photo was selected during a recent exhibit and the opening night was well attended and the art was featured in one of three galleries. Awesome. Thanks to Cyndi and the team; Juror, Jana Keegan.

Great place to see a wide variety of changing art exhibits. Affordable pricing…read more Lovely location near the Pacifica State Beach.

No charge. As soon…read moreas we went inside, an employee met us with a smile on his face and a friendly question: Do we want a tour or not? My advice is to answer yes, because that way you get through the entire museum, learning interesting that you might have missed without a guide. This man was full of passion for the place. He found much of the material, and yes, he just is a bit volunteer! By the way, my favorite part of the museum was the train. So, if you've never been to this place - you should visit it. You won't spend a lot of time, but you will probably learn something new!

Such a great relic from times past. When trains were The mode of transportation. Very good set up…read moreand display for families to visit. Lots of care here.

Amazing collection for anyone familiar (!) with slot machines…read more Friendly staff; free during most business hours.

Something free to do near downtown Half Moon Bay? Sign me up!…read more Both in and behind the jail is the Coastside History Museum. Run by volunteers, they pay (I believe) $5 a rent in year for the space and want people there learning about the history of the area to help justify that cost! I enjoyed the very cute exhibits, going back to the Ohlone (the Native American tribe of the area--who are still around!) to the Gold Rush and the present-day. Lots to learn here.

Free museum near the downtown. It's run by friendly volunteers. They have some displays about…read moreevents and have an old jail. They are funded by donations and grants so please donate a dollar or more if you can. It's a good stop for a few minutes if you're walking around the downtown.

I had the pleasure of participating - notice I said participate rather than attend, as it truly is…read morean interactive performance - in the Haunted Dollhouse experience. I can scare easily, so I was a little concerned that I would be too startled, or fearful of a scary dollface. While I did scream a few times when something sudden happened, my main take away is one of Delight, Whimsy, Playfulness and Reverence. The house in which the scene is set is a masterpiece of intricate art - filled with gorgeous mosaics, theatrical curtains, history both painted on the walls and held in all manner of precious trinkets and artifacts. Our clown hosts were a joy, and I giggle as I recall how they played with us throughout the journey. The resident witch brought a deep, grounded presence to the tour show, and I even learned that I have a haunted object at home that wants to be exorcised! (post-show homework!) I experienced the most reverence in the room that I was afraid of the most at first. The clown and witch hosts shared the history of the dolls, which is also the history of people and place. I left the room no longer scared and instead touched by the stories behind each doll. Another favorite moment was the tea party (!!!) with delicious tea and homemade cookies and pastries and even scull shaped sugar cubes!? I love the attention to detail and handcraftedness in every aspect of the experience. And finally the cleansing ritual at the end felt powerful and very real. That alone was worth the price of admission! Come enjoy a true and unreapeatable San Francisco experience!

Wow! What an incredible, unique experience! If you are looking for something new for your group to…read moredo, I highly recommend visiting this one-of-a-kind museum. Each room is more spectacular than the one before. Such incredible talent! The tour we did (Combo Tour: Twice Upon a Time) was worth every penny. Be sure you do it with family or friends who you feel safe and comfortable sharing your deep thoughts with in order to make the most of this experience. No cameras are allowed inside. The expectation is that you are fully present and engaged during the tour which we were. It brought our family of 5 closer together having us share some insights we didn't know about one another.