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|
| Montara
south through Half Moon Bay
and Pescadero down to Davenport:
imagine unhurried civility punctuated by unique adventures in
nature! Farming and fishing California style are major facets of
coastside community life, providing fresh seafood and field
produce for residents and many fine restaurants. |
| Once two stops on the
Ocean Shore Railroad, tiny Montara
boasts a wide clean beach, a Victorian lighthouse and a
significant population of "lone eagles." The latter
hark back to the village's beginnings as an art colony and
rancho - nurseries. Mount Montara's hiking trails offer a good
workout as well as good looks at the ocean, birds, rare plants,
and maybe even an endangered red-legged frog. |
| Just south in
Moss Beach, the Fitzgerald
Marine Reserve has ranger-led tours of the finest tidepools
south of Mendocino. Hiking along the bluffs down to
Princetown will allow
views of shade shingle and Maverick's, a surfing spot renowned
for its waves, danger, and difficulty. |
| The forty miles of
shoreline invite fishing, surfing, picnicking, or absolute
lethargy. During prohibition, that shoreline was the smuggling
base for local Italian and Portuguese fishermen who quenched San
Francisco's thirst. Speakeasies, bordellos, and "clubs"
have now grown respectable as restaurants and B&Bs. |
| California's 2nd
largest fishing fleet weighs anchor at Pillar
Point, where sportfishermen can surf cast or join
other boat trips. Walking trails begin here and continue through
Half Moon Bay. Bring binoculars for sighting ducks, shorebirds,
seals, and the occasional sea otter. |
| The village of
Princeton, located at
Pillar Point Harbor, is a destination for both boats and
aircraft and offers restaurants, quaint shops, and live music,
all within walking distance of harbor and airport. The
well-maintained 5,000-foot runway attracts private pilots who
come for adventure as well as for the nursery business. |
| Half
Moon Bay has enough historic sites, imaginative food,
art galleries, bookstores, and craft shops to fill several days.
There's also horseback riding on the beach and a world-class
golf course. Flowers are multi-hued and multi-blossomed and
provide fragrant pleasure year 'round in many nurseries and
garden shops as well as in the monthly Flower Markets held in
downtown Half Moon Bay through the Spring and Summer. |
| South of Half Moon
Bay, San Gregorio, as
romantic as it sounds, has a fine beach and a quaint town one
mile inland. A group of 18th-century buildings make this a
popular spot for filming old-time movies. In the famous San
Gregario Store, one can find kerosene lanterns, New Age music,
and surprisingly serious books. |
| Two miles inland from
Pescadero Beach, the town of Pescadero
has the best bread bakery. Buy two loaves at Archangelli's - one
to eat in the car as you smell the other. Picnic makings,
home-made sausage, and local produce are also tempting. Enjoy
cream of artichoke soup or grandma's fresh apricot pie at
Duarte's, an eating institution since forever. |
| The weather is always
a respite from whatever is going on in the rest of California.
It's cool in summer when inland valleys are sweltering; winter
varies between exhilarating storms and warm sunny days for whale
watching. If there's fog over the hills, it's sunny on the coast
and vice versa. |
| The Half Moon Bay
Coastside - a wonderful place to live, a wonderful place to
visit. You'll be welcomed at any time of the year! |
|
|
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