Luxury Half Moon Bay Hotels

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  Beach House Half Moon Bay

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Used by the Mission San Francisco de Asis as an agricultural grazing area for horses, oxen and cattle, Half Moon Bay had humble beginnings in the 1700s. It was not until the 1840s that the town began to develop, but it was called San Benito then and was the first village established enough at the time to be called a town in the San Mateo County. After it was renamed, Spanishtown, it brought in a large fishing industry and quickly became an ethnically diverse town. It continued to grow slowly but surely and now visitors can stay in luxury Half Moon Bay hotels and discover a unique traveling experience.

The Gallery M features unique furniture and woodwork. Wood bowls, jewelry boxes, wood lamps, wooden sculptures, marquetry, chess boards, rocking chairs, wood cuts and kaleidoscopes are some of the unique, customized items found here. Bookshelves, bed frames, tables, chairs, entertainment stands, nightstands, work desks and chairs, display cabinets, in fact, any home furnishing that can be made with wood can be seen or customized here. Some oddities include other wood based games, such as puzzles, Chinese checkers, Othello, backgammon and cribbage and gift items such as old fashioned shaving brushes made from boar hair, magnifying glasses, various vases and other trinkets and knick knacks.

The Sea Horse Ranch opens up at 8 a.m. and is open seven days a week. The ranch provides people with an opportunity to go horseback riding along the coast, where they have the chance to see dolphins, sea lions, or gray whales on this guided ride. The ranch is found on the Coast Highway and it's been said that it provides the best guided beachside horseback riding in the state. For long-term guests, horse "leases" are available, both full and partial. A full lease allows unlimited hours of riding for a month, though no ride can be more than two hours long to prevent health issues with the horse. Visitors can reserve a specific horse for the duration of their lease, or they can vary their choice.

The Half Moon Bay State Beach is four miles of campgrounds, fishing and picnic capabilities. The adjoining Half Moon Bay State Park features the Coastside Trail, which is six miles long to the end and back and runs along and around the beach and is more suited for bicycling than walking. The Francis Beach portion features a campground with fifty-two sites and coin-activated showers. The Venice Beach grounds has a pay phone, outdoor showers and flushable toilets. There is also a horseback riding trail parallel to the Coastside Trail and a free visitor's center in addition to wireless Internet.

Luxury Half Moon Bay hotels come with free parking, free wireless Internet, twenty-four hour front desk service and fax and photocopying services. Some also feature accommodation for disabled people, elevators, safety deposit boxes, heating, laundry and dry cleaning while one features a babysitting service. One also features room service, an on-site restaurant and bar, valet parking, currency exchange and concierge service. Activities include spas, fitness centers, swimming pools, barbecue facilities, windsurfing, fishing, jacuzzis, golf, massage, karaoke, diving, horseback riding, cycling and hiking. Business centers, meeting rooms and banquet rooms are available for those traveling on business.

The Half Moon Bay Coastal Flower Market is an outdoor market fair held May through September on Main Street and Kelly Avenue and also in November through April at La Piazza. It takes place during these months on the third Saturday of each, excluding October. Here, visitors will find exotic and domestic displays of various flowers.

The Pacific Coast Dream Machines event is held on the last Sunday of April at the Half Moon Bay Airport. It is held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features classic, exotic, vintage and custom motor vehicles including motorcycles, trucks, cars and planes. It also features steam engines, unique gas engines, farm equipment from the early 1900s, live music, D-3 rides, a helicopter, biplane, food and activities for kids.

May guests of luxury Half Moon Bay hotels can enjoy Sweets By the Sea, held on the first Saturday of every May at the Ted Adcock Community Center. It is a dessert tasting featuring sweets from local bakeries and eateries. The event also features live music, a silent auction and a raffle.

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