You won’t see much snow on the Half Moon Bay Coastside, but you can still experience your own winter wonderland when you’re here during the holiday season. Here are some of our favorite things to do when the days grow short.
See the Lights
Downtown Half Moon Bay transforms into a twinkling wonderland each Friday evening following Thanksgiving, as the Coastside celebrates four festive weeks of Nights of Lights. This beloved series kicks off with the annual Holiday Tree Lighting in Mac Dutra Plaza, followed by the Lighted Parade—an old-fashioned procession of illuminated floats and community spirit—on the second Friday. The third Friday brings a jolly Ugly Sweater Party, and the month wraps up with an outdoor screening of the holiday classic Elf. Throughout the season, the trees along Main Street glow with dazzling lights, and many local shops stay open late for holiday shopping. Best of all, every event is family-friendly and free—perfect for savoring the magic of the season, Coastside-style.
Further north in the harbor, the Pillar Point Harbor Lighted Boat Festival invites locals and visitors to stroll along Pillar Point Harbor to view boats festively adorned with holiday lights and other trimmings. The best decorated boat will be chosen in the Annual Boat Decorating Contest. If you want to take in multiple events, considering staying the night with one of our local lodgers.
Shop Small For a Big Impact
The holiday shopping season traditionally kicks off with Black Friday on the day after Thanksgiving, conjuring images of crushing crowds rushing through big-box stores in search of elusive deals on this year’s hottest gadgets. We’d like to invite you to slow it down a bit.
The Coastside is home to hundreds of small businesses with nary a big-box store in sight, and Shop Small Saturday is the perfect time to re-imagine your holiday shopping routine. Downtown Half Moon Bay, Pillar Point Harbor, and downtown Pescadero are all home to unique shops where you can find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, on Shop Small Saturday or any other day of the year.
Cut Your Own Christmas Tree
Some call Half Moon Bay the Pumpkin Capital of the World, but after those gigantic gourds are gone, agriculture of the evergreen variety takes the spotlight. Sure, you can pick up a pre-cut tree almost anywhere this time of year, but the tree farms in Half Moon Bay offer families a chance to choose and cut their own tree just like in the old days. It’s a family outing you won’t soon forget, and Half Moon Bay is one of the few places in the Bay Area where you can still cut your own tree. Check out our Christmas Tree Guide for a list of farms and more tips.
Fill Up on Crab
Dungeness crab season in California arrives in early November, so it’s no surprise that crab is a huge part of many Coastsiders’ holiday feasts. If you want to catch them yourself, Pillar Point Harbor is home to a number of charter boats that will be happy to take you out on the water and help you get your limit.
If you’d rather let someone else catch them, you can also buy crab directly from the docks at the harbor and take them home to prepare in your own kitchen. And if you just want to skip all that work and get to the good part — eating crab — the Half Moon Bay area is home to a number of fine seafood restaurants, each with their own mouth-watering renditions of our favorite crustacean on the menu.
However you celebrate, winter in Half Moon Bay is a magical time of year. For a truly amazing experience, visit mid-week when everyone else is at work — there’s nothing quite like the feel of having a beach all to yourself for a winter stroll, and Half Moon Bay’s mild climate means outdoor activities are on the menu year round, although you’ll probably prefer to enjoy the beach in a sweater rather than a swimsuit during the winter. If you’re going to stay for a few days, check here for the best deals on accommodations.