Your private beach awaits

One of the best kept secrets of the Bay Area is, in my opinion, the coast between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. While those two places are great destinations in themselves, I much prefer the pleasure of discovering the many small coves and beaches that dot the coastline in between. And you don't have to be terribly intrepid to make a discovery. Simply head along coastal highway 1, and keep your eye peeled for a small path, a particularly wide gravel shoulder or a small gate. Pull over and take a peek. Chances are you have found a path to the coast. Some are steep, some flat, some go through sand dunes and some have small boardwalks to help you navigate through whatever vegetation is about, but all lead to spectacular views and, in my experience, little or no one to share them with. This is when you pull out your camera and get that wide angle shot of you on your private beach. With a blanket, a good book and a picnic lunch there are few better ways to enjoy a sunny day.

Half Moon Bay

Taking advantage of the lovely weather, we ventured across highway 92 to Half Moon Bay this weekend, and were rewarded with a stunning day at the beach...in January! At this time of year, the Half Moon Bay area is perhaps best known for the Mavericks Surf competition, which draws an international crowd of top tier surfers to its beaches each February. It was not hard to understand why - the surf was incredible even on a sunny and calm day. But do not be deceived, the currents are extremely strong and anything beyond dipping a toe in the rather chilly waters is not recommended.

Happily, there are a great many other ways to stay occupied: the large sandy beach offers a wonderful spot to play, read or wander; there are trails for walking and biking along the coast; we took advantage of the BBQ grills and enjoyed lunch overlooking the beach at Half Moon Bay State Beach, which also has a small Nature Centre to explore; and, of course, there is Half Moon Bay itself, with its charming old Main Street of shops and restaurants. On our drive in we stopped at one of the many produce stalls and picked up some local honey.

We ran out of time (and energy!) to check it out this trip, but about 5 miles north of Half Moon Bay is the community of Moss Beach. The Moss Beach Distillery provides a lovely spot to sit and watch the sunset (they even provide blankets and a fire pit for those hardy enough to sit on the patio!) www.mossbeachdistillery.com

Tip: If you don't have too much gear to lug, park on the road, walk to the Half Moon Bay State Beach and save yourself $10 for parking. Or even better, purchase a State Parks pass and save all year long!

Where is the Pumpkin Capital of the World?

Half Moon Bay is a great day trip anytime - a wide beach, impressive surf, a sweet Main Street filled with independent shops, and great hiking, coastal walks, state parks and bike paths in either direction along Highway 1. October brings an added incentive: Half Moon Bay bills itself as the "World Pumpkin Capital", and with over a dozen pumpkin farms dotted around the scenic town, it is easy to see why. You'll find a good map at www.explorer1.com/halfmoonbay/pumpkin-map.htm. And while there are plenty of traditional options to keep kids amused - hay rides, haunted houses, pony rides and the like - there are lots of options for adults too.

The 40th annual Art and Pumpkin Festival (www.miramarevents.com/pumpkinfest) will once agian fill historic Main Street October 16 & 17. Arata Pumpkin Farm offers a truly spectacular two acre hay maze that attracts as many adults as kids - and even more after hours, when it can be reserved for a truly challenging moonlit labyrinth. And Bob's Pumpkin Farm provides a respite from the busy activity-style farms with excellent produce, fresh pumpkins to pick, and lovely views of the Pacific (don't believe the map link on Yelp - the farm is actually about 5 miles south of Half Moon Bay, not smack in the middle of the town).

There is much, much more to explore - and, as you may have noticed, it is never too early to get into the Halloween spirit here in the Bay Area! One final tip: go early. By weekend afternoons through October, traffic snakes its way all along highway 92 heading into town.