OVERVIEW

In the City of Pacifica, just minutes away from San Francisco, known for scenic coastal views, and a family-friendly, small-town, beachfront community vibe, resides Esplanade Dog Beach near The Bluffs at Pacifica Apartments. Unfortunately, Esplanade Dog Beach is closed so no CanGo on the Esplanade.

IS THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT/SERVICE WORTH A VISIT?

After discovering this beach online and reading a number of positive testimonials from fellow dog owners, I decided to check out the beach for myself with my dog, Lovie. Much to our chagrin, the beach was a total wash-out, literally. Once I saw all the construction workers on the man-made sea wall of sand and daunting cliffs without any clear pathway down, I began to recall a short news segment from a few years back mentioning how The Bluffs at Pacifica Apartments were gradually getting closer and closer to the cliffs’ edge. Bummer! I wish this fact had been in the results for the beach online. See the videos to give you a sense of the natural erosion and slow progress to restore the beach.

Although we were not able to walk along the beach, we did enjoy the short stroll afforded by the Esplanade Beach Overlook Trail. Depending on how the city or possibly state re-builds the access route to the beach, I think this could be a great dog beach again like Fort Funston. And if the decision-makers learn from Funston’s mistakes and actually make a path that stands up to weather or stairs that are not crazy challenging to ascend, then this beach has the potential to become a close rival to Funston and not just due to proximity.

IS IT CONVENIENT OR A PAIN IN THE —?

Parking is somewhat challenging as the beach lacks an official parking lot, so street parking on a hill is the only official option. However, depending on timing, there may be a few visitor spots by the apartment rental office, if you are planning a short visit (out of respect for the apartment residents and staff).

The surrounding Esplanade Beach Overlook Trail is pretty pedestrian-friendly from what I could see, but much of it was closed off to pedestrians like the beach. Your dog needs to be on-leash on the trail and for safety reasons; you probably would not want to risk your dog or you falling.

It is fairly easy to dispose of waste on the Esplanade Beach Overlook Trail, but I have no idea if there will be any trash cans on the beach; I kind of doubt it because they may wash away and pollute the ocean. My guess is that the layout will be very similar to Fort Funston dog beach which is only 5 miles away or an 8-minute drive.

The closest emergency vet is Blue Pearl Pet Hospital (formerly NorCal Vet Emergency and Specialty Hospital) located on Junipero Serra Boulevard just over 4 miles away in Daly City or a 7-minute drive.  [Please note: we provide this information as a 24/7 resource not a recommendation.]*