Half Moon Bay is San Mateo County's premier beach resort -- Driving north from
Santa Cruz, stop and gaze at the coast where beautiful plateaus are mounted
on cliffs perched above beaches in locations such as Pescadero. As your
eyes scan the hilltops in the distance, you catch a glimpse of something
so different that it causes you to ponder whether you are looking at a
huge castle or mansion of incredible stature.
What you are seeing is
the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, a coastal
resort years in the planning that celebrated its grand opening several years ago.
While few
said it was over-rated, the majority sang its praises, ranking it high for
location, excellent service and the on-site golf course reminiscent of
Scottish greens.
Half Moon Bay is conveniently
located in San Mateo County 20 miles south of San Francisco and not far from
San Jose-Silicon
Valley where over a million people reside. Activities include fishing,
whale watching cruises from Pillar Point Harbor, horseback riding, kite
surfing, golf and more. This coastal paradise is just down the road south of
Pacifica and South San Francisco and enjoys the weekend traffic from Bay
Area residents seeking nearby vacation getaways.
Those who want to look
at beautiful Ritz-Carlton can park in a public lot and access paths that parallel
the golf course along the edge of the coastal cliffs. A warning sign alerts
pedestrians to beware of high-flying golf balls straying from the course.
As you pass by the edge of the greens and breathe a sigh of relief, you
reach a path that leads to a set of steps descending to a cove and small,
sandy beach.
What's simply charming about Half Moon
Bay are its people. They somehow seemed to escape the hands of time that
took a toll on the rest of California and those living the frantic pace over
the hills in Burlingame, Silicon Valley and San Francisco. When you visit
the beautiful beach town, you'll appreciate the surroundings that keep
people happy.
Home to the famed Mavericks surf contest,
the surfing culture
in Half Moon Bay is authentic California. While other cities brag about
their surfing, you get the impression when visiting that those who don't
talk about have a reason...they like to keep the secret that this is one of
the best spots east of Hawaii for waves. During the big wave contest, the
waves have been recorded over 50 feet!
Half Moon Bay includes several
Beach Hotels. A variety of resources provide a
glimpse in to this charming city located in
San
Mateo County. Among the county
landmarks and
population data you will find that Half Moon Bay has
a Farmer's Market,
Golf Resorts at the luxurious Ritz Carlton Half Moon
Bay and harbors & marinas
for pleasure craft and fishing expeditions.
