Getting to Palo Alto from Half Moon Bay and the coast

The San Mateo coast is Palo Alto's back door to the Pacific. Half Moon Bay, Pescadero and the farm valleys behind them lie only 25 to 35 miles away. The catch is the Santa Cruz Mountains, the forested ridge that runs down the Peninsula between the bay and the ocean. Every road across it is a mountain road. None of them is fast.

This page covers the trip to Palo Alto from Half Moon Bay, the Midcoast towns and the south coast around Pescadero. For things to do on the coast itself, see our guides to Half Moon Bay and Pescadero and the San Mateo coast.

The routes at a glance

Times are for light traffic. Summer weekends and October weekends can add a lot.

Highway 92

Highway 92 is the main road between Half Moon Bay and the Peninsula. From downtown Half Moon Bay it climbs east past nurseries and pumpkin farms, crosses Skyline Boulevard at the top of the ridge and drops to Interstate 280 above Crystal Springs Reservoir. From there, head south on 280 to the Sand Hill Road or Page Mill Road exits for Palo Alto. The trip is about 30 miles.

• Two lanes on the coast side. The stretch between Half Moon Bay and the summit has few passing spots, so one slow truck sets the pace.
• Weekend backups. On sunny weekends and during pumpkin season in October, traffic heading back over the hill in the afternoon can stretch for miles.
• Fog. The summit often sits in fog, even when both sides are clear. Slow down and use headlights.

If the 92 is jammed, Highway 1 north through Pacifica to State Route 1 and Interstate 280 is a longer but sometimes steadier alternative.

Highway 84

Highway 84 is the slow and scenic crossing. It leaves Highway 1 at San Gregorio, follows San Gregorio Creek inland to La Honda, climbs through redwoods to Skyline Boulevard at Sky Londa and winds down to Woodside. From Woodside, take Sand Hill Road or Interstate 280 into Palo Alto. From Pescadero it is about 35 miles and about an hour.

The road is narrow, with tight bends, steep drop-offs and few shoulders. Our Pescadero guide notes that Caltrans has been resurfacing Highway 84 between La Honda and Woodside through winter 2026, with one-way traffic control in places. Check Caltrans QuickMap for current work before you go.

On the way you pass Woodside village and the Woodside Store, a good place to stop. Read more about the area in our guide to Woodside and Atherton.

Driving the hill roads safely

Every crossing of the coastal hills calls for patience. These habits make the trip easier:

1. Use the turnouts. California law requires slow drivers with five or more cars behind them to pull over where it is safe. Locals expect it.
2. Expect cyclists. Highway 84, Skyline Boulevard and the side roads are among the most popular road rides in the Bay Area. Pass only with a clear view ahead and plenty of room.
3. Watch for motorcycles on weekends, especially on the curves of 84 and Skyline.
4. Look out for deer at dawn and dusk. After storms, watch for fallen branches and small slides.
5. Fill up first. Gas stations are few between the coast and the bay side.
6. Download maps. Cell service is weak or absent on Highway 84 and long stretches of Highway 1.

Other roads cross the ridge too, including Page Mill Road and Alpine Road from Skyline Boulevard down toward Palo Alto. They are narrower still. Page Mill is steep near the top and best avoided in the dark if you do not know it.

Coming from farther down the coast

From Davenport or the north edge of Santa Cruz County, you have a choice. Highway 1 north along the ocean reaches Pescadero and Highway 84 in about 45 minutes from Davenport, with almost no services on the way. The alternative is to drive south into Santa Cruz and take Highway 17 over the mountains, which is often quicker to Palo Alto despite the extra miles. Our page on getting here from Santa Cruz and Monterey covers that road.

Highway 1 itself is two lanes for most of the way, with bluffs, beach parking and slow sightseeing traffic. In winter, storms can close sections for slides or flooding, so check conditions before relying on it. Pigeon Point and the Año Nuevo elephant seals sit along this stretch, which makes it a good drive in daylight and a poor one at night.

SamTrans buses from the coast

SamTrans is the bus system for San Mateo County. No SamTrans route runs from the coast to Palo Alto, but one connects with Caltrain.

Route 294

Route 294 runs between Half Moon Bay and Hillsdale in San Mateo, crossing the hills on Highway 92. SamTrans listed weekday, Saturday and Sunday schedules for it in October 2026. At Hillsdale, change to a southbound Caltrain to Palo Alto. Hillsdale is in Caltrain Zone 2 and Palo Alto in Zone 3, so the train costs $6.25 for an adult as of October 2026 and $6.50 from January 1, 2027. Check that the bus and train times line up, since weekend Caltrain service runs about every 30 minutes.

Coastside routes

Route 117 is the all-day coast route. It runs daily between Linda Mar in Pacifica and Half Moon Bay, by way of El Granada and Montara and Moss Beach. It can feed into Route 294, which runs daily between Half Moon Bay and Hillsdale. Route 18 is not a general coastside service: SamTrans lists it as a Half Moon Bay High School route (Main/7th to HMBHS), so do not plan a trip around it. SamTrans listed an adult fare of $2.25 in cash or $2.05 on Clipper in October 2026.

South of Half Moon Bay

We did not find a fixed SamTrans route serving Pescadero or San Gregorio in the agency's route list in late October 2026. Check samtrans.com before you plan a car-free trip from the south coast. Our Caltrain guide covers the train side.

When to travel

• Weekday mornings: Highway 92 eastbound fills with coastside commuters heading to the Peninsula.
• Weekend afternoons: beach and farm traffic returns over the hill. Leave the coast early or late.
• October: pumpkin season brings the heaviest traffic of the year on Highway 92.
• Winter storms: slides and fallen trees can close the hill roads. Check before you leave.

Arriving in Palo Alto

Drivers reach town from Interstate 280 at Sand Hill Road, for Stanford and downtown, or at Page Mill Road, for California Avenue. Our driving guide lists every exit. If you would rather not cross the hills twice in a day, compare hotels in Palo Alto and make the coast a day trip instead.

Frequently asked questions