Half Moon Bay has some of the best beaches in the San Francisco Bay Area, with opportunities to swim, walk, explore tide pools, or just relax. If you want to make the most of the views you see and your driving time, you may have to choose to start in Santa Cruz and end with an incredible sunset in Half Moon Bay. Whether you live in the Bay Area or are just visiting, a day trip to Half Moon Bay is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday or Sunday. It's less than an hour's drive from cities like San Jose and San Francisco, but it feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley.
However, don't let the small-town descriptor fool you. Half Moon Bay has the best of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in one place. With a vast and diverse landscape that encompasses miles of wide sandy beaches, lush cliff-top meadows and forested hills, there's a lot to explore. Our enviable coastal environment, with a dynamic active port and a thriving surf and water sports culture, will inspire you to hop on a fishing boat, kayak or paddleboard and explore our diverse ecosystem marine.
Half Moon Bay's historic main street features more than one hundred locally owned small businesses, including exclusive boutiques, delicious restaurants, impressive art galleries, and plenty of free parking within walking distance of everything. Half Moon Bay's main street is the Bay Area's best kept secret, where you'll find unique and interesting shops, epic restaurants, art galleries, tasting rooms and much more. When you approach Half Moon Bay, you'll notice that there aren't many entrances, so those small alleyways can get very congested. The small center of Half Moon Bay is the perfect place to familiarize yourself with this quiet coastal city.
If you didn't have time for breakfast before hitting the road, buy a freshly baked cake at Half Moon Bay Bakery. There's no better place to quench your thirst (and get some energy) on this stretch of coastline than Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. Sam's Chowder House, a true icon of Half Moon Bay, is one of the most popular dining establishments on this stretch of coast. Half Moon Bay has the right conditions to host some of the biggest waves in the world, so surfers flock to the best beaches of this ideal place.
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. Tucked along the California coast, Half Moon Bay welcomes visitors from all over the state and the world. I'm visiting my friend who lives in the Half Moon Bay colony. In fact, it has the first house built in this exclusive complex on the Ritz Carlton golf course and has a great view of the ocean.
