Pumpkins: Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival
Half Moon Bay, Calif., October 17 and 18, 2009

The self-proclaimed "World Pumpkin Capital," Half Moon Bay has no shortage of squash in the fall, and is the perfect place for food, fun and beautiful seaside farm vistas.

The food: Wake up early for a stack of pumpkin pancakes, or save room for a slice of pumpkin roll or a giant pumpkin cookie. Or try the chicken-pumpkin sausages or Half Moon Bay Brewery's Pumpkin Harvest Ale.

Activities: Try your luck at the festival's tastiest event: the pumpkin pie-eating contest. Watch Farmer Mike, the "Picasso of pumpkin carvers" work his magic on monstrous 1,000+ pound pumpkins. After the fest, drive down State Highways 92 and 1 for a visit to one of the Bay's many pumpkin patches.

Image courtesy the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival

Visit www.miramarevents.com/pumpkinfest/ for more information.