This beach is very nice absolutely no garbage any where, beautiful water color for pictures, clean…read morebathrooms, lots of parking close to the water, surfers in the water to watch, great place to take your kids. I have a 1 1/2 year old who loved it! Many shells to pick up in the sand. This place is booming with life. Really beautiful drive to the beach as well.

Gorgeous beach, it does get busy, parking can be hard, we have been coming to this beach over a few…read moreyears, though haven't been back in the last couple of years, can't wait to come back. Its fun to see a lot of birds there, the water is cold as always, but its a solid beach

There is no ocean view from here at all, despite the name. Still, this is a wonderful park for…read morekids. There are couple play structures, grass area, restrooms, a large barbecue, and several picnic tables. We stopped by here to have a quick picnic lunch and ended up staying for couple hours because the kids wanted to run around and climb the play structures for a long time. There is not much shade, so do bring sunscreen. Also, try to sit far away from the barbecue grill because you will not want to socially distance from the food others are grilling...

This park is awesome! 3 play structures to meet the play needs of different age groups (big kid,…read morelittle kid, and toddler). Clean equipment that works well. This may be our preferred park playground in Half Moon Bay!

We went to the northern entrance of Fitzgerald reserve only to find out it was closed due to sea…read morepups. We drove a few minutes south to the other entrance and found street parking. We skipped the tree tunnel this time only because my kid was anxious to tide pool. We walked down the long flight of stairs to the beach to find amazing tide pools and a clean beach. No restrooms on this side, no dogs, no beach toys, no food (though I saw people with it), and no collecting. If you come here be sure to bring a well fitted hat, sunscreen (even on cloudy days), towel, water, and sturdy shoes. The tide pools rocks can be slippery so wearing shoes with grip can help avoid falls. I saw two adults slip in the 90 minutes we were there. I saw anemones, crabs, clams and so much kelp of all colors.

The Seal Cove Cypress Tree Tunnel is a quick and easy trail to explore, take pictures, and to…read moresimply just enjoy nature. Parking is free which is a plus--located near the Fitzgerald marine reserve, and there are public bathrooms to use as well. The trees do give off a spooky/enchanted vibe, but that's the cool thing about nature!

This is by far the largest tidepool area I've been to and the most interesting place to see marine…read moreand wildlife, especially because it is a reserve. If you go in the wee morning hours, it felt like walking in a dream with fresh ocean mist hitting your face, a layer of light fog, and the serenity of just you and the ocean. A few locals came down for a morning stroll and were all friendly with a quick "find anything interesting?" chat. By 9am though, lots of people start pouring in and you start hearing all the excited screams of kids, if that's what you're into. I'm not. We were there super early and were lucky enough to spot out a great blue heron patrolling the tidepools looking for a snack, a stranded baby harbor seal, starfish, and lots of small crabs. Nearby on the rocks was a washed up decaying whale, we think, from the looks of the thick leather-looking skin and big bones. It stank baking in the sun the day before, but had no smell in the morning after the tide washed it all night. This place was made for exploring. The tide is so low that you're able to walk out suuuperrr far. Some folks were mussel farming from the little Islands. There was also a cliffside that you could climb up which takes you to a whole other side of different terrain. We found a neon green and purple crab on top and nooks of crashing waves. So beautiful. Be careful where you step when exploring. I was sad to see lots of tourists just stomping over delicate barnacles and anemones like they were nothing. Continue to preserve and this amazing place will stay wild for years to come.

What a special marine preserve…read more Parking: very tight. When the tidepools are open; you will find very clean water. Tip: to find the path, walk up the road a couple hundred feet, look on the right side of the road for a path. There are bathrooms and two water faucets and several large wooden lunch tables. No fire pits.

A wonderful place for a pacific-side hike... cliffs and dunes, topped by a unique cypress tree…read moreforest of weathered and worn trees. The trees form a large covered pathway reminiscent of the arches of a large cathedral. We were there in late summer, on a day when the fog was hugging the shore and creating an eerie atmosphere... it made for a beautiful atmosphere so typical of this shore. Parking wasn't an issue as we were there on a Saturday morning. I imagine this gets busier later in the day.... looks like it might be a very popular spot for picnics. The pathways are well maintained, and you get great access to this unique ecosystem. Make sure you hike to the top of the cliff and walk into the "cypress tree tunnels" to see what I'm talking about... it's a beautiful place.

Beautiful beach just down the cliff from Moss Beach Distillery. "Just" down the cliff. You can get…read morean amazing view of the beach from the Distillery parking lot by hiking along a ridge, but I suggest you take the stairs on Cypress Road to actually set your feet on the sand. There's plenty of free parking around the Distillery (don't tell them I sent you) and the residential streets nearby (REALLY don't tell them I sent you). I hope you've been practicing your parallel parking though! This beach is a great place for little ones and anyone with a fascination with marine bio. The seaweed covered rocks create little tidepools that are home to many a ocean-faring creature - anemones (look out for the squishy green ones exposed to air!), hermit crabs, sea stars, and supposedly seals (don't hold your breath though). If sandy shoes aren't your thing, keep going past the stairs and the trailhead and walk along the soft dirt trail. Follow the fence for some gorgeous views of the sea, and eventually you'll come to a gently downsloping road to the tip of the rocky beach. Photo-op anyone?

This park has been beautifully renovated and feels clean, open, and inviting. The updated picnic…read moreareas under the redwoods are peaceful and get great natural light in the late afternoon. The new amphitheater space looks modern and well-designed, with plenty of seating and wide walkways that make the whole area easy to navigate.The improvements definitely make the park feel refreshed and much more usable.

A small, quaint park tucked away behind Main Street, near the historic bridge…read more This park is named in honor of the founding father and first mayor of the City of Half Moon Bay, John L. Carter. A gentle concrete ramp will take you down along the park's circular perimeter to the interior of the park, where three stone benches form a large open circle. Redwood trees flank the park on one side, and a dirt path takes you through a small grassy space. Traffic noise is reduced to a low level due to landscaping. More noticeable is the pleasant chirping of birds from the trees above. The park is a little dilapidated with a single water fountain that doesn't work, and a statue of a man holding a pumpkin that is chipped and cracked. The landscaping, however, appears to be well-maintained. The park sign is along Main Street, but the interior is not visible from the road. Consequently, this park doesn't seem to get much foot traffic and is a place of tranquility, where a traveler can rest and momentarily forget about the cares of life.

Note- address is 452 oak ave, dont rely on google maps to find this park. Good for the preschool…read moreset but not much here for older kids. pros: Clean and in good condition. One large play structure with three small slides, mini climbing wall, rubberized play surface. Sound of creek nearby. Picnic tables trash cans and bathroom. Cons: Not much shade if you happen to come on a sunny afternoon. Tip- if street parking is tight, use the CVS baskin Robbins parking area and walk across the bridge at the rear of the shopping center.

Half Moon Bay has a new park. This park is designed for children 1-5 years old. The play structure…read moreis on soft cork material. It offers plenty to climb on and one small side. My son loves the elevated tunnel and the baby rock climbing wall. No, swings but plenty of picnic tables. This out of the way park is worth finding. Parking can be rough on the weekends. You may want to park in the Basken Robbins lot and walk over the bridge and access the playground that way.

Just came here to park for a zoom meeting. It was very quiet and it seemed pretty saferead more

A nice place to come and picnic/let kids run around. I wish there were a few more picnic benches…read moreavailable - they have more available within the playground itself which is technically animal-free but since we had our dog and the one table outside the perimeter was taken, we decided to take our chances and break the rule. Trash cans and bathrooms are on site, it's nice for adults to be able to sit back and enjoy while keeping a close eye on their kids. The park is set back a little bit from the street and has trees surrounding it which helps to provide a buffer on a windy day. There is also a hiking/biking trail available here if you want to go on a short hike.

The trail is really a collection of trails all over the Half Moon Bay area. You can jump on the…read moretrail quit and find it again miles from your last location. Most of the trail is paved and level making it a highly enjoyable family walk.

Too Big to Trail The…read moreHalf Moon Bay Coastal Trail is an amalgam of several trails that run thru HMB and goes for 11.5-miles one-way from start to finish. The southerly end is at the Cowell Ranch Trail in HMB and runs all the way north to Dardanelle Trail in Moss Beach. The Good: *Great views *Easy flat to moderate trails *Trails are mostly AC with some compact dirt, as well, and they are mostly in good to great shape. *Bike, dog, & horse friendly *Multiple beach access *Lots of different (free) parking lots up and down the coast The Meh: *Little to no shade for most of the trail. This isn't really a big deal, as HMB is almost always cloudy, foggy, and cold--but there's always a few days a year where it can get into the 80s and low 90s. The Ugly: *Some of the lots do require payment, so be sure to check signage before parking. Oh, and in case you're wondering, they most definitely *DO* enforce parking. Conclusion: One of my all-time favorite trails in The Bay.

An amazing playground to bring your kids to. It is huge, with tons of activities to keep your kids…read morebusy for hours, including the water play on the rocks - make sure to bring a swimsuit and some water friendly shoes! There are shaded areas available for parents to take a seat but still be close enough to keep an eye on their kids. No food or drinks allowed and they have volunteer staff members walking around to enforce this.

The park meant for all kids. It's wheelchair accessible…read more The slides were the most fun. Kids rolled down those slopes all ways possible. The treehouse is another different structure for quiet play. The little water stream was completely busy for the hot afternoon. There is plenty of public parking. Restrooms are clean. If you live in the neighborhood. Definitely worth checking out