Enjoying a prime location on the coastside of the Peninsula, Half Moon Bay is one of the county’s oldest communities as well as one of the hottest spots for accelerated growth and expansion.

Today’s historic business district offers a glimpse of life in the 1800s, when farms dotted the unspoiled countryside. Sandy beaches, lagoons, redwood forests, beautiful state parks, fields of wild flowers, and hiking trails along ocean bluffs are just a few of the natural attractions to this scenic area. Local activities include award-winning golf courses, sport fishing, whale watching, beach horseback riding, historical district shopping, lush wineries, redwood preserves, bird refuges, bluff and mountain hiking, acres of field flowers, a state nature preserve, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Montara, Princeton Harbor, and Maverick’s — world famous for surfing.

Hospitality and tourism are thriving industries in Half Moon Bay and other coastal communities, dotted with country stores, bakeries, galleries, art studios, boutiques, spas, restaurants, hotels, and charming bed-and-breakfasts. Housing choices range from meticulously restored older homes to luxurious new construction. Among the distinctive unincorporated communities that punctuate the coastline are Pescadero with its New England styling and Princeton-by-the-Sea, a haven for commercial fishermen and recreational boaters. Writers and artists are drawn to Montara. Moss Beach, El Granada, Miramar, San Gregorio, and La Honda are other charming coastal communities.