SYMMETRY 2023 - Official Travelers Guide for Santa Cruz County

SYMMETRY

REDWOODS REVIVAL

Why 2023 is the year to visit

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COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT SANTA

FAIRFIELD INN BY MARRIOTT SANTA CRUZ WESTSIDE

CONTENTS

Travelers Guide and Local Lore 22

WELCOME from the CEO of Visit Santa Cruz County GETTING HERE

EVENTS editor’s picks for weekend fun

Do Santa Cruz County Right

REDWOODS REVIVAL

Hike Like a Local

Where to See the Redwoods

WATERSPORTS surfing and fishing go hand in hand on the Monterey Bay

The Grand Canyon Below the Bay

ORGANIC PIONEERS

FRONT + CENTER meet four of the many artists who make Santa Cruz their home

Kuumbwa Jazz Center’s Tim Jackson

Stripe Design’s Suna Lock

Fashion Designer I.B. Bayo

Painter Ursula O’Farrell

TOP 5 DISHES

and where to try them

CHARDONNAY VS. PINOT NOIR

WHY SYMMETRY?

Symmetry (noun) sym-me-try 'si-m -trē

1. Beauty of form arising from balanced proportions.

2. Community, environment and how they interact.

Symmetry reflects the beautifully diverse elements of our county, that together create an elaborate, deliberate, compassionate expression of a place and its people.

Welcome

Thank you so much for spending some time with our newly imagined Travelers Guide for Santa Cruz County. The second smallest county in the great state of California will treat you to breathtaking coastline, majestic redwoods, creative communities, rich agriculture, exceptional microclimates, and both sunrises and sunsets over the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Monterey Bay is one of the greatest in size and magnificence in the United States and at its center is an underwater canyon twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. A very special place for sure.

You’ll find a ton of special places in the pages that follow, starting with our cover story. Redwoods Revival is a story of resiliency and enduring beauty. Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which contains the largest contiguous stand of old growth redwoods south of Humboldt County, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton, Laguna Creek and San Vicente Redwoods in Bonny Doon, Byrne-Milliron Forest in Corralitos, and The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos are all a short drive from Santa Cruz County’s unique beaches and the glittering waters of Monterey Bay. As we go to press with this issue, the parks are recovering from our unusual winter storms so please be vigilant in checking availability and any special circumstances as our environment recovers.

Further in, you’ll find wonderful articles by local authors sharing our community’s livelihood and deep relationship with our ecosystem, including hike like a local, surfing fishermen and a tribute to what I call “real food.” The University of California Santa Cruz farm, also known as the Center for Agroecology, is the first university plot to be certified organic in the entire country. A passion for some has blossomed into an inspiring, nourishing existence for so many, including me. Earning the designation as a California Agricultural Experiment Station, the first in 50 years, puts UC Santa Cruz in a system of campusbased science programs developing cutting-edge knowledge and technologies to address biological, economic and social problems surrounding food, agriculture and related industries. Right here, in Santa Cruz County.

We don’t stop there though. Our arts profiles span the spectrum, from textiles and music to design and painting. The fervency of the arts community is deep in the heritage of

Santa Cruz County. We so enjoy being able to share just a few beautiful nuggets of these exceptionally talented neighbors. They each lift our spirits in their own special way. We’re looking forward to sharing more from these gifted folks in our community as our Travelers Guide continues its journey in the years ahead.

You’ll also catch our take on our food and wine, another obsession here. We dabble with suggestions for the 5 Top Dishes and where to find them—think Dungeness crab, Brussels sprouts and clam chowder. So good. And then, do you pair them with chardonnay or pinot noir? As you’ll read, each of the 200 plus small mountaintop vineyards throughout the 850-square-mile Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area (AVA) has its own microclimate, contributing intensity and structure. The climate, the fog, the sunshine all set our region apart from the rest.

And finally, after we have hopefully inspired, surprised and taught you things that you weren’t aware of, we then present the details—a growing list of our partners in tourism. It features parks and beaches, restaurants and wineries, activities and attractions and our gracious, committed benefactors, the professional accommodations community of Santa Cruz County. Without them, we wouldn’t be here to share all the special places, breathtaking views and colorful personalities that make this fairytale of a place reality for us.

We hope that you enjoy our newly designed, locally created, editorial-focused effort that aspires to bring our visitors a greater understanding of our community and bring our community a greater appreciation for those who are drawn here to visit. For me, music plays when these two intersect.

Grateful,

Michael Martelon CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Visit Santa Cruz County

Getting Here

Located on the northern side of the Monterey Bay, coastal Santa Cruz County is about an hour and a half south of San Francisco and an hour north of Monterey.

Access by car from the east is easy via Highway 17 through the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains or from the north or south via California’s scenic Highway 1.

The nearest major airport is San Jose Mineta International Airport, 30 miles/48 km northeast of Santa Cruz. San Francisco International Airport is approximately 60 miles/96 km north of Santa Cruz, and Oakland International Airport is approximately 65 miles/104 km north of Santa Cruz. Monterey Regional Airport is 43 miles/70 km south of Santa Cruz.

There are several buses a day that run between Santa Cruz and San Jose’s Diridon Station, connecting with Amtrak train service.

Symmetry: The official Santa Cruz County Travelers Guide is published by:

VISIT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Santa Cruz, California 831.425.1234 | santacruz.org

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Michael Martelon

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Denise Harris

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Flavia Oliveira

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTENT

Rachel Endsley

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Christina Glynn

DIRECTOR OF INTERACTIVE MARKETING AND ANALYTICS

Daryl Zape

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Jenn Day

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR

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SALES & MARKETING ASSISTANT

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STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

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ART DIRECTOR

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CONTRIBUTORS

Felix Alfaro • Mark C. Anderson • Ian Bornarth

Crystal Birns • Hiram Chee • David Hills

Sandra Ivany • Tom Jacobs

r.r. jones • Coline LeConte • Ryan Masters

Laura Ness • Fani Nicheva Joe Platko

Zephyr Pfotenhauer • Nick Rahaim

Garrick Ramirez • Laura Sutherland

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©2023 Visit Santa Cruz County, all rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced without written consent from the publisher.

Symmetry participates in the PrintReleaf reforestation program to offset the paper footprint.

Editor’s Picks Our top choices for weekend fun in Santa Cruz County

▼Woodies on the Wharf

June 24, 2023

Surf City, here we come! Dive back into the golden era of long boards and surfing safaris at this annual gathering of more than 200 vintage wood-bodied cars. All the mid-century “woodies” are meticulously restored, and their proud owners love showing them off. The free event includes live music, surf wagon merch for sale and prize giveaways.

Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, 10am–3pm santacruzwoodies.com

4th of July

What’s Independence Day without a parade? Start the festivities by enjoying what is called “the world’s shortest parade” through the center of Aptos, and it’s followed by a party in the park. The Spirit of Watsonville 4th of July Parade steps off at noon and travels down Main Street. The Scotts Valley parade takes place in the afternoon.

Aptos parade along Soquel Drive beginning at 9am | aptoschamber.com

Watsonville parade along Main Street beginning at 12pm | cityofwatsonville.org

Scotts Valley parade along Scotts Valley Drive beginning at 3pm | scottsvalley.org

▼Wharf to Wharf Race

July 23, 2023

You don’t need to be a runner to enjoy this popular 6-mile race from the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf to the Capitola Wharf. Casual joggers are welcome, and there’s a separate 3-mile race ending in the same spot. All along the way more than 50 bands perform to energize the runners.

Begins at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf at 8:30am wharftowharf.com

Watsonville Strawberry Festival

August 5–6, 2023

Celebrating Santa Cruz County’s top crop, the annual strawberry extravaganza takes over the streets of downtown Watsonville every summer with a packed schedule of live music, carnival rides and lots of sweet treats. Don’t miss the strawberry shortcake, or indulge in a fresh strawberry smoothie or strawberry pizza pie.

Downtown Watsonville, Saturday 11am–8pm, Sunday 11am–7pm | watsonvillestrawberryfestival.com

Scotts Valley Art, Wine and Beer Festival

August 19–20, 2023

With a little something for everyone, this festival features the works of dozens of California artists, along with tastings from local wineries and craft breweries. A full lineup of live bands adds atmosphere, and the weekend also includes a dog show and the Cops ’n Rodders classic car show. Skypark, Scotts Valley, Saturday 10am–6pm, Sunday 10am–5pm | svartfestival.com

40th Annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival

September 9–10, 2023

If drinking wine in a picturesque seaside village sounds like heaven, this is your event. Enjoy the warm September weather while sipping wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains and browsing the stalls of more than 100 fine artists invited to take part in the juried show. Don’t forget to say congratulations as 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of this popular event.

Throughout Capitola Village, Saturday 10am–6pm, Sunday 10am–5pm | capitolaartandwine.com

Chili Cook-Off

October 28, 2023

Bring your appetite and help choose the best chili in all of Santa Cruz County. Costumed teams compete in decorated booths in the amateur and professional categories, and the reputation of local chefs is on the line. The public is invited to purchase tasting kits and vote for their favorites, who are crowned at the end of the day.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, cooking begins at 9am, tasting from 1–4pm | beachboardwalk.com

Retail Therapy

Home to artisans and inventors, Santa Cruz County has charming independent shops, boutiques and galleries that specialize in local wares.

Made in Santa Cruz County

LEATHER HAT

American Hat Makers, Watsonville / $297

AIR PLANTS

Retail Therapy

MOUNTED

Dig Gardens, Santa Cruz and Aptos

DAISY HEART PLATE Annieglass, Watsonville / $90

SCONE BAKING MIX Ivéta, Santa Cruz / $9.45

BEACH CARDIGAN Warmth Company, Aptos / $155

SLUG GEAR Bookshop Santa Cruz / $10-$50

Retail Therapy

SURFBOARD Sol y Mar Surfboards / $800-$1,000

POLDINA PRO TABLE LAMP

Illuminée, Santa Cruz / $169

CUSTOM

BEE HAPPY TEE Mountain Feed, Ben Lomond / $30

HITCH MOUNTED GRILL HitchFire, Soquel / $499

GIN NO. 2 Venus Spirits, Santa Cruz

Do Santa Cruz County Right

DO THE EARTH RIGHT

Welcome to Santa Cruz County, where we protect and preserve this beautiful slice of California coast.

Let’s be kind and respect each other and Mother Earth.

Let’s say no to single-use plastics and recycle and reuse whenever possible.

Let’s pack our trash and leave places better than we found them.

Let’s remember our reusable water bottle and metal straw.

Let’s offset our travel emissions.

Let’s waste less and appreciate more.

DO THE COUNTY RIGHT

Let’s take a beat, slow down, and appreciate Santa Cruz’s laidback vibe.

Let’s keep the coastline, ocean, mountains, forests, trails, and open spaces pristine and leave no trace.

Let’s enjoy nature and wildlife without disturbing their peace and habitats.

Let’s stay on designated trails and paths for your safety and for the preservation of habitats.

Let’s practice ocean safety and never turn our back on the waves. Let’s be cautious near cliffs, know about riptides and currents, and respect the power of the ocean.

Let’s always follow campfire regulations and stay up to date with current restrictions.

Let’s pick up after our pets and follow leash and park regulations.

Let’s save water and be conservation minded.

Let’s care more about each other than a selfie.

DO THE COMMUNITY RIGHT

Let’s travel safely on highways and sideroads. Mind the winds and be prepared for sudden stops with wildlife crossing, traffic, bikers, and pedestrians.

Let’s opt for eco-friendly travel when possible. Explore like a local by bike or on foot.

Let’s unplug and turn off lights, chargers, and electronics when not in use or needed.

DO YOU RIGHT

Let’s always be prepared with sunscreen, layers, and water.

Let’s enjoy the beauty and give each other the space to find your awe.

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FULLY RENOVATED – 2023

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REDWOODS REVIVAL

Why 2023 is the perfect time to visit Santa Cruz County’s redwood forests

BY RYAN MASTERS

OON GASPAR DE PORTOLÁ’S HISTORIC JOURNEY through Alta California in 1769, he and his men pitched camp on the shores of a small lake in what is now Santa Cruz County. As they rested, the men marveled at the enormous trees and their thick, fragrant red bark.

“Trees of girth so great that eight men placed side by side with extended arms are unable to embrace them,” was how Lieutenant Pedro Fages described them. “They were the largest, highest and straightest trees we had seen up to that time,” wrote expedition engineer Miguel Costansó. Yet it was Father Juan Crespí who named them: “We gave them that of the color of the wood, palo colorado.”

Today, more than 250 years after Crespí gave redwoods their common name on the banks of Watsonville’s Pinto Lake, tourists from around the world come to marvel at the verdant canopies of Santa Cruz County. Public spaces like Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which contains the largest contiguous stand of old growth redwoods south of Humboldt County, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton, Laguna Creek and San Vicente Redwoods in Bonny Doon, the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos and the Byrne-Milliron Forest in Corralitos are all a short drive from Santa Cruz’s sunny beaches and the glittering waters of Monterey Bay.

“Our redwoods are very easy to reach for most people, which make them even more valuable,” says Carie Thompson of Land Trust Santa Cruz County. “People who experience the natural peace of redwoods for themselves understand why getting to know and protecting these forests are so important.”

Walking through a majestic, cathedral-like redwood grove is a must-do for visitors. The easy 0.8-mile old growth loop at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.

INSET PHOTO: JENN DAY

Of course, Santa Cruz County’s redwoods forests were nearly wiped out because they are so easy to reach. Less than 10 years after the Portolá expedition passed through, Father Junipero Serra ordered the first load of redwood shipped south, signaling the dawn of the redwood lumber industry. A little more than a century later, nearly all of Santa Cruz County’s old growth trees had been cut down to feed the demands of a booming region.

Fortunately, a handful of visionary conservationists were able to “Save the Redwoods” for future generations. In 1889, painter/photographer Andrew P. Hill was so alarmed by the rate at which Big Basin’s redwood grove was disappearing, he accidentally launched the U.S. conservation movement. Hill, along with Josephine McCracken—a former U.S. Civil War nurse, author and journalist for the Santa Cruz Sentinel—invited wealthy and influential people to form the Sempervirens Club. This group went on to raise awareness and money to preserve Santa Cruz County’s redwoods by launching the first major environmental marketing campaign in U.S. history. The Sempervirens Clubs eventually convinced legislators to purchase 3,800 acres of Big Basin, preserving it in perpetuity for the people of California. By 1902, California’s oldest state park had been established.

A year later, President Theodore Roosevelt visited Santa Cruz County and spoke directly to the successful effort to preserve its redwoods. “I am about to visit the grove of the great trees. I wish to congratulate you people of California, people of this region, and to congratulate all the country on what you have done in preserving these great trees,” said Roosevelt. “Cut down one of these giants and you cannot fill its place. The ages were their architects and we owe it to ourselves and to our children’s children to preserve them.”

Today, Big Basin Redwoods State Park encompasses 18,000 acres. And while we owe early environmentalists like Hill and

McCracken a huge debt of gratitude for preserving Santa Cruz County’s redwoods, our 20th century concept of “conservation” had a major flaw.

“They didn’t take into account the importance of fire,” says Thompson. “So we disrupted that natural cycle for a long time.”

Fire Cycle

In August and September of 2020, the CZU Lightning Complex fires burned 86,509 acres in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. The fire affected 97 percent of Big Basin Redwoods State Park, reducing park buildings to ash, including the iconic visitors center, lodge and staff homes. The park was shut down for months as state park officials and biologists surveyed the damage.

The heat and intensity of the CZU Lightning Complex fires shocked residents and scientists alike. Sparked by a massive lightning storm, the blaze’s multiple, fastmoving fronts surprised CalFire officials and led to widespread evacuations.

Choked with highly flammable fuels, the landscape was ready to burn. Decades of fire suppression—as well as large-scale tan oak die-off thanks to the Sudden Oak Death pathogen—created the perfect firestorm.

In the weeks that followed, damage to Santa Cruz County’s redwood forests appeared catastrophic. Yet the closer biologists looked, the more optimistic they became. “We saw the land respond almost immediately,” says Zane Moore, a redwood geneticist and UC Davis doctoral candidate who has studied the region for years.

Redwood trees (sequoia sempervirens) can grow to more than 300 feet—as tall as the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben clock tower in London—and they live more than 2,000 years. Studies have shown they capture more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than any other type of tree, making them key to fighting climate change.

TOP TO BOTTOM: COURTESY OF THE SAN LORENZO VALLEY MUSEUM, LIZ BIRNBAUM, GARRICK RAMIREZ

TThe ages were their architects and we owe it to ourselves and to our children’s children to preserve them.

“Redwoods are well adapted to fire.”

Redwood bark is an excellent heat shield thanks to its extreme thickness and the reddish tannins it contains. These tannins char easily, but rarely combust. Redwoods are also really good at regrowing their canopies. After the fire, the Big Basin redwoods immediately began epicormic sprouting—the process of producing new foliage straight from their trunks and branches.

The redwood forest is so well-adapted to fire, in fact, that roughly 98 percent of the trees in Big Basin Redwoods State Park survived the 2020 fires. “They did remarkably well. The longer we study their recovery from the 2020 fires, the better they appear to be doing,” says Moore. “The Douglas firs are another story though. They don’t have the same natural defense mechanisms as redwoods and were hit much harder.”

At first blush, 2023 may seem like an unfortunate time to visit Santa Cruz County’s redwoods. Not so, according to Moore. “This is an incredibly exciting time to visit Big Basin and other Santa Cruz County redwoods,” he says. “In the wake of these fires, our redwood forests have turned into living laboratories.”

More than 16,000 people have visited Big Basin since it reopened to the public on July 22, 2022. Yet visitors are still required to make a reservation online in advance to guarantee access. As California State Parks continues to reopen more roads and trails inside the charred park, more visitors will be allowed to explore Big Basin. “These newly opened trails offer a novel window to witness the remarkable recovery of the ancient forest,” says California State Parks Santa Cruz District Superintendent Chris Spohrer. “We look forward to welcoming more visitors in 2023.”

In the meantime, a committee made up of representatives from local redwood organizations, as well as members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, are in the process of “reimagining” Big Basin. Part of the plan is to reincorporate Indigenous forest management techniques, including prescribed burns. According to Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman Valentin Lopez, meadows must be a big part of that reimagining.

“Meadows within the forest are an important component of Indigenous stewardship. They provided space for our

people to grow their foods, their medicines, the materials for their housing and clothing, and other needs,” says Lopez. “Making sure the native plants are properly stewarded and managed in these meadows will provide cultural resources for tribes while also rejuvenating the forest’s pre-Columbian biodiversity.”

Naturally Resilient

Every month, the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History leads monthly hikes through the Upper Fall Creek Unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park alongside biologists from California State Parks.

The far-reaching fires of 2020 burned landscapes like Upper Fall Creek with varying degrees of severity. In the scope of a singlemile hike, visitors can observe various stages of fire recovery. And because a redwood forest recovers from the ground up, 2023 is a particularly interesting time to visit.

“I can confirm that we’re definitely witnessing a big rebound in the burn zone,” says Marisa Gomez, community education and collaboration manager at the museum. “We saw tremendous sprouting and growth—even

After the fire, the Big Basin redwoods immediately began epicormic sprouting—the process of producing new foliage straight from their trunks and branches.

The thick, fibrous bark of redwood trees makes the ancient giants remarkably resilient and fire resistant, sprouting new growth from roots and charred trunks.

Where to See the REDWOODS

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

21600 Big Basin Highway

Boulder Creek

• Parking reservation needed.

Byrne-Milliron Forest

809 Browns Valley Road | Corralitos

Castle Rock State Park

15451 Skyline Boulevard | Los Gatos

The Forest of Nisene Marks

State Park

Aptos Creek Road | Aptos

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

101 North Big Trees Park Road | Felton

Henry Cowell Redwoods

State Park - Fall Creek Unit

1101 Felton Empire Road | Felton

San Vicente Redwoods

12001 Empire Grade Road | Santa Cruz

• Hiking pass needed.

right after the fire. It’s really been eyeopening to watch the land rejuvenate.”

In fact, Gomez says, follow-up biological assessments in the region have revealed a landscape exploding with life—including some plant species that haven’t been seen in years, such as the flowering redrayed alpenglow.

“Today, we know that fire is a natural part of the ecosystem, but we suppressed it for generations. Now we’re seeing things that have been dormant for decades suddenly get thrown into high gear,” she adds. “An incredible amount of ceanothus is popping up on our hikes. People had never seen it there before and now it’s the most prominent species.”

When fire burns through the understory of places like Upper Fall Creek or Big

Basin, its heat activates seeds like those of the ceanothus, or California lilac. These seeds, some of which have been waiting years for the opportunity, germinate and explode through the surface of the forest floor, emerging into sun-drenched clearings newly formed by the flames. The clearings commonly see a host of new flowering plants like the Mariposa lily, and many of these flowers are getting their first chance to bloom in a long while.

Of course, their time in the sun can’t last forever. Eventually understory plants like the California lilac and the Mariposa lily get shaded out by new growth above. They go dormant again and wait for the next cycle of fire.

Citizen Science

Because fire suppression disrupted this natural cycle for generations, huge fuel build-ups occurred. Consequently, almost every acre of San Vicente Redwoods, a nearly 9,000-acre park perched above the rugged north coast of Santa Cruz County, burned in 2020. Yet this brand new, totally charred park has since opened 7.3 miles of trails—the result of a joint effort of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, Peninsula Open Space Trust, Sempervirens Fund and Save the Redwoods League. “It’s an opportunity to carefully experience and study this landscape as it recovers from fire,” says Gomez, adding that San Vicente Redwoods’ limited public opening has been designed to ensure that the ecosystem remains as undisturbed as possible.

To capture as much information as possible about the land’s recovery from fire, the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, in partnership with the California Native Plant Society and the Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History, has launched the CZU Lightning Complex and Community Science Project. This “long-term, volunteer-driven, community science monitoring project” is designed to collect biodiversity data from areas impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex of August 2020.

“It’s a citizen science project. We’re encouraging visitors to download the iNaturalist app on their cellphones before they go to these places. On their hikes, we ask them to take photos of the plants and animals they encounter and upload them to the app,” says Gomez. “It’s really easy and fun to do. Plus, every observation of the natural world contributes to our understanding of fire ecology in the region.”

Santa Cruz County has always been an outdoor mecca. It contains more public open space than anywhere in the state, with more than 30 state parks and beaches. Yet 2023 is a unique opportunity to explore Santa Cruz County’s redwood forests while they go through a transition period. These spaces are really dynamic right now. Go check them out.

Ryan Masters is a writer, a musician and a firefighter with the Zayante Fire Protection District in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Read more at ryanmasters831.com.

Winter rains are not enough to keep redwood trees alive. In dry summer months they also drink in the coastal fog. Redwoods get up to 45% of their water from fog every year.

GARRICK RAMIREZ

Watersports

Surfing and fishing go hand in hand on the Monterey Bay

By Nick Rahaim

GGENERATIONS OF ELITE SURFERS perfect their skills on the world-renowned surf breaks of the Santa Cruz coastline. For most, the pull of the ocean is based on a love of the deep blue and a lifestyle built around the ebb and flow of the tide. This includes not just chasing waves, but also chasing fish.

“Surfing and fishing go hand in hand,” says Matt Rockhold, a retired professional surfer and commercial fisherman, who catches rock crab, California halibut and lingcod on the F/V Friendliest Catch. “When it’s flat, you fish; when there’s waves, you surf—it’s utilizing the ocean to the fullest.”

In the Santa Cruz commercial fishing fleet, Rockhold is joined by other retired surfing pros, including Jason “Ratboy” Collins and Josh Loya. And it’s not just about the money; plenty of fishermen and fisherwomen surf and surfers fish. You’ll find established watermen like Hans Haveman, commercial fisherman and co-owner of H&H Fresh Fish seafood market, and Santa Cruz harbormaster Blake Anderson paddling out into the lineup on any given day.

“Commercial fishing and surfing both carry a sense of adventure,” Haveman says.

For Rockhold, commercial fishing was a way to stay on the water and earn more money when he wasn’t traveling the world and surfing competitively. He started angling for California halibut and lingcod in 2001 during the prime of his surfing career as a “side jam.” Just two years prior, Rockhold had been ranked second in the world in the Surfer Magazine Airshow Series. He was also featured on the cover of Transworld Surf in 2001 and Surfer in 2003. As his surfing career began slowing down, Rockhold doubled down on fishing.

“I’ve surfed everywhere in the world, but Santa Cruz is the best place to live with the best waves and the best fishing,” he says of his hometown.

Rockhold has also developed a sizable presence on TikTok and Instagram with his @friendliestcatch and @rockhold accounts, where his commercial fishing videos garner millions of views. He believes his videos perform so well because he takes the public onto the Monterey Bay and shows them small-scale sustainable fishing in action, educating viewers about marine species and ecosystems. After earning a U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license, Rockhold launched a charter service to take people out for surf and fish tours.

Another Santa Cruz native, Josh Loya, also turned to commercial fishing to continue earning a living on the waves after a successful

professional surfing career. Loya turned pro in the late 1980s and himself boasts a 2009 Surfing cover shot of getting barreled in a 20-foot wave at Mavericks. The iconic big wave break north of Santa Cruz in Half Moon Bay has held a special place in his life on the water. He started surfing Mavericks in the early 1990s when it was still a little-known massive wave, and competed in 14 straight Mavericks Invitational surf contests, from the inaugural event in 1999 to 2013.

Loya grew up fishing for steelhead in the San Lorenzo River. In the early 1990s just as his surfing career was taking off, he began fishing for California halibut with friends and fellow surfers, including Jason “Ratboy” Collins, from 10-foot, soft-top surfboards off the Santa Cruz main beach just for fun.

“Once we realized we could make money and have fun at the same time, it made sense to buy a skiff and get a commercial license,” Loya says. “Fishing is a natural progression from surfing. It’s about making a career and having it support my lifestyle.”

Loya bought his first boat in 1995, and after he retired from professional surfing a decade later, he continued to look to the sea for his livelihood, earning a U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license and investing in his commercial fishing operation. Today he owns a the 22foot F/V Roc N’ Ceviche 2 from which he catches California halibut, sea bass, rockfish and Chinook salmon. Loya also stays busy on the water beyond fishing, running a whale watching vessel on the Monterey Bay and as a contractor at Moss Landing Boat Works.

But commanding respect at local breaks isn’t dependent on a career as a professional surfer. In coastal communities throughout the Monterey Bay area surfers have turned to commercial fishing as a profession that complements their passion for surfing.

“With both surfing and fishing you’re out in this cool environment, seeing amazing things, testing yourself against nature with a goal in mind,” says Calder Deyerle, who fishes out of Moss Landing on the F/V Sea Harvester. “For me, it’s almost one and the same.”

His family’s business—Sea Harvest restaurants and their wholesale company Deyerle Brothers Seafood—were launched by his father and uncle, Richard and Daniel Deyerle, as a way to support their surf habit.

Fisherman-surfer Calder Deyerle hauls in a trap filled with Dungeness crab—a local delicacy. Other Monterey Bay catch includes: California halibut, king salmon, lingcod, rockfish, sablefish, squid and sardines.

When it’s flat, you fish; when there’s waves, you surf.

Surfer-fisherman Matt Rockhold (below) catches a wave and a California halibut. Santa Cruz County fishermen and women go after salmon or halibut in the summer months and Dungeness crab in winter, when the seas are rougher.

They wanted to find a way to make a living close to the water with enough flexibility that work wouldn’t interfere with surfing. They turned to commercial fishing, where they wouldn’t just work close to the water, but on it.

“I saw commercial fishing as a way not to have a real job,” says Daniel Deyerle, Calder’s uncle, who still surfs regularly in his mid-60s. “I’ve probably surfed more than the average person, well, probably a lot more. I appreciate the ocean and the solitude. It’s a good life.”

Calder and his brother Walter Deyerle continue in their father and uncle’s footsteps, chasing waves and fish on Monterey Bay. While Calder grew up working on his family’s fishing boat, he says his initial desire to pursue fishing as a profession was to support his surfing ambitions. He surfed competitively, traveling up and down the California coast for competitions and chasing some of the largest waves on earth, in Tahiti, Chile, Hawaii and beyond.

Monterey Bay is known for many things, including a rich history of commercial fishing—with a pioneering turn to sustainable harvesting in the recent decades, a pristine marine seascape and world-class surf breaks. For those like Rockhold, Loya, the Deyerle family and others, the ocean serves as a place of both work and play, yet the connection goes deeper. The two pursuits foster a deep reverence for the marine environment and great concern for its protection.❖

Nick Rahaim is a journalist, commercial fisherman, and an ocean and coastal policy researcher. He has caught fish and waves from Alaska to El Salvador where he’s currently a Fulbright fellow working with artisanal fishing cooperatives. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @nrahaim.

An earlier version of this article was published by the Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust, a nonprofit that works to support fishing communities. Find out where to buy local seafood with its local catch guide: https://montereybayfisheriestrust.org/local-catch-guide.

DAVID HILLS

THE GRAND CANYON BELOW THE BAY

D

DEEP BELOW THE SURFACE of the picturesque Monterey Bay hides the largest submarine canyon in North America.

Similar in size to the Grand Canyon, the Monterey Submarine Canyon extends 50 miles into the Pacific Ocean. It can be found more than 10,000 feet below sea level and has walls up to a mile high. While the canyon is obscured in the lightless depths, its impact on the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Monterey Bay is significant.

From early spring to late summer, strong offshore winds push warm surface water away from the coast and cold water is pulled from the depths of the Monterey Canyon to replace it. This cold water is nutrient rich and causes a “bloom” in phytoplankton growth, which jumpstarts the entire food chain. Krill come to eat the phytoplankton, sardines and anchovies feed on the krill, which are then eaten by larger fish like salmon, as well as whales, sea lions and seabirds. This upwelling from the Monterey Submarine Canyon is the ecological bedrock of Monterey Bay’s biodiversity.

“The canyon is just such a magnet for bait fish,” says Hans Haveman, of H&H Fresh Fish seafood market at the Santa Cruz Harbor.

While whale watching tours and commercial and recreational fishers all benefit from this natural cycle, it also shapes the region’s climate and agriculture.

Cool, foggy summer days found in the Monterey Bay area are caused by upwelling, when warm winds react with cold water pulled from the depths. That’s what makes the climate of Santa Cruz County so attractive to farmers, whose delicate crops like grapes and strawberries can ripen without getting sunburned.

The upswell of cold water from the deep Submarine Canyon at the bottom of Monterey Bay is one of the reasons the bay is full of fish. Thriving sea life is also due to its designation as a National Marine Sanctuary and careful fishery management policies. Also thank the canyon for cooling summer fog, which helps keeps the redwoods hydrated, as well as local crops.

JOE PLATKO, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Santa Cruz

Moss Landing

Monterey

WORLD-CLASS BEERS

BOTTLE SHOP EATERY

Organic Pioneers

UCSC’s farm cultivates history and purpose

OFTEN CALLED “THE CRADLE OF ORGANIC,” it’s hard to overstate the impact the UC Santa Cruz Farm has had on the world of sustainable farming.

To be fair, Santa Cruz County enjoys other agricultural claims to fame. Ag was its original industry, accounts for one in every eight jobs locally and generates hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. The county can make a case for being the Strawberry Capital of the World. Focus Agriculture is the first program in the country aimed at educating local leaders, and fellow Santa Cruz-based organization California Certified Organic Farmers runs one of the nation’s largest programs for certifying organic growers.

But it’s the UCSC farm—also known as the Center for Agroecology— that enjoys the most prodigious legacy, and also happens to provide the easiest avenue to experience Surf City agriculture in person (see page 40).

In fact, the farm and sibling Chadwick Garden are the first university plots to be certified organic in the entire United States. It began with the man the garden is named for, Alan Chadwick. A former Shakespearean actor, he had a vision that was radical at the time, and proves prescient now.

More than 1,500 students have completed the apprenticeship program at UC Santa Cruz since it began in 1967. Graduates have gone on to start their own farms, urban gardens and organic learning programs throughout the United States and abroad.

BY MARK C. ANDERSON

Paul Lee was the UCSC philosophy professor who in 1967 felt a flourishing student garden could help ground a brandnew campus. (He later helped launch both the California Conservation Corps and the Homeless Garden Project in Santa

Cruz.) Lee hired English master gardener Chadwick to create it.

“The chancellor thought it was a good idea,” Lee remembers in a tribute published by Edible Monterey Bay. “And then came Chadwick as though he had dropped from the sky like Ziggy Stardust.”

Chadwick developed the grounds

according to French-sown biodynamic principles, which meant zero chemical pesticides or fertilizers.

“He brought a reverence for nature that students were looking for. You might even call it sacramental,” Lee wrote. “He hated the commercialization of food production as much as he hated mono-cropping and machines. He did hand work. He was an original artisan when it came to gardening.”

Today Orin Martin oversees the 3-acre

Chadwick Garden and its diverse collection of fruits and vegetables, including no fewer than 120 varieties of apples. It’s a post he’s held since 1977, while working as an instructor for the center’s Apprenticeship Program and UCSC proper, as well as leading workshops and writing prolifically on horticulture.

When it comes to the garden’s place in the organic movement— and the 30-acre farm started shortly afterwards—he sounds most content at its longevity, which stretches back 55 years.

“I’m proud of its maturation,” he says. “It’s a biodiversity hotspot.”

Key to that, he adds, are “Three Ps”: pollinators, predators and parasitoids, all beneficial insects that keep the ecosystem in balance.

On top of the Three Ps he salutes the Three Cs—cultivation, compost and cover crops—in doing what organic farming does best: feed the soil.

“We have built two to three feet of topsoil

“The chancellor thought it was a good idea, and then came Chadwick as though he had dropped from the sky like Ziggy Stardust.”

The UCSC Apprenticeship program has launched dozens of small organic farms in Santa Cruz County. Farms like Dirty Girl Produce, Live Earth Farm, Fogline Farm and many more can be found selling at local farmers markets. Below: Alan Chadwick; Opposite page: Orin Martin.

from a soil that was abject, impossible and needed a pick axe to penetrate six inches deep!” he says.

Then he adds a fourth “P”: people. That includes tidal waves of apprentices who report to help out from around the world, including partnering luminaries like Alice Waters who have widened and broadcast the farm’s principles.

And there are more people where that came from: Thousands of school children, college students, farmers, master gardeners and international visitors tour the farm and garden constantly.

Darryl Wong serves as executive director of the Center for Agroecology. In that role he helps receive those visitors, manages the fields, coordinates faculty-led research trials and directs undergraduate/graduate student and apprenticeship programming, all while pursuing a doctorate in organic no-till vegetable production. He comes back to the same bottom

line that Martin does.

“We know we need to change conventional ag, and it’s going to take a lot of people,” he says. “It’s been decades and decades—and people—that made this farm happen.”

He left his first college to enroll at UCSC because, as he puts it, circa 2004, “It was the only place you could go to learn what I wanted to. I had to drop out to find organic ag.”

Now he’s helped UC Santa Cruz earn an important designation as a California Agricultural Experiment Station—the first given in a half-century—which places it in a system of campus-based science programs entrusted with the mission to develop cutting-edge knowledge and technologies to address biological, economic and social problems surrounding food, agriculture and related industries.

Even with all of the eye-popping things to see on the farm’s acreage, Wong is proudest of something more abstract: the fact that its programs aren’t tucked under the biology or ecology departments, but social sciences.

“In our systems, in our communities, it’s important how we perceive agroecology,” he says.

And UCSC does it with verve unmatched anywhere in the world.

If you go:

UCSC Farm and the Alan Chadwick Garden are open to the public every day from 8am–6pm, and host various tours, workshops and events nearly every weekend.

Free docent-led tours of the UCSC Farm are offered on the first Sunday of the month, April through November, from 2–3:30pm.

Metered parking can be found near the Cowell Ranch Hay Barn at the front entrance to the farm.

To visit the Alan Chadwick Garden, park in the Merrill College lot (free on weekends) or the metered spaces at Stevenson College across the road.

Mark C. Anderson is a roving writer, explorer and photographer based in Monterey County. Follow and/or reach him on Twitter and Instagram @montereymca.

Ice Cream made from scratch in Santa Cruz featuring local, seasonal and organic ingredients.

@thepennyicecreamery

ABOVE

A made-from-scratch double scoop

The Penny Ice Creamery is the only ice cream shop in Santa Cruz making delicious ice cream completely from scratch in house. The flavors change with the seasons, and feature locally farmed and organic ingredients. ~ thepennyicecreamery.com

RIGHT

Local farmer Daniel Paduano (left) supplies Chef Kendra Baker (right) with Buddha’s Hand citrus and other unique ingredients from his certified organic family farm located in the Santa Cruz Mountains

on a homemade cone from The Penny Ice Creamery

FRONT + CENTER

Meet four of the many artists who make Santa Cruz their home

BY Laura Sutherland

MAYBE IT’S THE SENSE of freedom inspired by the salt air and sea breezes, or perhaps the easygoing and accepting atmosphere that pulls creative types to our area. For decades, musicians, artists, writers, performers and innovators of every kind have made Santa Cruz County their home. A rich, deeply rooted arts scene permeates the region.

Meet a few of the movers and shakers who help maintain Santa Cruz’s reputation as a hotbed of creative activity.

Fashion desinger I.B. Bayo, page 46

Kuumbwa Jazz Center’s Tim Jackson

GET TO KUUMBWA EARLY ON A CONCERT night so you can grab one of the seats with the little red tables in front. Put down your coat and head to the bar to get a glass of local wine or beer and that evening’s freshly prepared dinner. Then relax in your seats until the music starts—you’ll be so close to legendary artists like Dianne Reeves, Pat Metheny and members of Snarky Puppy that you can practically hand them your napkin if they need to wipe their brow. With only 200 seats, everyone has a close-up view of the stage.

The all-ages music club in downtown Santa Cruz has been producing concerts for nearly 50 years. “These giants of jazz would play San Francisco on one weekend and then travel to L.A. to play later in the week,” explains co-founder and artistic director Tim Jackson. “We started booking artists on Monday nights to catch them as they traveled down the coast.”

Today DownBeat magazine calls Kuumbwa Jazz “one of the great jazz venues in the world,” and artists love playing the venue; they call out the intimacy of the place, the engaged audiences, the culture of careful listening and the state-of-the-art experience.

“We have the trust of the biggest jazz artists in the world and we have the trust of the Santa Cruz community,” Jackson points out, “so when you combine the two it makes for really good energy in the room.”

Inspiring the next generation of jazz lovers is also a priority, and Kuumbwa hosts a youth summer jazz camp, an honor band, education programs in the schools and free community master classes with worldrenowned musicians, like saxophonist Tia Fuller and trumpeter/composer Ambrose Akinmusire.

“Jazz is our focus,” says Jackson, “but we present the best in jazz-adjacent music, too, like Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Béla Fleck. We truly celebrate creativity at the highest level all year long.”

Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar Street, Ste. 2, Santa Cruz | 831-427-2227 | kuumbwajazz.org

Stripe Design’s Suna Lock

BRITISH-BORN SUNA LOCK first visited Santa Cruz at age 13 with a friend whose father was involved in Shakespeare Santa Cruz—they may have been the theater company’s youngest interns. After graduating from art school and running her own successful design company in England, her thenhusband was offered a job in Cupertino. “If you’re willing to commute from Santa Cruz, I’m in,” she told him, remembering the striking sense of community and support she observed here as a young teen.

“When I arrived I expected to jumpstart my career as quickly as I had in England, but it was slow in the beginning, so I decided to bring my design vision to Santa Cruz by opening a store downtown called Stripe,” she recalls. Today Stripe has an arty, mid-century-modern and vintage vibe with an eclectic collection of goods, from clean-lined credenzas and hand-dyed scarves to small landscape paintings and Lock’s unusual finds, like an old propeller or a collection of antique keys. “People check in regularly to see what I’ve spotted that I can’t resist and bring into the shop.”

Buzz about the store traveled fast and Suna’s design business took off; now she divides her time equally between commercial and residential design projects. Her commercial work has a distinct industrial chic sensibility that she infuses with an easy warmth. Head to the westside’s Venus Spirits or Humble Sea brewery or downtown’s Birichino Winery to soak in examples of her interiors while you drink or dine.

Lock’s residential work is more personal. “People often ask me about our house style, and I’m very clear to say that we don’t have one. Our job is to listen and be the conduit between a person’s vision of home—often born from their childhood experiences—and what’s practical, possible and beautiful.”

Stripe Design Services, 105 Locust Street, Suite C, Santa Cruz 831-431-6182 | stripe.design | Stripe (the shop), 107 Walnut Street, Santa Cruz | 831-421-9252 | stripedesigngroup.com

Experience

Fashion Designer I.B.Bayo

“THE WOMAN OR MAN who wears my clothes is looking for a piece of wearable art to make a statement and be remembered, but always in a good way,” laughs fashion designer I.B. Bayo. His one-of-a-kind garments blend master tailoring with bold and vibrant fabrics that he often manipulates and hand embellishes in unexpected ways. Take the coat he just finished in his westside Santa Cruz studio—constructed from bright yellow wool covered in fireengine-red vines that reminded me of filigreed flames on a hotrod. The fabric was an I.B. Bayo original.

His eye for fabric and pattern was honed in his home country of Nigeria, where his mother was an eighth generation weaver and his father made clothes for Nigerian royalty. “I’d come home from school and my parents would ask, ‘Do you want to weave with your mother or sew with your father?’ I just wanted to go outside and play, but today I’m glad I had to work and learned so much from both of them.”

Bayo had just graduated from art school when he came to Santa Cruz County as the costume designer and musician for a Nigerian performing arts tour. “I loved this part of California right from the start,” he says. “I met a contemporary folk artist named Rachel Clark, who invited me to stay at her house any time I came back. Several years later, I was back in Santa Cruz, taking Rachel up on her offer and designing and teaching.”

Celebrities like Stevie Wonder have worn I.B. Bayo creations, and today you can see his work at designer shops in San Jose’s Santana Row or fashion events throughout Northern California. Every October Bayo participates in Santa Cruz County’s Open Studios Art Tour event, and those in the know whisper, ‘get to his studio early,’ to have first pick of his singular fashions. ibbayo.com

More than 300 independently judged and selected painters, sculptors, photographers, weavers, ceramicists, glass blowers and other types of artists open their homes and studios to the public in this annual event. This is the 37th year of the self-guided Open Studios tour. South county artists take part on October 7-8; the tour moves to north Santa Cruz County on October 14-15. Then on October 21-22 artists throughout the county participate.

art where it was created, meet an artist and learn about their artistic process at Santa Cruz County’s Open Studios Art Tour every October.

HIRAM CHEE

Painter Ursula O’Farrell

ONE OF SEVEN CHILDREN, Ursula OFarrell first gained an understanding of the power of creativity as a young child when she painted to express herself and to stand out from her crowd of siblings. Studying painting in college and graduate school took her deeper into the history and power of art, especially during a year abroad in Florence, Italy, where she was struck by how art influences culture.

After working in arts management and creating a philanthropy department for a Fortune 500 company, she moved to Santa Cruz County in 2009 and began painting full time. Her career accelerated meteorically.

“It was crazy,” she recalls. “All of a sudden I was identified as a key player in the third wave of figural expressionism, and the late Peter Selz—former curator at MOMA and founder and head of the Berkeley Art Museum—named me ‘the one to watch in 2012.’” She began winning prestigious awards and her paintings commanded five figure price tags in galleries and collections all over the United States.

But a few years later after her mother died, O’Farrell stepped back from the fast track to take time to look inward and “let my creativity emerge through my brush into more personal, spiritual paintings,” she says. When COVID hit she rented the 5,000-square-foot Corralitos Grange for her studio, which allowed her to work on multiple large paintings at once. “The more you can spread out, the more you bypass the mind that wants to stay and linger, allowing for moments of subconscious painting with an immediate response between painter, paint and canvas.

“I often wonder if we’d decided to live elsewhere how my life might have been different,” she muses. “Artists seem to really thrive here—the openness and inspiration of being near trees, the ocean, the birds…this environment truly informs creativity. In fact, if Henri Matisse were alive, he would live here in Santa Cruz. He’d love it here.” ursulafineart.com

Santa Cruz-based writer Laura Sutherland covers culinary, craft beer, wine and family travel for numerous publications and websites. A packing light fanatic, she always keeps a pen and a fork (and a mini roll of duct tape) handy wherever she wanders. laurasutherland.net

Fourth-generation family-owned & operated butcher shop in Freedom, Ca, since 1970.

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5 Top Dishes …and where to try them

Don’t leave Santa Cruz County without sampling some of our most iconic foods. As a community at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, it’s only logical that many of the best dishes involve seafood.

BY DEBORAH LUHRMAN

1. Clam Chowder

Where are the clams, you might wonder? Well, Pismo Clams were once plentiful on Santa Cruz beaches, but were overharvested more than a century ago. Fortunately, the legacy of the mollusks lives on with creamy bowls of New England-style clam chowder served at almost every local restaurant, sometimes in a sourdough bread bowl. Clams are celebrated every February by teams of costumed amateurs and professional chefs at the annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Great clam chowder can be found at Jack O’Neill

Restaurant & Lounge at the Dream Inn Santa Cruz, Paradise Beach Grille and East Side

Eatery in Capitola, and Stagnaro Bros. Fish

Market on the municipal wharf—which sells clam chowder to go or eat right away at their picnic tables.

2. Dungeness Crab

Delicately flavored Dungeness crab is something of an obsession in Santa Cruz. Trapped in the Monterey Bay by local fishermen and women during crab season—which runs from mid-November through June—it typically makes an appearance on holiday tables. Enjoy Dungeness in crab cakes or atop salads and pasta dishes, or eat it like a local and order a whole crab, steamed and cracked with melted butter for dipping. You’ll want one per person. It’s that good! Johnny’s Harborside serves some of the freshest whole steamed crabs, purchased straight from the dock below the restaurant. Crab cakes are a customer favorite at the Crow’s Nest, and at Margaritaville in Capitola you can snack on crab tostadas.

5. Pizza

How did pizza become an iconic dish in Santa Cruz County? I have some theories. Quick and easy to eat, relatively inexpensive and really tasty, pizza is a favorite with UC Santa Cruz students, local families and visitors alike. Pizza places proliferate, each one offering a different brand of deliciousness. At one end you have the world champion pizza spinner, Matt Driscoll, in his Scotts Valley restaurant The Pizza Series, and at the other you can find 3-Michelin-star chef David Kinch slinging upscale Riviera-style Mentone in Aptos. Also exceptional are the wood-fired Bantam and the cheesy, crispy Detroit-style square pies at Bookie’s Pizza, and then all the places in between.

3. Brussels Sprouts

They may have originally come from Europe, but Santa Cruz County is now home to acres of Brussels sprouts farms. The cool weather vegetable grows best along the rugged coast north of Santa Cruz or near Watsonville, where it benefits from fog and chilly winds. Local chefs make the most of this homegrown crop with a variety of creative preparations. La Posta tempts diners with Brussels sprouts and roasted apples, pancetta and hazelnuts. Davenport Roadhouse serves caramelized Brussels with apple gastrique and ponzu, while Venus Spirits Kitchen has a knock-your-socks-off dish featuring crispy Brussels sprouts, date and jalapeño cashew cream, black garlic sauce and rose pickled onions. Eat local, try the Brussels sprouts!

4. King Salmon

Although the number of Chinook salmon—aka king salmon—found in the Monterey Bay has decreased in recent years, everyone comes running when the first fish of the season are brought into the harbor in May. Fresh Monterey Bay king salmon is highly prized for its flavor and tender texture, and local fishers depend on the lucrative salmon catch to make a living. While salmon is featured on the menus of most Santa Cruz restaurants year-round, to savor a truly local fresh salmon, try a place that specializes in seasonal cuisine during the summer months like Trestles in Capitola, Home Restaurant in Soquel or Café Sparrow in Aptos.

Bonus: Olallieberry Pie

Similar to a blackberry, but larger, softer and sweeter, olallieberries became a popular fruit to grow in the Santa Cruz area in the 1950s. Bakers and jam makers love the sweet-tart balance of an olallieberry and while they are too fragile to ship, olallies can be found at local farmers markets in summer. Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville operates an olallieberry u-pick and makes locally famous olallieberry pies. For a taste of summer, be sure to pick one up to take home or have a slice at the ranch and add a scoop of ice cream on top.

Deborah Luhrman is the editor and publisher of Edible Monterey Bay magazine, which celebrates the local food and drink of Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties.

Chardonnay vs. Pinot Noir

BY LAURA NESS

THE SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS

wine-growing region is prized for its chardonnays and pinot noirs, often compared to the wines of Burgundy, France, which are considered the pinnacle of their expression.

Both chardonnay and pinot noir are at their best when they receive just enough sun to develop pleasing flavors and sugars, while maintaining a relatively high acidity and supple structure to keep them lively and long-lived. Thanks to the deep submarine canyon of the Monterey Bay, the wine region is blessed with persistent cooling fog that plays tag with California’s abundant sunshine.

As longtime winemaker Pamela Storrs puts it, “Our maritime-influenced terroir

creates the balance and the elusive minerality that sets our region apart and elevates it from the rest.”

Each of the 200-plus small mountaintop vineyards throughout the 850-square-mile Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area (AVA) has its own microclimate, contributing intensity and structure. The altitude, the slopes, the valleys, the many different soil types and the native vegetation are a phenomenal recipe for a vast range of styles and expressions.

Jeffrey Patterson of world-renowned Mount Eden sums it up: “The vineyards are surrounded by forests and all kinds of wild flora. The winemaking is artisanal. There is no other place in the wine world like it.”

Chardonnay Lovers

Chardonnay is such a blessing. While pinot noir may be finicky and low-yielding in fog-shrouded areas, chardonnay often produces its golden sun-kissed elixir in abundance. Here, though, the Queen of Whites proves a notorious acid queen.

“Chardonnay here in the Santa Cruz Mountains possesses phenomenal natural acidity,” says winemaker Ross Reedy of Ferrari Ranch Wines. “If picked too early, it will burn the enamel right off your teeth! So the pick call is absolutely critical.”

Robert Bergstrom, winemaker and proprietor of Sandar & Hem, who makes chardonnay from vineyards throughout the county, could not agree more. “The Santa Cruz Mountains is a special place to grow chardonnay. The confluence of marine-driven climate and compelling soil types, when combined with good farming and plant material, yields wines of tension, complexity and place.”

Chardonnay here is as varied as the landscape, with Chablis-like examples coming from Ben Lomond Mountain and the Coastal Hills, and riper more fleshy styles coming from the Burrell School and Silver Mountain vineyards in the Summit area.

Ryan Beauregard of Beauregard Vineyards, whose vineyards are in Bonny Doon, says, “Grapes grown in Bonny Doon are very similar in style to Chablis. The acid is powerful, while the wine is delicate with a distinct minerality not found anywhere else in the AVA. All the somms say it tastes like a salt lick. That’s the fog!”

Don’t expect overtly oaky wines from most producers, although these can be found. Instead, the chardonnay here has so much character that oak is just a frame on the painting.

Dan Lokteff, winemaker and proprietor of Wrights Station Vineyard & Winery, makes a variety of chardonnay bottlings from his ridgetop Summit area property. From no oak to nicely oak-enveloped, all are highly popular.

“People love our unoaked chardonnay. It’s radically different from the traditional oak and butter style that some might associate with California chardonnay. It’s crisp and refreshing and puts the minerality of our mountains on display right out front.”

“

The wine region is blessed with persistent cooling fog that plays tag with California’s abundant sunshine.”

Pinot Paradise

Pinot noir plantings outnumber chardonnay by a factor of 2 to 1 here. Nicknamed “Pinot Paradise,” diverse sub-regions offer an array of styles accessible at charming tasting rooms in urban and vineyard settings.

Corralitos is prized for its proximity to the Pacific, yielding graceful, lithe and red-fruited wines, while the warmth of the Summit area and Coastal Foothills brings out black fruited density.

Regionwide, shallow mountain soils produce lower yields, intensifying the fruit. “This special combination of factors produces complex aromatics and an intensity of flavors that we love with Santa Cruz Mountain pinot noir,” says Bradley Brown, founder and proprietor of Big Basin Vineyards.

Native vegetation also plays a big role in the flavors of the wines. “Many smaller pinot noir vineyards surrounded by forest exhibit a subtle and beneficial influence from the surrounding native vegetation,” says Jeff Emery, winemaker and proprietor of Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard and Quinta Cruz. “The conifers, redwoods, madrones and oaks likely contribute savory complexities into the soil.”

As climate change brings overall warming to other AVAs, along with dramatic heat spikes, the Pacific keeps its cool. John

Benedetti, winemaker and proprietor of Sante Arcangeli Family Wines notes, “The Santa Cruz Mountains AVA is becoming increasingly ideal for pinot noir, because we’re so close to the consistent cooling influence of the ocean. We’re able to get more phenolic ripeness and intensity at low alcohols with nice acidity.”

Jim Schultze, winemaker and proprietor of Windy Oaks in Corralitos, takes it a step further. “Climatologists project this will be one of the few wine grape growing areas not significantly impacted by climate change. Our site has shown tremendous consistency from vintage to vintage. Even in 2022, when other areas reported some of the earliest harvests ever, we harvested pinot noir at our usual time—the last half of October—and it was fully ripe, with low alcohols.”

So what will you have? Chardonnay or pinot noir? Discover which Santa Cruz Mountains specialty captures your fancy.

Laura Ness is a longtime wine journalist who contributes regularly to Edible Monterey Bay, Spirited, Los Gatos Magazine and the Wine Industry Network, sharing stories of the intriguing characters who inhabit the world of wine and food.

Parks & Beaches

Beaches

Capitola Beach

The Esplanade | Capitola 831-475-6522 capitolasoquelchamber.com

Davenport Landing Beach

Access Davenport Landing | Davenport 831-454-7938 scparks.com

East Cliff Coastal Access Points 12th Avenue to 41st Avenue Santa Cruz 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Greyhound Rock Beach Access 1551 Cabrillo Highway | Davenport 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Lighthouse Field State Beach / Its Beach

740 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-429-2850 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Main Beach / Cowell Beach Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270 santacruzparksandrec.com

Manresa State Beach 1445 San Andreas Road | Watsonville 831-724-3750 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Manresa State Beach - Uplands 205 Manresa Uplands Road Watsonville 831-724-3750 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Mitchell’s Cove Beach North of Lighthouse Point and Steamer Lane on West Cliff Drive at Almar Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-425-1234 santacruz.org

Moran Lake Park 22785 East Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Natural Bridges State Beach 2531 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-423-4609 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

New Brighton State Beach 1500 Park Avenue | Capitola 831-464-6330 parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

Palm State Beach 2660 Beach Road | Watsonville 831-763-7063 parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

Pleasure Point Beach East Cliff Dr. and Pleasure Point Drive | Santa Cruz 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Rio Del Mar State Beach Beach Drive | Aptos 831.685.6500 parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

Santa Cruz Harbor Beach 5th Avenue at East Cliff Drive Santa Cruz 831-475-6161 santacruzharbor.org

Seabright State Beach East Cliff Drive at Seabright Avenue Santa Cruz 831-427-4868

parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

Seacliff State Beach 201 State Park Drive | Aptos 831-685-6442

parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

Sunset State Beach 201 Sunset Beach Road | Watsonville 831-763-7063

parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

Parks & Beaches

Twin Lakes State Beach East Cliff Drive at 7th Avenue Santa Cruz 831-427-4868 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Waddell State Beach - Big Basin State Park 3600 Highway 1 | Davenport 831-427-2288 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Parks + Reserves

Anna Jean Cummings County Park 461 Soquel San Jose Road | Soquel 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Año Nuevo State Park Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay 1 New Years Creek Road | Pescadero 650-879-2025 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Aptos Village County Park 100 Aptos Creek Road | Aptos 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Ben Lomond Park 9525 Mill Street | Ben Lomond 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Big Basin Redwoods State Park 21600 Big Basin Highway Boulder Creek 831-338-8860 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Byrne-Milliron Forest 809 Browns Valley Road | Corralitos landtrustsantacruz.org

Callaghan Park

225 Sudden Street | Watsonville 831.728.6084 cityofwatsonville.org

Castle Rock State Park 15451 Skyline Boulevard | Los Gatos 408-867-2952 parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

DeLaveaga Park 855 Branciforte Drive | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

santacruzparksandrec.com

Depot Park 119 Center Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

santacruzparksandrec.com

Derby Park Woodland Way | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

santacruzparksandrec.com

Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research ReserveFoundation

1700 Elkhorn Road | Watsonville 831-728-2822

elkhornslough.org

Felton Covered Bridge Park Graham Hill Road and Mt. Hermon Road | Felton 831-454-7938

scparks.com

The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park Aptos Creek Road | Aptos 831-763-7063

parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

Glenwood Open Space Preserve 560 Glenwood Drive | Scotts Valley landtrustsantacruz.org

Harvey West Park 300 Evergreen Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

santacruzparksandrec.com

Heart of Soquel Park 4740 Soquel Drive | Soquel 831-454-7901

scparks.com

Parks & Beaches

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

101 North Big Trees Park Road | Felton 831-335-4598 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park - Fall Creek 1101 Felton Empire Road | Felton 831-335-4598 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Highlands County Park 8500 Highway 9 | Ben Lomond 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Hocus Pocus Park 700 Lundy Lane | Scotts Valley 831-438-3251 scottsvalley.org

Jade Street Park 4400 Jade Street | Capitola 831-475-5935 cityofcapitola.org

Lighthouse Point 701 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270 santacruzparksandrec.com

Loch Lomond Recreation Area 100 Loch Lomond Way | Felton 831-335-7424 santacruzparksandrec.com

Mac Dorsa Park 1 Civic Center Drive | Scotts Valley 831-438-3251 scottsvalley.org

Martin J. Franich Park 795 Vista Montana Drive | Watsonville 831-768-3240 watsonvillerec.com

Moran Lake Park 22785 East Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Neary Lagoon Park 110 California Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270 santacruzparksandrec.com

Pinto Lake City Park 451 Green Valley Road | Watsonville 831-722-8129 cityofwatsonville.org

Pinto Lake County Park 757 Green Valley Road | Watsonville 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Pogonip Open Space 333 Golf Club Drive | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270 cityofsantacruz.com

Quail Hollow Ranch County Park 800 Quail Hollow Road | Felton 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Ramsay Park 1301 Main Street | Watsonville 831-768-3246 cityofwatsonville.org

Rancho del Oso - Big Basin Redwoods State Park 3600 Highway 1 | Davenport 831-427-2288 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

San Vicente Redwoods 12001 Empire Grade Road | Santa Cruz 831-783-5482 landtrustsantacruz.org

Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park 144 School Street | Santa Cruz 831-425-5849 parks.ca.gov thatsmypark.org

Siltanen Park 127 Vine Hill School Road Scotts Valley 831-438-3251 scottsvalley.org

Simpkins Family Swim Center 979 17th Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-454-7960

scparks.com

Skypark 361 Kings Village Road | Scotts Valley 831-438-3251

scottsvalley.org

Vern Hart Fishing Park

1/2 mi. from Mt. Hermon Rd. on Glen Canyon Road | Scotts Valley 831-438-3251

scottsvalley.org

Wilder Ranch State Park 1401 Coast Road, off Highway 1 Santa Cruz 831-423-9703

parks.ca.gov

thatsmypark.org

Information

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

1543 Pacific Avenue, #206 Santa Cruz 831-429-1840

thatsmypark.org

Mountain Parks Foundation Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 525 N. Big Trees Park Road | Felton 831-335-0782

mountainparks.org

Shared Adventures 9065 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-459-7210

sharedadventures.org

Find more information on Parks & Beaches on the Visit Santa Cruz County website

California State Park Campgrounds in Santa Cruz County*

To reserve your campsite, visit ReserveCalifornia.com

*Campgrounds at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Seacliff State Beach and The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park have been affected by recent fires and storms. Check with each park for current conditions.

Dining

Restaurants

5030 Restaurant and Lounge at Four Points by Sheraton 5030 Scotts Valley Drive | Scotts Valley 831-438-1500 marriott.com/en-us/hotels/sjcfv-fourpoints-by-sheraton-santa-cruz-scottsvalley/overview/

Achilles by the Sea

1404 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-621-2834 achillesrestaurant.com

Akira - Aptos 105 D Post Office Drive | Aptos 831-708-2154 akiraaptos.com

Akira - Santa Cruz 1222 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-600-7093 akiraaptos.com

Alderwood Santa Cruz 155 Walnut Street | Santa Cruz 831-588-3238 alderwoodsantacruz.com

Alderwood Pacific 1108 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-588-3238 alderwoodsantacruz.com

Aldo’s Harbor Restaurant 790 Mariner Park Way | Santa Cruz 831-436-3736 aldossantacruz.com

Aldo’s Italian Bakery 4628 Soquel Drive | Soquel 831-476-3470 aldossantacruz.com

Ambrosia India Bistro - Aptos 207 Sea Ridge Road | Aptos 831-685-0610 ambrosiaib.com/aptos

Ambrosia India BistroScotts Valley

6006 La Madrona Drive # D Scotts Valley 831-713-5594 ambrosiaib.com/scotts-valley

Aptos St. Barbeque 8059 Aptos Street | Aptos 831-662-1721 aptosstbbq.com

Auntie Mame’s

3103 Scotts Valley Drive | Scotts Valley 831-438-1840

Avanti Restaurant

1917 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-0135 avantisantacruz.com

Avenue Cafe 427 Capitola Avenue | Capitola 831-515-7559

places.singleplatform.com/avenuecafe-10/menu

Bad Animal Books - Wine - Food 1011 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-900-5031 badanimalbooks.com

Bagel Cafe 1830 Main Street | Watsonville 831-722-3838 facebook.com/BagelCafeAndBakery

Bagelry - Santa Cruz 320 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-429-8049 bagelrysantacruz.com

Bagelry - Seabright 1636 Seabright Avenue | Santa Cruz bagelrysantacruz.com

Bagelry - Soquel 4763 Soquel Drive | Capitola 831-462-9888 bagelrysantacruz.com

Barceloneta 1541-B Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-900-5222 eatbarceloneta.com

Beach Street Cafe 399 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-7621 beachstreetcafe.com

Beach Street Pizza & Bar 303-307 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-471-8530

Bella’s Cafe 13132 Central Avenue | Boulder Creek 831-217-5070

facebook.com/people/BellasCafe/100057157552126

Belly Goat BurgersAbbott Square Market 725 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-225-0355 bellygoatburgers.com

Betty Burgers - Aptos 415 Trout Gulch | Aptos 831-662-6668 bettyburgers.com

Betty Burgers - Downtown Santa Cruz 1222 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-600-7056 bettyburgers.com

Betty Burgers - Santa Cruz 1000 41st Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-475-5901 bettyburgers.com

Bistro at Courtyard by Marriott Santa Cruz 313 Riverside Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-419-8700 marriott.com/en-us/hotels/sjcrucourtyard-santa-cruz/dining/

Boulder Creek Pizza and Pub 13200-B Central Avenue Boulder Creek 831-338-2141 bcpizzapub.com

Britannia Arms - Capitola Village 110 Monterey Avenue | Capitola 831-464-2583

Bruno’s Bar and Grill 230-G Mt. Hermon Road Scotts Valley 831-438-2227 brunosbarandgrill.com

burger. 1520 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-425-5300 burgerlovesbeer.com

The Buttery Bakery & Cafe 702 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-458-3020 butterybakery.com

The Buzz Sushi 1010 Pacific Avenue, Suite F Santa Cruz 831-201-4212 thebuzzsushi.com

Cafe Bittersweet Bistro 787 Rio Del Mar Boulevard | Aptos 831-662-9899 bittersweetbistro.com

Cafe Cruz 2621 41st Avenue | Soquel 831-476-3801 cafecruz.com

Café El Palomar 2222 East Cliff Drive 831-477-0371 cafeelpalomar.com

Café Iveta 2125 Delaware Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-713-0320 iveta.com

Café Iveta - Downtown 545 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-515-7065 iveta.com

Cafe Mare 740 Front Street, #100 | Santa Cruz 831-458-1212 cafemare.com

Cafe Sparrow 8042-D Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-688-6238 cafesparrow.com

California Grill of the Pajaro Valley 40 Penny Lane | Watsonville 831-722-8052 californiagrillrestaurant.com

Carmona’s BBQ Deli 1040 E Lake Avenue | Watsonville 831-435-5169 carmonasbbq.com

Carpo’s Restaurant 2400 Porter Street | Soquel 831-476-6260 carposrestaurant.com

Caruso’s Restaurant 115 San Jose Avenue | Capitola 831-465-9040

carusos-capitola.com

Casa Nostra 219 Mt Hermon Road F | Scotts Valley 831-225-0590

ristorantecasanostra.com

Dining

Castellis Deli-Cafe 6965 Hwy 9 | Felton 831-335-1000 castelllisdeli.com

Charlie Hong Kong 1141 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-471-2609 charliehongkong.com

Chocolate 1522 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-427-9900 chocolatesantacruz.com

Chubbs Chicken Sandwiches 766 Chestnut Street | Santa Cruz 831.600.6813 chubbschickensandwiches.com

Cilantros Parrilla y Cantina 1934 Main Street | Watsonville 831-761-2161 cilantroswatsonville.com

Companion Bakeshop - Aptos

7486 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-612-6655 companionbakeshop.com

Companion Bakeshop - Santa Cruz

2341 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-252-2253 companionbakeshop.com

Companion Bakeshop - Santa Cruz Abbott Square Market 728 Front Street | Santa Cruz companionbakeshop.com

Copal 1203 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-201-4418 copalrestaurant.com

Cowboy Bar and Grill 6155 Hwy 9 | Felton 831-335-2330

feltoncowboy.com

Cowboy’s Corner Cafe 946 Main Street | Watsonville 831-761-8996

cowboycornercafe.com

Craft Bake Shop & Eatery 28 2nd Street | Watsonville 831-228-1381

craftbakeshop.co

The Crepe Place 1134 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-429-6994 thecrepeplace.com

Crow’s Nest Restaurant 2218 East Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-476-4560 crowsnest-santacruz.com

Cruz Kitchen and Taps 145 Laurel Street | Santa Cruz 831-713-5173 cruzkitchenandtaps.com

Daisuki Octagon SushiAbbott Square Market

725 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-316-5464 abbottsquaremarket.com

Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant

1 Davenport Avenue | Davenport 831-426-8801 davenportroadhouse.com

DeLaveaga Restaurant

The Grille at DeLa 401 Upper Park Road | Santa Cruz 831-423-1600 thegrilleatdela.com

Dharma’s Restaurant 4250 Capitola Road | Capitola 831-462-1717 dharmasrestaurant.com

Dolphin Restaurant 71 Municipal Wharf 831-426-5830 dolphinrestaurant.net

East End Gastropub 1501 41st Avenue | Capitola 831-475-8010 eastendpub.com

El Alteno Cocina Restaurant 323 Main Street | Watsonville 831-768-9876 elaltenoauthenticmexicanrestaurant. com

El Palomar Restaurant 1336 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-425-7575 elpalomarsantacruz.com

Empire Grille 6155 Hwy 9 | Felton 831-704-2130 empire-grille.com

Engfer Pizza Works

537 Seabright Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-429-1856 engferpizzaworks.com

Falafel of Santa Cruz 1501 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-459-0486 falafelofsantacruz.com

The Farm House 11 Green Valley Road | Watsonville 831-536-5363 farmhousewatsonville.com

The Fish House Bar & Grill 972 Main Street | Watsonville 831-728-3333 watsonvillefishhouse.com

Flashbird ChickenAbbott Square Market 725 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-588-4222 abbottsquaremarket.com

Flower Bar 912 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-225-0520

flowerbarsantacruz.com

Full Steam Dumpling 1001 Center Street | Santa Cruz 626-549-5574

fullsteamdumpling.com

Gabriella Cafe 910 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-457-1677

gabriellacafe.com

Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria 504 Bay Avenue | Capitola 831-462-1200

gaylesbakery.com

Harbor Café 535 Seventh Avenue Santa Cruz 831-475-4948

harborcafesantacruz.com

Heavenly Roadside Cafe 1210 Mount Hermon Road Scotts Valley 831-335-1210

heavenlyroadsidecafe.com

Henfling’s Bar Ben Lomond 9450 Hwy 9 | Ben Lomond 831-336-9318

henflingsbar.com/

The Hideout Cocktails & Dining 9051 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-688-5566

thehideoutaptos.com

The Hindquarter 303 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-7770

thehindquarter.com

Home Soquel 3101 N. Main Street | Soquel 831-431-6131

homesoquel.com

Honey B Market 1005 Cedar St Santa Cruz 630-456-3603

Hula’s Island Grill & Tiki Room 221 Cathcart Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-4852

hulastiki.com

La Posta pizza

Humble Sea Tavern 6256 Highway 9 | Felton 831-704-2150 humblesea.com

Ideal Bar & Grill

106 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-5271 idealbarandgrill.com

Imura Japanese Restaurant 1994 Main Street | Watsonville 831-761-8799 imurasushi.com

Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge at Dream Inn 175 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-460-5012 jackoneillrestaurant.com

Jack’s Hamburgers 202 Lincoln Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-4421

Jalisco Restaurant 618 Main Street | Watsonville 831-728-9080 jaliscorestaurant.com

Johnny’s Harborside 493 Lake Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-479-3430 johnnysharborside.com

Kianti’s Pizza & Pasta Bar 1100 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-469-4400 kiantis.com

Laílí

101B Cooper Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-4545 lailirestaurant.com

La Posta 538 Seabright Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-457-2782 lapostarestaurant.com

Las Palmas Taco Bar 55 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-429-1220 laspalmastacobar.com

Lillian’s Italian Kitchen 1116 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-425-2288 lilliansitaliankitchen.com

Little Tampico Restaurant 2605 S. Main Street | Soquel 831-475-4700 littletampico.com

Los Primos Santa Cruz 425 Barson Street | Santa Cruz 831-515-7101 losprimosinctaqueria.com

Mad Yolks 1411 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-291-3686 madyolks.com

Makai Island Kitchen and Groggery 49 Municipal Wharf | Santa Cruz 831-466-9766 makaisantacruz.com

Malabar Restaurant 514 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-201-4438 malabar-restaurant.com

Malone’s Grille 4402 Scotts Valley Drive | Scotts Valley 831-438-2244 malonesgrille.com

Manresa Bread 330 Ingalls Street | Santa Cruz 831-431-6738 manresabread.com

Manuel’s Mexican Restaurant 261 Center Street | Aptos 831-688-4848

manuelsrestaurant.com

Margaritaville 231 Esplanade | Capitola 831-476-2263

margaritavillecapitola.com

Mentone 174 Aptos Village Way | Aptos 831-708-4040

mentonerestaurant.com

Miyako Japanese Restaurant 1820 41st Avenue | Capitola 831-462-5288

miyakocapitola.com

Miyuki Restaurant 452 East Lake Avenue | Watsonville 831-728-1620

miyukirestaurant.com

Dining

Mobo Sushi

105 South River Street | Santa Cruz 831-425-1700 mobosushirestaurant.com

Mo’s Dumplings 2301 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-454-8822 mosdumpling.com

Off the Hook Deli 743 41st Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-257-2170 zmenu.com/off-the-hook-deli-santacruz-online-menu

Olitas Cantina & Grille 49 Municipal Wharf | Santa Cruz 831-458-9393 olitassantacruz.com

Olivia’s Café 1047 Freedom Boulevard | Watsonville 831-536-5292 orderoliviascafe.com

Otoro Sushi

235 Mount Hermon Road Scotts Valley 831-440-9040 facebook.com/ OtoroSushiScottsValley

Pono Hawaiian Grill 120 Union Street | Santa Cruz 831-621-7448 ponohawaiian.com

Pacific Point Market 302 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-454-8183

Pacific Thai 1319 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-420-1700 pacificthaisantacruz.com

Palapas Restaurant y Cantina 21 Seascape Village | Aptos 831-662-9000 palapasrestaurant.com

The Palm Deli 3000 Valencia Avenue | Aptos 831-688-3354 ThePalmDeli.com

Paradise Beach Grille 215 Esplanade | Capitola 831.476.4900 paradisebeachgrille.com

The Parish Publick House 841 Almar Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-421-0507

theparishpublick.com

Persephone 7945 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-612-6511 persephonerestaurant.com

The Picnic Basket 125 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-9946

thepicnicbasketsc.com

Pixie Deli 111 Venetian Road | Aptos 831-688-1115 pixiegoodeats.com

Pizza 1 Powered by Pizza My Heart 253 Center Avenue | Aptos 831-684-1110 pizza-1.com

Pizza My Heart - Capitola 2180 41st Avenue | Capitola 831-475-6000 pizzamyheart.com

Pizza My Heart - Capitola Village 209 Esplanade | Capitola 831-475-5714 pizzamyheart.com

Pizza My Heart - Santa Cruz 1116 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-2511 pizzamyheart.com

Pizzeria la Bufala - Abbott Square Market 725 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-999-0301 pizzerialabufala.com

Pleasure Pizza - Downtown 1415 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-600-7859 pleasurepizzasc.com

Pleasure Pizza - Pleasure Point 4000 Portola Drive | Santa Cruz 831-475-4999 pleasurepizzasc.com

The Point Market 23040 East Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-475-3356 facebook.com/thepointmarketcafe

Pono Hawaiian Grill 120 Union Street | Santa Cruz 831-621-7448 ponohawaiian.com

Pono Hawaiian Kitchen & Tap 3744 Capitola Road | Santa Cruz 831-426-7666 ponokitchenandtap.com

Pretty Good Advice 3070 Porter Street | Soquel 831-226-2805 prettygoodadvicesoquel.com

Real Thai Kitchen 1632 Seabright Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-427-2559

realthaisantacruz.com

Red Apple Café - Aptos 783 Rio Del Mar Boulevard | Aptos 831-685-1224

RedAppleAptos.com

Red Apple Cafe - Watsonville 589 Auto Center Drive | Watsonville 831-761-9551

Ristorante Italiano 555 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-458-2321

ristoranteitalianosc.com

Riva Fish House 31 Municipal Wharf Santa Cruz 831-429-1223

rivafishhouse.com

River Cafe 415 River Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-1280

rivercafesantacruz.com

Rocky’s Cafe 6560 Hwy 9 | Felton 831-335-4637

facebook.com/rockyscafeca

Rosie McCann’s Irish Pub & Restaurant 1220 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-9930

rosiemccanns.com

Rumble Fish 4727 Scotts Valley Drive | Scotts Valley 831-440-9240

rumblefish.menu11.com

Sabieng Thai Restaurant 1218 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-425-1020

sabiengthaicuisine.com

Samba Rock Acai Cafe 291 Water Street | Santa Cruz 831-458-2224

facebook.com/SambaRockAcaiCafe

The Sand Bar & Grill 211 Esplanade | Capitola 831-462-1881

thesandbarcapitola.com

East End Gastropub

Sanderlings Restaurant at Seascape Beach Resort

1 Seascape Resort Drive | Aptos 831-662-7120 sanderlingsrestaurant.com

Sawasdee Thai Cuisine

5050 Soquel Drive | Soquel 831-462-5051 sawasdeesoquel.com

Scoop Dog

45 Aviation Way | Watsonville 831-228-1557 thescoopdog.com

Scopazzi’s Restaurant & Lounge

13300 Big Basin Hwy | Boulder Creek 831-338-6441 scopazzisrestaurant.com

Seabright Social 519 Seabright Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-2739 seabrightsocial.com

Sesame Korean Grill

435 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-454-8355 sesame-koreangrill.com

Sevy’s Bar + Kitchen at Seacliff Inn Aptos

7500 Old Dominion Court | Aptos 831-688-8987 seacliffinn.com

Shadowbrook Restaurant 1750 Wharf Road | Capitola 831-475-1511 shadowbrook-capitola.com

Solaire Restaurant + Bar at Hotel Paradox 611 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-600-4545 hotelparadox.com

Spanky’s 9520 Hwy 9 | Ben Lomond 831-336-8949

Stagnaro Bros. Restaurant

59 Municipal Wharf | Santa Cruz 831-423-2180 stagnarobrothers.com

Star of Siam 3005 Porter Street | Soquel 831-479-0366 starofsiamsoquel.net

Steamer Lane Supply 700 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-621-7361 steamerlanesc.com

Stonehouse Bar & Grill at Hilton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley 6001 La Madrona Drive | Santa Cruz 831-440-1000 santacruzscottsvalley.hilton.com

Süda 3910 Portola Drive | Santa Cruz 831-600-7068 eatsuda.com

Surf City Sandwich 4101 Soquel Drive | Soquel 831-346-6952

surfcitysandwich.com

Sushi Garden - Aptos 38 Rancho Del Mar | Aptos 831-661-0721

sushi-garden.com

Sushi Garden - Capitola 820 Bay Avenue | Capitola 831-464-9192

sushi-garden.com

Sushi Garden - Watsonville 1441 Main Street | Watsonville 831-728-9192

sushi-garden.com

Sushi Mori 429 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-515-7075

sushimorisantacruz.com

Sushi Totoro 1701 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-6660

sushitotorosc.com

Tacos Moreno - Santa Cruz 1053 Water Street | Santa Cruz 831-429-6095

tacosmoreno.com

The Tamale Factory 611 Main Street | Watsonville 831-724-7214

thetamalefactorywa.com

334 D INGALLS STREET WEST SIDE SANTA CRUZ WESTENDTAP.COM

Dining

Taqueria Los Pericos

139 Water Street | Santa Cruz 831-469-7685

taquerialospericos.com

Taylor Brothers Hot Dog Stand

336 Union Street | Watsonville 831-722-2402 facebook.com/Taylordogs1952

Tortilla Flats 4616 Soquel Drive | Soquel 831-476-1754 tortillaflatsdining.com

Toya Sushi

1306 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-464-1818

toyasushi.hrpos.heartland.us/menu

Tramonti Santa Cruz 528 Seabright Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-7248 tramontisantacruz.com

Trestle’s Restaurant

316 Capitola Avenue | Capitola 831-854-2728 trestlesrestaurant.com

Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta 2415 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-9010 uppercrustsc.com

Veg on the Edge Abbott Square Market 725 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-3000 vegontheedge.com

Venus Pie Trap

113 Esplanade | Aptos 831-661-5763 venuspietrap.com

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside

131 Esplanade | Aptos 831-688-8917

venusspirits.com/vsckbeachside

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen – Westside

200 High Road | Santa Cruz 831-427-9673

venusspirits.com/vsckwestside

The View at Chaminade Resort One Chaminade Lane | Santa Cruz 831-465-3449 chaminade.com

VIM Restaurant Santa Cruz 2238 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-515-7033 vimsantacruz.com

Walnut Avenue Cafe 106 Walnut Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-457-2804 walnutavenuecafe.com

The Water Street Grill 503 Water Street | Santa Cruz 831-332-6122 thewaterstreetgrill.com

Watsonville Beach Street Cafe 435 W. Beach Street | Watsonville 831-722-2233

West End Tap & Kitchen 334 Ingalls Street | Santa Cruz 831-471-8115 westendtap.com

Whale City Bakery Bar & Grill 490 Coast Road | Davenport 831-423-9009 whalecitybakery.com

Woodies Café

25 Municipal Wharf | Santa Cruz 831-421-9410 woodiescafe.net

Woodstock’s Pizza 710 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-4444 woodstockscruz.com

Zachary’s Restaurant 819 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-427-0646

zacharyssantacruz.com

Zameen - Aptos 7528 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-688-4465

zameencuisine.com

Zameen - at The Hangar 45 Aviation Way | Watsonville 831-319-4302

zameencuisine.com

Zameen - At The Point 851 41st Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-713-5520 zameencuisine.com

Zelda’s On The Beach 203 Esplanade | Capitola 831-475-4900 zeldasonthebeach.com

Coffee

11th Hour Coffee - Santa Cruz 1001 Center Street | Santa Cruz 831-331-5273 11thhourcoffee.com

11th Hour Coffee - Westside 402 Ingalls Street | Santa Cruz 831-299-2257 11thhourcoffee.com

Cat & Cloud - Abbott Square Market 725 Front Street | Santa Cruz catandcloud.com

Cat & Cloud - Aptos 10 Parade Street Suite | Aptos catandcloud.com

Cat & Cloud - Santa Cruz 719 Swift Street | Santa Cruz catandcloud.com

Cat & Cloud - Santa Cruz 3600 Portola Drive | Santa Cruz catandcloud.com

Coffee Nine 9505 Highway 9 | Ben Lomond 831-336-4521 coffeenine.com

Honeylux Coffee 45 Aviation Way | Watsonville 831-345-2947 honeyluxcoffee.com

Java Junction - Seabright 519 Seabright Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-5282

javajunctioncoffee.com

Java Junction - Santa Cruz Harbor 2222 East Cliff Drive 831-464-1243

javajunctioncoffee.com

Loft Coffee 2701 Cabrillo College Drive | Aptos 831-465-2270

loftcoffeeshop.com

Mr. Toots Coffeehouse 231 Esplanade #100 | Capitola 831-475-3679

facebook.com/mrtootscoffeehouse

Norma Jeans 8043 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-685-1236

normajeanscoffee.square.site

Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company 1330 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-459-0100

santacruzcoffee.com

Scotts Valley Coffee 6006 La Madrona Drive | Scotts Valley 831-430-9112

restaurantji.com/ca/scotts-valley/ scotts-valley-coffee-

Tabby Cat Cafe 1101 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-295-6040

tabbycat.cafe

Ugly Mug 4640 Soquel Drive | Soquel 831-477-1341

cafeugly.com

Verve Coffee Roasters - Capitola 816 41st Avenue | Capitola 831-464-8141

vervecoffeeroasters.com

Café Cruz

Verve Coffee Roasters - Santa Cruz 1540 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-471-7726 vervecoffeeroasters.com

Verve Coffee Roasters - Seabright 104 Bronson Street | Santa Cruz 831-216-4448 vervecoffeeroasters.com

Verve Coffee Roasters - Westside 1010 Fair Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-425-5648 vervecoffeeroasters.com

White Raven 6253 Hwy 9 | Felton 831-335-3611 facebook.com/WhiteRaven-145751682146449

Sweets

Ashby Confections

16 Victor Square | Scotts Valley 831-454-8299 ashbyconfections.com

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream 150 Rancho Del Mar | Aptos 831-226-1034 brusters.com

The Farm Bakery Cafe & Gifts 6790 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-662-2733 thefarmbakerycafe.com

Freedom Bakery & Confections 125 Hanger Way, Suite 120 Watsonville 831-722-5223 fbandc.com

Marianne’s Ice Cream - Aptos 218 State Park Drive | Aptos 831-713-4746 mariannesicecream.com

Marianne’s Ice Cream - Santa Cruz 1020 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-458-1447 mariannesicecream.com

Marini’s at the Beach 55 Municipal Wharf Santa Cruz 831-425-7341

mariniscandies.com

Mission Hill Creamery 1101 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-216-6421

missionhillcreamery.com

Mr. Z’s Crepes & Teas 45 Aviation Way | Watsonville 831-228-1588

mrzsteas.com

Mr. Z’s Crepes & Teas - Aptos 7518 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-661-5167

mrzsteas.com

Pacific Cookie Company 1203 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-429-6905

pacificcookie.com

The Penny Ice Creamery Aptos 141 Aptos Village Way | Aptos 831-204-2523

thepennyicecreamery.com

The Penny Ice Creamery Pleasure Point 820 41st Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-204-2523

thepennyicecreamery.com

The Penny Ice Creamery Santa Cruz 913 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-204-2523

thepennyicecreamery.com

The Penny Ice Creamery Scotts Valley 262 Mt Hermon Road Scotts Valley 831-204-2523

thepennyicecreamery.com

Just minutes from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the newly built La Quinta Santa Cruz features spacious guestrooms with thoughtful amenities. Enjoy scenic views, a heated outdoor pool, complimentary Brightside Breakfast, gated parking and more!

(831) 295-8807 | 550 Second St.

Wineries & Tasting Rooms Breweries

Wineries + Tasting Rooms

Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery

420 Hames Road | Corralitos 831-728-5172

alfarowine.com

Armitage Wines

105 C Post Office Drive | Aptos 831-708-2874

armitagewines.com

Bargetto Winery

3535 North Main Street Soquel 831-475-2258

bargetto.com

Beauregard Vineyards

10 Pine Flat Road | Santa Cruz 831-425-7777

beauregardvineyards.com

Big Basin Vineyards –Estate Tasting Room

830 Memory Lane Boulder Creek 831-621-8028

bigbasinvineyards.com

Big Basin Vineyards Tasting Room

525 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-515-7278

bigbasinvineyards.com

Birichino Winery + Tasting Room

204 Church Street Santa Cruz 831-425-4811

birichino.com

Bottle Jack Winery 1088 La Madrona Drive Santa Cruz 831-227-2288

bottlejackwines.com

Burrell School Vineyard and Winery 24060 Summit Road Los Gatos 408-353-6290 burrellschool.com

Charmant Vineyard 800 Larsen Road Aptos 831-888-7256

charmantvineyards.com

El Vaquero Winery & Tasting Room 2901 Freedom Blvd Watsonville 831-607-8118

elvaquerowinery.com

Equinox Cellars 334 Ingalls Street | Santa Cruz 831-471-8608

equinoxwine.com

Ferrari Ranch 65 Magnifico Vita Lane Corralitos ferrariranchwines.com

Hallcrest Vineyards/ The Organic Wine Works 379 Felton Empire Road Felton 831-335-4441

hallcrestvineyards.com

Inversion Wines

75 Mount Hermon Drive, Unit C | Scotts Valley 831-201-4892 inversionwines.com

Integrity Wines 135 Aviation Way, Suite 16 Watsonville 831-322-4200 integrity.wine

Kissed by an Angel Winery

1210 Mount Hermon Road, Suite E | Scotts Valley 831-234-6253 kissedbyanangelwines.com

La Vida Bella Vineyard

1624 Chardonnay Ridge Road Aptos 831-722-3394

lavidabellavineyard.com

Lester Estate Wines 2000-2010 Pleasant Valley Road | Aptos 831-728-3793

deerparkranch.com

Left Bend Winery 1020 Mt Madonna Road Watsonville 408-502-9280 leftbend.com

Madson Wines 328 Ingalls Street, Suite G Santa Cruz 831-204-0343 madsonwines.com

MJA Vineyards

328-A Ingalls Street Santa Cruz 831-421-9380

mjavineyards.com

Birichino Tasting Room

Wineries + Tasting Rooms + Breweries and more!

Nicholson Vineyards

2800 Pleasant Valley Road Aptos 831-724-7071 nicholsonvineyards.com

Pelican Ranch Winery 2364 Bean Creek Road Scotts Valley 831-426-6911 pelicanranch.com

Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard 334-A Ingalls Street Santa Cruz 831-426-6209 santacruzmountainvineyard.com

Sante Arcangeli Family Wines

154 Aptos Village Way, C1 Aptos 831-207-6048 santewinery.com

Stockwell Cellars 1100 Fair Avenue Santa Cruz 831-818-9075 stockwellcellars.com

Storrs Winery & Vineyards - Aptos 1560 Pleasant Valley Road Aptos 831-724-5030 storrswine.com

Storrs Winery & Vineyards –Santa Cruz

303 Potrero Street #35Old Sash Mill | Santa Cruz 831-458-5030 storrswine.com

Wargin Wines 5015 Soquel Drive Soquel 831-708-9463 warginwines.com

Windy Oaks Estate

Vineyard & Winery 550 Hazel Dell Road Corralitos 831-724-9562

windyoaksestate.com

Regale Winery 24040 Summit Rd. Los Gatos 408-353-2500 regalewine.com

Regan Vineyards & Winery 1600 Green Valley Road Watsonville 831-818-3885 reganwinery.com

Rexford Winery 429 Ingalls Street Santa Cruz 831-426-1500 rexfordwinery.com

Roberts Ranch Vineyards 875 Roberts Road

Ben Lomond 831-920-8814 robertsranchvineyards.com

Ser Winery + Doon to Earth 10 Parade Street, Suite B Aptos 831-612-6062 serwinery.com

Silver Mountain Vineyard 1146 Soquel Avenue, Suite 3636 Santa Cruz 408-353-2278 silvermtn.com

Sones Cellars 334-B Ingalls Street Santa Cruz 831-420-1552 sonescellars.com

Soquel Vineyards 8063 Glen Haven Road Soquel 831-462-9045

soquelvineyards.com

Breweries + Taprooms

Beer Mule Bottle Shop 45 Aviation Way Watsonville 831-254-9789 kickassbeer.com

Beer Thirty Bottle Shop & Pour House

2504 S Main Street Soquel 831-477-9967

beerthirtysantacruz.com

Corralitos Brewing Company 2536 Freedom Boulevard Watsonville 831-728-2311

corralitosbrewingco.com

Discretion Brewing

2703 41st Avenue, Suite A Soquel 831-316-0662

discretionbrewing.com

English Ales Brewery 111 Capitola Avenue Capitola 831-515-7500

englishalesbrewery.com

Faultline Brewing Company 262 Mount Hermon Road Scotts Valley 831-226-2868

faultlinebrewing.com/scotts-valley

Fruition Brewing 918 East Lake Avenue

Watsonville

fruitionbrewing.com

Gilman Brewing 817 Soquel Avenue

Santa Cruz 831-431-6785

gilmanbrew.com

Greater Purpose Brewing Company 21517 East Cliff Drive Santa Cruz 831-713-5540

greaterpurposebrewing.com

Humble Sea Brewery 820 Swift Street

Santa Cruz 831-566-5808

humblesea.com

New Bohemia Brewing Company 1030 41st Avenue

Santa Cruz 831-588-4429

nubobrew.com

Santa Cruz Cider Company 65 Hangar Way

Watsonville 831-288-7049

santacruzciderco.com

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing 402 Ingalls Street, Suite 27

Santa Cruz 831-425-4900

scmbrew.com

Alfaro Winery

Sante Adairius Rustic AlesBrewery & Taproom

103 Kennedy Drive Capitola 831-462-1227

rusticales.com

Sante Adairius Santa Cruz Portal 1315 Water Street | Santa Cruz 831-462-1227 rusticales.com

Seabright Social 519 Seabright Avenue, #107 Santa Cruz 831-426-2739

seabrightsocial.com

Shanty Shack Brewing 138 Fern Street | Santa Cruz 831-316-0800

shantyshackbrewing.com

The Slough Brewing Collective 65 Hangar Way | Watsonville 831-288-3152

elkhornsloughbrew.com

Steel Bonnet Brewing 20 Victor Square Scotts Valley 831-454-8429

steelbon.net

Woodhouse Blending & Brewing 119 Madrone Street | Santa Cruz 831-719-8526

woodhousebrews.com

Other Tasting Rooms + Wine Bars

Apéro Club

402 Ingalls Street, Suite 29 Santa Cruz 831-316-0911

theaperoclub.com

Cantine Winepub 8050 Soquel Drive, Suite B Aptos 831-612-6191

cantinewinepub.com

Capitola Tap House

401 Capitola Avenue Capitola 831-515-7290

401capitolataphouse.com

Capitola Wine Bar 115 San Jose Avenue Capitola 831-476-2282

capitolawinebar.com

Front + Cooper – Abbott Square Market 725 Front Street | Santa Cruz frontandcooper.com

Martinelli’s Company Store 345 Harvest Drive | Watsonville 831-768-3938 martinellis.com

The Slowcoast Wine Bar 450 Highway One | Davenport 831-425-7777 slowcoast.org

Soif Wine Bar & Merchants 105 Walnut Avenue Santa Cruz 831-423-2020 soifwine.com

Venus Spirits - Tasting Room & Distillery 200 High Road | Santa Cruz 831-600-7376

Vino by the Sea

55 Municipal Wharf | Santa Cruz 831-426-0750

vino-by-the-sea.com

Vinocruz Wine Bar + Restaurant 4901 Soquel Drive | Soquel 831-426-8466 vinocruz.com

More Information

Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains 335 Spreckels Drive, Suite B Aptos 831-685-8463 scmwa.com

724-5030

458-5030

Attractions

Sports Activities

DeLaveaga Golf Course & Driving Range

Bicycling

Depot Park Bike Park

119 Center Street Santa Cruz, 831-420-5270 cityofsantacruz.com

Bowling

Boardwalk Bowl

115 Cliff Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-3324 boardwalkbowl.com

Bocce Ball Courts at George Washington Grove

In George Washington Grove in DeLaveaga Park | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270 santacruzparksandrec.com

Santa Cruz Lawn Bowls Club at San Lorenzo Park San Lorenzo Park, 137 Dakota Street Santa Cruz 831-420-5270 cityofsantacruz.com

Disc Golf

DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course

1468 Upper Park Road | Santa Cruz 831-471-7395 delaveagadiscgolf.com

Pinto Lake Disc Golf Course 757 Green Valley Road | Watsonville 831-454-7938 scparks.com

San Lorenzo Park Disc Golf Course 137 Dakota Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

Golf

Boulder Creek Golf & Country Club 16901 Big Basin Highway | Boulder Creek 831-338-2111 bouldercreekgolf.com

Casserly Par 3 Golf Course 626 Casserly Road Watsonville 831-724-1654 casserlygolf.com

401 Upper Park Road | Santa Cruz 831-423-7214 delaveagagolf.com

Pacific Golf Centers

101 Ranport Road | Watsonville 831-724-3271 pacificgolfcenters.com

Pasatiempo Golf Club

20 Clubhouse Road | Santa Cruz 831-459-9155 pasatiempo.com

Skateboarding

Jim Keefe Skate Park at Highlands County Park 8500 Highway 9 | Ben Lomond 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Ken Wormhoudt Skate Park at Mike Fox Park 225 San Lorenzo Blvd. | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270 cityofsantacruz.com

Skypark 361 Kings Village Road | Scotts Valley 831-438-3251 scottsvalley.org

WATER SPORTS

Fishing + Boating

Loch Lomond Recreation Area 100 Loch Lomond Way | Felton 831-335-7424 cityofsantacruz.com

Santa Cruz Charters S Dock, Santa Cruz Harbor Santa Cruz 831-818-8088 santacruzcharters.com

Santa Cruz Harbor 135 5th Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-475-6161 santacruzharbor.org

Santa Cruz Wharf Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5725 cityofsantacruz.com

Vern Hart Fishing Park

1/2 mi. from Mt. Hermon Rd. on Glen Canyon Road | Scotts Valley 831-438-3251 scottsvalley.org

Stagnaro Whale Watching & Fishing Trips

1718 Brommer Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-0230 stagnaros.com

Water Activities

Capitola Beach Company

131 Monterey Avenue | Capitola 831-462-5222 capitolabeachcompany.com

Chardonnay Sailing Charters

790 Mariner Park Way | Santa Cruz 831-423-1213 chardonnay.com

Club Ed International Surf School & Camps

Located on Cowell’s Beach in front of the Dream Inn Santa Cruz 831-464-0177 club-ed.com

Covewater Stand Up Paddle 726 Water Street | Santa Cruz 831-600-7230 covewater.com

Kayak Connection 413 Lake Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-479-1121 kayakconnection.com

O’Neill Yacht Charters

275 Lake Avenue, Dock L Santa Cruz 831-818-3645 oneillyachtcharters.com

Pacific Yachting and Sailing

790 Mariner Park Way Santa Cruz 831-423-7245 pacificsail.com

Richard Schmidt Surf School, Inc. 849 Almar Avenue #192 | Santa Cruz 831-423-0928 richardschmidt.com

SUP Shack LLC 2214 E Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-464-7467

supshacksantacruz.com

Surf School Santa Cruz 3548 Portola Drive | Santa Cruz 831-428-3647

surfschoolsantacruz.com

Venture Quest Kayak #2 Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf Santa Cruz 831-427-2267

kayaksantacruz.com

AIR SPORTS

Skydiving

Go Jump Santa Cruz 160 Aviation Way Suite C | Watsonville 831-435-5169, +1 855 5 GOJUMP gojump-america.com

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Farmers Markets

Aptos Farmers Market 6500 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-728-5060

montereybayfarmers.org

Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers Market

Corner of Cedar and Lincoln Streets | Santa Cruz 831-454-0566

santacruzfarmersmarket.org

Felton Farmers Market St. John’s Catholic Church 120 Russell Avenue at Hwy 9| Felton 831-454-0566

santacruzfarmersmarket.org

Live Oak/Eastside Farmers Market 15th & Portola | Santa Cruz 831-454-0566

santacruzfarmersmarket.org

Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds

Certified Farmers Market Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds 2601 East Lake Ave. | Watsonville 831-235-1856

santacruzcountyfair.com

LAND SPORTS

Additional Activities + Cultural Activities

Swanton Berry Farm

25 Swanton Road | Davenport 831-469-8804 swantonberryfarm.com

UCSC Farm & Alan Chadwick Garden

UC Santa Cruz 1156 High Street | Santa Cruz 831-459-3240 casfs.ucsc.edu

Tours

Mountain Sea Adventures

120 Hebard Street | Santa Cruz 844-766-8682 mountainseaadventures.com

Mount Hermon Adventures 17 Conference Drive | Felton 831-430-4357 mounthermonadventures.com

The Ride Guides

114 Crespi Court | Santa Cruz 831-818-6112 therideguides.com

Ride the Redwoods 1010 River Street | Santa Cruz 831-205-1335 ridetheredwoods.com

Neary Lagoon Park

110 California Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

cityofsantacruz.com

Santa Cruz Bird Club

See website for more information santacruzbirdclub.org

Santa Cruz Whale Watching

1718 Brommer Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-0230

santacruzwhalewatching.com

Santa Cruz Wharf Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5725

cityofsantacruz.com

Stagnaro Whale Watching & Fishing Trips 1718 Brommer Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-0230

stagnaros.com

West Cliff Drive

Between Bay Street and Natural Bridges State Park | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

cityofsantacruz.com

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Scotts Valley Farmers Market

Scotts Valley Community Center

360 Kings Village Drive | Scotts Valley 831-454-0566

santacruzfarmersmarket.org

Watsonville Certified Farmers Market City Plaza - Downtown Watsonville

358 Main Street | Watsonville 831-588-7366

Westside Santa Cruz

Farmers Market

Mission Street Extension & Western Drive | Santa Cruz 831-454-0566

santacruzfarmersmarket.org

Farms + Ranches

Fambrini’s Farm Fresh Produce

44 Coast Road | Davenport 831-423-5891

Live Earth Farm 1275 Green Valley Road Watsonville 831-763-2448 liveearthfarm.net

Post Street Farm

122 Post Street | Santa Cruz 831-251-2946 facebook.com/poststreetfarm

Rodoni Farms 4444 CA Hwy 1 | Davenport 831-426-0666 rodonifarms.com

Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau 141 Monte Vista Avenue Watsonville 831-724-1356 sccfb.com

The Santa Cruz Experience 75 Mount Hermon Road | Scotts Valley 831-421-9883

thesantacruzexperience.com

Segway Santa Cruz Tours 302 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-466-0206

segwaytoursmonterey.com/west-cliffscenic-tour-santa-cruz

Specialized Helicopters - Tours

150 Aviation Way | Watsonville 831-763-2244 specializedheli.com

Wildlife Viewing

Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve-Foundation 1700 Elkhorn Road | Watsonville 831-728-2822

elkhornslough.org

Art Galleries

Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery

Cowell College, UCSC, 1156 High St. Santa Cruz 831-459-2953

cowell.ucsc.edu/smith-gallery

Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery Porter College, UC Santa Cruz Santa Cruz 831-459-3606

arts.ucsc.edu/sesnon

Pajaro Valley Arts

37 Sudden Street Watsonville 831-722-3062

pvarts.org

Santa Cruz Art League 526 Broadway Santa Cruz 831-426-5787

scal.org

Farmers market

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center

9341 Mill Street Ben Lomond 831-336-3513

mountainartcenter.org

Tannery Arts Center

1050-70 River Street | Santa Cruz 831-475-9600

tanneryartscenter.org

Museums

Agricultural History Project 2601 East Lake Avenue | Watsonville 831-724-5898

aghistoryproject.org

Aptos History Museum 7605-B Old Dominion Court | Aptos 831-688-9514 aptoshistory.org

California Agricultural Workers’ History Center

275 Main Street | Watsonville 831-768-3400 cityofwatsonville.org

Capitola Historical Museum

410 Capitola Avenue | Capitola 831-464-0322 capitolamuseum.org

Mission Santa Cruz

130 Emmet Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-5686

holycrosssantacruz.com/missionsanta-cruz

Pajaro Valley Historical Association

332 E. Beach Street | Watsonville 831-722-0305 pajarovalleyhistory.org

Rancho del Oso Nature & History Center 3600 Highway 1 | Davenport 831-335-6318

ranchodeloso.org

San Lorenzo Valley Museum

12547 Highway 9 | Boulder Creek 831-338-8382 slvmuseum.com

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History 705 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-429-1964

santacruzmah.org

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

1305 East Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-420-6115 santacruzmuseum.org

Santa Cruz Surfing Museum

Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-420-6289 cityofsantacruz.com

Performing Arts

Arts Council Santa Cruz County 1070 River Street |Santa Cruz 831-475-9600

artscouncilsc.org

Cabrillo College Visual, Applied & Performing Arts Complex 6500 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-479-6154 cabrillovapa.com

Cabrillo College Art Gallery 6500 Soquel Drive, Room 1002 Aptos 831-479-6308 cabrillo.edu

Capitola Art & Cultural Commission

420 Capitola Avenue | Capitola 831-475-7300 cityofcapitola.org

Colligan Theater 1010 River Street | Santa Cruz 831-425-7506 jeweltheatre.net

Henry J. Mello Center for Performing Arts

250 East Beach Street | Watsonville 831-763-4047 mellocenter.org

Kuumbwa Jazz

320-2 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-2227 kuumbwajazz.org

UCSC Arts Division

UCSC Theater Arts Center & Music Center Recital Hall Meyer Drive, UC Santa Cruz Santa Cruz 831-459-2787

arts.ucsc.edu/events

Celebrating 2023

Visit Santa Cruz County salutes these iconic local businesses, celebrating milestone anniversaries this year. Stop by and congratulate them!

155th Anniversary

MARTINELLI’S Watsonville

100th Anniversary

SAMBRAILO PACKAGING Watsonville

90thBARGETTOAnniversaryWINERY Soquel

75th Anniversary

WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

60th Anniversary

DREAM INN Santa Cruz

60th Anniversary

ROARING CAMP RAILROADS Felton

50th Anniversary

THE CREPE PLACE Santa Cruz

50th Anniversary

PAJARO DUNES RESORT Watsonville

50th Anniversary

SANTA CRUZ SKATEBOARDS / NHS Santa Cruz

45th Anniversary

GAYLE’S BAKERY AND ROSTICCERIA Capitola

45th Anniversary

SAVE OUR SHORES Santa Cruz

40th Anniversary

ANNIEGLASS Watsonville

25th Anniversary

CHARLIE HONG KONG Santa Cruz

Cultural Activities + Shopping

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center

35 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-421-9993

montereybay.noaa.gov

Mystery Spot

465 Mystery Spot Road | Santa Cruz 831-423-8897 mysteryspot.com

Neptune’s Kingdom at the Boardwalk

400 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-5590 beachboardwalk.com/NeptunesKingdom

Roaring Camp Railroads 5401 Graham Hill Road | Felton 831-335-4484 roaringcamp.com

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

400 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-5590 beachboardwalk.com

Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium 307 Church Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-5260

santacruzcivic.com

Points of Interest

Abbott Square Market

725 Front Street | Santa Cruz abbottsquaremarket.com

Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove

400 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-460-3359

beachboardwalk.com/cocoanut-grove

Casino Arcade at the Boardwalk 400 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-5590

beachboardwalk.com

City of Watsonville Municipal Airport

100 Aviation Way | Watsonville 831-768-3575

watsonvilleairport.com

City of Watsonville Parks & Community Services

231 Union Street | Watsonville 831-768-3240

cityofwatsonville.org

City of Watsonville Public Library 275 Main Street, #100 | Watsonville 831-768-3400 cityofwatsonville.org

Evergreen Historical Cemetery 261 Evergreen Street | Santa Cruz 831-429-1964

santacruzmah.org/evergreen

Felton Covered Bridge Graham Hill Rd. and Mt. Hermon Road | Felton 831-454-7938 scparks.com

Hiram D. Scott House 1 Civic Center Drive | Scotts Valley 831-246-0710 scottsvalley.org

Lighthouse Point 701 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

cityofsantacruz.com

Santa Cruz Harbor 135 5th Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-475-6161 santacruzharbor.org

Seymour Marine Discovery Center 100 McAllister Way | Santa Cruz 831-459-3800 seymourcenter.ucsc.edu

Town Clock North Pacific Avenue Santa Cruz 831-420-5270 santacruzparksandrec.com

UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden 1 Arboretum Road Santa Cruz 831-502-2998 arboretum.ucsc.edu

Watsonville City Plaza 358 Main Street | Watsonville 831-768-3240 cityofwatsonville.org

West Cliff Drive Between Bay Street and Natural Bridges State Park | Santa Cruz 831-420-5270

cityofsantacruz.com

LOCAL SHOPPING

Shopping Areas

Capitola Mall 1855 41st Avenue | Capitola 831-476-9616

shopcapitolamall.com

Capitola Village Business Improvement Association Capitola Village | Capitola capitolavillage.com

Downtown Santa Cruz Association 101 Cooper Street, #222 | Santa Cruz 831-332-742(missing last #) downtownsantacruz.com

Pleasure Point 41st Ave. & Portola Drive | Santa Cruz pleasurepointguide.com

Soquel Village Soquel Drive & Porter | Soquel capitolachamber.com

Beachwear/ Surf Shops

Arrow Surf & Sport 2324 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-8286

arrowsurfshop.com

Billabong Santa Cruz 4105 Portola Drive | Santa Cruz 831-476-7873

billabong-usa.com

Capitola Beach Company 131 Monterey Avenue | Capitola 831-462-5222

capitolabeachcompany.com

Cowell’s Beach Surf Shop 30 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-2355

cowellssurfshop.com

Freeline Surf Shop 821 41st Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-476-2950

freelinesurf.com

Pelican sculpture

Midtown Surf Shop + Coffee Bar

1126 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-316-7646

midtownsurfshop.com

Midtown Surf Shop – Capitola

321 Capitola Avenue | Capitola 831-854-2647

midtownsurfshop.com/capitola

Nolands on the Wharf

47 Municipal Wharf | Santa Cruz 831-423-5500

surfcitysantacruz.com

O’Neill Surf Shop 1115 41st Avenue | Capitola 831-475-4151 oneill.com

O’Neill Surf Shop Aptos Village 105 Post Office Drive | Aptos 831-708-2220 oneill.com

O’Neill Surf Shop Downtown 110 Cooper Street | Santa Cruz 831-469-4377 oneill.com

Pacific Wave

1502 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-458-9283 pacwave.com

Rip Curl – Downtown Santa Cruz

1395 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-713-5394

ripcurl.com/us

Rip Curl – Capitola 753 41st Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-464-3233 ripcurl.com/us

Rip Curl - Outlet

1604 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-454-0360

ripcurl.com/us

Surf City Santa Cruz 41 Municipal Wharf | Santa Cruz 831-426-9699

surfcitysantacruz.com

Specialty Items

Annieglass

310 Harvest Drive | Watsonville 831-761-2041

annieglass.com

Artisans & Agency 1368 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-8183

artisanssantacruz.com

Atlantis Fantasyworld

1020 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-0158

atlantisfantasyworld.com

Bamboo Giant 5601 Freedom Blvd | Corralitos 831-687-0100

bamboogiant.com

Berdel’s

1223 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-421-1962

berdels.com

Bookshop Santa Cruz 1520 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-0900

bookshopsantacruz.com

Botanic and Luxe 110 Cooper Street #100F Santa Cruz 831-515-7710

botanicandluxe.com

Bunny’s Shoes 1350 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-3824

Center Street Antiques and Interiors 3010 Center Street | Soquel 831-477-9211

centerstreetantiques.com

The Cook’s Bookcase P.O. Box 2918 | Santa Cruz 831-251-9218

cooksbookcase.com

Corralitos Meat Market 569 Corralitos Road | Corralitos 831-722-2633

corralitosmarketsausagecompany. com

Shopping + Spas + Information

The Craft Gallery 209 Capitola Avenue | Capitola 831-475-4466 craftgallery.net

Dell Williams Jewelers 1320 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-4100 dellwilliams.com

Dig Gardens - Aptos 7765 Soquel Drive #A | Aptos 831-688-7011 diggardens.com

Dig Gardens – Santa Cruz 420 Water Street | Santa Cruz 831-466-3444 diggardens.com

El Salchichero

402 Ingalls Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-6328 elsalchichero.com

Ethel and Sabel 6215 Hwy 9 | Felton 831-704-7907 ethelandsabel.com

Ethos Santa Cruz 101 Capitola Avenue | Capitola 831-854-2490 ethossantacruz.com

The Flower Shack 614 S Branciforte Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-3877 facebook.com/FlowerShacksc

Freedom Meat Lockers 160 Hi-Grade Lane | Freedom 831-724-4355 freedommeatlockers.com

Homeless Garden Project Store 1338 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-295-6328WATER

homelessgardenproject.myshopify. com

Home/Work Santa Cruz 1100 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-316-5215 shophomework.com

Ivy’s Porch

5311 Scotts Valley Drive | Scotts Valley 831-438-1228 ivysporch.com

Jewels on Pacific 1535 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz downtownsantacruz.com/go/jewelson-pacific

Loot Vintage Shop 7960 Soquel Drive, Ste D | Aptos 831-247-4571 lootvintageshop.com

Made in Santa Cruz 57 Municipal Wharf | Santa Cruz 831-426-2257 madeinsantacruz.com

Marini’s Candies –Santa Cruz Wharf Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf - #55A Santa Cruz 831-425-7341 mariniscandies.com

Marini’s Candies – Westside 332 Ingalls Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-0188 mariniscandies.com

Martinelli’s Company Store 345 Harvest Drive | Watsonville 831-768-3938 martinellis.com

Mountain Parks Foundation

Nature Store Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 525 N. Big Trees Park Road | Felton 831-335-0782 mountainparks.org

Mountain Spirit 6299 Hwy 9 | Felton 831-335-7700 mountainspiritstore.com

Old School Shoes 1017 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-2700 oldschoolsupplyco.com

Om Gallery 1201 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-425-9107 omgallery.com

Outside In 7568 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-684-0178 oihome.com

Spas

The Spa at Chaminade

1 Chaminade Lane | Santa Cruz 831-465-3465 chaminade.com

Spa Nalini

Courtyard by Marriott Santa Cruz 313 Riverside Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-419-8700 marriott.com/sjcru

Tea House Spa

112 Elm Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-9700 teahousespa.com

Pacific Trading Co. - Capitola 504 Bay Avenue | Capitola 831-476-6109 pacifictradingonline.com

Pacific Trading Co. - Santa Cruz 1224 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-3349 pacifictradingonline.com

Paper Vision

1345 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-458.-345 papervisionsantacruz.com

Patrick James 7538 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-688-2105 patrickjames.com

Roses of Yesterday and Today 803 Browns Valley Road | Watsonville 831-728-1901 rosesofyesterday.com

Santa Cruz Board Room 825 41st Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-464-2500 santacruzboardroom.com

Well Within Spa

417 Cedar Street | Santa Cruz 831-458-9355 wellwithinspa.com

Yoso Wellness

740 Front Street #110 | Santa Cruz 831-600-8053 yosowellness.com

Santa Cruz Warriors Team Headquarters 903 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-713-4400 scwteamstore.com

Shilshol 109 Locust Street | Santa Cruz 831-440-8933 shilshol.com

Shoe Fetish 1360 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-454-0287

facebook.com/shoefetishsc

Sierra Azul Nursery & Gardens 2660 East Lake Avenue Watsonville 831-763-0939 sierraazul.com

Sockshop and Shoe Company - Aptos 154 Aptos Village Way | Aptos 831-612-6495

sockshopandshoeco.com

Sockshop and Shoe Company – Santa Cruz 1515 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-429-6101

sockshopandshoeco.com

Solemate 7542 Soquel Drive | Aptos 831-688-6500

solemateaptos.com

Streetlight Records

939 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-421-9200 streetlightrecords.com

Stripe

107 Walnut Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-421-9252 stripedesigngroup.com

Super Silver, Inc.

1301 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-460-9696 supersilversantacruz.com

Tomboy 1207 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-425-1405 tomboysc.com zinniasgiftboutique.com

Downtown Santa Cruz Association 740 Front Street, Suite 160 Santa Cruz

Information Kiosk: 1130-K2 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-332-7422

downtownsantacruz.com

Visit Santa Cruz County 303 Water Street, Suite 100 Santa Cruz 831-425-1234 santacruz.org

Early Bird Airport Shuttle 820 Bay Avenue, Suite 111 Capitola 831-462-3933 earlybirdairportshuttle.com

Santa Cruz Metro 920 Pacific Ave | Santa Cruz 831-425-8600 scmtd.com

Accommodations

Hotels & Motels

Aqua Breeze Inn

204 Second Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-7878 aquabreezeinn.com

The Aqua Pacific Hotel 330 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-425-3722 theaquapacifichotel.com

Bay Front Inn

325 Pacific Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-8564 bayfrontinnhotel.com

Beach Street Inn & Suites

125 Beach Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-3031 beachstreetinn.com

Beachview Inn

50 Front Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-3575 beachviewinnsantacruz.us

Bella Notte - The Inn at East Cliff 21305 East Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-600-0001 bellanotteinn.com

Best Western Inn - Santa Cruz 126 Plymouth Street | Santa Cruz 831-425-4717 bestwestern.com/innsantacruz

Best Western Plus - All Suites Inn 500 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-458-9898 bestwesternsantacruz.com

Best Western Plus - Scotts Valley Inn 6020 Scotts Valley Dr. | Scotts Valley 831-438-6666 bestwestern.com/en_US/book/ hotels-in-scotts-valley/bestwestern-plus-inn-scotts-valley/ propertyCode.05443.htm l

Best Western Plus - Capitola By-theSea Inn & Suites 1435 41st Avenue | Capitola 831-477-0607 bestwesterncapitola.com

Best Western - Rose Garden Inn 740 Freedom Boulevard | Watsonville 831-724-3367 bestwesternwatsonville.com

Brookdale Lodge 11570 Hwy. 9 | Brookdale 831-609-6010 brookdalelodge.com

Capitola Beach Suites 5000 Cliff Drive | Capitola 831-476-0505 capitolabeachsuites.com

Capitola Hotel 210 Esplanade | Capitola 831-476-1278 capitolahotel.com

Capitola Venetian Hotel 1500 Wharf Road | Capitola 831.476.6471 capitolavenetian.com

Capri Motel 337 Riverside Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-4611 caprimotelsc.com

Carousel Beach Inn 110 Riverside Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-425-7090 carousel-beach-inn.com

Casablanca Inn on the Beach 101 Main Street at Beach | Santa Cruz 831-423-1570 casablanca-santacruz.com

Chaminade Resort & Spa One Chaminade Lane | Santa Cruz 831-475-5600 chaminade.com

Comfort Inn - Beach/Boardwalk 314 Riverside Ave. | Santa Cruz 831-471-9999 santacruzcomfortinn.com

Comfort Inn - Santa Cruz 110 Plymouth Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-2664 comfortinnsantacruz.com

Comfort Inn - Watsonville 112 Airport Boulevard | Watsonville 831-728-2300 comfortinnwatsonvilleca.com

Continental Inn

414 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-429-1221 continentalinn.com

Courtyard by Marriott Santa Cruz 313 Riverside Ave | Santa Cruz 831-419-8700 marriott.com/sjcru

Davenport Roadhouse Inn 1 Davenport Ave. | Davenport 831-426-8801 davenportroadhouse.com

Dream Inn Santa Cruz 175 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 855-481-4710 dreaminnsantacruz.com

The Drift Inn 110 San Lorenzo Boulevard Santa Cruz 831-426-2828

Edgewater Beach Inn & Suites 525 Second Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-0440 edgewaterbeachmotel.com

El View Lodge 810 Third Street | Santa Cruz 831-431-6438

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Santa Cruz 2956 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-420-0777 santacruzfairfieldinn.com

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Santa Cruz - Capitola 1255 41st Avenue | Capitola 831-427-2900 fairfieldinncapitola.com

Fern River Resort 5250 Hwy. 9 | Felton 831-335-4412 fernriver.com

Fireside Inn 311 2nd Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-7123 firesideinncalifornia.com

Hotels & Motels

Four Points by Sheraton Santa Cruz / Scotts Valley

5030 Scotts Valley Drive Scotts Valley 831-438-1500

FourPointsScottsValley.com

Hampton Inn - Santa Cruz West 2424 Mission Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-7500

hilton.com/en/hotels/sjcmshxhampton-santa-cruz-west

Hampton Inn & Suites - Watsonville 75 Lee Road | Watsonville 831-322-5080

hilton.com/en/hotels/wviwbhxhampton-suites-watsonville/

Hampton Inn Santa Cruz

1505 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-457-8000

hilton.com/en/hotels/sruhhhxhampton-santa-cruz/

Harbor Inn 645 7th Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-479-9731

harborinnsantacruz.com

Hilton Santa Cruz / Scotts Valley 6001 La Madrona Drive | Santa Cruz 831-440-1000

hiltonsantacruzscottsvalley.com

Hinds Victorian Guest House 529 Chestnut Street | Santa Cruz 831-423-0423

hinds-house.com

Hitching Post Studios Inn 1717 Soquel Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-429-2900

hitchingpostsantacruz.com

Holiday Inn Express & Suites - Santa Cruz 1410 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-466-9100

hiexpress.com/santacruzca

Holiday Inn Express & SuitesWatsonville

1855 Main Street | Watsonville 831-728-3600

watsonvilleholidayinnexpress.com

Hotels & Motels + Vacation Rentals + B&B Inns + Campgrounds

Hotel Paradox, Autograph Collection

611 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-425-7100 hotelparadox.com

Hotel Solares

600 Riverside Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-458-9660 hotelsolares.com

Howard Johnson Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

130 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-423-7737 hojosantacruz.com

Hyatt Place Santa Cruz 407 Broadway Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-226-2300 hyattplacesantacruz.com

Inn at Pasatiempo

555 Hwy 17 | Santa Cruz 831-423-5000 innatpasatiempo.com

The Islander Motel

522 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-7766 theislandermotelscca.com

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham

Santa Cruz

550 Second Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-3626 laquintasantacruz.com

Marea Sol

310 Beach Street | Santa Cruz mareasol.com

Opening in 2023

Masood’s Lodge

13420 Big Basin Way | Boulder Creek 831-338-6813 masoodslodge.com

Mission Inn 2250 Mission St. | Santa Cruz 831-425-5455 missioninnsantacruz.com

Motel 6 - Watsonville

125 Silver Leaf Drive | Watsonville 831-728-4144 motel6.com/en/home/motels.9621. html

Motel Santa Cruz

370 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-458-9220 motelsantacruz.us

National 9 Motel 130 Plymouth Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-4515 shouthotels.com/national-9-motel/

Ocean Echo Inn & Beach Cottages 401 Johans Beach Drive | Santa Cruz 831-462-4192 oceanecho.com

Ocean Gate Inn 111 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-429-8244 santacruzoceangateinn.com

Ocean Lodge 1015 Ocean St | Santa Cruz 831-423-8945 oceanlodgesantacruz.com

Ocean Pacific Lodge 301 Pacific Ave. | Santa Cruz 831-457-1234 theoceanpacificlodge.com

Oceana Inn 525 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-2300 oceanainn.com

Pacific Blue Inn 636 Pacific Ave | Santa Cruz 831-600-8880 pacificblueinn.com

Pelican Point Inn 21345 East Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-475-3381 pelicanpointinn-santacruz.com

Quality Inn - Downtown Santa Cruz 1101 Ocean Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-1616 qualityinnsantacruz.com

Quality Inn & Suites - Capitola ByThe-Sea 720 Hill Street | Capitola 831-462-3004 qualityinncapitola.com

Quality Inn & Suites - Santa Cruz Mountains 9733 Highway 9 | Ben Lomond 831-336-2292 staybysantacruz.com

Rio Sands Hotel 116 Aptos Beach Drive | Aptos 831-688-3207 riosands.com

Rio Vista Luxury Suites

611 Third Street | Santa Cruz 831-621-2929 riovistasuites.com

Riverside Inn & Suites Santa Cruz 505 Riverside Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-2899 santacruzriversideinn.com

Royal Inn 781 Freedom Blvd. | Watsonville 831-724-2181

Salt Air Lodge 510 Leibrandt Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-423-6020 saltairlodge.com

Santa Cruz Inn 2950 Soquel Ave | Santa Cruz 831-475-6322

Sea & Sand Inn 201 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-427-3400 seaandsandinn.com

Seacliff Inn Aptos, Tapestry Collection by Hilton 7500 Old Dominion Court | Aptos 831-688-7300 seacliffinn.com

Seascape Beach Resort - Monterey Bay One Seascape Resort Drive | Aptos 866-867-0976 seascaperesort.com

Seaway Inn

176 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-471-9004 seawayinn.com

Sunny Cove Motel

2-1610 East Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-475-1741 sunnycovemotel.com

Super 8 by Wyndham Santa Cruz/ Beach Boardwalk East 338 Riverside Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-3707

wyndhamhotels.com/super-8/santacruz-california/super-8-santa-cruzbeach-boardwalk-east/overview

SureStay by Best Western 516 Water Street | Santa Cruz 831-426-6111

bestwestern.com/en_US/book/ santa-cruz/hotel-rooms/surestayhotel-by-best-western-santa-cruz/ propertyCode.52122.html

Surf City Inn & Suites 619 Riverside Ave. | Santa Cruz 831-423-9515

https://surfcityinn.com

Torch Lite Inn 500 Riverside Avenue | Santa Cruz 831-426-7575

torchliteinnsantacruz.com

Valley Inn 970 Main Street | Watsonville 831-724-8881

valleyinnwatsonville.com

Vacation Rentals

At the Dunes 2661 Beach Road | Watsonville 831-768-7285 atthedunes.com

Bailey Property Management 106 Aptos Beach Drive | Aptos 831-688-7009

baileyproperties.com/RENTALS

Beachnest Property Management & Vacation Rentals 180 7th Avenue, #103 | Santa Cruz 831-722-0888 beachnest.com

Blue Sky Property Management 877 Cedar Street, Suite D | Santa Cruz 530-395-5200

blueskysantacruz.com/vacationrentals

Cheshire Rio Realty and Property Management

107 Aptos Beach Drive | Aptos 831-688-2041

cheshirerio.com

Kendall & Potter Property Management

522 Capitola Avenue | Capitola 831-477-7930

montereycoast.com

Monterey Bay Realty

324 Ocean View | La Selva Beach 831-688-3281

montereybayvacations.com

Pajaro Dunes Resort 105 Shell Drive | Watsonville 831-728-7400

pajarodunes.com

PowerWest Property Management

118 Pearl Alley, Suite B | Santa Cruz 831-515-5601

taylorpropertymgmt.com

Surf City Rentals

P.O. Box 623 | Capitola 831-566-6144

surfcity-rentals.com

Bed & Breakfast Inns

The Babbling Brook Inn 1025 Laurel St. | Santa Cruz 831-427-2437

babblingbrookinn.com

Cliff Crest Bed & Breakfast Inn 407 Cliff Street | Santa Cruz 831-427-2609

cliffcrestinn.com

Fairview Manor Bed & Breakfast 245 Fairview Avenue | Ben Lomond 831-336-3355

fairviewmanor.com

Flora Vista Inn 1258 San Andreas Road | Watsonville 408-806-9036

floravistaevents.com

Historic Sand Rock Farm 6901 Freedom Boulevard | Aptos 831-688-8005

sandrockfarm.com

Inn at Depot Hill 250 Monterey Avenue | Capitola 831-462-3376

innatdepothill.com

Monarch Cove Inn 620 El Salto Drive | Capitola 831-464-1295

monarchcoveinn.com

West Cliff Inn, A Four Sisters Inn 174 West Cliff Drive | Santa Cruz 831-457-2200

westcliffinn.com

Campgrounds + RV Parks

Santa Cruz Harbor RV Park Santa Cruz North Harbor | Enter at 7th Ave. & Brommer | Santa Cruz 831.475.3279

santacruzharbor.org

Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA 1186 San Andreas Road | Watsonville La Selva Beach 831-722-0551

santacruzkoa.com

Hotels & Motels

Hotels & Motels

Hotels & Motels

Event Venues

Event Venues

Event Venues

Event Venues

Event Venues

Meetings and Conferences

More information on venues and services can be found on the Visit Santa Cruz County website:

Wedding Venues

Services and planning tips can be found on the Visit Santa Cruz County website:

PARTING SHOT

Santa Cruz is one of the most beautiful places on earth. There is no other place quite like it.

For me, however, the physical beauties of Santa Cruz have always been secondary perks. What holds me here is the spirit of the place—the spirit of its people—of both those who have lived here before us and those who live here now.

This place has always had a special human feeling to it.”

— GEOFFREY DUNN, SANTA CRUZ IS IN THE HEART