Santa Cruz is unquestionably the quintessential California beach town - that's why it's been the setting for several movies, including The Lost Boys!
In fact, Santa Cruz was the original Surf City - it's where Hawaiian royalty first introduced surfing to the mainland!
SANTA CRUZ CALIFORNIA - QUINTESSENTIAL BEACH TOWN
Why do we consider Santa Cruz to be the epitome of a beach town?
First of all, it has all the necessary requirements:
Beautiful beaches for wading, long walks, swimming, building sandcastles, body-boarding
Great surfing spots for both beginners & experienced surfers
A municipal wharf where you can stroll hand-in-hand, shop for souvenir trinkets, dine on seafood, or even fish for your own
Salt water taffy being stretched in the window of the candy shop for you to watch in amazement
And the Best of the Best - it has the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, complete with amusement park rides, games, and amusement park foods
Second, Santa Cruz has that carnival atmosphere that we all associate with beach towns - it makes you feel like you could run away and join the circus!
Fact is, there was a time when nearly every little town along the Northern California coast (including San Francisco) had its beach town area & amusement park. But, alas, Santa Cruz California is one of the last of its kind.
And for the time being - perhaps because of its uniqueness - this little beach town seems hale & hearty. Which is good for all of us who like to indulge our nostalgia and who want to create that same nostalgia for our children & grandchildren!
IS THERE MORE TO SANTA CRUZ CALIFORNIA?
There most certainly is!
Explore Santa Cruz and you'll discover an attractive downtown shopping area with tree-lined streets, coffee houses, booutiques, outdoor bistros, sidewalk performers, and more.
Santa Cruz also has its Bohemian side - untraditional lifestyles; the belief that impoverishment is desirable, especially for artists; anti-establishment political and social views - the gypsies of today, if you will.
You'll find that Santa Cruz is a very Green city with a strong conservation ethic - and they're serious about it! If you want to do business in Santa Cruz California, you'd better be Green . . .
Santa Cruz also has a rich history, beautiful neighborhoods, fine wining & dining, well-preserved Victorians, theaters & galleries -
And it has bragging rights to the beautiful campus of UC Santa Cruz, which sits atop 2001 acres of rolling, forested hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean & Monterey Bay - one of the best views in all of Santa Cruz County!
SANTA CRUZ CALIFORNIA IS TRULY UNIQUE
You might come originally for the Boardwalk - and do enjoy that experience because it's way too much fun - but also seek out the other Santa Cruz; the downtown, the parks and greenbelts, the cultural attractions & events, and the historic places. You won't be sorry that you did!
Discover some of my favorite things to do in Santa Cruz: the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, Monarch Butterflies - just to name a few!
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