Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz - Timetable
 

Our ultimate goal is to get from San Francisco to Pacific Grove and we basically have all day to get there. I think that we have decided to take Hwy 1 from Half Moon Bay down to Santa Cruz, possibly visit the Boardwalk and then go on from there. My question is in regards to the amount of time that it will take to get to Santa Cruz from Half Moon Bay. I've seen posts that suggest 3-4 hours, but Yahoo maps shows 1.25 hours (breaking it down from HMB to Davenport and then to SC - Otherwise Yahoo wants you to take the freeways). Can someone give me an idea of what I'm missing? Is the difference due to traffic? Winding roads? Thank you!

OK - maybe I misread the 3-4 hour posts that I referenced before. That may be to get to Monterey/Carmel/Pacific Grove. But any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.

There really isn't much on this drive besides absolutely BEAUTIFUL coastlines. My only advice is to stop every once in a while just to take a look at the ocean.

About halfway down from HMB is a small cove that you can walk down a steep path to, or walk around the cliff edge. I think you will see a few parking spaces on the side of the road...but you mostly just have to look for it.

I do the drive in about an hour, but then Yahoo maps assumes you do the speed limit, so 1.25 hours is reasonable ;)

The road is fairly straight for that stretch - there are curves, but nothing like north of HMB or south of Carmel. I often cruise along at 70 without even realizing it.

As for traffic, you will hit traffic once you get into Santa Cruz - highway 1 comes right into the west side of SC and becomes Mission St, which is just a regular city street. You follow that for awhile before the highway returns to a freeway. That freeway can be fairly slow going depending on the timing (commute traffic or beach traffic). There shouldn't be much traffic between HMB and SC though.

I think the 3-4 hrs is to get from SF to Carmel. Like J_Correa said, it's not hard to hit 70 on the road from HMB to Davenport. My wife is always reminding me to watch my speed.

Stu Dudley

Great! Thank you for the responses. That helps me plan the rest of the day.

For that drive to take 3-4 hours, you'd need to stop for an hour to picnic, another hour to hike, and another 30 mins to whatever . . . .

It is about 50 miles from Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz and the road is mostly straight and flat. I think we usually make it in an hour.

I have ridden Highway 1 from Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz by bicycle. It's about 100 miles and should be about 2 hours by car.

If you have time you should visit Big Basin.

About an hour, or 2 if you "Mosey-on-down"!

My AAA map says it's 52 miles, and mapquest says it's 60.69 miles & 1 hr 8 minutes.

Stu Dudley

LOL, I love this!

Well, trust me. Mapquest doesn't live in Santa Cruz. I do, and make that trip all the time.

Couldn't resist and put in my two cents....used to live in La Honda- in the hills east between Half Moon Bay & Santa Cruz. It's an hour drive from HMB to SC if you're driving, if you're driving for pleasure and possible stops- can take two hours...up to you. There is a beautiful "pebble beach" (what we called it then, perhaps it isn't the correct name), small and beautiful tiny pebbles, like an aquarium. North of Pescadaro Lighthouse.
It's a beautiful area, and in Pescadaro there is a restaurant that serves traditional artichoke soup! mmm...so good!

<i>and in Pescadaro there is a restaurant that serves traditional artichoke soup!</i>

Would that be Duarte's? If you stop there, don't skip the pie!

I was thinking round trip. It is less than an hour unless there is construction or traffic.

I suggest stopping off in Big Basin if you have the time.

I was going to say about an hour. Maybe a little more if you want to do a stop.