Half Moon Bay, California - Things to Do in the Coastal Town
Calm waves across the vast expanse coming towards the shores covered in white sands. This is the perfect setting while you are delving into deep thoughts or enjoying a break from worldly worries. Or maybe you are here to unwind in nature's raw form. How does it sound to you? This is what this small beach town along the Pacific - Half Moon Bay - has to offer to its visitors.
Introducing Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay is located about half an hour west of I-280 on I-92. This beach town is a perfect vacation destination if you want to escape the urban hustle. Nicely tugged along the coast and on the Highway-1 Coastal Route, the town offers something of interest to every age and taste. The city's charm is only enhanced by the perfect Mediterranean weather. If you are visiting, September and October may be the best times. However, we would say that no time of the year could be wrong for a quick visit. While the town is small, it's cozy with not a lot of activities. So you can focus your attention on what you are here to actually do - RELAX 💤
We stayed in the town for about a month during our initial days in the country. The town has a special place in our memories. We enjoyed our first month in the US in absolute tranquility. On top of that, we celebrated our son's first birthday on the State Beach here. We spent hours preparing for our life in the country on the lawns of the Ritz Carlton while enjoying the sunset. It was a nice welcome into this new place for us. Hence we are here to share with you some of the nice things to do while you are in this coastal town. Again, while there is nothing fancy still everything about this place is mesmerizing.
1. Beaches and Coastal Trail - Sand, waves, leisure, and unwinding
What would you expect to be the first thing to do checklist-item for a beach town? Right - beaches and this city has a couple of the most beautiful ones. The Half Moon Bay State Beach is the closest one and offers a great picnic opportunity. The beach is clean and well-maintained along the coast of the Pacific. There are many beach chairs and desks for enjoying a bite along the swirling waves. There is ample beach parking which costs $10 per entry. However, if you are up for a short walk, there is quite a lot of street parking on the road leading up to the beach. There is a small eating joint there which serves basic fares during rather limited business hours.
There is a Coastal Trail - a scenic paved walking trail along the beach - which offers a nice walking hub. We did spend many evenings walking by the coastline along the beach. The walk takes you right from the beach sands to a view of the sea from up high a plateau. The beach can sometimes get pretty windy so you may want to carry a jacket or something warm just in case. The whole area is stroller and wheelchair friendly and so you need not worry if you have a kid in tow. Everyone can enjoy the serene environment and the calmness for a while,
We celebrated the first birthday of our kiddo - Rishik - on these shores and hence this beach is definitely special for us.
2. The Main Street - Heart of the city or is it the spinal cord?
This innocuous lane is the spine of the coastal town. The Main Street functions similar to a spinal cord in humans. The road is central to the city and serves as a major center for all the institutions and shopping arcades of the city. Main Street is abuzz with activities during the day and you could spend a couple of hours exploring various aspects of the street. There are a number of shops along the lane offering various local souvenirs to things of day-to-day use. Also, there are tons of restaurants all serving cuisines from across the world. We did have many meals there and enjoyed each of them with differing flavors. At the onset of the street, there is a small shopping arcade for your daily coffee and breakfast needs.
There is a small park along the street too - John Carter Memorial Park along the Pilarcitos Creek. This could actually have been a great hanging out place, had it been maintained well. I guess people simply head out to the coastal trail and hence this park got ignored. There is a beautiful bed and breakfast place off the street which is considered a good place to spend a night or two. We took an Airbnb a stone's throw away from Main Street.
Also, for those concerned, there is ample parking along Main Street and other nearby arterial roads leading to it which are mostly free for use - though with a time restriction on how long you could park there. Most of them do offer a two-hour allowance which should be good for your visit in most cases. The only exception is during the Pumpkin Festival in October when parking could be a major challenge.
3. Sunset by the Ritz Carlton - Luxury along the coast
If you know us by now, we are (or at least I am) stuck to the charm of a beautiful sunset. The way the sky gets orange bidding farewell to the Sun with a promise of a better tomorrow. There is nothing more romantic than a peaceful moment along the sea coast, enjoying a silent breeze over a drink and a scenic view of a sunset.
Here is a list of our most beautiful sunsets from across the world. The list needs to be updated to add this now 😃 The Charm of Dusk - Best Sunsets Around the World
When you are on the west coast of the country, it is obvious to look for an ideal location to enjoy a sunset. Every inquiry we made led to this corner of the world - along the coast of Ritz Carlton Hotel slightly off the coastal town. The cautiously manicured lawns of the five-star resort provide a perfect setting for a lovely evening. The resort is located at about a 5-minute drive from Main Street.
The city mandates the hotel to support tourists
The city allowed the hotel on the coastal plain on the assurance that the coastal trail would be accessible to the public. Also, the hotel has earmarked complimentary coastal parking spaces in its parking garage. All you need to do is ask nicely to the attendant at the kiosk leading to the hotel. Why nicely - it may not be a contractual condition but why not be nice.
The location offers a nice crowd comprising of tourists, locals and hotel guests. Everyone is there for strolling the trail for a walk or waiting for sundown. We enjoyed a quick drink while waiting for the sunset. We gradually set ourselves up along a strategic point to enjoy a perfect view. Right on time, we enjoyed the scenic sunset across the Pacific and returned. The coastal parking slots are marked to be free until sunset. But it is okay to spend another half an hour post the sunset to enjoy the views after the sunset.
Read about other United States destinations at - Destinations in the United States
4. Lemos Farms - A weekend full of childhood activities
If you have kids or the kid within you is still alive, this is a place you would enjoy for sure. The farms are a good place to spend about half a day in a worry-free environment. The farms are located about 10 minutes out of the town on the I-92 freeway. There are enough markers to ensure you will not miss them on the way. The parking in the back of the farms is complimentary to use and ample in availability. The entire farm has been systematically arranged for weekend activities as it is open to the public only on the weekends.
The farm offers a multitude of activities including a toy train, horse ride, canter ride, and other fun games. There is a small cafe to quench your thirst. Across the farm, there are generous picnic areas where you can unpack your lunch during breaks from activities. Our kiddo did have a wonderful time with all the things to keep him engaged. And guess what, since we were visiting on Father's Day, dads were allowed free rides and kiddo was free anyways. So all three of us enjoyed the activities just with a single ticket for the mom. 😁😁😁
5. Half Moon Bay Signature Drive - Fun behind the wheels
The route was initially put together by the Ritz Carlton administration for its guests. However, today, this 65-mile drive is officially the scenic drive for Half Moon Bay. Starting from Main Street, the drive takes you through Highways 92, 35, and 84 before joining Highway 1. As you embark on the drive it gives you a glimpse into 5 different micro-regions around the coastal city. These include, historic Main Street, pumpkin farms and fruit stands wineries, the Santa Cruz Mountains, redwood forest and area beaches.
We took out a lovely evening in June to take the scenic route leisurely. Our aim was to absorb the richness of nature in its true raw form. We had our good-old Camry on the roads loaded with our gear. The preps for the trip - mounted the dash-cam, charged the camera, stockpiled snacks, and topped the tank. The final step is snuggling the kid into the child's seat. We headed on the highway starting our part of the drive from Main Street. Once we took the turn on the 92, every step on the way offered something interesting along the way.
Mesmerizing scenery enchants
The scenery along the curvy hill roads mesmerized us instantly. This preceded the breathtaking views of the ocean once we were on Highway 1 - the coastal highway. While we were headed north on the highway, we would actually recommend doing the opposite as you travel along the water going south. The four hours we spent on the road through the drive were one of the best times we have spent on the road and it is worth spending the time. If you have enough time in the city, this is an experience you would definitely want to include in your list of things to do.
You may want to keep in mind that while there are enough pit-stops on the way for a coffee, there are long patches where you may not find replenishments so having a stock handy may be prudent.
6. October Time - Pumpkin Festivities in Half Moon Bay
October is the time when the festive season in the US starts - well to some extent same is true back home in India too. As the country prepares to ward off evils and celebrate Halloween by the end of the month, there are numerous pumpkin-related activities to enjoy during the start of fall. As the leaves turn from green to yellow to crimson, there are farms that turn orange. This is the time to go for pumpkin patch hopping and Half Moon Bay is an especially popular destination for enjoying festivities at this point in time.
The city celebrates an annual Art and Pumpkin festival a couple of weeks ahead of the festival of Halloween. The festival attracts huge crowds. Spread across the main street and spanning around to surroundings, this is a mega event showcasing creativity with pumpkins in the backdrop. Considering the rush, you may want to plan and reach ahead of the crowds to get a parking spot or may take public transportation.
Here is the link to the official site of the city - Visit Half Moon Bay
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