The coastal region of the San Francisco Peninsula is home to many beautiful and historic cities and towns.
Half Moon Bay
is a small, picturesque city next to the Pacific Ocean, known as the pumpkin capital of the world. The Peninsula (or San Francisco Peninsula) region of the San Francisco Bay Area is located immediately south of the city and County of San Francisco and, from its famous neighbor to the north, extends to the high-tech region of Silicon Valley. For the purposes of this travel guide, the peninsula is synonymous with San Mateo County.While many of the peninsula's residents work and play in the north or south, the peninsula has its attractions, including some beautiful wilderness areas. Most bus transportation from the peninsula to East Bay and North Bay passes through San Francisco, since neither AC Transit nor Golden Gate Transit, the major transportation operators for the east and north of the bay, respectively, serve the peninsula south of San Francisco. The San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On the northeast corner of Johnston and Miramontes Streets is one of the architectural jewels of Half Moon Bay, the United Methodist Community Church of 1872 (777 Miramontes St.
Long before its streets hosted vibrant art and pumpkin festivals, downtown Half Moon Bay was a rural community of ranchers, the result of land granted by the Mexican government to Candelario Miramontes, a military officer in the San Francisco Presidio. The port of Pillar Point, at the northern end of Half Moon Bay, offers a protected pier for ships and provides other types of marine infrastructure. Today's Half Moon Bay presents tourism as an important part of its economy, with its picturesque coastline and numerous attractions. The 1992 film Raising Cain, which takes place and was filmed on the San Francisco Peninsula, mentions a fictional swamp shaped like a crescent.
The ships also stopped offshore in Half Moon Bay to inspect products such as furs, since rowing boats with goods could be sent to the ships. Half Moon Bay began as a rural agricultural area, used primarily by the Mission of San Francisco de Asís (established in 1977) for grazing cattle, horses and oxen. The United States Navy's seaplane USS Half Moon (AVP-2) during World War II was named in honor of Half Moon Bay and kept that 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. For the 37th parallel north, Half Moon Bay's mild summer temperatures are unmatched in all areas.
Finally arriving at Half Moon Bay in 1908, it brought trains full of hikers and potential land buyers to the coast. Fiber and cell service is unreliable on the coast, meaning residents of Half Moon Bay may have trouble contacting support and response services during an emergency. Half Moon Bay's climate is typical of coastal Northern California, with mild summers and cool, humid winters. These roads are also congested on weekends and especially during major tourist events, such as the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, held every year in October, and the Mavericks surf competition.
The Montara State Marine Reserve and the Pillar Point State Marine Conservation Area extend offshore from Montara, just north of Half Moon Bay.
