Half Moon Bay State Beach is a state park in San Mateo County, California. The nearest town is Half Moon Bay, about 2.1 km (1.3 mi) away (Half Moon Bay State Beach lies WNW of town).
Half Moon Bay State Beach is a 4-mile (6 km) stretch of protected beaches in the state park system of California, United States, on Half Moon Bay. From north to south it comprises Roosevelt, Dunes, Venice, and Francis Beaches. The 181-acre (73 ha) park was established in 1956.From the Wikipedia article “Half Moon Bay State Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Half Moon Bay State Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 59° ENE | 8:35 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 34m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 52m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 36m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Half Moon Bay State Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:47 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:21 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.01 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Half Moon Bay State Beach, closest first.
Beach
Beach
Ghost Town
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
Beach
State Park
Scenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Half Moon Bay State Beach?
What time is golden hour at Half Moon Bay State Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Half Moon Bay State Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Half Moon Bay State Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Half Moon Bay State Beach?
How far is Half Moon Bay State Beach from Half Moon Bay?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.