Seniors Drawn To California’s Seaside Town

Half Moon Bay is both the name of a bay and a seaside town with a population around 12,000. Senior travelers will find Half Moon Bay on the Pacific Coast with forested hills on its inland side and some of the most beautiful coastlines that California has to offer on it’s ocean side.

Half Moon Bay is approximately 28 miles south of San Francisco. Local industries include fishing and tourism plus an agriculture industry that produces houseplants, floriculture, Christmas trees, pumpkins and artichokes.

Historically, Half Moon Bay had been known as San Benito and Spanishtown. Half Moon Bay’s beginnings as an agricultural community started developing significantly in the 1840s.

Seniors Watch Surf Contests

Half Moon Bay began as a rural agriculture area, primarily used for grazing cattle, horses, and oxen used by Mission San Francisco de Asis (established in June 1776).  The present name of Half Moon Bay was adopted by the area in 1874.

Half Moon Bay is surrounded with scenic views all along the coastline. Some of the popular activities in Half Moon Bay: fishing, horse riding, golf and kite surfing. Senior visitors can take in a whale watching cruise departing from the Pillar Point Harbor.

Half Moon Bay is famous for the Mavericks surf contest, where surfers have been known to surf against waves that have been as high as fifty feet. The organizers invite 24 big wave surfers annually to compete in the one-day event, but it is only held if wave conditions are favorable during the competition season. It’s one fun event that attracts visitors from all over the country…if not the world.

Seniors Like The Arts And The Pumpkins

An Art and Pumpkin Festival is held in this coastal community for one weekend during pumpkin harvest season. It is one of the oldest and largest local festivals in California.

With its historic downtown, shops, art galleries, restaurants, accommodations, beaches, parks, golf courses, nurseries, and farms, seniors will certainly find something that “trips your trigger.”

TripAdvisor will keep you busy with nearly 50 things to see and do in and around the city. The locals enjoy a lifestyle that some think no longer exists in California.

The Pillar Point Harbor at the northern edge of Half Moon Bay offers a protected landing for boats. A wide variety of fish species have been identified in the harbor area which means some great seafood for the demanding palate.

 This brief video takes the viewer through some of the many awesome things senior visitors can enjoy in this  picturesque coastal village —  Experience an unforgettable California Coast getaway, and take advantage of the sunny climate and rich history of Half Moon Bay. -jeb