Santa Cruz, California Santa Cruz Hotels & Motels The "Surf City" coastline is often compared to the best beaches in Southern California. You can expect fine sand, waves, heat and volleyball. Santa Cruz on "this side of the Hill" is charming and stylish with a classic downtown, completely rebuilt after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and a beach-side amusement park built in 1907. Visit downtown Santa Cruz for a fun time eating, shopping for unique clothing, curios and books, and extreme-sport people watching.

The Santa Cruz McPherson Center Museum of Art and History (with excellent museum shop) is on Front Street downtown. See a film at The Nickelodeon nearby. At 1344 Pacific Avenue, the Palomar Ballroom is an elegant old California ballroom w/ lessons & parties. Call 831/426-1221. Musical and art events. EAST CLIFF - WEST CLIFF Drive or bike! West to east on the north coast of the Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz offers a mini road trip from Natural Bridges State Beach to the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. Lots of places to stop - including a beach front amusement park. The Surfing Museum at Lighthouse Point looks over Steamer Lane where pros surf. The San Lorenzo River divides West Cliff and East Cliff. On your way to the Yacht Harbor, the Santa Cruz City Natural History Museum is worth finding at 1305 East Cliff Drive. Summer Fun Outrigger Races and a Shark Festival Live music, Bay cruises, ceremonies, educational and entertaining booths. Celebrate the anniversary of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. At the Santa Cruz Wharf. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Coney Island-style fun The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk offers one of the best views of the Bay and beyond from the Big Dipper roller coaster, the log ride, the Ferris wheel, and other fun rides. FREE ADMISSION

Wednesday Nights May - October - Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor sail boat races- board at 5pm. Full Moonrise Cruise - An unforgettable memory of Santa Cruz A warm offshore breeze carried the smell of wood burning out to us as we left the harbor. Picnic fires on Twin Lakes beach burned bright orange. The outline of the entire Monterey Bay sparkled in the clear air as the yacht sailed into the Bay. We could see everything from the smokestacks at Moss Landing to the lights of Monterey straight ahead. In the west, a faint wisp of sunlight put a purple hue in the dark twilight sky. In the east, it was the full moon rising and rising all night, making the water glitter blindingly if you looked too long. We sailed toward Lighthouse Point. The roller coasters and rides at the Boardwalk looked like jewelled structures in motion. Then, we turned the boat around and sailed toward Capitola. People on the beach waved at us, illuminated by moon beams. Their many wood fires burned big in the fire rings on the night-cooled sand. The strong, warm wind kept the sails full all night. The YACHT HARBOR - Walk around the harbor and read the historic plaques. Clang. Sounds like a harbor. Small shops and the Crows Nest bar and restaurant make this a popular maritime locale all year and late night. The water taxi runs Summer - October. It's free! Have lunch at Aldo's on the deck. Twin Lakes State Beach is the place for a bonfire. The Twin Lakes are the small craft yacht harbor and the near-by lagoon for protected waterfowl. See Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation for more parks info.