In a couple weeks, my wife is attending a 3 day confernence at Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay. We will have a car and I would appreciate suggestions about some short scenic drives and things to see that are not shopping related.
Thanks much.

The whole area is scenic. You can just drive north or south and get great coastline. To the south there are a number of parks and beaches where you can view wildlife and even elephant seals, if you're lucky. Skyline Blvd. just to the west will take you through redwood forests and through some funky little towns. And of course it's less than an hour north to San Francisco.

Drive south on 1 to Pescardero and have lunch at Duartes. On the way back, drive throgh town and take the backroad through the coastal hills. The road ends at San Gregorio. Take a left on 84 and that will take you back to 1 again, then head north back to Half Moon Bay.

Visit Ano Nuevo Preserve and see the elephant seals. You need to make reservations for a tour.

-Bill

Skyline Blvd. is just to the east of Half Moon Bay, well actually about ten miles up the hill. Skyline runs along the crest of the coastal ridge about 2000 feet above sea level, to the south of Hwy 92 out of HMB. There are no real towns on the way, just single family homes on wooded lots. And a couple of upscale restaurants, Bella Vista has a great view down to the SF Bay and the Peninsula towns, possibly a view of SF itself. The Mountain House is a short way south.

There are parks all along the route on both sides of the highway, with redwoods, mostly second growth but you can see stumps of the old giants. If you come back down to the coast on Hwy 84 you will pass through the funky little town of La Honda, where Janis Joplin and the Dead hung out back in the 60s. Applejacks is a bar on the other end of the spectrum from Bella Vista.

You can continue on 35 to 9 to 236 and go to Big Basin, which has a large area of old growth redwoods. But that's a little more than short drive, more of an all afternoon thing.

The most scenic drive would be south along the coast. Or north to San Francisco.

oops, I'm directionally challenged. Nothing is just west of Half Moon Bay.

Great suggestions so far.

There are a couple state parks, in addition to Big Basin that I esspecially enjoy. Butano State Park is just outside of Pescadero and is very nice. It has some nice short hikes and isn't heavily visited, so you have the forest to yourself a lot of the time. Portola state park is another good one, right off Skyline. Portola has some old growth trees as does Big Basin.

One of my favorite things to do in that area is just hang around the beaches between Pescadero and Half Moon Bay - plenty of good beachcombing there. Lots of driftwood washes up there and people like to make sculptures out of it, which adds interest.

If you do end up taking a drive along Skyline Blvd and you are interested in plants and nurseries, stop at the Buena Vista Nursery about 5 miles south of 84 on Skyline. There is a huge sign on the road and the nursery is about a mile or two up the road. They have the largest selection and collection of native California plants I've seen. Very cool place. They have a funky little tearoom that serves sandwiches and tea. If you are a wine taster, right across the road from the entrance to the nursery is Fogarty Winery.

-Bill

Thanks for your great suggestions. We really appreciate it !

One of my all-time favorite areas in the world, no matter what the season, weather, day of the week, time of day. Having grown up nearby, and having been "dragged to" the beach at least once a month by my ocean-loving mother, I'm probably a little prejudiced, but oh well!

If you are very lucky (or not, depending upon how you look at it), Mavericks surf contest may be on (link below) (the actual date isn't decided until 24 hours before contest, dependent upon the surf conditions). Amazing! If it is on, you won't be able to drive north of the Ritz, but you'll be in the thick of the excitement. If it's not happening, it's well worth taking a drive to Mavericks and some of the beaches north of HMB.

South of HMB are also some wonderful beaches, and they're never, ever crowded, since it's cold (but glorious.) Martins Beach, Pebble Beach (not the famous one, but a lovely spot on its own merit), San Gregorio Beach, so many! All of the beaches are, imo, some of the most beautiful in the world -- not for sunbathing, but for exploration & exhilaration.

If you're interested in spectacularly beautiful gardens, and if you're willing to drive a half hour or so, you might consider visiting Filoli in Woodside.
http://www.filoli.org/

http://maverickssurf.com/Home/
It’s on again! Sometime between January 1 and March 31, 2007 - 24 of the world’s greatest big-wave surfers will descend upon the frigid waters of Half Moon Bay for the chance to ride "the most dangerous waves in the world." ...

Great suggestions. How lucky yoy are to be at the RC. Have fun.

Seconding Butano State Park. Not overly visited and the hiking is very accessible - a good way to get the feel of the redwood forest environment without huge planning or effort. Pescadero Creek Road to the east of the town of Pescadero takes you through some very pretty countryside and connects with Highway 84, so a loop drive would be quite easy. If you are doing the Skyline drive, I believe Castle Rock State Park is at the southern end of the road. It is popular with rock climbers and has great views. Do be careful on all your hikes - the terrrain could be slippery. Wear proper shoes. Also, when visiting cliffside vista points at the beaches, don't get too close to the edge - the cliffs are prone to crumbling, even in a relatively dry year such as this one.

I'll second the recommendation for Duarte's (pronounced Doo-arts).http://www.duartestavern.com/

My husband and I were just reminicing about Duarte's yesterday. We haven't been there in quite awhile. I think we are overdue for a visit.

Artichoke soup...olallieberry pie...