Half Moon Bay - Menlo Park commute, and other questions (San Mateo: rental, house)

[chickenprincess]

Hi

Hope its ok to start another thread, my initial one is here
http://www.city-data.com/forum/calif...l#post14359317
for background info.

First I need to know is Half Moon Bay - Menlo Park the commute practical, on a daily basis.

How isolated is it really?

Schools - the API's dont look as good as the schools in silicon valley, but are they manageable? is there a reason they are not so good? They dont look appalling, and my two girls are quite bright (they'll be in 2nd Grade and 4th Grade), also I'll be a stay-at-home mum, so they'll get plenty of support.

How safe is it, are there any areas to avoid living?

Weather, I see its not as hot and sunny as the menlo area, but that may be a good thing coming from england... will it be warm enough ever for the kids to swim in the sea?

Is it very oriented? Or is it full of Surfers/Stoners?

We have a dog and we love to walk and cycle, will there be plenty of places to take him, and go?

Are there any other questions I should be asking?!

Once again... ALL information is appreciated

Thanks Amanda x

[capoeira]

One problem with Half Moon Bay is the huge weekend traffic. If you live there and just want to make a simple trip to Target or Barnes and Noble in Redwood City you will have lots of jammed traffic on 92 getting back to Half Moon Bay.

For a small town feel with better highway access look at Pacifica,particulary the southern parts of Pacifica like Park Pacifica and Linda Mar. Try the commute to Menlo Park from there,Highway 1 to Sharp Park Rd. to 35 south to 280 and see if you can live with it.

When visiting Pacifica check out San Pedro County Park, Frontierland Park and the Wed. afternoon Farmers market at Rockaway Beach.

Also San Carlos is an ideal mid peninsula community that is closer to Menlo Park.

[Nineties Flava]

It's very isolated... also does not look anything like the rest of the peninsula. It looks really nice though... its the definition of picturesque.

[calisnuffy]

Most major stores/services are located on the other side of the hills from Half Moon Bay, traffic is not always light and can get quite congested at times. Half Moon Bay is lovely if you enjoy the seaside lifestyle and something thats geared a little slower than most other bay area cities. The crowd is a mixed bag from stoners,surfers, professionals and members of the farming community ect, you have a few dining options, a few stores, just the basics. Any big shopping , you have to drive out over the hills and that could be tiring. Half Moon Bay often socked in with fog, and runs quite a bit cooler than the other cities I mentioned. When you come to visit the bay area, visit west side Redwood City,San Carlos,San Mateo,Menlo Park, Palo Alto and just cruise around and check them out in addition to your visit to Half Moon Bay.

It terms of dog parks and places to take dogs, the peninsula has plenty places, from leashed walking on the beach, to off leash dog parks, mountain trails with leash and off leash walking, you will have an endless list of outdoor opportunities wherever you decide to move.

[chickenprincess]

Thanks again for all your replies - we'll have a good look at Pacifica and San Carlos for housing too as well as doing some cruising around

Can't wait to get out there now - the waiting is killing me!

Amanda x

[calisnuffy]

good luck, tell us how your visit goes. cheers

[mormad]

I live in Half Moon Bay, so......I agree on some of the points that have been made; however, the positives far outweigh the negatives in my estimation. We have a sense of tranquility here that I did not experience living on the peninsula (San Mateo, Burlingame, Belmont, San Carlos). We feel like a community as opposed to a sprawling, busy place. I can't lie - the commute can be difficult if there is an accident on Hwy 92 or during the high traffic seasonal times (pumpkin festival season, Christmas tree farms, relief from the East Bay heat in the summer). But when everything is optimal I get home from my friend's house in Redwood City via 280 in 25 minutes! We have many many beautiful days of sunshine - we have the advantage of already BEING HERE and don't have to take a chance on whether it will be foggy when we arrive. For sure - if you are a shopoholic - go over the Hill! Or stay here and walk, jog, ride your bike along the beach path, which is how we start our day, every day! It's not for everybody but you should certainly give it a look see. It is not as "surfy/ stoner" as Santa Cruz - I used to live just up the hill from Surfer's Beach and did not find any issues with an unsavory crowd. Our schools do not score as high as those over the hill as we have many ESL students, but our teachers work hard, our schools are great and our kids are great. You would be welcomed in our great community!!

[calisnuffy]

Originally Posted by mormad

I live in Half Moon Bay, so......I agree on some of the points that have been made; however, the positives far outweigh the negatives in my estimation. We have a sense of tranquility here that I did not experience living on the peninsula (San Mateo, Burlingame, Belmont, San Carlos). We feel like a community as opposed to a sprawling, busy place. I can't lie - the commute can be difficult if there is an accident on Hwy 92 or during the high traffic seasonal times (pumpkin festival season, Christmas tree farms, relief from the East Bay heat in the summer). But when everything is optimal I get home from my friend's house in Redwood City via 280 in 25 minutes! We have many many beautiful days of sunshine - we have the advantage of already BEING HERE and don't have to take a chance on whether it will be foggy when we arrive. For sure - if you are a shopoholic - go over the Hill! Or stay here and walk, jog, ride your bike along the beach path, which is how we start our day, every day! It's not for everybody but you should certainly give it a look see. It is not as "surfy/ stoner" as Santa Cruz - I used to live just up the hill from Surfer's Beach and did not find any issues with an unsavory crowd. Our schools do not score as high as those over the hill as we have many ESL students, but our teachers work hard, our schools are great and our kids are great. You would be welcomed in our great community!!

Good point about the sense of community, the coastside area has a tight sense of community and family, it gives off a great vibe

[chickenprincess]

thank you so much your really helpful and informative replies. We are hoping to visit Half Moon Bay today, to try the commute and see a couple of rental places, so we know what we'll get for our money. Husband is really concerned about the schools, so that may be the showstopper... who knows. We really do need to get over our current meltdown on the cost of living here... /

[Eloisa79]

Chicken princess... would you figurate where to live????

I just got merry one year ago and move here to the Bay Are, my husband and I live in Redwood shores, but now we want to get a home, and we are having a hard time, because we dont know if it is better Peninsula of Half moon bay, it looks like both places have good and bad things.
My husband grow up in the beach, (Cambria 15 min from San Luis Obispo), then he really loves Half Moon Bay, also because he loves run, bike, etc, but I love shopping and have more busy life, then I want to know, if there are lot of young people around HMB, and also I have a question
for the same price you get a small home in RWShores or a much bigger home in Ocean Colony wich is beautiful and very safe for kids but
is traficc bad from HMB to Belmont at morning at school time?? because I did not find any catholic school in HMB then I guess I will be driving to Belmont or San Carlos every day.