Experience Valentine's Bliss on the Half Moon Bay Coastside

Romance is alive and in the air on the Half Moon Bay Coastside. This beautiful coastal region, located approximately 35 minutes south of San Francisco is considered one of the most romantic places in the world. Couples can enjoy special getaway packages, heart-shaped cheese from a local goat dairy, indulgent spa treatments and much more. Celebrate the month of love with the one you love on the Half Moon Bay Coastside!

Below is a sampling of the Valentine’s Day merriment along the Half Moon Bay Coastside. Visit

www.visithalfmoonbay.org for everything needed to plan a visit including information on cozy inns and luxury coastal resorts, renowned restaurants, farm visits, golfing, wine tasting, fishing, whale watching, surfing and much more.

– ROMANTIC ADVENTURES –

Indulge in Heart Shaped Cheese

There is no better way to spend Valentine’s Day than on the gorgeous coastal roads leading to Harley Farms in Pescadero. Savor freshly made heart-shaped Valentine cheeses, seasonal truffles and amazing cheesecake. Don’t forget to take a snapshot with their very pregnant and happy goats! Interested in a Valentine’s farm tour? Be sure to check the website for openings. 205 North Street, Pescadero, (650) 879-0480, www.harleyfarms.com.

Create a Glass Heart

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, visitors can head to Half Moon Bay Art Glass to create hand blown glass hearts for the ones they love. Students will gather hot glass from the furnace, color it and then shape it into the heart of their dreams. Class is $59 per student. Hearts are available the next day for pickup or can be shipped for a small fee. Half Moon Bay Art Glass at La Nebbia Winery, 12341 San Mateo Road on Hwy 92, (650) 283-5626, www.hmbartglass.com.

Send Love in a Bottle

Oddyssea, an interactive retail experience in Downtown Half Moon Bay, is celebrating Valentine’s Day with two hands-on activities. From January 31 through February 14, customers can create “love letters in a bottle” or Valentine’s Day terrariums which are sure to delight the love of their life. This is a romantic gift that is unique and truly memorable. Open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and closed Wednesdays. Activities are offered on a first come, first serve basis. 617 Main Street, (650) 440-4555, www.oddyssea.com.

Go Whale Watching

For a romantic adventure, hit the high seas to witness the annual migration of the gray whales. Half Moon Bay is the perfect spot for witnessing the journey of these spectacular creatures. From January through the end of March, approximately 15,000 gray whales swim south from the icy waters of the Arctic to mate and nurse their young in the warm, shallow lagoons along Magdalena Bay in Baja, California. The full round-trip migration from the Bering Sea to the Baja calving lagoons is approximately 10,000 miles, the longest known migration for any mammal. Gray whales move at a steady speed of about five miles per hour, and most can be spotted in an area that extends from the kelp beds (about 3/4 miles from the shoreline) out to the horizon. For those who like to plan ahead, March through early April is a great time to spot humpback whales as they begin moving closer to shore.

Several local companies offer whale-watching excursions:
Half Moon Bay Sportfishing & Tackle, (650) 728-3377
Huli Cat Sportfishing, (650) 726-2926
Riptide Sportfishing, (888) 747-8433

Kayak with the One You Love

There may be nothing more romantic than paddling through the waters of Pillar Point Harbor on a tandem kayak with the one you love. Discover the world of sea kayaking in a dynamic and diverse environment. Paddle amongst seals, birds, and other marine life in protected Pillar Point Harbor or for the more adventurous couple, head into the wild blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Guests can choose from single, double, and triple kayaks. Half Moon Bay Kayak, 2 Johnson Pier, (650) 773-6101, www.hmbkayak.com.

About the Half Moon Bay Coastside

The Half Moon Bay Coastside is a charming seaside respite located approximately 35 minutes south of San Francisco. Nestled between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, this breathtaking region consists of four distinct areas - the North Coast, Half Moon Bay, the South Coast and the Redwood Region. Featuring the best of Northern California all in one place, visitors will enjoy miles of white sandy beaches, redwood forests, a historic downtown filled with local artisan shops, beautiful state parks, fields of wild flowers, and trails along ocean bluffs and mountain ridges as far as the eye can see. A sampling of activities includes horseback riding on the beach, farm fresh dining, shopping, biking, hiking and world-class golfing and surfing.

For more information on visiting Half Moon Bay, 

visit www.visithalfmoonbay.org,
download Half Moon Bay’s free app iCoastside or call (650) 726-8380.

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