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Major city · United States

Half Moon Bay

Give it one full day and one night: a coastal drive plus the bluff trail, or skip it if you want warm beaches — summer fog keeps highs near 18°C.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Sep–Oct (clearest, warmest); May–Jun for wildflowers
avoid Jul–Aug if you want sun (fog); Oct festival weekend for cheap rooms
Airports
SFO · SJC · OAK
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Half Moon Bay is a small coastal town on the San Mateo County coast, about 45 km south of San Francisco on Highway 1. It is a cool, foggy stretch of state beaches, a working harbour at Pillar Point and a walkable Main Street. Most visitors come for one day from the city or stay one or two nights; the coast is a driving destination, not a transit one.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Half Moon Bay, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • BeerPint of local beer$8–10
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–30
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed (lighthouse hostel, north coast), a night, per personUS$50
  • Mid-range bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$220
  • High-end bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$380

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$140 · High US$280

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Mavericks surf breakPillar Point HarborWaterfront Coastside TrailArt & Pumpkin FestivalFoggy summer beaches
Airports
SFO San Francisco International (About 30–45 min by car via I-280 and Highway 92; no direct rail link) · SJC San José Mineta International (About 1 h by car; usually a worse choice than SFO for this coast) · OAK Oakland International (About 1 h by car via the Bay Bridge and I-280)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Half Moon Bay: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

15°C

6°C

11 rd

Feb

15°C

6°C

10 rd

Mar

16°C

7°C

10 rd

Apr

16°C

7°C

6 rd

May

17°C

9°C

4 rd

Jun

18°C

10°C

2 rd

Jul

18°C

11°C

1 rd

Aug

19°C

12°C

1 rd

Sep

19°C

11°C

1 rd

Oct

19°C

9°C

3 rd

Nov

17°C

7°C

6 rd

Dec

15°C

6°C

10 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical choice: Highway 1 runs the length of the coast and Highway 92 is the only fast link over the hills to I-280 and US-101. SamTrans route 294 connects Hillsdale Caltrain to Half Moon Bay, and routes 110/117 run up from Pacifica, but service is infrequent and slow. In town, Main Street and the beach trail are walkable; taxis and rideshare are thin, so book ahead for late nights.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
San Franciscogo

Door to door: About 1 h

Car via Highway 1 and I-280, about 45 min off-peak

Go early; the return on Highway 92 is slow after 15:00 on Sundays.

Pescadero

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Car south on Highway 1, about 20 min

Goat farm, country store and a quiet beach; pair with San Gregorio.

Moss Beach and Montara

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Car north on Highway 1, about 15 min

Tidepools at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at low tide; check the tide table first.

Santa Cruz

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Car south on Highway 1, about 50 min

Fine as a one-way leg south, not as a there-and-back day.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Main Street / downtown

Walkable to shops and cafés; 5–10 min drive to Francis State Beach. Best for a car-free evening.

Pillar Point Harbor / Princeton

Harbour views, seafood and the coastal trail; 10 min north of downtown by car.

Highway 1 south (Miramar, El Granada)

Motels and inns along the coast road; quieter, still a short drive to town.

North coast (Montara, Moss Beach)

Cheaper beds and a lighthouse hostel; 10–15 min north, needs a car.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$120–200 excl. bed
High
$250+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or inn double room1 × 1 night × US$220US$220
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$140US$280
Rental car, one day1 × US$80US$80
State beach day-use parking1 × US$10US$10
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$62
Trip total≈ US$341 per person per day, bed includedUS$682

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Seafood lunch main (chowder house or harbour)$18–35
Lobster roll$30+
Pint of local beer$8–10
State beach day-use parking$10
Rideshare, downtown to Pillar Point Harbor$15–25
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$10–30

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low street crime; the real risks are cold water, rip currents and fog on Highway 1. Do not swim at Mavericks or alone anywhere, lock the car at trailheads, and carry a layer.
  • Summer fog: pack a jacket even in July and August; beach temperatures stay near 18°C.
  • Mavericks and the outer reefs are for experts only — do not swim there; never swim alone and watch for rising tides.
  • Check for ticks after walking through coastal grass; Lyme disease is present in the Bay Area.
  • Highway 92 backs up badly on Sunday afternoons and holiday weekends heading back to the Bay Area.
  • Pumpkin Festival weekend in October fills every room and closes Main Street — book months ahead or avoid it.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
San Mateo County Sheriff (non-emergency)
650-363-4911
Half Moon Bay Police (non-emergency)
650-726-8286

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Half Moon BayHalf Moon Bay

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • San Mateo County Sheriff (non-emergency)650-363-4911
  • Half Moon Bay Police (non-emergency)650-726-8286

Embassy

No embassies here; consulates-general are in San Francisco (about 45 min north).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • SFO → Half Moon Bay, rideshare: $60–90, about 35 min
  • SamTrans 294, Hillsdale Caltrain → Half Moon Bay: about $2.50 Clipper, 45–60 min
  • State beach day-use parking: $10 per car

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the beach access? — Where is the beach access?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is there parking here? — Is there parking here?
  • The check, please — The check, please

Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Half Moon Bay. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Sep–Oct (clearest, warmest); May–Jun for wildflowers · avoid Jul–Aug if you want sun (fog); Oct festival weekend for cheap rooms · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SFO: rideshare and rental desks field-checked, Highway 92 traffic windows, late-arrival fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Main Street, Francis Beach and the bluff trail, Pillar Point Harbor, Miramar and El Granada.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (state beach parking, harbour, trailheads) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Fog and festival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources