If you grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1990s, you almost certainly Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk commercial Alongside your best friend’s landline, it will be imprinted in your subconscious. But Santa Cruz is more than just Coney Island on the West Coast. (By the way, the Boardwalk is California’s oldest amusement park and a great place to ride a historic roller coaster with ocean views.)
A city of approximately 60,000, Santa Cruz cannot be easily categorized.university town (go banana slug!) and a world-class surfing destination within commuting distance of Silicon Valley. Yet somehow it still feels hidden.
Along the scallop shell-shaped northern rim of Monterey Bay, travelers can take a dreamy coastal drive on California’s Highway 1 or via the dizzying turns through the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains. , arriving in Santa Cruz. Technically the beginning of the Central Coast, Santa Cruz has been influenced by Silicon Valley without actually being part of it. It’s a county of its own and clearly has its own vibe. Here, routinely ironically, a vintage Volkswagen He Vanagon is parked next to a Tesla, with surfboards extending from both.
As a former Bay Area kid, I’ve been coming to Santa Cruz for as long as I can remember. Memories of foggy summer days alone down the boardwalk with my best friend from high school merge with images of late-night veggie burgers and shakes. After a backpacking trip in Big Sur. But what once felt like a quirky, crunchy pit stop is now one of my favorite weekend destinations from my San Francisco home. Unparalleled outdoor adventures on land and sea, an outstanding live music scene, and great food and drink. An option that allows you to stand up to your more high-profile neighbors to the north and south.
surf up
Reportedly, Where I first surfed on the mainlandSanta Cruz has produced and boasts a handful of world-class professional surfers. 10+ surf breaks, with spots for all levels. Popular destinations include Cowell’s, a cruising and accessible break perfect for beginners and loved by longboarders. Famous Steamer Lane in both Santa Cruz and California. Pleasure Point is a beloved local wave on the quieter east side of town.
Santa Cruz’s surf scene is somewhat notorious for its strong local attitude, but you can avoid tension by respecting the rules. The rules are engraved on signs mounted on the cliffs above Steamers and Pleasure Point. (In short, respect the lineup, don’t be a cook.)
Take advantage of the opportunity to learn from local experts by dressing like Surf School Santa Cruzoffers private surf instruction and group lessons (advance reservations recommended). If you’re ready to shred it yourself and need a board, there are plenty of surf shops with rental options. Cowell’s Surf Shopimmediately out of the water, Traveler Surf Club, on the East Side.of Midtown Surf Shop + Coffee Bar Another worthwhile destination for your gear needs. In addition to boards, wetsuits, leashes and fins, you’ll find clothing, gifts, surfboard shapers (available to rent for $15 per hour), and a cafe serving Verve coffee.
If you are more comfortable as a spectator or looking for inspiration, o’neal cold water classicthe World Surf League Qualifier returning to Steamer Lane from 15-19 November for the first time since 2015.
Surfing may be king in Santa Cruz, but there are other great ways to get in the water. stand up paddle boardingkayaking, swimming, plus enough beach For beach volleyball, bonfires, and of course just lounging. Don’t forget that there are plenty of opportunities for land-based adventures, too. Santa Cruz is a famous city. mountain bike hubWhen trail Meandering along the coast and the surrounding mountains, hiking and camping destinations,especially Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park When Big Basin Redwoods State Parkis currently open for limited day-use access following the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire.
live music
While it may be tempting to stay in the region’s natural beauty, it’s worth returning to civilization for the show. Santa Cruz has a wealth of live music venues, with an impressive mix of indie and legacy bands, as well as a vibrant community of local musicians who frequent cafes and bars around the city. Rio Theater Housed in a converted movie theater, the Midtown intimate venue is an intimate venue that attracts a variety of acts including Patti Smith, Little Feat, and indie legends like Bill Callahan and Built to Spill. Other venues with calendars worth scoping include: catalysthosts bands, karaoke nights and DJ events. Moe Alley, has a spacious outdoor patio and food truck.and the Kumbwa Jazz Center, a destination for jazz performances and educational programs.on the mountain you will find Felton Music Hallan intimate venue with a solid bar and restaurant serving food and drink before and after the show.
where to eat
All this activity is a great way to whet your appetite, and Santa Cruz not only offers delicious options at various price points.i am evangelical point marketan unassuming shop and café near Pleasure Point that makes my platonic ideal breakfast burrito—perfect for pre- or post-surf fuel. There is a place called Cafe.) steamer lane supplyis a low-key stall on the cliffs above Steamers, serving a flavorful menu of quesadillas, breakfast tacos and bowls made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. For a seated brunch, harbor cafe With a breakfast platter and dog hair cocktail that will blow away your hangover, you’re unbeatable. In Soquel, a small town northeast of Santa Cruz, pretty good advicechef Matt McNamara (formerly of San Francisco’s Michelin-starred restaurant son and daughter), throwing in points breakfast sandwiches and burgers. The menu is vegan and features ingredients sourced from McNamara’s farm in the nearby mountains.
Elsewhere in Soquel, House, a tempting dinner option with fresh pasta and an excellent in-house charcuterie program. Other favorites are: bantama wood-fired pizza destination on Santa Cruz’s busy West Side (sopressata pie and fried chicken are a must). Copal, a selection of outstanding moles and encyclopedic mezcals.When alder woodstocks the finest beef with locally sourced ingredients. Alderwood is a great place to indulge in bone-in ribeyes, but it’s also a great place to grab a seat at the bar and enjoy a glorious mess of burgers and cocktails. (The mezcal-based director’s cut is excellent.) During a previous visit, I became conversational and shared the restaurant’s signature maitake mushrooms with my neighbor. (Oswald Another local favorite as a burger and cocktail pairing. )
where to drink
Wine is a Santa Cruz staple. (Santa Cruz Mountains Dedicated AVAor the American Vitalicultural Area. bad animalis a rare second-hand bookstore and natural wine bar with wines from California and beyond, and books ranging from $4 paperbacks to $40,000 antiquarian books. Dedicated to the “wild side of animals,” the shop opened in 2019 and hosts a rotating roster of Chef-in-Residences. (Recent, Hanlo Thai, started this month. ) Apero Clubis a warm and funky wine bar and shop on the Westside that opened in August 2020 and hosts food pop-ups and often raucous dance parties to tunes spun on records. To do.
The craft beer scene in Santa Cruz is also outstanding, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewingis an all-organic brewery founded in 2005. New Bohemia Brewing Companywhich focuses on European-style brewing alongside IPAs. Sante Adairius Rustic Aledestinations for funky sours and farmhouse ales, and humble sea brewAlong with the outstanding Hazy IPAs and co-ferments, there’s some great can art. For a wide range of beers, Luplo Craft Beer House Regularly changing beer and Spanish-style small plates in downtown Santa Cruz, or beer thirty, a sprawling beer garden in Soquel with 30 revolving taps.If you are with a group of beer lovers you can sign up Brew Cruisea craft beer tour of the region aboard a vintage VW bus.
Your exploration may slow down in the morning. Thankfully, Santa Cruz is also a serious coffee destination. Verveopened in 2007 with a focus on fair business practices and intentionally sourced coffee beans. cat and cloud There are 4 cafes in the area. The sunny East Side location is a particularly nice place to spend the morning.and 11th hour coffee, great coffee is roasted in house and best enjoyed in plant-filled cafés both downtown and on the Westside. (Chai is also excellent.)
accommodation
Santa Cruz has plenty of accommodations, including Airbnbs and low-key beach motels.of Dream Inn It is the only beachfront property in the city. Refurbished in 2017 by retro surfer in his kitsch style (the hotel’s Jack O’Neil restaurant was renewed in 2019), the hotel has his 165 rooms (starting at $299), all Room ocean view. The pool deck juts out onto Cowells Beach, with steps leading directly to the sandy beach and unparalleled ocean and surf access. Hearing the waves (and sea lions) from your bed is also very nice.
As a mountainside retreat near downtown Santa Cruz, Chaminade Resort & Spa It has 200 rooms (starting at $359) on 300 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains with direct access to hiking trails. We also offer tennis, pickleball, disc golf and Santa Cruz’s only full-service day spa. You can also enjoy panoramic views of Monterey Bay from the hotel’s restaurant. The property completed his major renovation in 2020, and in 2022 he completed a new pool area that includes two pools, a cabana, a bar, and a weekend food truck.
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