Half Moon Bay Area Guide & Events
| Activities & Events | Dining | Weather |
Are you looking for beaches, museums, parks, whale watching wine tasting, theaters, marine reserves, farms and ranches, golf, shopping centers, art galleries, surfing? The Half Moon Bay area, much like "Carmel," has it all. You won’t want to miss Half Moon Bay's charming and historic Main Street, with its historic buildings with a touch of the past; it’s the fun alternative to traveling through the area on Highway 1. Also, be sure to enjoy the natural beauty and historic sites of the Coastside and take in the small western town flavor of Pescadero or the historic and picturesque lighthouses of Pigeon Point Lighthouse south of Pescadero and Point Montara Lighthouse in Montara.
Visitors to Half Moon Bay coast sense the slower pace and relaxed mood of the ocean, mountains, open fields and small village-like towns. There are many annual events on the coast. Because of the small-town nature of the community, many are down-home, unpretentious folksy events, and most are free. Some of the major events include the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival in October, the Pacific Coast Dream Machines at the airport in April, and the big wave Maverick’s Surf Contest, held one day between November-March depending on Mother Nature and the size of waves.
The Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, noted for its award wining microbrewery and California coastline fusion cuisine, also delivers the finest in live entertanment in Half Moon Bay. Check out the montly live music calendar here.
To download a Yearly Calendar (in PDF format) of all events in the Half Moon Bay / San Mateo County area, please click here. The Calendar will open in a new window.
Below is a list of some of the additional fun things to do in the area.
- Hike to world famous Mavericks, just a short walk along the shoreline, and see some of the largest waves (seasonally) in the Pacific Ocean. Click here for a map of this walk plus other nearby points of interest.
- Mountain bike trails and hiking trails are abundant
- If you're a surfer, bring your wetsuit and board. Click here for a map of local surf spots and descriptions.
- Walk to Harbor Village shopping; a one-of-a-kind atrium shopping experience featuring the pampering Oceano Spa
- Outdoor adventure sports rentals, such as Kayaking and windsurfing are a short walk from your doorstep
- Three 18 hole Championship golf courses are within a 10 minute drive!
- Coastside Farmer's Market - Saturdays, May through 3rd week in December, 9 am to 1 pm
- Numerous fine dining and casual dining to choose from…and you walk back to your room…mmm
- Only 20 minutes by car to downtown San Francisco
- Deep Sea Fishing
We really enjoyed our stay. The view is amazing, bed extremely comfortable, beautiful bathrrom, and each room has its own little backyard to sit and relax. There is a trail to the mavericks(big surfer waves) right down the road. Our host was very helpful(I forgot his name). He had great referrals for restaurants and there is an assortment of complementary snacks in your room when you arrive.