While much of the Bay Area continues to suffer from ongoing extreme heat warnings and advisories, many people are heading to the coast to cool off.
While temperatures in the East Bay and South Bay were around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, Pacifica was about 68 degrees cooler.
“We were in the 90s, 98s in Hayward,” said Manish, a Hayward resident visiting Pacifica, as he walked his dog, Pluto. “(I) don’t take (Pluto) out (at home) that much. Only after 8 o’clock at night. But during the day, (I) keep him inside and make sure he drinks enough.”
“It’s been warm, to say the least. But you know, I grew up in the Central Valley. I grew up in Fresno. So it feels like it was my whole childhood,” said Hershey Avula, a father and husband from Lafayette who is visiting Pacifica with his family. “It feels like the air conditioning is on (here) and we’re outside, so it feels really nice.”
Pacifica usually draws a larger crowd on the 4th of July, but the ongoing heat wave added to the heat. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper on Highway 1, parking was hard to come by for many, and the beaches were crowded.
The city of Pacifica also held its annual 4th of July celebration at Frontierland Park, where many families enjoyed live music, activities, amusement rides and food.
The longest line of all the rides was that of Mister Softee Nor Cal, an ice cream truck.
Eric, who drives the truck and lives in Fremont, said it was a relief to be able to work in Pacifica for a day.
“Oh my God, it’s way too hot in these trucks. We have air conditioning and everything, but it’s just diamond plate floors and everything is heated really well. It’s a daunting task, but we can handle it,” Eric said. “It feels good to be out here on the coast because the weather is nice… It means everything to the business. As you can see, it’s just a lot of people. It makes a good profit for us. And it’s an enjoyable experience for us.”
Some of Pacifica’s youngest entrepreneurs took advantage of the influx of vacationers. Lauren and Naya held their grand opening for their lemonade stand at their family homes.
“We decided we wanted to make money and it was warm so people walking by could get some lemonade,” Lauren said. “It’s usually 60 degrees here, so when it’s 70 degrees, everyone goes to the beach. And it’s, like, super hot and everyone’s sweaty and stuff. … A lot of people come (to Pacifica) just for the beach because it’s 70 degrees, which I guess is comfortable for them?”
Both Lauren and Naya said the 70-degree Fahrenheit temperature was “too warm” compared to what they are used to in Pacifica.
Bay Area beaches were crowded, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area warned the public Thursday.
“Stinson Beach, Muir Beach, Rodeo Beach, and Crissy Field’s East Beach parking lots are (currently) fully booked and closed to additional visitors,” the agency posted on social media. “Anyone wishing to travel to these locations will need to use public transportation (Marin Transit/Muni) or go elsewhere in the park.”
