The archaeological record of the California coast offers unique opportunities to examine broader issues of Pacific Rim prehistory and the development of coastal societies. In this paper, I examine California coastal prehistory from a Pacific Rim perspective, focusing on two issues: the antiquity and development of coastal adaptations, and the possibility that a coastal migration route may have been used in the initial peopling of the Americas. By linking our research to broad issues of interest to the widest possible audience, we can increase support for archaeology.