Joseph Herrera Sr.’s beach setup is the size of a small room. There are mats and chairs, an umbrella, a cooler, kites, and this time, a portable crib. It’s for his 2-month-old grandson, Joseph Anthony III.
“This is his first trip to the beach, so we wanted to make it as special as we can,” Herrera says. While it may be overkill, he says, “For the little one, it’s awesome."
For years, Herrera and his wife, Judy, have come to Linda Mar Beach as a ritual. They load up the car at home in Pittsburgh, Calif., arrive in Pacifica, and stay until the sun sets. It’s a family affair, including their children and now their grandchild, too.
The beach reminds Herrera of where he grew up: the U.S. island territory Guam, located in the western Pacific. And while there aren’t any palm trees on Linda Mar Beach, he can still do what he loves here: walk the beach, spend time with people he cares about and fly kites.