Friday, July 10, 2009

Half Moon Bay Day Trip Itinerary

Last Friday (July 3), my family and I decided to take advantage of their off-work days and plan a day trip somewhere in the bay area. Not wanting to go to Carmel yet AGAIN, we decided to go to Half Moon Bay. Looking for an itinerary for Half Moon Bay was a pain. I had to do about 2 hours of research to find out what is fun to do there and I think it really paid off. Below is our itinerary for the day plus some things we didn't get around to do that would definitely make a return trip worth it! Also, I bet Half Moon Bay is pretty packed on the weekends, but we went on a weekday and the crowds were very manageable.

Drive to Half Moon Bay

In the late morning, we drove from San Jose to Half Moon Bay. We took 280N and then we got onto Highway 92. The length along highway 92 is so pretty! It's a one lane road so we hit a bit of traffic, but you drive through forests and pass lots of greenhouses and stands selling flowers.

Stop off at the Chamber of Commerce and Vistors Bureau
235 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA
http://www.halfmoonbaychamber.org/


Once you drive into half moon bay and hit their cute little main street, you'll see the Visitors Bureau along your way to lunch. We stopped in for some great advice, maps, directions, etc.! The woman here is really nice and there are lots of maps, guides to half moon bay, and brochures for you to browse.


Lunch at Chez Shea
408 Main Street, Half Moon Bay, CA
http://www.chez-shea.com/


Chez Shea is an eclectic organic restaurant that doesn't skimp on flavor. It's an order-at-the-counter and find your own table kind of restaurant. Everything on their lunch menu is $8-10 and they have the "people on yelp love us" sticker in the window :). My dad and I had the Torta Ugalde, "a savory blend of carnitas, ham, avocado, roasted tomato salsa, queso blanco, lettuce, tomato, and onions on a Mexican telera bun w/ a mild jalapeno mayonnaise" ($9). My mom had the East-West Fish Tac0, "fresh fish marinated with Moroccan chermoula and cooked on the griddle, served in flatbread with tzatziki, harissa, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and salsa" ($9). Finally, my brother had the Portabello sandwhich with carmelized onions, roasted peppers and braised greens, on house made focaccia bread topped w/ a piquillo-pecan spread ($8). Wow, everything tasted fantastic - really unique and rich flavors! The sandwiches even came with home-made potato chips that were very addictive. The only con...it may be difficult to find a seat!

Wine Tasting at La Nebbia Winery
12341 San Mateo Road, Half Moon Bay, (650) 726-9463
http://www.lanebbiawinery.com/


So, my family actually didn't get to go to La Nebbia. By the time we decided that we wanted to do wine tasting, it was past their closing time (5:00). I did give them a call, however, and the woman on the phone told me that for $6 per person, a tasting would include 4 reds, 3 whites, a dessert, plus you get to keep the glass. They have special events on certain days as well. For instance, on July 25th, they will be having a Garlic BBQ for $25 per person in advance, $30 at the door. If you drive from San Jose or that area to Half Moon Bay, you will pass this winery before heading onto Main Street. If I could re-do my day, I would have made sure to come here!


Biking the Coastal Trail, Bike Works Bike Shop
520 Kelly Avenue, Half Moon Bay, (650) 726-6708
http://www.bikeworkshmb.com/


Located in a big Victorian house, Bike Works not only has a great selection of bikes and cycling gear w/ a fantastic staff, but also rents out bicycles by the hour for rides along Half Moon Bay's Coastal Trail. Rates are $20 an hour and you really need only 2 hours to ride the Coastal Trail. We were given cruisers and I had always wanted to ride one! It had big cushy seats and a retro look :) The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, funny, and helpful! The trail is two blocks away from Bike Works so the shop is in a really convenient location. The ride is so beautiful and the trail is paved. You'll ride parallel to the beach and parallel to a horse trail as well. This was definitely the highlight of my day! Here's a picture of one stretch of the ride:


Grab a Pint at Half Moon Bay Brewery
107 Broadway, Half Moon Bay, (650) 726-6708
http://www.hmbbrewingco.com/


Sigh, yet another thing we didn't get to do! After returning our bikes, my family did get some drinks and an appetizer at the Miramar Beach Restaurant (also along the coast trail), but I wish we had gone to the Half Moon Bay Brewery instead! Just listen to this: "Sandy Beach Blonde Hefeweizein: A traditional Bavarian-style, unfiltered wheat beer with a wonderful aroma of banana and clove." Sounds girly and delicious. Just my style :) They even offer a beer sampler tray w/ 4 oz. of a beer at $1 each. Not only that, but HMBB would have been so close to the restaurant that we picked for dinner.


Seafood Dinner at Mezza Luna
459 Prospect Way, Half Moon Bay, (650) 728-8108
http://www.mezzalunabythesea.com/


After our long day, we were ready for a hearty seafood dinner. Mezza Luna is an Italian restaurant with some yummy surf and some turf dishes as well. The ambiance was comfortable and inviting. We were greeted by our Italian-speaking waiter with a Betty Boop tie. :D The bread is the kind of rustic bread you can't wait to dive into once they set it onto your table. The food is simple and satisfying, but the portions are a bit small! I had the Zuppa del Pescatore, fresh assorted seafood sauteéd ín white wine, tomato and saffron broth (
18.50). It was a bunch of assorted seafood (octopus, mussles, clams, prawns, and calamari) in a thin but tasty broth. My brother had the red snapper w/ capers special. My parents shared the catch-of-the-day mixed grill for two which came with two big slabs of grilled salmon and sea bass (my fav!) with green beans and polenta on the side ($39). For dessert, I had the torte of the day which turned out to be black forest cake. Ooh, it was so moist and chocolatey with whole black cherries in the filling and a thin layer of almond paste in the middle. Delicious!