Coastside

Coastside: Exploring
the Ocean Side of the San Francisco Peninsula

“Only 30 minutes south of San Francisco lies a delectably unspoiled
coast of secluded coves, tiny towns, and  hit-the-brake views.”
Bob Devine, National Geographic Traveler

A pictorial souvenir and guide to the extraordinary
communities and landscape of the unspoiled 50-mile stretch of
Pacific coastline from Montara to Davenport.

The rugged spine of the Santa Cruz Mountains divides the San Francisco Peninsula, into two distinct regions. To the east, the land surrounding San Francisco Bay is paved with the concrete and steel of a teeming high-tech metropolis. On the western side, the barrier of the mountains and cold, damp fog swirling off the Pacific Ocean for much of the summer has preserved the heritage and rural lifestyle of a bygone era. Described by many as “the land that time forgot,” Coastside offers the perfect antidote to the torrid pace of Silicon Valley. It is a place where urban refuges can escape for a few hours to breath clean air, gaze on unspoiled vistas, explore a rich tapestry of plants and animals, purchase pesticide-free produce, and enjoy a rejuvenating sense of peace and serenity.

Stage Road north of San Gregorio

Half Moon Bay State Beach

Morning fog at Butano State Park

Northern Elephant seal at Ano Nuevo State Preserve

Praise for Coastside:

“This beautiful tribute to the Coastside celebrates the extraordinary agricultural, recreational, and natural resources that the District hopes to help preserve for future generations.”
Mary Davey, President, The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District

“The San Mateo Coast is a national treasure. It is the only remaining rural accessible coastline within a major metropolitan area to be found anywhere on earth. This guide beautifully illustrates the spectacular natural and recreational resources that POST is working to protect through our Saving the Endangered Coast campaign.”
Audrey Rust, President, The Peninsula Open Space Trust

Coastside: Exploring the Ocean Side of the San Francisco Peninsula includes photographs and descriptions of the following aspects of the region :
                    "The Coast That Time Forgot"        The Landscape
                    The People           Midcoast           Half Moon Bay      
                    South Coast    Redwood Country    Skyline Boulevard 

Each area is characterized by a corresponding historical or contemporary quotation together with numerous color photographs accompanied by detailed caption information. An example of the section on the Pigeon Point to Davenport region is shown below.

About the Author

Travel writer/photographer David A. Laws's  articles on western regional themes have been published in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, San Jose Mercury News, The Oregonian, and other publications. As a volunteer with the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), he is a frequent visitor to the organization's Coastside holdings. He has also written and photographed two other publications in the Windy Hill "Exploring" series of souvenir and guide booklets.

Click here for more biographical information

Coastside: Exploring the Ocean Side of the San Francisco Peninsula

Price: $9.95

Publisher: Windy Hill Publications (ISBN#: 0-9723874-2-0)
80 color photos
6 ¾" x 9 ½", saddlestich binding, printed on high quality gloss stock

Click here for: Ordering Information

Click below for:
Links to Coastside Resources
"Shore Leave." An article describing a tour along Highway One from San Francisco to Santa Cruz