Half Moon Bay is located on the Pacific coast, between forested hills and some of the most beautiful coastline California has to offer. It is approximately 45 miles south of San Francisco and is located in the westernmost part of San Mateo County. Are you looking for the perfect weekend getaway from the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area? Located just 29 miles south of San Francisco, is Half Moon Bay, a charming coastal city that often goes unnoticed, but is very successful when it comes to weekend adventures. Whether you're a surfer, poet, hiker, nature lover, or just looking for a relaxing coastal getaway, Half Moon Bay has something for everyone.
What sets Half Moon Bay apart is its ability to maintain a relaxed atmosphere despite its proximity to the bustling metropolis of San Francisco. In the early 1960s, the Bay Area and the rest of Northern California became the center of the countercultural movement. The coastline encompasses the cities of Half Moon Bay, Miramar, Montara, Moss Beach, El Granada, San Gregorio, La Honda and Pescadero. The Half Moon Bay Pumpkin and Art Festival and the world pumpkin weighing championship attract more than 100,000 visitors.
Popular places for hiking include the Purisima Creek Redwood Reserve, where you can stroll among towering redwood trees, and the coastal path that extends from Half Moon Bay to nearby Montara. The drive from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay is truly impressive and rivals the Big Sur area for being one of the most beautiful oceanfront road sections in Northern California. Whether you're looking for wave adventures, quiet walks in nature, or just a relaxing beach getaway, Half Moon Bay has something special to offer every visitor. The Bay Area is home to a complex network of watersheds, swamps, rivers, streams, reservoirs and bays that flow primarily into San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
Half Moon Bay is a small, picturesque city next to the Pacific Ocean, known as the pumpkin capital of the world. Search all accommodations 1855 Zaballa House Aristocrat Hotel Beach House Hotel Cypress Inn On Miramar Beach Half Moon Bay Inn Half Moon Bay Lodge Harbor View Inn at Mavericks Mill Rose Inn Nantucket Whale Inn Ocean View Inn Oceano Hotel & Spa Quality Inn Seal Cove Inn The Miramar Inn and Suites The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. Beyond the beaches, Half Moon Bay has a variety of hiking trails that showcase the area's natural beauty. Bald eagles were once common in the Bay Area, but habitat destruction and the thinning of eggs due to DDT poisoning reduced the population of the state of California to 35 nesting pairs.
Half Moon Bay feels like being worlds away from big cities like San Francisco and San Jose, but it's just a short drive from most of the Bay Area. Pillar Point Harbor, the home port of the vital commercial fishing industry, offers the opportunity to go canoeing and drink local beer at Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. In the meantime, you can enjoy the cities of Burlingame, Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, San Bruno and San Mateo, to name a few.
