My family loves coming to Half Moon Bay on short day trips to enjoy some nice sea breeze and buy some fresh seafood. We always come to the harbor in search of fishermen bringing in their catch of the days at great prices! It's always relaxing and fun to stroll around, enjoy some clam chowder, and gaze off to the ocean. For all the times we've been here there never really is a sense of it being too overcrowded (which I hate!). Usually always people milling about but not enough for anyone to step on your toes or crowd your space. read more

This is a really wonderful marina. A little tricky to get in to but the harbor is incredibly well protected with lots of great anchorage and big docks. No reservations taken. Just call when you are close. The Harbor Master Tyler was friendly and easy going but both he and his counterpart were also clearly capable of being no nonsense if that were to be called for. Showers a little rough but solid and easy. Lots of good food choices and good margaritas nearby. I can't wait to come back here. It was a 7 hour sail from Sausalito. read more

I don't know if I've just been lucky, or if the weather is always fairly nice on this stretch of beach (Mavericks). Overcast and a bit windy or chilly, but never unbearable, and always perfectly Northern California beach weather anyway. I'm native, I know that beach wear involves a beanie and several layers though. If it is windy, you can just stay on the harbor side where it's calmer. On this last trip we played in the tide pools. I was horrified once I noticed I was walking on anemones (don't send hate mail, I've already berated myself enough for being such an oaf), but they sort of blend in when they're not underwater and open and stuff! We found some starfish, watched warring factions of hermit crabs (those little bastards are MEAN to each other - if one ends up on his back, the others will surround him and try to pull him out of the shell! Mean!), and I even caught a little tiny black and green crab too and got my fingers stuck to an open anemone (and no, I didn't step on that one). I seriously recommend a day spent poking around here and playing in the sand, followed up by a beer in front of the fire over at HMB Brewing Company. read more

Cold and windy even during the summer, but the real reason to come here is to buy fresh seafood right off the boats from the fishermen. There's a phone # you can call at the dockmaster's office at Pillar Point Harbor, 24 hr msg, that will notify you of what's being sold that particular week. A year or two ago when wild salmon was in season, these were as high as $4 a pound (normally $2 or so) at one of the boats, but you're talking a whole fish that's up to 10 lbs easy on the average (you must buy the whole fish). Whole Foods were pillaging similar cuts for $11.99 a pound! The trick at Pillar Point Harbor is to find someone to split that kind of 10 pounder salmon with. Then you need to get the fish de-scaled and cut into filets. The problem is that if you don't have the tools and know how it can suck doing it at home. Pay a few dollars and bring it to Princeton Seafood, the small seafood shop around the corner from the restaurant. They'll clean, descale, and filet it for you for a fee. Or if you have an ice box I suppose you can bring it to 99 Ranch or Marina Supermarket for the same cost or a little cheaper. But rest assured this is worth the drive and effort, as you won't find fresh salmon like this (definitely not at Whole Foods or 99 Ranch). Sadly wild salmon season is over, but at least dungeoness crabs are! read more

Woohoo! $80 for 10 crabs! ($4.50 a pound) what more can you ask for. Came here yesterday with a few friends. We bought the dungeness crabs from a boat (the only boat selling that day - I think it was cause we arrived there rather late). Then we had the people at the fish market across to cook the crabs. After like an hour or so we came back for the crabs and it was AWESOME! sooooo fresh and goooddd. We bought like...2 crabs per person, which turned out to be too much = =;; haha yeah, we got sick of crabs after downing something like 7 crabs. I would recommend coming here for a walk and to get super fresh sea food but I won't be back until the end of the year - had my 6month fill of crabs yesterday haha read more

Gorgeous. Very clean and we'll taken care of RV park. The camping host was very kind and accessible. Thank you we will be back

After a day of Christmas shopping in San Mateo we decided to take highway 92 home so we could stop at the harbor and buy some fresh crab off the boats for our dinner. I know that there are other places to buy crabs but for this season I'm going to stick with buying them from the source so I can avoid getting any of those from the out of state fishing boats that sold their catch in Monterey and then shipped them back up here to sell. I feel that it's very important to suppport the local fisherman. When we pulled in to park in front of the Ketch Joanne who should we find sitting in front of the Harbor Bar but Santa Claus himself. We took pictures of the kids with him and he even had presents for both of my daughters. The guy travels well prepared for any situation. My father carved my name into the rail of the pier here when I was a very small child in the '60s and it is still there. Barely discernable now but I know exactly where it is so I can find it every time. I've had many really magical moments in my life at this harbor and I'm sure that there will be more but it sure was nice to see my children have one today. And as for that fresh crab all the boats were sold out so we didn't get any but this was anything but a wasted trip. On this day fate dealt us a better hand. read more

As some have noted, the north end of Pillar point leading to Mavericks is overrun by off-leash dogs. Uncaring dog owners are ruing this beach for everyone; the dogs run through the marsh, chase the birds along the beach and should be on leash. While currently there is no jurisdiction, other the SMC sheriff to enforce the leash laws, new signage has gone up and citations are being issued. Because dog owners have failed to clean up after their dogs or control their dogs the planning process for Marine Sanctuary HQ and Fitzgerald reserve must address this issue. Children and pets should avoid entering the water here as water quality has suffered and the Harbor district is indifferent. to the dog issue - report illness to the health department, maybe that will generate action. read more

What a fantastic experience! Great drive down the coast. Beautiful fresh crabs right off the boat, $4/lb. Cooked, cleaned, and cracked at the Princeton Seafood Company, $2 each. Easy as pie. Well worth the trip. Nice way to support independent fishermen. I see a whole lot less sea food from Whole Foods in my future. read more

An awesome place to take the family to pick up crabs or any other fish that they may have. A quick call to the Fish Phone before you head out will tell you what they've got before you make the trek out there. read more

I had no idea there was so much stuff here!! My husband and I usually stick to the Harbor Village shops (I mean, Shoppes) when we're in the area (or we bypass it completely on our way to Trojak-Knier). But this weekend we biked up the coast from our house and found ourselves in the midst of all this action. There are many more shops & restaurants that we never noticed before, as well as an awesome pier to walk out on. Being ADHD like I am, I completely overlooked the "no bikes" sign and went toodling off down the pier on my bike while my husband yelled at me to come back. Oopsie. So yeah -- no bikes on the pier. But it's a great place to stop by on a nice weekend day!! A ton of parking is available too, in case you wanna drive here. read more

Pillar Point Harbor is such a nice place to walk around. We were here Christmas Day when everything was closed, and the vibe was awesome. We spent a couple hours just walking around with our dog, and there were plenty of other people out and about including families with kids and/or dogs, older couples, foreign folks; the diversity was really great. I can't imagine a better way to spend the afternoon than getting some fresh air and exploring here. Truly a lovely laid-back spot. read more

Five stars when Mavericks is breaking, as it was the day we visited. Parking is predictably crazy then, but if you are lucky, a spot will open up. Do not park along the entrance road to the beach, or the police will ticket your vehicle. Otherwise, be prepared for lots of dog walkers, surfers, bicycles, people with mega-zoom lenses, binoculars, and the like trying to see the big waves, the jet skis, and the adventurous types who brave the waves. It's quite a cool experience. On non-Mavericks days, it's a pretty ordinary place. Not bad, but there are nicer beach walks south of HMB, like Cowell Ranch, or the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and Montara to the North. read more

Though this place isn't so beautiful it's a great place to go with friends if you want some fresh seafood at the nearby restaurant. Also, it's fun to bustle around with other people and buy fresh fish or crab right off the boats. There's nothing like super FRESH FRESH seafood. You'll never go back to that supermarket stuff! My uncle owns a boat there and its always fun to go visit and some years we even watch the 4th of July fireworks from the upper level of his boat. Great fun. read more

This is a slightly different tack than the other reviewers, but for those dog owners looking for a place to have dogs off-lead and relatively calm water to play in the Noth side of this harbor is great. Additionally it leads over to Maverick's beach, which at low tide is a wonder to behold for you and your dog. read more

Joe's Crabby Crabs....awesome. At $4/lb for live crabs (minus $5, because he asked for $50 on a scale that read $55.) I am a happy customer. I did use the call-in number before I left and there were 3 boats still selling great crab late in the morning. read more

We absolutely love coming here in the RV for day trips and overnighters. We always grab a bite at Ketch Joanne Restaurant and Bar. My blood pressure seems to drop the minute we arrive. You never what the weather will bring so dress in layers. We you get treated with sunshine and a light breeze it doesn't get much better. Lots of good eating spots nearby like Miramar Beach Restaurant and of course Sam's Chowder House. read more

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This is a beautiful and not so crowded place where people come to fish and buy fish! My family has always bought fish from here they go deep sea fishing and bring it back fresh and it is so tasty. Not only that but if you follow the trail you will get to Mavericks, one of the most beautiful places to sit and watch the tide. If you continue walking past the rocks and you feel brave you can climb over to the other side, on the way you will see sea anenomes, crabs and shellfish. This really is a great place to explore! read more

A nice place for transient berthers, $1/ft, even for our catamaran. Walking distance to plenty of restaurants and a sweet beach, nice flow in clean shower rooms, newer washing machines for reasonable cost, and very friendly boating community and friendly and helpful staff. 50 amp plug needed, but they loaned us a pigtail. Commercial fishing vessels and some occasional noisy sea lions plus the foghorn makes earplugs important for light sleeping sailors. Day sail in HMB brings dolphins, whales, sunfish and lots of sea birds. A nice stop. read more

Absolutely gorgeous! I can't help to love our oceans, as cruel as they can be to us; still it's part of Mother Nature and being out on the beach, taking a walk and picking up seashells. I was blissfully content. I got there at the right time, as soon as I walked backed to my car a roll of folks were coming in. I enjoyed the peacefullness of me with Mother Nature and all her glory. If you haven't been there, then check it out. read more

My team came here to go deep sea fishing last Sept and had a great time. The crew was helpful and we all caught plenty of fish (10 rockfish per person is the daily max and most of us reached that). If you can clean your own fish though, I'd recommend not using their cleaning/filleting service, since it's rather overpriced. I went again yesterday to spend a day by the beach and found out that you could buy fresh fish right from the boats. We got two dungeness and a rockfish for a total of $22. The crabs were so much more lively than what's available at Ranch 99, which translated to a lovely crunch in the meat that you just don't get from crabs kept in a tank for a long time. The fish was also incredibly fresh and brought back great memories from our fishing trip. read more

Love the beach, it is a great area for the dogs to get off leash and play. It is not as packed as fort funston. It is a low key and quiet area to take the dogs!! read more

Pillar Point is a neat little harbor about 10 minutes from downtown Half Moon Bay. All of the restaurants and stores are tidy, and the fish and chips from Princeton Seafood Company are very tasty. The docks are fun to meander through anytime, but I have found late morning/ early afternoon the best. The fishermen are all very friendly and talkative, regardless of your interest in their products. Nice weekend activity; dress for the cold, no matter how warm the Bay Area is. read more

It was my first time coming here last weekend with my parents to go fishing. This place is breathtakingly gorgeous. Wow. We came in the morning, the water was calm and it was such a beautiful day. My parents came here a couple times already to go fishing since my dad recently heard about what other fishermen had caught here. We don't come to HMB often so this was a mini getaway for me. We were by the long row of rocks. Last Saturday was such a memorable and funny experience. The tide was low in the morning so we were able to walk across the sand. However by midday the tide came in, and it was too late to go back and my parents had to walk through the water to get back while I navigated myself over the rocks and didn't get wet.. My dad said the tide came in earlier than expected, and we were so far from land. We caught a rock cod but could've caught more if we stayed later but my parents had to change out of their wet shoes. lol. This is a nice place to bring your family and pets. If you're a photographer definitely bring your camera because the views are gorgeous. read more

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This morning around 7:30am, Humpback Whales feeding, breaching, jumping! I live in a magical place. So grateful to get to see these beautiful animals on my way to a business meeting! read more

Most likely the best place to surf in Northern California..

Great place to drive to for lunch went down here with a friend like a week ago and had a chance to buy a freshly caught tuna off a fishing boat. Hella bomb had sushi for 2 days. Im going to make it a point to go again. read more

The HMB harbor is just a special place. On a sunny day, its just amazing to walk around and take in the fishing boats, the little restaurants all around, and just be in a great area. We really enjoy walking our dog and taking in the sights. Easy parking everywhere too. We love it! read more

My bf and I came out here one day to look at the harbor. It was a pretty nice. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!

Gonna be kayaking from here from now on....screw Bean Hollow and it's waves and sharks!

One of my all time favorite places to camp. NO hookups but who cares! Its great in November for crab season and its also great for kids. My son loves to fish off the dock and ride his bike around the area. Its walking distance to a few shops and yummy places to eat. Its a bike ride away from the mavericks. read more

Found this place while wandering around at the Mavericks event. I want to come back and buy fresh seafood from the day boats! Can't get any fresher than that. read more

We have stayed here a number of times. This is a great location on the beach, good restaurants and crabbing/fishing. Management is always nice and welcoming. read more

Such a gorgeous harbor. I absolutely loooove Pillar Point! Definitely a great place to go tide pooling, see wild life fly by, and just sit on the beach to watch the sealions in the distance. However, I do recommend you don't use the port o potty here. It's pretty "YUCK". However, it seems like they are cleaning it more often now.. but still, I'd try to get use of the restrooms at the shopping complex not to far before hiking up to Pillar Point. read more

Excellent Crab from local fisherman! A bit pricy though. A great place to come and spend some time with the family! Try the clam chowder from the little shack/restaurant as you leave! read more

Great place to walk the beach, pick up fresh crab or fish! Remember to bring ice chest and pack seafood with ice trust me you'll like it much better! if your in the mood to buy check out the front of harbor master's office, they'll have a list of whose selling and what and where. read more

What a great experience on Mothers Day. Breakfast at Ketch, Lunch at Seville, Dinner at Fish Trap. Hey we did not plan to back track from Pacifica but we had such a great time we had to. You have to beware of those harbor master guys, no manners. They put a dampener on our day. The fishermen were very friendly though. Will go back if you get a new crew in the harbor. One last point. While the prices are typically high WELL WORTH IT. read more

Busy place. Came on a blah overcast day. Glad it wasn't raining. Came really for the scenery and not so much the shops. Lots of restaurants. Something for everybody. Disappointed not all the shops were open. The souvenir shop was closed. Bummer. Pretty view of course even in dreary weather. Drove out past all this on to the famous Mavericks. Wish it was easier to get to especially for those of us with a kid in a stroller or those who are wheelchair bound. A bit of an uphill hike plus he fact you have to mini hike off the beaten path for a good view. It wouldn't have been such a big deal if it was just me but hard to maneuver a stroller bound toddler all by myself. Not sure what I was thinking, but hell or high water I was getting over to that cliffs edge to see these dam waves today! Waves were not as big as I thought they would be once I got there. Gotta come back again on a different day and check it out again. read more

We met someone in Pacifica and he recommended this pier to be the best place to buy fresh crabs for less dough. This was our first time to visit Princeton, which is such a charming little town. Coming from Pacifica, along highway 1, we almost missed the turn-out because of the small sign that says Princeton. But highway 1 runs through the other side of the town so even if you miss it the first time, you will definitely drive by it in a few miles. At the Princeton harbor / Pillar Point Harbor, there was a couple who bought some rock crabs for $2/lb right off a boat from deck 7. Their dungeress crabs are $5/lb but they were out because they sell fast. There are several boats that you can go to but I think you have to get there early (especially on weekends) for better deals. There are a lot of great places to eat fresh seafood around the harbor and it's so nice to walk around it, too - reminds me of Sausalito. read more

Love fresh-caught fish ! We paid visit here yesterday and happened to know they are selling fresh caught fish "off-the-boat" fish to the public. We bought a king salmon and some rockfish, carried back with some ice. The guy also shared some tips about how to cook the fish, yum. read more