Moss Beach, Moss Beach, CA

Moss Beach sits on the San Mateo County coast just north of Half Moon Bay, a bluff town of cypress groves, open fields and a marine reserve. It feels rural for how close it is to San Francisco, with the Pacific on one side of Cabrillo Highway and grassland on the other. Homes are mostly single-family houses with room around them, older cottages and ranch-style places among newer builds, and many are angled toward the water. Weathered wood siding, tall hedges against the wind and succulent gardens give the streets their look. J. V. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, off Nevada Avenue, is the draw. It is a rocky shore of tide pools with bluff-top trails and a path through a cypress grove, and low tides bring out the crowds with buckets and curiosity. Pillar Point Bluff, with a stretch of the Coastal Trail and wide views, starts a short way south, and the Moss Beach trailhead of Rancho Corral de Tierra climbs into the hills. Coastside Market, on Virginia Avenue, is the everyday anchor, open most evenings until nine, with groceries, wine and beer. El Gran Amigo Taqueria, on the highway, is the takeout stop for burritos and quesadillas, and Odyssey's Pizzeria Taqueria, on Carlos Street, is a family-run place with a Mediterranean twist on pizza, gyros and sandwiches. Moss Beach Distillery, on Beach Way, is the sit-down dinner with an ocean view. For coffee and pastries, Sage Bakehouse in Montara is the closest well-liked stop. Most trips are by car. Half Moon Bay holds the larger grocery stores, and Pacifica is the way north, but the reserve and bluff trails make short outings on foot easy. Services stop at the market and a handful of restaurants, and fog can sit on the bluffs for days. The reward is a place where checking the tide chart before dinner is ordinary.