Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay | what to do

Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, less than an hour's drive south of downtown San Francisco (and just 23 miles from SFO), is on the outskirts of a small, picturesque town overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The only oceanfront resort in the San Francisco Bay area, there is lots to do — a sandy beach for kids to play on, miles of coastline for couples to walk along, 36 holes of golf, horseback riding on the beach, a great spa, tennis, wine tasting, and great food.

Half Moon Bay is a great destination for a romantic weekend anytime of the year - or for a summer family vacation. I was intrigued by the Signature Drive that the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay suggests for guests. You can spend a few hours taking the drive, or make an entire day out of it. The tour is replete with suggestions for lunch and dinner along the way. Pictured on the map above, the tour winds through five distinct regions:

1. Historic Main Street. Explore the historic downtown — stroll and shop for art, crafts, jewelry, antiques and more.

2. Pumpkin. Drive past farms, fruit stands, and visit the Annual Art & Pumpkin Festival held every October.

3. California Redwood. Hiking trails, biking, horseback riding, and dining.

4. Santa Cruz Mountains. More than 70 wineries to visit as well as dining.

5. Coastal. Walk miles of sandy beach or the bluff-top trail that hugs the coast.

Coastal View rooms at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay are definitely worth the upgrade — request a south-facing room for the more spectacular view — and the Fire Pit rooms are very popular. Located on the ground level, they feature a patio with a gas fireplace and adirondack chairs overlooking the coast. Ask your travel consultant about various vacation packages as well. As a Virtuoso guest, you will enjoy complimentary amenities such as free breakfast daily, room upgrades, and a spa credit.

If you want a beach vacation with warm ocean water and hot summer days, there are better choices. Mark Twain's famous comment — the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco — may be an exaggeration, but it's true enough. I love Northern California's temperate year-round climate, but there are better choices for "a week at the beach."


Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2010 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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