When you go to Half Moon Bay, California to have a romantic getaway or a family vacation, you will discover a different kind of journey. The folks in Half Moon Bay, particularly the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, gave this different kind of journey an important sounding name: Coastside Ecotourism. The two major goals are obvious. First, the travelers will thoroughly enjoy the beauty and bounty of nature. And second, the importance of environmental stewardship is emphasized. Thus, once you checked in at one of the Half Moon Bay hotels, you must make sure that you brought your camera with you.

Some of the places to see are agriculture-related sites, such as the Cheese Farms, the Wineries, the Farmers’ Market, the Garden Terrace of native plants and herbs, and the Environmental Educational Ranch. Other places to visit are those that present the wildlife. The plants and animals are observed in either their natural habitats. These places include the Tide Pools of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, the bird refuges of the Pescadero Marsh, the Ano Nueva State Reserve and Interpretative Center, and the Pillar Point Harbor, which is the gateway to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The travelers on family vacations may also enjoy whale watching, fishing, and kayaking.