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Home » Travel » Bay Area » Highway 1 Day Trip + Pescadero Travel Guide

Highway 1 Day Trip + Pescadero Travel Guide

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Highway One and Pescadero Travel Guide

No matter how wonderful San Francisco is, and how much there is to do, sometimes we just need to get out of the city for a bit. With work constraints, driving hours and hours is out of the question. Luckily, a quick drive south on Highway One offers a ton of options for easy day trips!

We hit the road with a few friends and made the lazy drive down to Pescadero, with plenty of stops along the way.

It’s hard to leave San Francisco without a stop at Pacifica, a pretty little beach town that boast great surfing and laid back vibes. The weather was perfect for digging our toes in the sand, but the water never really gets warm enough to enjoy without a wetsuit! That has never deterred Maddie though.

Beach Day Escape from San Francisco - Pacifica!Beach Day Escape from San Francisco - Pacifica!

Watching Maddie play fetch is hard work, and we found ourselves famished. Our next stop was Sam’s Chowder House on the coast of Half Moon Bay. They are famous for their authentic New England clam chowder and their lobster roll sandwich. Apparently it was named one of the five best sandwiches in America by the Today Show. The place is huge and runs at a frenetic pace. It’s amazingly well-orchestrated – they turn tables over with blinding speed. The food was great – huge portions and super tasty.

Sam's Chowder House, Half Moon Bay, CAPretty Small Town Pescadero Ideas

A few minutes drive from Sam’s Chowder House is the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. We walked along the shore and gazed into the tide pools. Tide pool views are best at low tide so make sure you check the tide chart before you go!California's Highway One Roadtrip Ideas
Highway One - Fitzgerald Marine ReserveFitzgerald Marine Reserve, Highway One, CAFitzgerald Marine Reserve, Half Moon Bay

Pescadero is a charming one-street town just off of highway one. It’s this magical little place between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. It’s the perfect place to hit the pause button and spend a lazy afternoon.

There are a few not to miss things in Pescadero. The most famous is the artichoke bread from Arcangeli Grocery Co. I want to eat it all day, every day.

Famous Artichoke Bread from Arcangeli Grocery Co, Pescadero, CAPescadero City Guide - Highway One, CAHighway One Roadtrip featuring Half Moon Bay and Pescadero

For a long time, Pescadero didn’t have a coffee shop, but that very important void has been filled by Downtown Local coffee shop.

Downtown Local Coffee Shop // Pescadero, CAPretty Small Town Pescadero IdeasMake sure you set aside some time to browse for treasures at Topia Antiques. It’s filled to the brim with all sorts of things, from garden supplies to old hats.

Topia Antique Shop Pescadero, CATopia Antique Shop Pescadero, CAAnother recognizable feature of Pescadero is the…palm tree within a tree? I don’t even know what to call it, but there it is, towering over this tiny town.Pescadero's Famous Palm Tree

Thanks so much for reading A Side of Sweet! For more Sweet in your life,you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, Facebook, or Twitter, or subscribe to receive a weekly email with new posts (see sidebar).

Go there:

Pacifica State Beach
1416 9th St, California 95814
650.738.7381

Sam’s Chowder House
4210 Cabrillo Highway N
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
650.712.0245
http://www.samschowderhouse.com

Topia Antiques
320 Stage Road
Pescadero, CA 94060
650.879.9288

Norm’s Market
Arcangeli Grocery Co.
287 Stage Road
Pescadero, CA 94060
650.879.0147
http://normsmarket.com

Downtown Local Coffee Shop
213 Stage Road
Pescadero, CA 94060
650.879.9155

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
200 Nevada Ave
Moss Beach, CA 94038
(650) 728-3584
http://www.fitzgeraldreserve.org/

Things to Do on a Highway One Roadtrip

P.S. – Looking for more on fun things to do outside of San Francisco? You might like these posts:

Carmel Valley Wine Country
Big Sur Travel Guide
Eatwell Farm Tomato Sauce Canning Party
Napa’s Fiesta del Sole
A 24-Hour Escape to Wine Country

Pie Ranch Barn Dance // Pescadero
Fig & Chevre Bites with Candied Lemon

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March 5, 2015  â€¢  Filed Under: Bay Area 18 Comments

Comments

  1. suki says

    March 5, 2015 at 12:12 pm

    Looks like such fun! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kelly @A Side of Sweet says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:01 am

      It was!

      Reply
  2. Lynn @ theroadtohoney says

    March 5, 2015 at 12:56 pm

    Wow! It looks like you guys had a fun day trip and managed to cram a lot in. Love the pictures of Maddie. . .she’s a cutie. And the gif is a fun way to showcase the lightheartedness of the day.

    http://www.theroadtohoney.com

    Reply
    • Kelly @A Side of Sweet says

      March 11, 2015 at 10:01 am

      It was a great day! I have to say, despite all we did it felt very relaxed! It’s nice that everything is really close together!

      Reply
  3. Lovely Letters says

    March 5, 2015 at 3:31 pm

    Thank goodness for the selfie stick!

    I have been meaning to visit Sam’s for some chowder! This has definitely bumped that trip up on my priority list 🙂

    xx Katie
    lovely letters

    Reply
    • Kelly @A Side of Sweet says

      March 11, 2015 at 9:55 am

      Ahaha, right? Don’t leave home without one!

      Reply
  4. Nancy says

    March 5, 2015 at 7:55 pm

    I love that Maddie enjoys the water! I took Alfie on a surfboard and in a lake once, and all he did was stand still like a statue with a stern face waiting for orders from me. I think he was terrified of it lol.

    Reply
    • Kelly @A Side of Sweet says

      March 11, 2015 at 9:55 am

      Maddie knows no bounds when it comes to water! Fact – when she swims in cold water she sometimes gets “cold water tail” which is a temporary paralysis of the tail nerves. It takes her a few days before she can wag her tail again. It’s so sad, but so funny at the same time. ;( I think I remember seeing those photos of Alfie!

      Reply
  5. chelsea says

    March 5, 2015 at 8:23 pm

    This looks like so much fun! I love Pescadero! I love going to Duartes 🙂

    Ginger Side of Life

    Reply
    • Kelly @A Side of Sweet says

      March 11, 2015 at 9:53 am

      I am definitely going to check them out next time – and add Duartes to this guide since both you and Bobbie recommended it!

      Reply
  6. Carla (@charliesue) says

    March 6, 2015 at 4:44 pm

    FUN! Love this guide! I feel like I need to make another trip down that way soon…

    Reply
    • Kelly @A Side of Sweet says

      March 11, 2015 at 9:53 am

      Yay! Thanks so much!

      Reply
  7. bp says

    March 9, 2015 at 4:26 am

    Another thoroughly fun & informative wknd write up! You did the planning for us! Now to make the time to return. I haven’t been to Pescadero in years! Like Chelsea, I’ve been to Duarte’s for sure & had their artichoke soup – classic stuff! That animation walking under the tree is the best!!!

    Reply
    • Kelly @A Side of Sweet says

      March 11, 2015 at 9:53 am

      Awesome! I will definitely check them out next time we go since I have two votes! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Catherine says

    March 11, 2015 at 12:10 am

    I am all about day trips and exploring nearby towns (though I do need to prioritize exploring SF)! It didn’t occur to me that I’ve been to Half Moon Bay until you mentioned the tide pools which I went to on a fourth grade field trip (which means I’m due for a trip). I also didn’t realize Pescadero was between SF and SJ, so you’ve tickled my curiosity. Thanks for sharing… that artichoke bread itself looks worth the trek.

    Catherine
    Something Catchy

    Reply
    • Kelly @A Side of Sweet says

      March 11, 2015 at 9:52 am

      Awww, I’m so jealous that you got to do things like go to tide pools! We always went to the local mining museum! 🙂 The artichoke bread is THE BEST!

      Reply
  9. Kimba says

    April 29, 2018 at 8:24 am

    Can you do us a favor, and remove the photo of your husband and your dog walking in the area of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve where dogs are not allowed? https://parks.smcgov.org/fitzgerald-marine-reserve-regulations. A dog killed a harbor seal in the reserve a few weeks ago – we’re doing our best to communicate the rules around where they are allowed and not, and this image isn’t helpful.

    Reply
    • Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says

      April 29, 2018 at 9:17 am

      Our dog is an ADA-compliant registered service animal but I understand the confusion so am happy to take the photo down. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply

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San Francisco Food, Fashion, Travel Blogger

Hi! I’m Kelly. I live in San Francisco with my husband, Pat, and our puppy, Maddie. Here you’ll find recipes, DIYs, style, travel & a glimpse into our adventures. To learn a little more about me, Click Here.

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