Planning your trip to Half Moon Bay

THE BEST WAY

To get to Half Moon Bay, fly nonstop from LAX to San Francisco International Airport on American, United, Frontier or Delta. Restricted round-trip fares start at $118. From the airport, drive seven miles south on U.S. Highway 101 and then turn west on California 92 for 13 miles.

WHERE TO STAY

The Goose & Turrets, 835 George St., Montara; (650) 728-5451, www.goose.montara.com. This five-room B&B is one of the oldest in the area and is run by a widely traveled pair of professional pilots. Don’t miss afternoon tea of cheese, fruit tarts and cucumber sandwiches, among other treats. The four-course breakfast is worth waking up early for. Rooms run from $145 to $190 per night.

Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, 1 Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon Bay; (650) 712-7000, www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/HalfMoonBay. On the pricier side, this luxury hotel and spa has 261 rooms, borders a 36-hole golf course and overlooks five miles of beach. Standard room rates start at $369 for a courtyard room to $3,500 for the top 2,000-square-foot suite that sleeps six and includes a fireplace, 2.5 baths and four television sets.

WHERE TO EAT

Sam’s Chowder House, 4210 Cabrillo Highway, Half Moon Bay; (650) 712-0245, www.samschowderhouse.com. New England-style seafood with sweeping views of the Pacific. The chowder is good but the ahi tuna is memorable. Entrees less than $30.

Princeton Seafood Co., 50 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay; (650) 726-2722, www.princetonseafood.com. This fish-and-chip joint in the marina also serves a tasty crab sandwich. Entrees less than $20.

Moss Beach Distillery, 140 Beach Way, Moss Beach; (650) 728-5595, www.mossbeachdistillery.com. An airy restaurant with a history that dates to Prohibition. Ask about the “Blue Lady” ghost that is said to haunt the establishment. Entrees $15 to $20.

THINGS TO DO

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach; (650) 728-3584, www.fitzgeraldreserve.org. Visit the tide pools. Parking at the western end of California Avenue, off State Highway 1. Free.

Pillar Point Harbor, One Johnson Pier, Half Moon Bay. Rent a kayak at Half Moon Bay Kayak Co., at the entrance to the harbor, Highway 1 and Capistrano Road; Cost: $15 an hour for a single kayak. (650) 773-6101, www.hmbkayak.com

Maverick’s. Watch the waves at this surfing mecca. Go north on Highway 1 and head west on Capistrano Road, left on Prospect Way, left on Broadway, right on Princeton Avenue, right on West Point Avenue until you see the parking lot for the Pillar Point Marsh and Shoreline Park (follow the dirt road to the point). Free.

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, Santa Cruz Mountains near Woodside; (650) 691-1200, www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_purisima.as. Bike or hike among the redwoods. To get to the main entrance, take California 92 east from Half Moon Bay, then turn south on California 35 for 4.5 miles. Free

Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve, 16 miles south of Half Moon Bay on Highway 1; (650) 879-2170, www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=522. Park at the beach lot just beyond the bridge over Pescadero Creek. Follow the trail under the bridge and head inland. Free.