Half Moon Bay in California 🌙 Enjoy a seaside sunset at the Cliff Hotel.
Not sure if it's because I grew up in the mountains, but I have a unique affection for the vast ocean 🌊. Every time I go to the beach, my mood instantly improves. So, I decided to take a trip to the famous Half Moon Bay this weekend.
The first time I heard the name of Half Moon Bay, I felt it was so dreamy 🫧 and romantic. When I saw it in person, it was indeed so. Cliffs, the sea, a large golf ⛳️ lawn, luxurious hotels...any one of them can outline a beautiful picture, let alone combining them all together.
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Half Moon Bay is named after its unique crescent-shaped bay. It is composed of many beautiful beaches that seem similar yet each has its own unique features. The place where we used to go clamming is also considered part of Half Moon Bay, but the scenery we saw this time was completely different. I walked around The Ritz-Carlton hotel and only introduced a small area in this guide, marking a few small places worth visiting.
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➊ Redondo Beach
Navigate to Half Moon Bay trailhead parking. There is a wild 🅿️parking lot here, but there are not many parking spaces. You can also park on Redondo Beach Rd where you came from, but be careful not to park in the areas marked "No Parking".
Facing the sea, there is a large wasteland on the right hand side. You can hike along the primitive path and maybe come across a gap eroded by water flow. Many trees naturally grow around the gap. When you reach the cliff, you will find that the roots under your feet are all tangled tree roots. In order to survive in such conditions, the trees have also worked very hard.
Go forward on the small path to the left, and you can enter the hotel. There is also a small farm next to the Trail, where a few 🐎horses are wandering around.
➊ The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay
How fortunate that even if you don't stay at this five-star hotel, you can still tour around the building. There are four places around the hotel that I personally think are suitable for stopping and taking photos.
➤ Hotel golf course: The color of the carefully maintained lawn is indeed beautiful, with a refreshing shade of green.
➤ The Ocean Terrace: The hotel's terrace and outdoor dining area. Before dining, there is an old man dressed in traditional Scottish clothing playing the bagpipes. Looking out at the distant cliffs, you might even think you're in the White Cliffs of England.
➤ Wooden fence: Located near the cliff edge of the hotel terrace, the terrain is slightly higher than the golf course just passed, allowing a slight overlook of the lawn, beach, and sea. There is also a row of white cottages behind it, making it a popular photo spot. No matter how you take the photo, it looks good.
➤ Ocean Lawn: A row of white beach chairs neatly placed against the fence, sitting here to enjoy the sunset is simply the most comfortable thing.
➤ Head to the trail in Manhattan Beach: a winding and undulating path, with succulents on the left and a lawn on the right, and the grand architecture of the hotel in the background, making it a great filming location.
➌ Manhattan Beach
Before, I went to Manhattan Beach in LA and loved it so much. I didn't expect this beach to have the same name. Although it's a bit less interesting than the one in Los Angeles, it's still one of my favorites 👍 and ranks among the top beaches.
Walk along the stone steps to the beach, and from the path back and forth, it seems that the hotel is right on the edge of the cliff. If it is evening, the setting sun will dye the hotel's white walls golden, not to mention the romance.
And walking in another direction, there is a small rocky reef. Compared to the endless sea, there are some stones here, which add a bit of agility to the photos taken.
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Half Moon Bay is actually quite large. To the north, there is Seal Cove Cypress Tree Tunnel, which feels like a magical forest, and Mavericks Beach, which is suitable for clam digging and sea urchin hunting 🦪. To the south, there are seasonal canola flower fields, pumpkin 🎃 farms, and so on. In short, pick a sunny day to come here and you will not be disappointed.