Half Moon Bay, CA

[Harriet]

Has anyone ever been there? I''m scheduled to go there next month.

 

[Skippy123]

Mara has.

 

[Harriet]

Thanks. I''m trying to plan a trip from LAX to Fallbrook, back to LA, then to SF, then to Half Moon Bay, and back to SFO.

 

[movie zombie]

you should have good weather.
if you have a car drive up or down highway one.
lunch or dinner at duarte''s in pescadero. also good bread to be had in the last store on the left down from duarte''s.
beaches:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex/region_info_detail.asp?id=1

drive all the way to santa cruz and eat at davenport cash store before you get there.

http://www.halfmoonbaychamber.org/vt/explore_fitzgerald_tidepools_lo.html

the fitzgerald tidepools are a must.

miramar restaurant used to be good by i haven''t been there in a long time.

and more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/01/TRBB10P0U0.DTL&type=printable

movie zombie

 

[Harriet]

Hey MZ,
Thanks! Do I take it that a car is necessary? I was planning on vegging out in the hotel, but the tidepools are calling me.

 

[fleur-de-lis]

LOOOOOVE Half Moon Bay. Will you be staying at the Ritz? If so, you''ll very likely love it. I highly recommend lunch in the conservatory (beautiful views, chefs from the main restaurant provide kitchen coverage), trying any cheese made by Cowgirl Creamery at the wood-paneled wine bar (staffed by a very knowledgeable wine sommelier), and if you''re staying in one of the ground-floor suites with a firepit, be sure to ask for a s''mores kit to be sent to your room.

For how long will you be in town? Are you looking for activity suggestions?

f-d-l

 

[asscher_girl]

Hi Harriet! Half Moon Bay is really great, we just ate at Pasta Moon (right on main st) about a month ago and it was really good. Are you staying at the Ritz? HMB is super pretty and like MovieZ said, the weather should be good.

Have fun!

 

[movie zombie]

how are you planning to get to half moon bay? i''m not sure that public transportation is going to be convenient. however, i could be wrong. there may be bus service of one type or another to the tidepools from half moon bay but you''ll need to research that on the net. also, there is a beach loop from half moon bay that''s about 6 miles one way that i think the state park links i posted will help with if you polk around that website.

half moon bay is nice for vegging but there is so much natural beauty in the area, its hard for me to think of staying in a hotel room for the majority of time.......but that''s me.

movie zombie

 

[Harriet]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:12:44 AM
Author: fleur-de-lis
LOOOOOVE Half Moon Bay. Will you be staying at the Ritz? If so, you''ll very likely love it. I highly recommend lunch in the conservatory (beautiful views, chefs from the main restaurant provide kitchen coverage), trying any cheese made by Cowgirl Creamery at the wood-paneled wine bar (staffed by a very knowledgeable wine sommelier), and if you''re staying in one of the ground-floor suites with a firepit, be sure to ask for a s''mores kit to be sent to your room.

For how long will you be in town? Are you looking for activity suggestions?

f-d-l

Hi f-d-l,
I''ll be at the Ritz. I''ve booked a concierge-level room. Would you recommend a firepit room instead? I''ll be in town for 3 days and am game for activity suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Harriet]

Date: 10/23/2008 8:22:45 AM
Author: asscher_girl
Hi Harriet! Half Moon Bay is really great, we just ate at Pasta Moon (right on main st) about a month ago and it was really good. Are you staying at the Ritz? HMB is super pretty and like MovieZ said, the weather should be good.

Have fun!

Hello! Yes, we''ll be at the Ritz. It looks like we''re going to have fun, from what all of you are saying.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 10/23/2008 10:01:01 AM
Author: movie zombie
how are you planning to get to half moon bay? i''m not sure that public transportation is going to be convenient. however, i could be wrong. there may be bus service of one type or another to the tidepools from half moon bay but you''ll need to research that on the net. also, there is a beach loop from half moon bay that''s about 6 miles one way that i think the state park links i posted will help with if you polk around that website.

half moon bay is nice for vegging but there is so much natural beauty in the area, its hard for me to think of staying in a hotel room for the majority of time.......but that''s me.

movie zombie

I was thinking of asking the Ritz to send a car, but since there are so many things to see, I''ll rent one instead. You''ve convinced me. I''ll veg at night instead.

 

[Art Nouveau]

Harriet,

Fallbrook is at least 2 hours'' drive south of LAX. It is closer to San Diego airport. From there, it''s about an hour''s drive. GIA, Carlsbad, is also nearby.

Art Nouveau

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Date: 10/23/2008 11:49:15 AM
Author: Harriet

Date: 10/23/2008 1:12:44 AM

Author: fleur-de-lis

LOOOOOVE Half Moon Bay. Will you be staying at the Ritz? If so, you''ll very likely love it. I highly recommend lunch in the conservatory (beautiful views, chefs from the main restaurant provide kitchen coverage), trying any cheese made by Cowgirl Creamery at the wood-paneled wine bar (staffed by a very knowledgeable wine sommelier), and if you''re staying in one of the ground-floor suites with a firepit, be sure to ask for a s''mores kit to be sent to your room.

For how long will you be in town? Are you looking for activity suggestions?


f-d-l

Hi f-d-l,

I''ll be at the Ritz. I''ve booked a concierge-level room. Would you recommend a firepit room instead? I''ll be in town for 3 days and am game for activity suggestions. Thanks!

Hi Harriet!

No, I wouldn''t say it''s worth the hassle of changing your reservation; with any first-floor room, you get a trade-off (privacy, security, etc.), though I will say that the evening firepits do go a long way to make up for it.

The resort is lovely; as I''m sure you''ve seen from the website, the building certainly does evoke a Cape Cod sort of look and the finishes are casual yet nice. A few things to keep in mind would include the knowledge that the pool is in an out-building to the north of the main building; when I was there between Christmas and New Years, it was amusing to see unprepared (?) guests walking along the golf path in robe and slippers, desperately holding their dressing gowns closed against a post-storm breeze. (I would recommend packing something like Juicy sweats for the walk; for the most part, I would describe guest attire as casual yet tidy. Parts of the spa are co-ed, BTW, so also be sure to pack a swimsuit if you are planning on getting a treatment and want to use the jacuzzi and steam rooms.) I forget if it''s 18 or 36 hole, but the resort is surrounded both to the North and South by a fantastic-looking golf course. I particularly enjoyed taking the walking trail to the north, which winds up gentle tree-coated hills, past horse pastures, and to a dirt ad-hoc parking lot used by locals who want to get to the beach; at the ad-hoc parking lot is one of the easier trails down the cliffs to get to the ocean.

(I''m sure others can give great recommendations for places in town, but if you *happen* to be there when they *happen* to mention that a big swell is coming across the Pacific and people are flying in from around the world, find out about Mavericks and join the crowd. If you''ve never heard of it:
http://www.maverickssurf.com/Wave/Default.aspx?id=124 )

If you like to play around in the kitchen at home, the hotel also has a cooking program about once a month where they have cooking classes hosted by celebrity chefs for registered participants; one of my friends did it and loved the experience. I''m not sure if they''re doing the program again this year, but a quick google search found this:
http://www.insidethekitchen.net/classes.html

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I would get a rental car for sure. Public transportation is not nearly as good as it is on the east coast, with the exception of SF. The BART system is great, and there are a ton of cabs. But I always felt like SF is a piece of the east coast in CA.

Are you going to Pala Gems when you go to Fallbrook?

 

[movie zombie]

glad you''re getting a rental....have a great time!

movie zombie

 

[Harriet]

Date: 10/23/2008 12:01:36 PM
Author: Art Nouveau
Harriet,

Fallbrook is at least 2 hours'' drive south of LAX. It is closer to San Diego airport. From there, it''s about an hour''s drive. GIA, Carlsbad, is also nearby.

Art Nouveau

Hi,
I guess I should make two separate trips then. Thanks!

 

[Harriet]

Date: 10/23/2008 1:22:15 PM
Author: fleur-de-lis
Hi Harriet!

No, I wouldn''t say it''s worth the hassle of changing your reservation; with any first-floor room, you get a trade-off (privacy, security, etc.), though I will say that the evening firepits do go a long way to make up for it.

The resort is lovely; as I''m sure you''ve seen from the website, the building certainly does evoke a Cape Cod sort of look and the finishes are casual yet nice. A few things to keep in mind would include the knowledge that the pool is in an out-building to the north of the main building; when I was there between Christmas and New Years, it was amusing to see unprepared (?) guests walking along the golf path in robe and slippers, desperately holding their dressing gowns closed against a post-storm breeze. (I would recommend packing something like Juicy sweats for the walk; for the most part, I would describe guest attire as casual yet tidy. Parts of the spa are co-ed, BTW, so also be sure to pack a swimsuit if you are planning on getting a treatment and want to use the jacuzzi and steam rooms.) I forget if it''s 18 or 36 hole, but the resort is surrounded both to the North and South by a fantastic-looking golf course. I particularly enjoyed taking the walking trail to the north, which winds up gentle tree-coated hills, past horse pastures, and to a dirt ad-hoc parking lot used by locals who want to get to the beach; at the ad-hoc parking lot is one of the easier trails down the cliffs to get to the ocean.

(I''m sure others can give great recommendations for places in town, but if you *happen* to be there when they *happen* to mention that a big swell is coming across the Pacific and people are flying in from around the world, find out about Mavericks and join the crowd. If you''ve never heard of it:
http://www.maverickssurf.com/Wave/Default.aspx?id=124 )

If you like to play around in the kitchen at home, the hotel also has a cooking program about once a month where they have cooking classes hosted by celebrity chefs for registered participants; one of my friends did it and loved the experience. I''m not sure if they''re doing the program again this year, but a quick google search found this:
http://www.insidethekitchen.net/classes.html

The hotel does look like it''s in New England! Thanks for the attire tip. I''m coming in November, so I''ll miss the Mavericks. I don''t like to cook, but I do like to eat. Thanks for you help!

 

[Harriet]

Date: 10/23/2008 10:50:22 PM
Author: movie zombie
glad you''re getting a rental....have a great time!

movie zombie

It sounds like I will. Thanks!

 

[katebar]

Date: 10/23/2008 12:45:59 AM
Author:Harriet
Has anyone ever been there? I''m scheduled to go there next month.

Harriet believe it or not I have!!!!!
We drove from SF south to somewhere one day and stopped here for coffee and cake.
We didn''t stay long and is was utterly freezing in July but it seemed a quaint little town

 

[Harriet]

Date: 10/23/2008 9:39:28 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker
I would get a rental car for sure. Public transportation is not nearly as good as it is on the east coast, with the exception of SF. The BART system is great, and there are a ton of cabs. But I always felt like SF is a piece of the east coast in CA.

Are you going to Pala Gems when you go to Fallbrook?

I was thinking of going to Pala, but I''ll do that another time. Bummer.