So here goes the beginning of the end of our summer journey. After our nature tripping in Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, it was time for us to move to our next destination in California : Half Moon Bay.
When we were planning for this part of the trip, I left all my expectations at the door. Yes, I have heard of this place before, which was often described to me by friends as “sooo beautiful”, but I wasn’t really prepared for the beauty that lay before me…
Half Moon Bay is more than what I imagined it to be. We stayed at the stunning Ritz Carlton Hotel, a place that gave us amazing views, great service, and the privacy and accessibility that we were looking for. The hotel is just 23 miles away from San Francisco City, and yet I felt I was in a far, far away place since I was surrounded by such natural beauty and away from the madding crowd of the city.
The resort is also the only hotel with a golf course, set amidst the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean! It features two championship golf courses that appeal to players of varying skill levels, and of course, give numerous opportunities for everyone to enjoy such scenic setting.
I am no golf player, but I must say, I did enjoy waking up to this beautiful view every day and biking around the huge golf course surrounded by the blue ocean!
The kids of course enjoyed the massive open space around them where they freely roamed around and explored and in the process, happily made new friends.
One of my favorite spots in the resort was the Ocean Lawn, were there were communal fire pits that allowed us to roast marshmallows and make our own s’mores. This was also where I enjoyed my own quiet time with a drink in one hand, as I watched the sun go down quietly on me.
Every day it was this golden hour that we looked forward to, when the bright sun would set on the infinite blue sea, both of which just seemed right in front of us.
In fact, this “sunset watching” (as simple as it may sound) was the highlight of our every day here. I’ve seen a lot of sunsets in many other nice places before and believe me, they were all beautiful… but I don’t think I have ever seen or shall I say, “felt” a sunset as awe-inspiring and chilling as this one on Half Moon Bay.
Daily at this time, guests would expectantly wait for the bagpiper at the Ocean Lawn, who would play for us different melodies. But when it’s time for the sun to kiss the sea, he would change his tune, look out toward the ocean, and play the classic “Amazing Grace” — which gave us all goosebumps and made the whole sunset experience more sentimental.
No words or photo can do justice to this magnificent show played before us by Mother Nature!
At this time, the whole property (including everyone of us witnessing this “nature’s miracle”) would be all aglow in golden light. And the Pacific Ocean being illuminated by the sun… wow, that was pretty breathtaking!
To say that Half Moon Bay is beautiful is an understatement. This end of our summer trip in this incredible place gave me the rest and relaxation I was looking for… and more. It gave me a different perspective in life and that’s something I will always remember and be grateful for. The experience alone of watching the sun set peacefully right before my very eyes and then disappear into the great unknown taught me that God is truly the One in control of everything — you, me, us, the whole world and every thing else in between. And that to me is Amazing Grace.
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To read about our nature trip in Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, click here.
To see all my photos in Half Moon Bay, search #TSMinHalfMoonBay on Instagram, or click here.
Half Moon Bay is such a beautiful place and a great visit for all.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Cheers Sharon…