The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival - www.miramarevents.com/pumpkinfest - is a great excuse to head for a little section of the California coast stretching from San Francisco south toward Monterey Bay. The festival sounds a little like a Midwest county fair, with handicrafts, pie-eating contests, music by regional bands, and pumpkins so big they have to be weighed on industrial scales. Click on "About the Event" and "Quick Facts" to get an idea of the variety of food and drink, schedules for stage shows, and events such as the scarecrow contest.

That's not the only thing to see and do in Half Moon Bay - www.visithalfmoonbay.org - which is just a half-hour or so drive south of San Francisco on California's scenic Highway 1. In addition to wandering around the town, you can try your hand at surfing or kayaking (the water is described as very cold), spend some lazy time exploring tide pools, or head to sea on a fishing trip. Check the links on the left side of the main page for details on beaches, sea life, birding, photography and driving tours. And look through the entries under "Itineraries" and try the photo gallery for extra reasons to visit.

It's not all about the sea coast. Overlooking Half Moon Bay, the state's Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve - http://tinyurl.com/6lw6s - has California's signature tall trees, 21 miles of trails, and mountain views.

Half Moon Bay is in San Mateo County - http://smc.truebluelocal.com - which takes in the urban edges of the San Francisco Bay, with coastal scenery, seafood, and locally produced cheeses and wines. Browse through "Nature" for spots such as the Año Nuevo State Reserve, the largest mainland breeding colony of northern elephant seals; the Japanese Tea Garden; beaches; and lighthouses.

Visit one of California's oldest wineries, Woodside Vineyards - www.woodsidevineyards.com - at the San Mateo County town of Woodside. Check out that and other towns at San Mateo.net - www.sanmateo.net/travel - including tiny Princeton-by-the-Sea and the surfing haven of Montara.

Drive down the coast to Santa Cruz County - www.santacruzca.org - for more spectacular beaches and redwoods. Under "Things to Do," there's a detailed beach guide that lists four best choices for families, while the "Great Outdoors" section offers tips on windsurfing and kiteboarding. If you don't want to spend all your time at the beach, click on "Places & Maps" for an interactive map that will take you to Web pages on the artisans' enclave of Davenport, wooded Scotts Valley, and picturesque Santa Cruz.

Keep heading south through Monterey Bay and beyond with the help of California's Central Coast - www.centralcoast-tourism.com - a guide to that part of the state that includes the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Big Sur, the Hearst Castle, and more beaches.

Along the way, you'll want to check out spots such as the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park. Visit the Bay Area region of California State Parks - http://tinyurl.com/25vwhh - and click on the place names. Then go to the "Region" drop-down menu in the upper right and select "Central Coast" if you plan to continue driving south.