Santa Cruz

1. West Cliff Drive:  Find a place to park and walk along West Cliff Drive at sunset.  The views are great around every corner, and you can get some good shots with dramatic cliffs, surfers, and lighthouses in the background.  There are tons of little wooden benches around the area too, so if you get there early enough you can camp out for the whole show. 2. Twin Lakes Beach by Walton Lighthouse:  Great views of the lighthouse and harbor, along with the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in the distance.  You can walk along the beach toward the pier…

Santa Cruz is the perfect destination.  You can mix your love of the beach with your love of hiking in the redwood trees, and there’s almost always something going on in the funky downtown.  Santa Cruz is a place where all unique souls can be who they are, and where there’s always something fun to do around every corner. Whether you’re into long walks on the beach in the California sun, surfing, chasing waterfalls, or just people-watching at the Boardwalk, Santa Cruz is the place for it all. First Friday:  If you’re ever in Santa Cruz on the first…

1. Bonny Doon Beach: a long beach with high cliffs on one side and dunes all around. It’s north of Santa Cruz, and there’s parking right along Highway 1 and Bonny Doon Road (get there early). A quick walk across the railroad tracks and down to the nearby beach where you can spend the day in the sun. This is a great beach for sunbathing, and there is a section that is clothing-option, marked off by a few rocks and a dune on the far right side of the beach. Viewer discretion advised. 2. Davenport: an interesting beach with…

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk:  Obviously this is top of the list for everyone, but be sure you don’t miss out on one of our favorites at the Boardwalk:  the miniature golf course. We play at least once a year, and the course takes you through a pirate ship and a psychedelic dark room. If your kids are old enough (and tall enough), don’t miss the thrilling Giant Dipper roller coaster, an old, fast wooden roller coaster.  If that’s too much of an adrenaline rush, check out the hand-carved carousel that’s been around since 1911. Finally, be sure to take…