7 Best Things To Do In Daly City California

things to do in daly city california
Louise
Louise 
Updated
| 3 min read

Nicknamed “Gateway to the Peninsula,” Daly City is situated just outside of San Francisco. Its seven-mile (11 kilometer) coast and the San Bruno Mountain offer over 2,063 acres (835 hectares) of diverse park land and spectacular views of the entire Bay Area and the Pacific Ocean. Other than recreational and beach activities, shopping is another great thing to do in Daly City, as retail industry is the city’s key development! Of course, the first best thing to do is to learn about Daly’s past, then compare the city today. You will be amazed by what modernity brought you, before you enjoy their parks and shopping malls. Remember to eat the local food to your heart’s content and bring back some Daly City produce for memory sake.

1. History Guild of Daly City/Colma & Daly City History Museum

Olden days long forgot!

Posted by Daly City History Museum [History Guild of Daly City/Colma] on Wednesday, 7 September 2011

Posted by Daly City History Museum [History Guild of Daly City/Colma] on Monday, 1 July 2013

Explore the earliest inhabitants, the Costanoan or Ohlone Indians, who built their villages on Mussel Rock’s coast, and how the early pioneers began their supply of dairy products to San Francisco and the country. There are exhibits of photographs and artifacts showing you a glimpse of the early streetcars, railroads, old schools, hog ranches and the crash of WWII blimp, etc. Their collection includes hundreds of vintage photos, original documents dating back to the late 1880s, high school yearbooks, and a multitude of artifacts including a 1907 hand-pulled fire wagon and a cow bell used at the John Daly dairy. Besides this, there are lectures and special group tours if you need live commentaries of the rich history of the Daly City/Colma region. Make this your first stop before you get lost in modernity!

History Guild of Daly City/Colma & Daly City History Museum

Address: 6351 Mission Street, Daly City, CA 94014

Website: History Guild of Daly City/Colma & Daly City History Museum

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2. The Cow Palace

Posted by Cow Palace on Thursday, 14 May 2015

Did you know that Leland Stanford commissioned Kodak to build a special camera just to win a bet that horses when...

Posted by Cow Palace on Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Posted by Cow Palace on Friday, 17 October 2014

Plan your visit to coincide with the exciting Grand National Livestock Expo, Horse Show and Rodeo held annually in early October. Meet rodeo participants and exhibitors coming from all over the West to share their passion for agriculture and the time-honored tradition of the Grand National Rodeo. Attend the rodeo, the Junior Livestock Show and other events unique to Daly City and this historic venue like mechanical bull rides, a western-style marketplace, shopping, dancing, fabulous food and much more. The Cow Palace Arena & Event also hosts the Golden Gate Kennel Club Dog Show, ADIDAS warehouse sale, weekly food pantry with SF-Marin Food Bank and the Great Dickens Christmas Fair! To stay updated on fun and exciting happenings at the Cow Palace, be sure to check out their official website and follow them on social media.

The Cow Palace

Address: 2600 Geneva Ave, Daly City, CA 94014

Website: The Cow Palace

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3. Thornton Beach State Park

Posted by Bob Beach on Saturday, 25 March 2017

So nice to have an end to the rain in northern California! Bring on this gorgeous weather and the stunning Californian...

Posted by Don't Forget To Move - Adventure Travel Blog on Wednesday, 15 March 2017

If you prefer nature, a visit to Thornton Beach State Park will certainly give you instant satisfaction. As the climate is Mediterranean, it tends to be windy and cold throughout much of the park. During the summer months, fog is common along the coastline. Do dress in layers and in hiking boots if you are to take longer paths, otherwise comfortable shoes should suffice. Take pictures as you walk and admire the changing landscape during different seasons, you will not be deprived of nature here at the Thornton Beach State Park. Call for more information before you venture into the park.

Thornton Beach State Park

Address: John Daly Blvd and Skyline Boulevard, Daly City, CA 94015

Website: Thornton Beach State Park

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4. Mussel Rock Park

Mussel Rock Beach Paragliders
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user MatthewKeys used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Mussel Rock Park is another place for nature lovers. The park is made up of a lot of trails connecting to paragliding launch points on a hillside in south Daly City. There are sandy beaches at the North end, and the rest of the shoreline is patterned with boulders with a little sand exposed. For the brave ones, you may try the horseback riding along the cliff.

Mussel Rock Park

Address: Skyline Dr and Westline Dr, Daly City, CA 94015

Website: Mussel Rock Park

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5. Shopping at the malls

Serramonte Center

Posted by GoGo Tomago - Big Hero 6 on Saturday, 15 October 2016

Now, departing from nature parks, we shall venture into the concrete jungle of shopping malls. There are huge developments allowing you to shop till you drop. Serramonte Center, a regional shopping center located on Interstate 280, is one of the biggest retail developments that visitors should not miss. You will find lots of familiar brands’ outlets and eateries here. If you can’t do without shopping in your travels, this is the place to go!

Serramonte Center

Address: Hwy 280 & Serramonte Blvd., Daly City, CA 94015

Website: Serramonte Center

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6. Off the Grid

Off the Grid: Fort Mason Center Every Friday from 5pm to 10pm

Posted by Off the Grid on Thursday, 15 August 2013

Walk over the parking lot of Serramonte, and you will find Off the Grid, a traveling market of food trucks that offer a fine American culinary tradition. It operates weekly, providing various choices from around the California region on a rotating basis. The parking lot is packed with tables and chairs, to give you a semi dine-in feel while enjoying California’s best local bites. Off the Grid is the best place to go while having your shopping breaks.

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7. Daly City Farmers' Market

Fresh picked Brussel Sprouts on the stall at Swank Farms are looking good today!

Posted by Daly City Farmers' Market on Thursday, 19 January 2017

Posted by Daly City Farmers' Market on Saturday, 1 April 2017

Also located in Serramonte, Daly City Farmers’ Market is the best place for local produce to take home. The California farmers’ market has been voted by the readers of the San Jose Mercury News, Mountain View Voice, Walnut Creek Magazine, and other local newspapers as the “Best Place to Buy Produce,” and has won national, state and regional awards by the American Farmland Trust in America’s Favorite Farmers’ Market Contest.

Farmers' Market

Address: Serramonte Mall (behind Macy’s), 133 Serramonte Center, Daly City, CA 94015

Website: Daly City Farmers’ Market

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Where history and modernity meet

Daly has an interesting mix of history, nature and modern developments. They don’t necessarily gel, as each gives you a different experience. Historic Daly, Daly of Nature, Daly’s shopping haven, and Daly’s award-winning farmers market provide you different facets of Daly to enrich your visit.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Louise is a creative writer and a children’s book author. She loves travelling with purpose, be it for work, missions, teaching, for a humanitarian cause, or for pure fun. She has been traveling to...Read more

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