Anyobdy have a favorite place to kill a few hours sans boat?
San Mateo County Beachs
Bring binoculars if you have them.
- Start in Princeton at the beach below the Vandenberg tracking station. There is a trail from there that goes up the hill and along the ridge towards the Fitzgerald Marine Preserve. This trail provides excellent ocean and rock garden views, including the Mavericks if it is “going off”.
- Start near Pescadero and visit the light house. Next go to the Pescadero marsh for a few hours of beach and trail walking. The Pescadero marsh is the largest in the area. There are well marked trails to watch all the abundant migrating birds this time of year.
Thanks!
You can’t miss
Just start driving south: Bean Hollow, Pescadero Marsh (no dogs – you will be ticketed), Pigeon Point light – great tidepools if the water’s down, Greyhound Rock. You can pick the beach of your choice as you go. County line’s at Ano Nuevo, then you get a string of great Santa Cruz County beaches. If the wind’s pumping, Waddell Creek can be spectacular for windsurfer action. Davenport Landing sometimes has some pretty cool wave ski/surf kayak action. Fun to watch, and you can pick up lunch nearby in Davenport.
Happy trails
I Don’t Get Over There Much
Lots of places to check out around Half Moon Bay. Maverick’s is so awesome when it is going off, and it is much better to watch it from shore! Pillar Point is on the outside. It can also be awesome, with 20’ swells.
Why not boat? Are you flying? It is pretty cold right now with ocean water temps below 50, but Sunset Beach is a great boogie board spot. Shore break has got to be good for something!
Go to Pescadero Marsh!
You can visit the tidepools across the street, or take a hike in Butano State Park in the mountains nearby. You may get to see Ano Nuevo if it’s clear. I am trying to talk 'Cuda and Kathy into going there next weekend. There is this little restaurant called Duartes Tavern that has been in the same family since the 1800’s and they have great fresh fish, soup and pie. It is one of my favorite places to go in the whole world. I love Pescadero.
Thanks again!
I got up real early yesterday morning and drove down alone from Palo Alto (kind of a narrow winding road in the dark in the rain driving down through the redwoods.) via La Honda to arrive at the Pescadero Beach just as it was getting light. Driving rain and wind and just cars going by on the highway a long way off. I only had time for a short hour hike along the coast. Really wild surf, don’t think I’ll want my son surfing there alone… not to mention cold and sharks. (San Gregarino (Sp?) looks surfable; I got out for a quick scramble there). I did not see another human until I got back on the highway. Kind of spooky actually. Made it back for a 10:00 A.M. meeting at Stanford. Such a different world just in the backyard of so many people up that way.
Did You Check Out Mavericks ?
– Last Updated: Jan-28-04 12:12 PM EST –
Mavericks is totally unsurfable for mortals when it is going off. The pros get towed in on jetskis, but it is an awesome sight to behold.
As far as surfing most of Half Moon Bay is prety hairy.
Did not make it.
I was a bit further south, I could see where I believe the break is, but it was windy, cloudy and rainy and I had to get back in time. I suspect I’ll be back in the area off and on quite a bit starting in the fall.
So is your son going to Stanford?
(we will have to get you to Duarte’s for soup and pie, and out to see the elephant seals)
He has not made up his mind yet
but they are very, very good at recruiting, I am betting that’s where he will want to go. I suspect he’ll still surf with me even when he’s a bit older (along as I bring the boats that is) so I suspect I be in the neighborhood once in a while.