Half Moon Bay travel guide

Half Moon Bay Tourism | Half Moon Bay Guide

You're Going to Love Half Moon Bay

With a population of 11,324, Half Moon Bay is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Half Moon Bay has to offer.

Where to Eat in Half Moon Bay

If you’re looking for affordable options, Miramar Beach Restaurant (131 Mirada Road) and Navio (1 Miramontes Point Road) are great picks.

Most popular restaurants in Half Moon Bay

Italian
Wonderful (416 reviews)
Nepalese
Wonderful (347 reviews)
Italian
Wonderful (251 reviews)
Seafood
Wonderful (186 reviews)
Cocktail bar
Wonderful (124 reviews)

When to visit Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay in February
Estimated hotel price
$265
1 night at 3-star hotel
Half Moon Bay in February
Estimated hotel price
$265
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Half Moon Bay in August, when the average temperature is 59 °F, and the highest can go up to 64.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 42.8 °F, with an average temperature of 50 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 5.2″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Half Moon Bay, with an average rainfall of 0.1″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Average
Fahrenheit (°F)
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Half Moon Bay

Plane

When flying to Half Moon Bay, you’ll arrive at San Francisco Airport (SFO), which is located 11 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Half Moon Bay include American Airlines, Air France and Aeromexico. The shortest domestic flight to Half Moon Bay departs from Phoenix and takes around 1h 56m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Half Moon Bay. The train journey from Half Moon Bay to Santa Clara takes 1h 01m and costs around $19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from San Jose, expect to pay about $20 for a 1h 16m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Half Moon Bay is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 23 miles from Half Moon Bay. You’ll find branches of Hertz and NU Car, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Half Moon Bay, including Greyhound, FlixBus and Bus. From San Jose, the bus ride to Half Moon Bay takes 60 miles and will cost you around $10. From Burbank, the ticket costs about $113 for a journey of 420 miles.

Airports near Half Moon Bay

Airlines serving Half Moon Bay

Lufthansa
Good (3,709 reviews)
KLM
Good (687 reviews)
SWISS
Good (813 reviews)
British Airways
Good (3,455 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,189 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,060 reviews)
Air France
Good (838 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,266 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,210 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (1,811 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (406 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,400 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (4,028 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (203 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (759 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (732 reviews)
Finnair
Good (949 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,007 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (601 reviews)
LOT
Good (634 reviews)
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Where to stay in Half Moon Bay

Average rates range from around $294 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $687 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Half Moon Bay

Most booked hotels in Half Moon Bay

The Beach House Hotel Half Moon Bay
Excellent (9.1, 274 reviews)
$300+
Bay Landing Hotel
Excellent (8.6, 1136 reviews)
$105+
Aristocrat Hotel, BW Signature Collection
Excellent (8.6, 640 reviews)
$198+
The Oceanfront Hotel On Miramarbeach Hmb
Excellent (8.6, 316 reviews)
$397+
The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay
Excellent (8.5, 116 reviews)
$687+
Aloft San Francisco Airport
Excellent (8.1, 1396 reviews)
$144+

Renting a car in Half Moon Bay

Renting a car in Half Moon Bay costs $36 per day, on average, or $143 if you want to rent if for 4 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 57% cheaper than airport locations in Half Moon Bay.

Expect to pay $4.16 per gallon in Half Moon Bay (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $49.97 and $66.62. The most frequently booked car type in Half Moon Bay is Mini (Dodge Grand Caravan or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Toyota Yaris or similar) are, on average, 70% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.