Half Moon Bay is a charming California seaside retreat that draws visitors for its famous "Maverick" big wave surfing, towering coastal redwoods, and rustic pumpkin farms. Located along PCH and just 25 minutes south of San Francisco Airport, Half Moon Bay is an accessible weekend getaway.
We explore the sheer-cliff coastline views, marine life, and redwood groves. We also sample the delicious cuisine that ranges from breweries, fresh-caught seafood, to Peruvian. Many of the dishes are crafted from local fish and produce. We stay at the Beach House Hotel, which offers stunning hotel suites with views of the bay.
Where to stay:
The Beach House Hotel is like a home away from home retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life. As the name suggests, it is situated along the beach with white water views of the glistening harbor. Turn down your bed at night and the only sounds you can hear are gentle crashing waves and lighthouse. âThe suites come complete with a wood burning fireplace, fully equipped kitchen, and relaxing balcony. Outside the property is a scenic beach path that winds along the coast for miles, perfect for running and biking.
Where to Eat
âSam's Chowder House - A classic New England style seafood restaurant offering a seafood-lover's dream menu with stunning views of the harbor. The salmon, oysters, branzino, and lobster rolls are standouts.
La Costanera Peruvian Restaurant: Take a culinary trip to Peru with a menu of Peruvian favorites such as lomo saltado, and culinary delights like the pescado a lo macho, made with fresh caught seafood. Pair it with the crafted cocktails, including a pisco sour tasting flight!
Half Moon Bay Brew Co: Enjoy local brews on the patio and mouth watering seafood stew, fish tacos, and save room for desert because they have "beermisu" (that's tiramisu but made from stout beer). Try the pumpkin ale which is made from local sugar pumpkins.
Things to do: If you are a nature lover, you will find no shortage of activities here in Half Moon Bay.
Kayak the Harbor: We recommend getting out on the water and renting kayaks from Half Moon Bay Kayaks. You can easily spend hours kayaking the harbor over to the Maverick wave beach, famous for the XXL waves. Half Moon Bay Kayaks: http://www.hmbkayak.com/
Bike own the Bay:
Half Moon Bay Kayaks also has bikes for rent and we recommend taking them down the coastal path towards Half Moon Bay State Beach. There are many stunning cliff-side views along the way, as well as surfers at "Surfer's Beach".
After months of being in the city and postponing our international travel plans, it was time to search within our own country for something fresh and unexpected. We spent the weekend in Idaho, a state that I mostly knew about for its famous potatoes, but had no idea that the natural wonders were on the scale of a national park but without the crowds.
Nicknamed the "gem state", Idaho challenges you to look beyond the surface and uncover what you may have overlooked. There are ancient volcanic landscapes, canyons, waterfalls, and natural hot springs that seemingly appear out of nowhere. As one of the least populated states in the US, Idaho offers plenty of wilderness and space for social distancing. â1. Staying at a creekside cabin resort
The first night we woke up to the sound of a babbling creek at the peaceful Billingsley Creek Lodge in Hagerman, located an hour and a half south of Boise. This unique accommodation features cozy fully-equipped cabins nestled in a tree-lined pastoral landscape. The creek outside the cabins is fed from the natural springs from the Snake River Aquifer. The water is 58 degrees year-round and has been underground for hundreds and thousands of years.
â2. Swimming in natural springs: Next, we visit the waterfalls in Ritter Island State Park, which is filled with natural swimming pools and waterfalls. The water is so clear that it looks drinkable.
3. Malad Gorge
Be sure to leave your fear of heights behind when stepping on to this next landscape. The Malad Gorge seemingly appears out of nowhere. Stepping on to the flat arid terrain, the faint sound of a waterfall seemed like the last thing I would see in this area. I approached a rocky area off the side of the I-84 interstate. As I climbed over the large black basalt boulders, suddenly the ground revealed a sudden drop to an expansive volcanic canyon floor and river with a waterfall billowing out of the freeway overpass.
â4. Box Canyon State Park
The Box Canyon State Park is an unexpected landscape reminded me of Iceland, only with sun. The volcanic terrain drops 200 hundred feet to reveal rivers, waterfalls, and natural springs that are pure aquamarine blue. It looks like an oasis in the middle of the pastoral landscape.
5. Shoshone Falls
Adventuring around the Niagara Falls of the West! The Shoshone Falls are actually taller than Niagara Falls at 212 feet and are truly spectacular. The numerous walking paths around the falls provide a mesmerizing view of the water power.
Clothing featured in this video:
It's time for a trip to the wild wild west with a trip to Sacramento. I have lived in California a long time and I cannot believe it's taken me this long to explore diverse and dynamic city. This historic gold rush city has so much to offer from farm to fork restaurants, a restored old town, museums, and the State Capitol Building of course!
1. California State Capitol - This iconic building is modeled after the US Capitol Building in Washington DC and houses the California state legislator and the governor. You can tour the building daily or visit at night when it is all lit up.
2. Brunch - Head over to the farm to fork restaurant Beast and Bounty, which is found in the trendy urban retail area called the Ice Blocks in Midtown Sacramento.
3. Cuisine from Around the World - Sacramento is one of the most diverse cities in America where you can find authentic cuisine from literally every corner of the world, including Chinese, Ethiopian, and Haitian. In fact, at each of these restaurants, we were able to meet the owners who grew up in their home country and brought the recipes straight to Sacramento.
4. Old Town Sacramento - The restored old town takes you back into time to the 1800s gold rush era of Sacramento. There are 50 restored buildings, including restaurants, saloons, antiques, and museums.
5. California Railroad Museum - Sacramento is known for the groundbreaking site of the Transcontinental Railroad built between 1863 and 1869. It was one of the largest engineering feats in American history as the rail crossed though the treacherous Sierra Nevada Mountains. Go all aboard the historic steam engines in the family-friendly California Railroad Museum.
6. Historic Neighborhoods - Walk through the downtown to see the funky Victorian-era homes. Another fun fact, is Sacramento is known as the "City of Trees" for having the most trees per capita in America.
7. Golden 1 Center - Catch a Kings Game or a concert at the Golden 1 Center, a fun vibrant sports arena. The area is surrounded by fun bars and pubs.
What are your favorite places to visit in Sacramento? Comment below! |
Published Travel ArticlesWelcome to Run The Atlas!
We are two adventurous young professionals who turned our passion for travel into a blog to help others travel more.
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