Half Moon Bay

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Costside & Half Moon Bay - Perfect Weekend Getaway

A July 2004 trip to Half Moon Bay by TravelJo

Half Moon Bay State BeachMore Photos

Coastside, the coast south of San Francisco, is beautiful and dotted with idyllic small towns. One of the most visitor-friendly is Half Moon Bay. It's a short drive from San Francisco or the South Bay, and features good food, great scenery, and the perfect starting point for some great adventures.

  • 9 reviews
  • 3 photos

Costside & Half Moon Bay - Perfect Weekend GetawayBest of IgoUgo

Overview

The scenery of Coastside is gorgeous. Take a drive, a hike, a nap on a beach, explore tidepools, visit the redwoods, or just take in wildlife (Elaphant Seals, and even Whales during migration season). Then head back to town for a great meal and a glimpse of small-town California.

Quick Tips:

The Chamber of Commerce prints a visitor's guide that lists excursions and leisure activities as well as dining, lodging, farm tours, etc. Pick one up at 520 Kelly Ave in Half Moon Bay.

Best Way To Get Around:

Driving is the primary mode of transport. SamTrans busses do run in the area, and may be an option for a day trip from San Francisco or San Mateo. Check schedules at here.

Flying Fish GrillBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

The Flying Fish has put 10 years into perfecting their cioppino, and it shows. Each pot takes three days to stew, and when they bring out a steaming bowl, everyone around will be eyeing your dinner.

The Flying Fish is the ideal seaside fish shack. Charming decor sets off the perfect fish tacos and fish and chips. Choose from six or seven types of battered seafood, a dipping sauce (tartar, teriyaki, marionberry, etc), and a side (old-fashioned chips, sweet potato fries, green salad, etc). Grab a beer with that seafood and you got yourself the meal you dreamed of.

Check the menu online here.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by TravelJo on July 6, 2004

Flying Fish Grill
99 San Mateo Rd. Half Moon Bay, California 94019
(650) 712-1125

Moonside Bakery & CafeBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Moonside Bakery & Cafe"

This cafe offers European-style pastries cooked up by the German chef, wood-fired pizza, and a great breakfast menu. We just stopped in this place for some coffee and a treat, but noticed that they've got a charming indoor courtyard for diners who stay. The breakfast menu looked amazing and the pizza smelled tasty.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by TravelJo on July 6, 2004

Moonside Bakery & Cafe
604 Main Street Half Moon Bay, California 94019
(650) 726-9070

Pasta MoonBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

"Italian bistro" ambiance with a California yuppy edge. This place has excellent food, with organic produce, house-made hand cut pasta, fresh seafood, meats and poultry, and an extensive wine list. There are fresh sprigs of flowers and a candle on each table. A full bar is available for those who want more than wine. Check out their menu or make a reservation via their website here.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by TravelJo on July 6, 2004

Pasta Moon
315 Main Street Half Moon Bay, California 94019
(650) 726-5125

Cunha's Country StoreBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Cunha's Country Store is so popular that when a fire burned it down in 2003, the town held fundraisers to get the market back. It's now rebuilt and is a great place to get a lunch to go (for your next outdoor adventure) or some snacks for the car.

It has a quaint small-town feeling, like the general store you read about in old-time America. They mix the best of old-school (a fresh deli counter with sandwiches made to order), with modern: all your favorite "foodie" brands, like Native Foods Salsa, Amy's organics, etc. Good eatin!

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by TravelJo on July 6, 2004

Cunha's Country Store
767 Johnston Street Half Moon Bay, California 94019
(650) 726-4071

Berry PickingBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Beach after Beach"

Half Moon Bay State Beach
The coast along Highway 1 alternates between steep, craggy cliffs, sand dunes, and vast sandy beaches. Find state park after state park with long stretches of pale sand and teal-blue waves crashing into white surf. Pay the day-use fee and you can visit any state park for the day, so if one beach doesn't suit you, hop in the car and drive to the next one. Lounge on the beach or take a hike - there's miles of trails. A popular hike begins at Half Moon Bay State Beach, with a bluff trail that offers a way to be close to the ocean (and some terrific views) without getting sand in your shoes. There's world-class surfing at Mavericks, which features a wave that can get as big as 30 feet plus. Look for parks in San Mateo County on the State Parks website: www.parks.ca.gov
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by TravelJo on July 6, 2004

Berry Picking
Cabrillo Highway Half Moon Bay, California

Berry PickingBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Swanton Logo
Swanton Berry Farm and CoastWays Ranch offer organic berry fields to pick your own strawberries and Ollalie-blackberries. Ollalies are a crossbreed of blackberries, loganberries, and youngberries. Slightly tangier flavor, but similar to a blackberry. Search for the perfect berry to eat there or take home and bake a pie. Or, just buy their pie and have a picnic! Picturesque farms right near the coast, where you can hear the elephant seals barking. Berries are in season May through July, but call ahead for hours and picking dates:
CoastWays Ranch: 650/469-8804 (blackberries)
Swanton Berry Farm: 831/469-8804 (strawberries)

CoastWays also offers U-pick Pumpkins in October, and Kiwi Fruits in November and December.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by TravelJo on July 6, 2004

Berry Picking
Cabrillo Highway Half Moon Bay, California

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space PreserveBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Purissima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve"

Purissima Redwoods
Purissima Creek Open Space Preserve showcases a variety of California micro-climates, but particularly that of the Redwood Forest. Towering redwoods shade a year-round creek and an understory of ferns, berries, wildflowers, and forest critters. Coastal scrub can be found to the north of the park, and a hardwood forest to the south. The park offers trails for horseback riders and bikers, as well as a trail cleared for hikers with special needs (wheelchairs or strollers). Find maps online at the website for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District: www.openspace.org
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by TravelJo on July 6, 2004

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
330 Distel Circle Half Moon Bay, California 94022
(650) 691-1200

Berry PickingBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Country Drive on the Cabrillo Highway"

If you're the type who likes to "go for a drive" (or even if you're generally adventure-prone), this is one of the best places to indulge. The Cabrillo Highway follows the coast from Pacifica to Santa Cruz. On one side is the Pacific Ocean, with magnificent seascapes of pale sandy beaches, teal blue water, craggy cliffs, and the occasional lagoon or sand dunes. On the other side you'll pass idyllic countryside filled witih small family farms, meadows of wildflowers, and an occasional marsh (with pale white marsh birds poking for food). Windswept cyprus trees prove nature is the most talented artist.

Stop along the way at one of the idyllic towns or a spectacular vista point, or to walk along a beach, check out a tidepool, visit a historic lighthouse (there's two along the way), or pick berries at an organic farm.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by TravelJo on July 6, 2004

Berry Picking
Cabrillo Highway Half Moon Bay, California

About the Writer

TravelJo
TravelJo
Oakland, California

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