(NewsNation) Gabriel Ornelas' journey through Northern California continues with a stop in Half Moon Bay, a small coastal town with a lot of heart. San Mateo County's coastline is comprised of more than 300 square miles of beautiful California landscapes, with easy access to sandy beaches, redwood forests, and open spaces. The coastline encompasses the cities of Half Moon Bay, Miramar, Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, San Gregorio, La Honda and Pescadero. The Visit Half Moon Bay website is a joint effort of the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Office, the Half Moon Bay Hotel Business Improvement District, and the Association of Half Moon Bay Center.
The album Half Moon Bay was recorded by jazz pianist Bill Evans in 1973 at the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society in Half Moon Bay. Enjoy a cold craft beer at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company or a delicious lobster roll at Sam's Chowder House. In 2024, Half Moon Bay politicians were criticized by California Governor Gavin Newsom for repeatedly delaying approval of a 40-unit apartment building for high-level farmworkers. The real growth of the area occurred after World War II, with the construction of numerous subdivisions, leading to the addition of Half Moon Bay in 1959. The United States Navy's seaplane USS Half Moon (AVP-2) during World War II was named Half Moon Bay and retained the name when it served as the USCGC Half Moon weather vessel of the United States Coast Guard for more than 20 years after the war. With a stunning location, award-winning wineries, and some of the best cuisine on the coast, it's no surprise that Half Moon Bay, California, is on this list.
As for the 37th parallel north, Half Moon Bay's mild summer temperatures are unmatched across the board. Half Moon Bay's economy is dominated by a handful of companies, the largest of which is the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, which employs 500 people and is a major source of property tax and tourism revenues for the city. Tucked along the California coast, Half Moon Bay welcomes visitors from all over the state and the world. Half Moon Bay is a small, picturesque city next to the Pacific Ocean, known as the pumpkin capital of the world.
The 1992 film Raising Cain, which takes place and was filmed on the San Francisco Peninsula, mentions a fictional swamp shaped like a crescent. Agriculture, home to many local farms, remains an important part of Half Moon Bay's economy to this day, and the city is known as the pumpkin capital of the world. Half Moon Bay is approximately 25 miles (40 km) south of San Francisco, 10 miles (16 km) west of San Mateo and 45 miles (72 km) north of Santa Cruz. Ornelas made stops in Sacramento, Point Reyes, Half Moon Bay, Carmel and San Francisco for “Off Road Confidential”.
