Friday
5 p.m. | Cruise West Cliff Drive
The four coastline-hugging miles between the wharf and Natural Bridges State Beach are arguably the most dramatic in town, overlooking a historic lighthouse, beaches, surfers paddling out at the Steamer Lane break, and whales breaching in Monterey Bay. Roll the windows down, or get out and stretch your legs on the paved walking and cycling path.
5:30 p.m. | Eat and Drink at Swift Street Courtyard
Once a Brussels sprouts packaging plant, this two-acre complex on the city’s west side provides one-stop shopping for locavores, with a French bakery, butchery, microbrewery, boutiques and clothing outfitters for men and women, and other retail enterprises sharing a single space. It’s also a must for oenophiles, home to Surf City Vintners’s tasting rooms, a family of a dozen different boutique wineries.
Saturday
10 a.m. | Shop in Capitola
Fifteen minutes west of Santa Cruz, this seaside burg is home to a walkable collection of galleries, boutiques, wine bars, coffee shops, and restaurants that borders the streets that branch off the beach-adjacent Esplanade. Leave your car in the Capitola Beach lot, hop the free shuttle into the village, and shop until your heart’s content.
1 p.m. | Sample Santa Cruz’s Craft Beer
The Golden State’s craft beer boom is alive and well in Santa Cruz, with more than 20 craft breweries in the area, from New Bohemia Brewing Company on 41st Avenue to Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola. Book a bus tour with Brew Cruz for on-site tastings at a few of them, as well as clear-headed transportation in between.
5 a.m. | Play at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Like Coney Island’s West Coast twin, this seaside amusement park on Monterey Bay features 35 rides for all ages, including mini-golf, bumper cars, an arcade, and a 125-foot drop tower called the Double Shot. It’s also home to the Looff Carousel merry-go-round, an early twentieth-century relic that’s on the National Register of Historic Places. Admission to the park is free; rides are priced à la carte.
7 p.m. | Head Downtown
Downtown Santa Cruz is your one-stop destination for shopping, live music, and some of the best restaurants in the area. From nightclubs to vintage record stores, this bustling walkable district has something for everyone. We suggest dinner at 515 Kitchen & Cocktails and a show at the iconic Catalyst, a fabled nightclub that brings in big-name acts, such as Cold War Kids, Big Boi of Outcast, and Ben Harbor.
Sunday
10 a.m. | Brunch at Sunset Restaurant
Start off your last day with a feast at Chaminade’s casually elegant restaurant, offering expansive ocean views. Their Sunday brunch buffet is outfitted with stations where chefs prepare omelets and Belgian waffles to your specifications as well as carve up meat like prime rib and grilled salmon. Beyond the bottomless mimosas, the real treat is enjoying your meal on the bayside patio overlooking the redwoods.
1 p.m. | Hike and Picnic in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
With a tree canopy that climbs to 125 feet tall, the 10,000 thick acres of this state park offer dramatic changes in elevation and scenery throughout its 30 miles of trails. To make your introduction, fuel up at the tables of Porter Family Picnic Area, and trek down the Aptos Creek Fire Road, a route through the second-growth redwoods in the park’s central canyon.
