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Welcome
It’s no mistake that this small seaside town has become one of the top tourist destinations
in the United States–all the marketing hype is, quite simply, true. Buffered by a protective ring of redwood forests on one side and a glorious coastline on the other, Santa Cruz is many things
to many people, and those who live here are justi ably proud of the place they call home. The Paci c Ocean stretches the length of the county, its coastline highlighted by the fabled Highway 1.
The Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary, is home to all kinds of wildlife, from otters and sea lions to salmon and migrating whales.
Surfers, kayakers and sailboats can be found in these waters, too, and a plethora of beaches–with names like Twin Lakes, Castle Beach, Sunny Cove, Pleasure Point, Hidden Beach–intrigue the curious and adventurous visitors. Adventurous fashion, food and nightlife abound, and Santa Cruz remains an eclectic mix of ‘60s hippie idealism, surf culture and Silicon-Valley-is-our-neighbor chic. Over one hundred years-old, the Beach Boardwalk offers giddy family fun. An old-fashioned amusement park and game arcade is complete with roller coasters, and an outdoor summer concert series played on
a stage built on the beach, with a postcard view of the Bay and wharf in the background.
The biggest names in the music, dance and theater world perform here, but the town also showcases its own local talent, with street performers, a healthy
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live music calendar and a burgeoning art scene with monthly First Friday Art Walks and a twice yearly Open Studios.
A stone’s throw down the coast is Capitola
Village, a tony enclave of restaurants, shops and boutique hotels built around a postcard-perfect beach with its own esplanade. It’s the home of
the world-famous Begonia Festival each summer, where ower-bedecked oats make their way down a small creek, and also to an annual Sand Castle Building Contest. Nearby is Aptos Village, anchored by the 10,000 acre Nisene Marks State Park, home to the Santa Cruz Blues Festival as well as miles of peaceful trails for hiking.
Nestled in the mountains around Santa Cruz are the towns of Ben Lomond, Felton and Boulder Creek. Notable for their long history, attractions include the real working steam trains at Big Trees & Roaring Camp Railroad, Loch Lomond (open for shing), and miles of trails through redwood forests at Henry Cowell or Big Basin State Parks. The tall, majestic redwoods create magical playgrounds below where you can discover
clear streams and waterfalls, centuries-old trees, winding deer trails and the welcome embrace that only a forest this old, this pristine, and this alive can offer.
Wherever you go on your visit to Santa Cruz will create memories to make you and your entire family smile for years to come.
BY JANET BLASER
summersantacruz.com