We were really looking forward to our dinner based on the reviews we read. The place is shabby at best. The service was just okay. The food was over priced and disappointing. We spent $250 for dinner, we expected tasty seafood and ended up thoroughly disappointing. read more

Rockaway Beach and the adjacent part of Pacifica is great as a jumping off point for a hike across to Mori point. It seems like a safe place to park. Parked here many times and never had problems. Beach area here is great for some photos. read more

Smaller bay that is cuter than the beach near the pacifca municipal pier. Rocks to scramble over, a fast moving stream, wetland, tons of photo ops, rollers to gawk at. Beware of the squirrels--they stalk you for food... really. They.are.fearless. Maybe even pushy. They are like furry touts! PSA delivered. read more

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Such a unique find while visiting Pacifica. No wonder Half moon bay is somewhere people always want to visit. There are so many hidden outlets everywhere you go. This is a black sand beach that not many people know about. There are warning signs of riptides so be wary if entering the water. Multiple places to park, find a spot to relax, or even eat on the left side of the beach. read more

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California Trip #16 "I tried to discover, in the rumor of forests and waves, words that other men could not hear, and I pricked up my ears to listen to the revelation of their harmony." ― Gustave Flaubert I treated myself to the last two nights during my trip while in California. I booked at the Best Western (http://www.yelp.com/biz/best-western-plus-lighthouse-hotel-pacifica-2?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)) and, luckily enough, it was located right on Rockaway Beach (RB). Being able to look out my window, listening to the waves, and sitting on the rocks while watching the sunset was the ultimate way to end my dream-come-true trip. RB is a small beach along the Pacific Coast Highway, and is located in Pacifica, seven miles south of San Francisco. As you turn off Route 1, you will be at Rockaway Beach Plaza. Turn right onto Old Country Road, which will take you to a parking lot. (There is another parking lot at the end of San Marlo Way, north of the hotels, but the other lot is next to the widest part of the beach, and that's a good thing when the tide is high.) Here's some info for you: *Free parking *Dogs allowed *Trail from RB to Linda Mar (http://www.cityofpacifica.org/depts/pw/parks/trails_n_walkways/default.asp) *Gorgeous views with the cliffs, but not a "sunbathing" type of beach because of the small size of the beach (much of the sand is wet during high tide). I recommend Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay instead (http://www.yelp.com/biz/poplar-beach-half-moon-bay?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)). *Lots of gift shops, specialty stores, and restaurants within walking distance *Restroom *Fishing and Surfing (not for beginners) *Wonderful spot for photography: stunning sunsets, coastal bluffs, and many birds including herons, egrets, California Least Terns, and red-winged blackbirds *Fun Fact: "As early as 1776, limestone was quarried in the Rockaway Beach lime pits and was used to whitewash the newly built Presidio of San Francisco" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockaway_Beach,_Pacifica,_California). RB is a great place for booking a hotel or wanting to go shopping. It's also a beautiful spot to take some pictures and listen to the waves--free! (We all know how rare that is in California.) If you're looking for a beach to spend the day, letting the kids run around and build sandcastles, I wouldn't recommend RB--the beach is just too small. Otherwise, it's still a gorgeous shoreline on the Pacific Ocean to spend some time relaxing. read more

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I love it out here. It's quiet, relaxing and it's generally not crowded. I've been out here the day before a storm is scheduled to come in and the waves are pretty intense. When the surf is up, there are a lot of hot surfer guys to watch, that's always fun. Overall, this is one of the more calming beaches I've visited. There's plenty of parking and everyone seems to be super friendly. If you have time after a hike go to the BBQ place across the street, it's really good. Note - keep an eye out for the older, white, man with a hole in his sweatpants. He wears gray sweats with a hole in the crotch. I think he like to show off his business to the world because he always seems to be stretching and/or bending over whenever I see him..... read more

Rockaway Beach - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

Great place to enjoy the beach and a good breeze. Surfers are out here, but not for the beginners though, as the waters are too rough. Lots of friendly people, dogs everywhere and plenty of space on the beach, IF you get there early enough. Very small parking lots and they get full quickly. A few shops to walk and look inside if that is your thing and places to eat as well. read more

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I use to live on Dondee and believe it or not hardly ever went to the beach. Now that I'm up the hill i find myself here a lot more than before. I never come on the weekend cause the out of towners like to flood this area, especially on a nice day. I do my runs from Valemar to Crespi daily. I love the hundreds of trails you can choose from I never get bored or lose interest. My kids love playing in the sand and sometimes catch a few waves if it isn't too cold. Perfect for sunsets and sunrises not to mention a chop. read more

This is a COVID-friendly beach. Maybe 20% of people there today were wearing masks, even though it was nice and cool at 70 degrees. Prepare to dodge lots of maskless folks walking and talking on the narrow walking trails and path by the ocean. This place really should be patrolled by a few cops on the weekends to enforce mask-wearing. read more

This is a really nice beach. Went when it wasn't too busy. Definitely want to try fishing here next time or just get a group together to hang. The sand seems cleaner despite the dark color. There is a super nice view with the cliff and when the sun hits it right... It makes for a nice picture with whatever is in front of it. read more

Rockaway Beach - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

If you coming from Daly City this is the very first beach you'll bypass before Pacifica State Beach. One of the beautiful beaches along Highway 1. The beach is small not ideal for swimming. Don't forget there's designated parking lot on the right side for the beach. There's a mountain you can do little hiking. This beach looks amazing! I highly recommend! read more

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I love Rockaway Beach. It is very calming. I love just parking in the lot and just watching the waves and the sun set over the ocean. This beach is not for swimming though. The water is way too rough and the beach is very rocky. It is a beautiful beach though. There is not much to say. The picture says it all. read more

Rockaway Beach - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

Great hike from Rockaway Beach to Mori Point. The trails are dry and dusty in the summer, so bring grippy hiking boots. Sometimes, you can see whales migrating in May and in November. I highly recommend this beautiful hike. read more

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Love, Love, Love this beautiful beach. Small, intimate, and tranquil. You would never guess that behind this little pier of shops was a beach that you could literally park your car within five feet of the water. I felt so calm here. There aren't too many people around and it just felt like your own private beach. I don't particular like beaches, but this was one that I could actually see myself just sitting in my beach chair, listening to the soft waves, and relaxing with a good book in my hands. read more

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I love this beach, very peaceful not many people there but the only thing I'd say that kind of killed the vibe was the squirrels. I love nature but as I was just relaxing doing yoga on the beach the squirrels were very curious and got extremely close to me which I do not like, but I am in their space so it made sense. Though I would go back to explore this beach more and it's surrounding areas just with more people. read more

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Ok I'm hooked on this beach now cause I saw two dolphins flippin around and my days been made. They were soo up close too, it was pretty amazing. The waves are beautiful here, seems like every beach has their own unique waves... This beach is super small, it's good for sitting and watching the waves, not so much walking along the beach cause there's not much beach to walk on! There's a bunch of benches and a cool cliff you can walk up. read more

Rockaway Beach - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

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I love coming to Rockaway beach because it is always so peaceful. The energy here is so relaxing and you can always count on this beach to make you feel calm. It's never really crowded and sometimes there are only a few people just walking their dogs. A really great place to come to clear your mind. Beautiful. read more

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My one star review is for the hiking trail between here and Rockaway beach. One star because it appears the locals here seem to think it's okay to bag up dog poop and then leave it sitting on the walking path and on the resting benches along the way. I don't care if they leave it and plan to pick it up on their return trip. It's absolutely disgusting seeing bagged dog poop all along the trail. Carry the bags with you so others don't have to see that. read more

Really cute beach! I'm a local and it's a great spot to walk around, they have trails, tide pools and food and shops a little bit farther down. The water is usually choppy and not an ideal spot for swimming or surfing. But definitely a great beach! read more

I feel like it'll be a cold day in hell before I give a California beach less than 5-stars, so here goes... Everywhere on the peninsula coast is magic and this is no different. The beaches (there's two parts for people separated by an area where the ocean just rams straight to the jagged rocks all the time) are small, but fun for some quick exploring. The right-side beach has black sand that runs into sandy-colored sand and looks hella cool, and the larger left beach is just tan. You'll often find surfers out on the left side and a maybe a handful of people out on the sand, but there's never really a ton of activity, which is nice. The beach is right off a bunch of free parking lots, so you'll have no problems there, but you won't get the full beach experience still being able to see exactly where you parked your car, but the views of the ocean and the cliffs are spectacular and it's a nice (Very) little stroll if you're in the mood, plus, theres a great trail coming off the right-side parking lot that takes you up the cliffs (it's a hike, for sure- lots of almost vertical climbing) that's really fun and doesn't take too terribly long. Great for a workout. read more

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I loveee this beach!! It is sooo peaceful and beautiful. Also would definitely recommend going on a week day because there is less people.

This place was pretty damn near perfect with the exception that the sand on the beach isn't really your typical "sand" since it's mostly wet actually so it's not really the best to lay out on but great to play in, build castles or entertain dogs! This beach is pretty, but it looks like during high tide the water does come pretty high up so you might want to be aware of that with small dogs, or children! This beach is beautiful though, located in such a serene area of Pacifica. I would have never found out except for the immense heat that we experienced in the Bay Area in-land on Saturday and having to foster a dog around, you quickly come to realize that it's cool down or let the poor doggy suffer. Thankfully, this place was on our way back (ish) from the Daly City area and provided the perfect cooling relief from the weather. So cute! read more

He picked this place. And after seeing the waves, I understood why. I quickly grew accustomed to the salty air and stood envious of the residents of the condos that would look out to this gorgeous view everyday. I felt like I had to shout to be heard over the crashing wave, ... and yet my words weren't written for shouting. "I needed to look no further than the 2 of you who stand before me today. You are the shining example, for all of us here and for each other. Rare is it to find 2 people who share their best with each other. Anyone who has spent any time with the two of you together can sense your selflessness and commitment to each other. The placing of the happiness, comfort and success of the other before your own. This is not sacrifice, this is love. In dreams and in love, there are no impossibilities. And to borrow a passage from The Little Prince, "Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in in looking outward together in the same direction ..." The best is yet to come." It is a beautiful beach for a beautiful wedding. read more

Whales! There are whales right now! We were looking right at the horizon where there were a ton of birds just circling around. We knew it had to be some larger animal in the water feeding, but never did we expect it to be a pod! We were able to track the whales as they moved either because they breached or by watching for water from their blowhole. It was totally awesome! -1 star for the beach itself. My friends and I were there as volunteers for a beach cleanup...and we more than filled our quota which definitely speaks volumes...majority being cigarette butts and trash from the taco bell. Shame, shame. read more

Love this beach. There are seals here too. read more

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I absolutely love Rockaway. I gave it five stars before and I will give it five stars again. I took a hike and a bike ride in new areas at Rockaway so I thought I would update my review. On this past Saturday evening, I met a friend and his dog and we hiked toward Mori point from the parking lot at Rockaway, where the shore is full of rocks. You have to cross a stream there, which is easy enough when you step on stones in the stream, but I didn't wear my trail runners! Bad idea! I was slipping all over the place because I wasn't wearing my trail runners! I was bummed, but it lends itself to a lot of hysterics anyway. My friend and I laughed at my inability to take a step without falling, hahaha. The dog of course, was up the mountain in no time with absolutely no slipping. My friend didn't slip either, so obviously the problem was me, hahaha. To get to the top of the mountain there, you have to scramble up the trail which is fairly steep. The trail is slightly unstable, but definitely doable if you are watching your footing. Once you get to the top of the hill, a bunch of different trails span out in front of you and you can follow the one you choose as far as you want easily. We came back down the same way and the trail down was pretty slippery so there were more hysterics of me slipping all over the place :). Since the trail is so steep I did have to scootch down on my bum which just led me to slip down the trail in that style - hahaha, more hysterics. The trails at the top connect to trails which lead to Mori Point, which is awesome. The night before, on Friday, I also biked all around Rockaway - down the paved path to the other parking lot that is located off the 1. I ended up biking to the other side of Rockaway and then over to Pacifica State Beach, which was a glorious sunshiny, warm, amazing day. So lusciously fun. Rockaway is still one of my favorite spots all the way! Love love love. read more

Beautiful beach but a little taken over by the birds and a little dirty from all the traffic and visitors. Looks like it is one of the top places for surfers so if you enjoy watching them, this is the beach to visit. Parking is free and there are plenty of areas to find a spot. Avoid the Taco Bell, the view is good the service is horrible. Do go to Nick's and have yourself a crab melt, you'll thank me. And if you are going to binge on delicious calories at a brunch spot, do take a walk along the bath, its a good 3 miles and you'll take in some nice views from the hill -- paved and walk friendly for all levels. read more

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Rockaway is actually two beaches, north and south both with parking. The south beach has a trail you can take which leads up above the cliff. Neither beach is very large and not really conducive for spreading out a big blanket and laying around. It can be a nice surfing spot. For me the big draw to my visits this year has been the great whale watching you can do here. Recently there have been lots of whales to see and they are very close to shore, just spectacular! read more

Rockaway Beach - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

After a particularly tough day, I hopped in my car, turned the radio all the way up and blasted Jon Bon Jovi, and made my way down the fog filled highway towards Rockaway Beach. I haven't been here in years, but memories of bonfires, surfer watching, and late night strolls along the lapping ocean waves flooded in and brought me right back to those care-free days of adolescence and early 20's. Not much has changed. It's still an amazing spot with plenty of people walking their dogs in the sand, surfers catch'n waves, and couples enjoying the sunset. I'm even chill'n in the beachfront Taco Bell right now as I type. I haven't been here since I was 20. Sometimes when you have a bad day, you just have to jump in the car, crank up the tunes, and soak in the sun and surf of the Pacific. It's all right here if we allow ourselves to see it. read more

Rockaway Beach - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

This place is a hidden gem. It's easy to miss the turnoff from the freeway, but it's worth it. Small little beach in Pacifica. Always good parking. Bathrooms nearby that are cleaner than your average restroom. We've been here probably 20 times in the past few years and it never disappoints. read more

Rockaway Beach - Love it here. - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

I must say Rockaway beach is my favorite beach in Pacifica. It has some beautiful views and an awesome paved trail for biking, walking or running. It's a great place to go with the family or if your by yourself more often than not then it's great to take your furry friend with you. Overall this beach is one of the cleanest I've seen around and it's a great place to relax. This place is definitely the place to be and on sunny days it's absolutely beautiful and super crowded. The only thing that can be a pain is trying to find parking and many times this area is congested. I love this beach and if you haven't been here I highly recommend that you stop by and check it out. read more

A most beautiful spot along the Pacific Ocean~!!! NOT for swimming beach, but great for surfing, picnic's, and fishing off the shore. Also, just a beautiful spot the whole way round........Beautiful day on Thursday, July 16. People showing others respect also during this trying time. Social distance, and mask when having to be closer. Great place to breath the Ocean air~!!! read more

Watching mother nature's show! Amazing!!! I love watching waves crushing through the rocks, it reminds me of the beach house we have back home. I know it's dangerous to be this close but as long as you know you're aware of the danger and know when to run FAST (lol) should be okay. There's quite a few people walking around the area admiring the splash of the waves. Always great to walk around in this area whether it's low or high tide and rain or shine! read more

Rockaway Beach - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

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A cool, dog friendly beach with easy access to the water. Lots of parking available when we went on a Sunday. There are a couple of trails to walk around and beautiful wildflowers right now. Restrooms available at the parking lot. There was cute artwork on display by school kids (I think) which we enjoyed watching, and nice benches all around. read more

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A friend of my mine recommended that i go here, and i absolutely loved it! I came here on a Monday specifically to watch the sun set, and it was just BEAUTIFUL. read more

Rockaway Beach - Beaches Near Me - Pacifica, California

Late one evening, while on the quest for a late night adventure, we found ourselves in the sleepy town of Pacifica. It was one of those evenings where we all jumped in the car and drove--drove into nothingness and the vast unknown future before us. We didn't know where we were going, we just knew we wanted to be somewhere else. I knew I wanted to be somewhere else (and back home in time for work the next day). We ended up in Pacifica at a beach with far too many rocks that made walking difficult. We then changed locations to Rockaway Beach near one of our party's aunt's house, where there are no rocks. The sand was soft, the water was cold and the waves were only slight at 11pm on an odd weekday. We were barefoot with the sand between our toes, the salt smell in the air and the strange kelp arms reaching for our bare ankles. We sat on the rocks, looked at the lights speckled against the vast darkness, pondered our circumstance, and ran laughing through the water as the tide came in. It was different, yet not. It was strange, yet familiar. It was something new, on an evening where we needed to get away. read more

We arrived about an hour before sunset. We were the first ones so we strolled along the shore and gazed out at the ocean. It was sunny and warm and the salty smell of the sea was pungent in the air. We made jokes about Him being out, riding the waves until it was time. We went down to the sand and waited in two lines. She walked down with Her father while He waited at the head of both lines. The waves crashed behind Him. Once She was standing in front of Him, He looked at Her, She looked at him and then He took Her hand. We moved closer and inadvertently formed a circle around Them. A few poignant words were spoken and then They were one, as it was meant to be, a moment before He kissed Her and the sun set ahead of Them. read more

So many great memories of Rockaway beach! Came here yesterday with my sis, her bf , and Milo our dog. Rockaway beach is a small little beach, perfect for hanging out, bringing the fam. They also have a trail you can take all the way up to the top that has a great view of the beach. Milo had the time of his life, splashing around and enjoying the sun. read more

another stop on the way home from Half Moon Bay - bathroom break for me, bird-chasing break for the pooch. it's a pretty nice beach (not as beautiful as Ft. Funston, Montara, etc) but nice for a walk with the dog and a quick wade. there's a lot of free parking and bathrooms, and if you get hungry for a bad burrito, you're in luck cuz there's at Taco Bell right there, overlooking the beach (a few outdoor tables are on the back porch, as are 2 bathrooms). and only minutes from SF! make sure your dog is leashed! read more

Beautiful. Simple. Small and intimate. Great little paths, some hills, beautiful views. Plenty of rocks. I've been in California for over a decade and I never understood the appeal of surfers. Until now..... From a distance they resembled a bunch of sitting birds on the water, upon a bit closer review, they were sleek and slick as seals....I spent a good part of an hour snapping shots of the surfers waiting for 'their wave' to ride. Some were successful attempts, others failed, and watched them swim back out to repeat the process. (I used to walk on Ocean Beach, often, and it's not the same. Especially since it's dirty there.) It was peaceful and a bit nerve-wracking to watch them. The crash of waves, music to my ears. I will say this, it's eerie to watch the ocean, post-Tsunami warnings. read more