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We recommend that, while in Santa Cruz, you visit some of our favorite places and get the full California experience:
1. Hug Some Huge Trees (or just take a hike)
You should definitely visit some of the amazing forests and see some huge trees, there are a couple places you can go.
*Our favorite state park is Henry Cowell. There are many entrances to the park and each entrance or trail head has something
different to offer. We often ride our bikes to the Rincon Fire Road trail head. This trail will take you to the San Lorenzo
river where you will be in the river valley. It is gorgeous, though if you are looking for big trees...
To see the huge trees go to the main headquarters. Here is a stand of ancient and enormous trees that will take your breath
away. We also sometimes ride our bike to the headquarters, though it is a much grittier ride. Most people will probablly
prefer to drive. (It is pretty much a straight shot up highway 9) Go to this website and you will find directions to the Rincon
Fire Road trail head and to the park headquarters.
We have never done this before, but apparently, there is a train that goes from near the headquarters of Henry Cowell
to the beach and boardwalk in Santa Cruz.
Check it out!
Roaring Camp Railroads
*We also really like Big Basin State Park. Our favorite spot is a series of waterfalls about seven or eight miles out
from the trailhead. Our usual way to go is to head up the coast to Waddell Creek beach, where there is an entrance to the
park. It is a great hike, which follows the creek most of the way, but unfortunately this route has only a few sections of
old-growth forest. The main park headquarters, however, is up in the Santa Cruz mountains, and you can hike for miles in
ancient, huge redwoods. There are several short hikes, and also if you go about seven miles you can reach the waterfalls.
Keep in mind that hiking out to the falls from either side is about 15 to 16 miles, which means it will be a long tiring day,
or else you should plan to spend the night at Sunset Camp, a backcountry camping site.
To get to Waddell Creek, leave Santa Cruz, heading north on Highway one. Go about 20 miles; there is a beach on the left and
an entrance to Big Basin on the right. (You can take a city bus to this entrance; it will take about a half hour and cost $1.50 per person. This stop is the end of the line. The bus only
runs about two times a day)
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| The upper falls (Stacey's favorite) |
Make sure you look for banana slugs! (Did you know that Stacey is an official banana slug?! Go UCSC:!)
2. Go to the beach
Of course you will go to the beach while you are in Santa Cruz: afterall, it's California! May we make a few suggestions:
*Our favorite sunset watching spot is on West Cliff Drive: the road that runs along the ocean for four miles on the west side
of town with a bicycle/pedestrian path. If you go to the corner of West Cliff and San Jose, there are some great tide pools.
You can climb down the cliff and walk around in the pools. If you go at low tide you will see lots of exciting tide pool life: starfish, sea anenomeas (you must shriek every time you poke one, like Stacey),
mussels, crabs etc.
You might even see sea otters off the cliff
At the end of West Cliff Drive is Natural Bridges State Beach. A beautiful beach that is also the destination of migrating
monarch butterflies passing through North America.
Natural Bridges State Beach
* After you watch the sunset from West Cliff, you will be cold. To get warm, you should go play ping pong or air hockey,
or even mini golf at the BOARDWALK
There is a large, crowded, but fun, public beach in front of the boardwalk where you can play beach volleyball, or just
sit and people watch.
The boardwalk itself is home to one of the first rollercoasters ever--the Giant Dipper. Steve
and Stacey love the Giant Dipper and the bumper cars.
The arcade inside Neptune's Kingdom is fabulous. This is where Steve
constantly beats Stacey in air hockey, and then further humiliates her at the ping-pong tables. Across the street is
Boardwalk bowl!
* You should really really go to Wilder Ranch State Beach.
We often ride our tandem there on the bike path along Highway 1. The site was originally the main rancho
supplying Santa Cruz Mission. It later became a successful and innovative dairy ranch. You can still visit the historic Victorian
homes, gardens, and historic adobe. Plus, they still have chickens and sheep, and there is this really fabulous tree
on the lawn of the main house.
Once you are done climbing the tree, get on the dirt path that goes toward the ocean. This trail will take you
along steep cliffs with wonderful views of the ocean. If you walk about a mile, the trail will take you to our favorite
beach. It is a long and narrow beach, sheltered from the wind, with a huge cave at the back that is fun to explore.
It is not the best place for swimming in the ocean (for that we recommend any of the small beaches off of West Cliff Drive),
but you can wade around and find neat shells and rocks. One time we found a starfish, and once there was a baby seal catching
some sun on the sand (so cute).
| click here to learn more about Wilder Ranch |
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| the cliff overlooking our favorite beach |
2. Find other adventures
There are so many fun things to do in the Santa Cruz area. Your biggest challenge will be deciding on your priorities:
*If you have a good part of a day, it is fun to go to Monterey and visit the aquarium. The sea otters and the jelly fish
are the best parts!
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| click here to go to the aquarium's website |
or LOGOs which is book/used music shop not far from Bookshop Santa Cruz.
Both of these places are on the Pacific Garden Mall where it is fun to walk around and people watch and window shop.
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