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. This is the perfect day trip for anyone traveling from the San Francisco Bay Area and wants to see it all without staying a night. 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 marine ecosystem. Trust me when I say that there's no better place in Half Moon Bay to have a cocktail and watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean than the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay. From Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz is about an hour's drive south (without traffic), but there are many stops along the way that interrupt the journey.
If you want to maximize 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. 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 plenty of ocean views. For example, the first time I visited it, I knew I wanted to see the sunset at Shark Fin Cove (near Santa Cruz), so I started the day at Half Moon Bay.
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. 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. There are also some historic points of interest located in and around the center of Half Moon Bay, such as the small Half Moon Bay jail and the beautifully restored Johnston House. But without a doubt, my favorite of all the coastal cities in Northern California that stretch between San Francisco and Santa Cruz is Half Moon Bay. 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. If you want to start the day with a pleasant walk along the coast and lobster rolls, finish with a sunset at Shark Fin Cove, start at Half Moon Bay and drive along the coast.
With an immense landscape and the charm of a small town, the coastline of Half Moon Bay offers visitors a wide range of experiences. Half Moon Bay offers miles and miles of sprawling sandy beaches, offering a serene getaway and picturesque views along the Northern California coast. If you didn't have time for breakfast before hitting the road, buy a freshly baked cake at Half Moon Bay Bakery.
