Destination:
Half Moon Bay,
California

Princeton-by-the-Sea

Pillar Point Harbor and Princeton-by-the-Sea, once frequented by rumrunners and prohibition agents, now serve commercial fisherman and recreational boaters.

Begin your walk at the heart of the harbor - Johnson Pier. You can stroll along the pier to watch fishermen unload their catch of the day.

The trail south from Johnson Pier leads along the curving shore to the outer breakwater. Along the way, you will pass the boat launch ramps and a protected shoreline habitat used by resting shorebirds such as killdeer and great blue herons. At the outer breakwater, watch local surfers catch the waves.

The train north from Johnson Pier takes you to the public fishing pier on the inner breakwater. From the fishing pier, around dusk, watch kwawk-ing night herons leave their roost in the Monterey Cypress trees behind the Shore Bird/Wharf Cafe.

The town of Princeton-by-the-Sea, noted for its streets named after famous colleges, was laid out in 1908 to serve the throngs of visitors who rode Ocean Shore Railroad trains from San Francisco to explore Coastside beaches.