Spend the Day in Half Moon Bay

One of the best things about San Francisco is that you can soak up every bit of the culture, the food, the shopping, and fun a big city has to offer—then get out quick when you’re tired of the hustle and bustle. This month I’m planning on daytrippin’ over to Half Moon Bay for their annual Tour des Fleurs — Greenhouse/Winery Tour on Saturday, July 17, 2010.

Tour des Fleurs is your opportunity to get a peek at local wineries, farms, nurseries and more—many of which aren’t often open to the public. Go behind the scenes, get expert tips if you’re a green thumb, and try a taste of the area’s local flavor.

Six packages, taking you on three nursery tours each, have been put together to introduce you to the area. A sample tour might include a visit to Harley Farms Goat Cheese, then on to La Nebbia Winery and Pastorino’s Gifts & Plants. Because you drive yourself on your tour you can go at your own pace. You’ll find me lingering over a lunch reservation at the winery, sipping some of the local vintage.

Special flower gardens, organic herbs and field greens, California native plants surrounded by streams and waterfalls, a working dairy farm, a Coastal Farmer’s Market tour, hands-on volunteer opportunities, wineries, and an abundance of potted plants await visitors at the Tour des Fleurs. There’s even an optional potluck and barn dance that night if you’re looking to kick up your heels.

To reserve your tour, call the Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and Visitors’ Bureau at (650) 726-8380 x100 or visit their website.