Gray Whale Cove
If you’re looking for a beach with a sense of drama and romance, head to Gray Whale Cove. Located along the Devil’s Slide area of San Mateo County’s coast and reached by a steep set of stairs from Highway 1, the beach lies in a sheltered cove surrounded by cliffs that drop precipitously into the Pacific Ocean.
On a foggy day, it feels like the perfect setting for some heroic brooding over your next epic poem or mystery novel. Any sort of weather brings out couples, posing for romantic selfies or exchanging vows on the cliffs at sunset. And the beach gets its name because it’s a favorite place for whale spotting each spring, as the great creatures migrate northward.
Details: Gray Whale State Beach is open from 8 a.m. to sunset. There’s a large parking area, with portable restrooms, along the east side of Highway 1, nine miles north of Half Moon Bay and four miles south of Pacifica. From the parking lot, take care in crossing the highway to get to the picnic area on the cliff above Gray Whale beach.
Grab a bite: Head to Half Moon Bay for a bite at Dad’s Luncheonette, an unfussy but creative, American-themed eatery in a century-old train caboose. Former Michelin-starred chef de cuisine Scott Clark serves up burgers with “Dad’s special sauce” on grilled white bread ($12), and Hen of the Woods mushroom sandwiches with melty cheese ($12). Open from 11 a.m. Thursday through Sunday at 225 Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay; www. dadsluncheonette.com.