I've lived in NYC (loved it there) and San Francisco (loved it there, too) currently I live a block from the beach in PB and it's great. You're too late though as they banned alcohol on the beach about 3 years ago. The boardwalk in PB and MB (Mission Beach), on 3-day weekends, was one one of the best places in the world to be on a day like July 4th or Memorial Day. Just as worse, District 2 city councilman Kevin Faulconer banned the PB Block Party. The PBBB, with many outdoor music stages, used to draw approx 100,000 fun loving, dance-happy people (people from L.A. used to attend) and now it's gone. Faulconer had a hand in banning alcohol on the beach. The boardwalk now, on 3-day weekends, is a little like a graveyard in that it no longer rocks like it used to and is far, far too somber. Those were good times that are gone forever - the boardwalk on those days was like being attending the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Kevin Faulconer screwed it up for everyone.