Community Information

El Granada "the jewel of the coast," is a small, picturesque community on the Pacific Ocean side of the Coastal Range. With about 5,000 inhabitants, it is blessed with spectacular ocean beaches and unobstructed views of the migrating Gray whales and other sea mammals who make their homes along the San Mateo County Coast. Away form the hustle and bustle of the “other side of the mountain,” El Granada is accessible by scenic Highway 1 just a few miles north of the city of Half Moon Bay. El Granada and the Princeton Harbor area are home to some of the finest restaurants and beaches on the coast. The world famous "Mavericks" surf spot is close by. The schools are excellent, in the top 8% in the nation, and citizen participation is at a very high level in this peaceful, small town.

Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is a small town right on the Pacific Ocean in California’s San Mateo County.

One of the county’s oldest communities, Half Moon Bay was, and is still largely, a farm community. Major crops in Half Moon Bay are strawflowers, artichokes, cabbage, and sprouts. Although Half Moon Bay is home to a very popular annual Pumpkin Festival, pumpkins do not rank as one the area’s big agricultural assets.

If you like the ocean, Half Moon Bay is the town for you. Most homes are within a few blocks of the Pacific and are built on flat land. There are older homes easy of the highway and country club estates in the south section of town as well as everything in between in the center. You can find something for everyone in Half Moon Bay and the prices are very reasonable

Schools in Half Moon Bay are very good and enjoy much support from the community. Some schools have bilingual programs. The elementary schools have been renovated, there is a new middle school and the high school has been expanded. Test scores reflect the area’s interest in education with most coming in above the 50th percentile.

Many residents of Half Moon Bay commute to work to San Francisco (about 47 minutes), San Mateo (about 24 minutes) or Palo Alto (approximately 35 minutes). The brave even travel as far as Silicon Valley (almost an hour’s drive away). After work, however, Half Moon Bay really stands out. There is whale watching and surfing, fishing and horseback riding, golf and fine dining. Half Moon Bay also has a state beach.

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La Honda

La Honda is a small, unincorporated village located in the valley southwest of Portola Valley about ten miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Once a logging camp, La Honda is rich in history. In the twenties, the wealthy built their summer homes in the area, taking advantage of its beauty and solitude. In the sixties, many of these summer homes became year-round homes and, in the seventies, people began to discover the area’s charms and began building mansions. At this point, La Honda began to limit development and the town now has many large lots with peaceful views.

Surrounded by state parks and protected by the mountains from the fog, La Honda is beautiful and temperate. It also has plenty of character and community atmosphere. There is one school in town with very active PTA. Residents in this country town also enjoy the convenience of a local grocery store and restaurant. There is an annual street fair, as well as a shop filled with craft items. For those who are seeking quiet, beauty, personality and community spirit, La Honda is the perfect choice.

Montara

Montara is a community of about 3,000 hugging the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay on the San Mateo County Coast. There are necessity businesses and a few specialty shops and a few fine restaurants. Most of the housing has been built within the past 25 years and a large number have ocean views. The town is accessible by scenic Highway 1. Montara is in the Cabrillo Unified School District, which ranks in the upper 20% of national test scores. Access to beautiful beaches, fine ocean view homes and a woodsy almost rural setting make this close knit community a wonderful place to call home. For the horse enthusiast, the back of Montara in the Sunshine Valley area is horse stables and miles of riding trails.

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Moss Beach

Moss Beach is a beautiful community on a point overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The relatively affluent population of 3,100 live in homes most of which are under twenty years old. The “quiet life” surrounded by spectacular views, walking and bicycle trails, crashing surf and exciting beaches seem to be the objective of the inhabitants. Access to the town is limited to Highway 1, the coastal highway between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay. The weather is typically cooler, and frequently overcast. Moss Beach is home to Fitzgerald Marine Reserve -- a beautiful beach of tide pools and reef formations where you can explore and observe marine life. Locals and visitors are drawn to the Moss Beach Distillery. A fine restaurant overlooking the crashing surfs. On a sunny day, order a bucket of "steamers" a bottle of wine and sit outside with a blanket and enjoy the peace of the coastal lifestyle.

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Pacifica

Pacifica means "peace" in Spanish. However, Pacifica's name was the product of a contest held in 1957 to find a name for the newly incorporated coastal city. Pacifica is one of the youngest communities in San Mateo County and yet its Spanish origins make it one of the oldest. It is the most beautiful hidden coastal town in all of the San Francisco Bay Area. It has enchanting hillsides and beaches, a lovely 18-hole golf course, and protected hillsides with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. Pacifica is a residential community with quick access to San Francisco and Peninsula business centers. Its 40,000 inhabitants enjoy excellent schools and a very low crime rate. There are many neighborhood shopping centers and several fine restaurants in the area. Beachcombing, the fishing pier and access to mountain hiking and biking trails give Pacifica several options for outdoor activities.

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Pescadero

Pescadero is a farming and ranching community near the Pescadero Marsh, a wildlife refuge. Pescadero Creek, the longest stream in San Mateo County, is an annual creek that empties into the Pacific Ocean near the town. Pescadero is also a weekend tourist destination during the summer months because of beaches, parks including Memorial Park and Butano State Park, as well as extensive rural roads for biking and trails for hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Pescadero hosts the annual Pescadero Art and Fun Fair (PAFF) on the third weekend of August.

Portola Valley

Portola Valley is a rural residential community at the southwestern end of San Mateo County. It covers the heavily wooded hills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and contains upscale homes and estates. Protected form the winds and fog that characterize most of the bay area, the climate is nearly perfect. Stanford University is nearby and residents have quick access to I-280 and the extensive business areas of Menlo Park and Palo Alto. Excellent schools and low crime along with the natural beauty of the area attract the affluent families of the Lower Peninsula and Silicone Valley.

Woodside

In San Mateo County halfway between San Francisco and San Jose, you’ll find the prestigious town of Woodside. Aptly named, Woodside sets amid huge second growth redwoods. Woodside Store, after which the town was named, was the center of logging activity in the early 1900s. That store is now a museum and the town is populated not by loggers, but by those who are seeking a quiet and beautiful home.

Woodside is known as a horse community. There are many equestrian estates, as well as some gorgeous mansions. You can also find some small mountain cabins on ¼ acre lots. Many famous people have sought to take advantage of Woodside’s peace and quiet and have purchased homes in the area. Some of the town’s more famous current and past residents have included Tennessee Ernie Ford, Shirley Temple Black and Tom Cruise. Woodside is also the home of the Gorilla Foundation, which fosters Koko, the gorilla who communicates in sign language.

The Woodside School District consists of one elementary school, which ranks in the top 10 percent of the state and is a California Distinguished School. Teenagers attend Woodside High. For higher education, residents can take advantage of nearby College of San Mateo or Cañada College. Foothill College is about a 15-minute drive away.

As Woodside backs on to a game refuge, deer watching is a common activity in the area. Residents can also take advantage of the town’s small library as well as the county park. Filoli, a beautiful and famous estate, is open for tours and many cultural activities can be found in nearby Silicon Valley or San Francisco.