Mori Point

Located along the Pacifica shoreline, Mori Point is a protected blufftop open area that has an unnamed beach with brown sand below it. Mori Point and the narrow beach below it are a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is managed by the National Parks Service. The bluff sides around the beach are slowly getting eroded by ocean water. Multiple gulches are also present near the beach. While the beach below Mori Point does not have lifeguards, the blufftop area above this beach offers many amenities including benches, observation spots, and hiking and biking trails. While dogs are allowed on leash in Mori Point, bringing them to the beach is not recommended due to the difficult access route to the beach.

The beach in Mori Point offers many fun activities including hiking, sunbathing, and wildlife watching. Aquatic recreational activities are unsafe in the water near this beach as it is known to have extremely dangerous rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including seals, otters, and migrating whales. The blufftop area above this beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean. As an interesting fact, Mori Point and the beach below it were also featured in the 1971 movie Harold and Maude.

The blufftop Mori Point situated above the beach has many hiking and biking trails that you can use to explore the vibrant blufftop landscape here. Mori Point has many interesting types of vegetation including coastal scrub and coastal grasslands. In addition, Mori Point also has multiple small ponds and wetlands. You can see many interesting animals here including the endangered San Francisco garter snake and the California red-legged frog. Mori Point also has interesting remains of military installations dating back to World War Two. 

In order to access the beach below Mori Point, you need to first drive the intersection between Bradford Way and Mori Point Road which is easily accessible from Cabrillo Highway/Pacific Coast Highway. You can park on the street near this intersection and then hike to the blufftop area above the unnamed beach in Mori Point via a hiking trail. As another access option, you can also hike to the blufftop area above the beach from the intersection between Reina Del Mar Avenue and Cabrillo Highway. A free parking lot is available near this intersection. You can get down to the beach in Mori Point from the blufftop area above by scrambling along the multiple gulches present near the beach. However, getting down to the beach from the blufftop area above can be unsafe and difficult as the bluff sides here are steep and potentially unstable.

As an interesting fact, Mori Point is spread over 110 acres and is named after Stefano Mori, who operated a farm here during the late 19th century. 

There are many attractions near Mori Point. The Pacifica Municipal Pier offers amazing Instagram-worthy photos of the Pacific Ocean and San Mateo County shoreline. In addition, this pier is also a great fishing spot especially during the summer months. Depending on the time of the year, you can catch many kinds of fish in the water around the pier including croakers, bass, and salmon. You can also catch Dungeness crabs in the water here during winters. In addition, a fishing license is not required while fishing from this pier. A cafe is also present on the pier. The Mildred Owen Concert Hall offers many interesting performances including a variety of musical and dance performances. The hall also hosts comedic performances and spoken word events. In addition, the hall offers free admission to children under 18. If you are looking for another attraction near Mori Point, Pacifica Coastside Museum offers interesting exhibits that offer a unique insight into the rich history of Pacifica.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Mori Point. Moonraker Restaurant offers a memorable oceanfront dining experience. In addition, this restaurant is also famous for its excellent seafood. Colombo‚ Äòs Delicatessen offers amazing sandwiches, salads, and pasta. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Mori Point, Breakers Breakfast, Lunch & Brunch offers amazing breakfast and lunch dishes including eggs, pancakes, waffles, French toasts, burgers, sandwiches, salads, crepes, chili, and soup.

If you are looking for a hotel near Mori Point, there are many great nearby options. The 5-Star Grand Hyatt at SFO offers many amenities including a restaurant, a market, a bar, a fitness center, and laundry facilities. As another upscale option, the 4-Star Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport is 18 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including a market, a bar, a restaurant, a fitness center, a pool, and a complimentary airport shuttle.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Pacifica Beach Hotel which offers many amenities including a pool that offers views of the Pacific Ocean and a restaurant. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Mori Point, the modestly priced 2-Star Americas Best Value Inn San Francisco Pacifica offers many amenities including laundry facilities and complimentary breakfast. In addition, the hotel is also located conveniently close to some of the major attractions in San Mateo County.