CALIFORNIA'S SANTA CRUZ: EPITOME OF BEACH CULTURE

by Lee Foster

Santa Cruz, which finally emerged in the new millennium fairly well recovered from the Earthquake of 1989, lies on the sunny northern tip of Monterey Bay, 100 miles south of San Francisco. Weather here compares favorably to that of Key West, Florida, with 300 sunny days a year and an average high temperature of 69 degrees F. The population mix includes retirees, university students and staff, craftspeople, artists, a cluster of professionals who have put lifestyle ahead of career advancement and moved here, and the "just plain folks" who keep the community rolling along.

Santa Cruz prides itself on a strong environmental ethic. Bike paths are everywhere. The downtown, after the earthquake, was rebuilt with stringent architectural guidelines that have re-created a small-town community feeling.

Climate and seaside location have made the Santa Cruz coast an appreciated resort region since 1865. Attractive beaches for swimming and sunning stretch along the coast for 29 miles, and some, such as New Brighton State Beach, have camping facilities.

The nearby Santa Cruz Mountains provide the lover of nature with a diverse, forested terrain, including California's first state park set aside to preserve redwoods, Big Basin.

The Santa Cruz region can be reached from the north or south via scenic Highway 1. The fastest route from the north is via Freeway 101 or Interstate 280 to Highway 17, then across the mountains to Santa Cruz.

SANTA CRUZ'S HISTORY

Santa Cruz first existed as a Franciscan mission, Mission La Exaltacion de la Santa Cruz. Today you can locate the old mission site from many vantage points in Santa Cruz by looking for the dominant white spire of the later church, Holy Cross Church, on the same hilltop.

When Fermin Lasuen established the Santa Cruz Mission, 12th of 21 in the chain, the work of conversion and church building moved quickly at first. Grazing grass, berries, redwood and pine lumber, and water were plentiful. But by 1832 the mission had vanished, a victim of secularization, earthquake, and neglect. Today you can see a 2/3-scale replica of the structure, built in 1931, at 126 High Street.

Fueled by the early prosperity of lumber milling, lime mining for use in cement, leather tanning, and tourism, the region prospered, creating a legacy of lovely Victorian architecture from 1880-1900. The architectural heritage of Santa Cruz can be observed in residential areas, where many of the original homes have been restored.

The downtown has changed dramatically in recent years. Until 1989, a visitor would walk down Pacific Avenue, the old main street, which had been turned into a walker's Garden Mall. The central building here was the yellow-brick Cooper House, originally the Santa Cruz courthouse, built in 1895. Next door to Cooper House was the Octagon, built in 1882. Once the Santa Cruz Hall of Records, the Octagon now houses a museum gift shop. Most of the major brick structures on this mall walk were damaged by the quake, causing loss of life and property, and had to be bulldozed. Reconstruction in the area got off to a slow start. The heart of the community had been destroyed. However, the Santa Cruz downtown is now viable again.

Stroll the re-created downtown area along Pacific Avenue to see what a special effort Santa Cruz made post-quake. The downtown has been re-constructed with a varied, low-rise architecture. Landmark businesses, such as the Santa Cruz Book Store and the Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company, have been re-located. Establishments such as Zoccoli deli lend a festive lunchtime aura as patrons grab a sandwich and a few minutes in the sun on the sidewalk.

One new structure of note is the McPherson Center (705 Front Street), home of The Art Museum and The History Museum of Santa Cruz County. The McPherson Center unites these two previously separate institutions. Be sure to see the interpretation of Santa Cruz history, titled "Where the Redwoods Meet the Sea," which focuses on the area's complex economy, from redwood lumbering in the hills to the agricultural fecundity around Watsonville. The McPherson Center also hosts changing art exhibits and tends to be the venue for local cultural happenings. The adjacent Octagon Building, a noted historic structure that survived the Quake of 1989, is now the museum store.

The Santa Cruz City Museum of Natural History (1305 East Cliff Drive) is an interesting establishment with displays on the local Ohlone Native Americans and how they lived, mainly from gathering acorns, fishing, and hunting. The Museum exhibits the local flora and fauna, from raptors to mountain lions.

Other attractive aspects of the city remained vital through the quake and aftermath period. Many of the restored Victorian houses survived the quake. An historical monument worth a visit is the Salz Leather Store, 1040 River Street, which dates from 1861, making it one of the oldest leather stores and tanneries in California. The major ingredients needed for tanning were all present historically in Santa Cruz: cattle hides were numerous; tannin from tanoak bark was plentiful; water to wash the hides was abundant; and lime, used to clean the hides and remove the hair, was available. The region was once a major tanning center.

SANTA CRUZ'S MAIN ATTRACTIONS

They include the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, the University of California Santa Cruz campus, the Long Marine Laboratory, and Natural Bridges State Park.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, located at 400 Beach Street, was built in 1904, burned down in 1906, and rebuilt in 1907. Its large roller coaster, the Giant Dipper, is a classic wooden structure from 1924 that has carried 25 million riders on white-knuckle trips. The Boardwalk has three arcades, a wide beachfront, and the Coconut Grove Ballroom. The centerpiece of the Boardwalk is the merry-go-round. A Danish woodcarver, Charles I. D. Looff, delivered the first 70 hand-carved horses in 1911. The carousel still operates today, along with its original 342 piece Ruth band organ, built in 1894.

West of the Boardwalk, the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf offers a pleasant stroll, fish markets, seafood restaurants, and pier fishing or deep-sea fishing excursions. If you walk out on the mile-long pier, the longest on the Pacific Coast, you get plenty of bracing sea air and a splendid view looking back at Santa Cruz.

The University of California Santa Cruz campus (Bay and High streets) is tucked among 2,000 acres of redwoods and rolling grasslands on the outskirts of town. The campus is interesting to visit for its architectural innovations and natural setting. From the university hills you see panoramic views of Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay. Self-guided tour maps are available at a kiosk a quarter-mile into the grounds.

Pause by the side of the road as you enter the grounds to note the old Cowell Ranch building from the limestone-mining and cattle-ranching days. Of particular interest are the ambitious 17-acre farm and four-acre gardens, inspired by the late Alan Chadwick and his organic gardening technique, the French Intensive biodynamic method.

The University's Long Marine Laboratory and Aquarium (100 Shaffer Road, adjacent to Natural Bridges) provides information and exhibits on the fauna and flora of tide pools and nearby ocean currents. Here you can see an 85-foot skeleton of a blue whale or touch starfish and sea anemones in a hands-on tank.

Natural Bridges State Park (2351 West Cliff Drive) offers a special encounter in winter when the eucalyptus trees are filled with the wintering monarch butterflies. You can walk out the designated paths to see clusters of the monarchs hanging on the trees. Walk also to the beach to see the "bridge" or sandstone arch that gave the park its name. Originally there were three bridges, as historical photos at the visitor center attest. One bridge fell around the turn of the century. A second fell during a storm in 1980. Guided tours of the rich tide pools occur at low tide. Ask the ranger for the brochure, Natural Bridges Tide Pools, a succinct description of sea life.

Santa Cruz is now a gateway to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a huge protected ocean environment that extends from north of San Francisco to south of San Simeon. On the Wharf, at a Marine Sanctuary information booth, you can get a brochure on this massive resource, which will never see an oil rig upon it. This largest ocean reserve on the West Coast includes the very deep Monterey canyons, the deepest such canyons off the western U.S., a kind of invisible Grand Canyon on the ocean floor. A group active in promoting the sanctuary is known as Save Our Shores.

One of the special aspects of Santa Cruz as an oceanside location is its excellent surfing. The surf area is unusual because it can be viewed up close by the public. Simply walk or drive out West Cliff Drive to the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, which houses the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, celebrating the various decades that the sport has flourished. From the cliffs at the Lighthouse you look out at Steamer Lane, the choice surfing area. You gaze right down on the surfers whizzing by, due to the unusual topography of Santa Cruz, which is actually facing south rather than west. In the winter the hard-core surfing aficionados gather here for competitions.

Surfing, windsurfing, and kayaking lessons/equipment rental are available on the beach in front of a hotel adjacent to the Boardwalk. Surf rentals are available on the beach at the Boardwalk from City of Santa Cruz Beach Rentals. They offer boogieboards, surfboards, wetsuits, and fins.

One expression of the overall environmental consciousness of Santa Cruz are the Farmers Markets, held year round, but especially prominent in summer. The Monterey Bay Farmers Market occurs at 8 a.m. each Saturday at Cabrillo College. A second market takes place at 2:30 p.m. each Wednesday in Santa Cruz at Cedar and Lincoln streets. The area also supports many U-pick farms where locals and travelers enjoy getting seasonal berries and other foods. One of the more prominent such farms is the Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville. A brochure listing all the U-pick farms can be obtained from the Santa Cruz Visitor Council. The county also has over 30 vineyards united in a Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association, which puts out a handsome brochure on all the touring and tasting opportunities. The brochure is available from the Visitors Council. A substantial and longterm player among these small-scale, quality wine producers is Bargetto (3535 North Main Street, Soquel).

One unusual activity possible here is the huge climbing wall at Pacific Edge. Located in a former cannery, Pacific Edge is one of the larger such rock gym facilities in the world, with ample artificial walls on which to practice the art of climbing. Pacific Edge is at 104 Bronson Street.

BICYCLING IN SANTA CRUZ

Few destinations are so well laid out for bicycling as Santa Cruz. With ubiquitous bike lanes, it is easier to get around this small city on a bike than by car. For the visitor, also, a bicycle is an enjoyable mode of transport.

Among several good bike stores, one is The Bicycle Rental and Tour Center (131 Center Street). There you can rent bikes, helmets, and locks as well as procure maps of all regional bicycle trails. They also lead bike outings if you want to explore in a group, whether to do serious mountain biking or experience an urban trip emphasizing Santa Cruz history. The local bus system can take your bike on it, which extends the bicyclist's range. For example, a local bus can take you up to the Waddell Creek area, mentioned below, and then pick you up later in the day.

The bike route to start on is the 3-mile West Cliff Trail that leads out from the Boardwalk towards the surfing area, Steamer Lane. The route is marked and paved all the way to Natural Bridges State Park, an engaging place to look at monarch butterflies in winter and the sandstone arches all year round.

Beyond Natural Bridges, you can bike with a mountain bike in Wilder Ranch State Park. Be sure to get a good map. It's enjoyable to pack a picnic and spend a day exploring in Wilder Ranch Park.

Another favorite biking area is Nisene Marks State Park, east of Santa Cruz. Nisene Marks is an undeveloped area of second-growth redwoods. It has many miles of biking trails. Be sure to get a good map from the Bicycle Rental and Tour Center.

The University of California Santa Cruz campus also has good bike trails around it. A local bus can take you and your bike up to the campus if you want to avoid exerting yourself on the elevation gain.

DINING IN SANTA CRUZ

The overall trend toward ever finer dining in California finds ample expression in Santa Cruz. An abundance of local seafood and a growing number of area farmers specializing in small-scale agriculture, with the freshest vegetables and herbs, fuel the discriminating demands of local chefs.

The Bittersweet Bistro in Rio Del Mar, a town adjacent to Santa Cruz, epitomizes this trend. Chef Thomas Vinolus and his wife Elizabeth have raised the fine-dining standards of the region.

The Vinolus family has created an American bistro with a Mediterranean flare, fashioning all their food from scratch, emphasizing local ingredients, from Tomales Bay oysters to regional goat cheese from Davenport. Competing on quality rather than price, they serve sumptuous antipasto plates, venison entrees, and yellowtail fish dishes that keep the customers coming back. From an exceptional wine list, you might choose a California Merlot from Mt. Eden. Their triple-threat chocolate desserts are famous locally. Thomas Vinolus is a major fan of the local Farmers Markets, which unite specialty herb and vegetable growers directly with their patrons.

Bittersweet Bistro (787 Rio Del Mar Boulevard) is a newcomer, complementing the established fine-dining venue of the area, Shadowbrook (1750 Wharf Road, Capitola). Shawdowbrook has long been recognized as one of the area's most romantic dining settings. Guests get to Shadowbrook via a quaint funicular car.

For a romantic, cozy, candlelit environment, within the city, choose the Northern Italian restaurant known as Gabriella Cafe, where the potato leek soup might precede the portabello mushroom entree. Alternatively, the grilled octopus appetizer might be followed by a warm spinach salad. Gabriella's (910 Cedar Street) is an intimate place with fresh flowers and charm.

India Joze (1001 Center Street) offers intriguing middle-eastern, Greek, and Mexican fare. This is inventive taste, strong on curries and coriander, in a casual setting. Try a curry dish or a Greek fisherman's soup, perhaps washed down by a local beer, Pacific Porter from the Santa Cruz Brewing Company. This is a particularly good and sunny lunch spot. India Joze is also a congenial place for dinner before the theatre at the adjacent Actors Theatre, the main theatre group in the region.

For tasty Mexican food in Santa Cruz, try El Palomar (1336 Pacific Avenue), located downtown along Pacific Avenue in a handsome room with a high vault ceiling. Start with Margaritas, then try their award-winning Burrito de Camarones, noted both for its shrimp and whole beans in the tortilla wrap. Another good choice would be Tacos de Huachinango, which consists of charbroiled red snapper in a soft or crisp corn tortilla, topped with sour cream and guacamole.

If out on the Wharf, you might catch a fish dinner at Sea Cloud while watching the ocean scene.

Zoccoli's deli and pasta house (431 Front Street) presents a full range of deli sandwiches and picnic fixings, plus a few tables on Pacific Avenue at which to enjoy a sandwich.

The Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company (1330 Pacific Avenue) is the place for your latte or cappuccino. From their tables in front you can watch the passing parade of locals.

Brew pubs are flourishing all over Northern California. In Santa Cruz, try the Pacific Porter or other hand-crafted brews at the Santa Cruz Brewing Company (516 Front Street

NEARBY TRIPS FROM SANTA CRUZ

Excursions from Santa Cruz include Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad, and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.

About 20 miles north of Santa Cruz (via Highway 236), lies the first state park ever to preserve redwood trees, Big Basin State Park (21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek). Big Basin was created in 1902 as a result of public outcry over the lack of public access to the virgin redwoods in the area. Today the park encompasses 20,000 acres of diverse terrain with 60 miles of hiking trails.

When you arrive, stop at park headquarters to pick up a free map and visit the museum, Nature Lodge, which celebrates the park's history, flora, and fauna. The museum has excellent displays of stuffed birds, snakes, and mammals native to the park. The finest redwoods stand along the Redwood Nature Trail near park headquarters. At park headquarters you'll find a cross section of one tree that has been ring-dated as 2,200 years old.

Near Felton, you can board the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad, one of the last steam-powered passenger trains. Call Roaring Camp (Graham Hill Road, Felton) for the train's schedule. The tracks twist around a five-mile loop through redwood groves. Back in the 1880s, lumberjacks and pioneers used the same train to haul out lumber and shingles. During the hour-long trip you switchback up some of the steepest grades ever built for a railroad.

At Roaring Camp you can see a covered bridge and visit a reconstructed 1880's General Store that sells items from western garb to a complete line of books for the rail buff.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (101 North Big Trees Park Road, Felton) is another of the majestic redwood parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Redwood Grove offers an outstanding nature walk, with 29 interpretive stations.

If driving north from Santa Cruz to San Francisco along Highway 1, two recommended stops are at Ano Nuevo-Waddell Creek and at Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

In winter the elephant seals gather at Ano Nuevo State Reserve. They were formerly hunted to the brink of extinction. Today they have made a comeback and, guided by the ranger, you can walk out amidst these three -ton creatures. Reservations are required in winter for the guided walks. Ano Nuevo is open for perusal on your own for the rest of the year.

Just south of Ano Nuevo is Waddell Creek, a sea-access segment of the large Big Basin State Park. You can hike or bike into Waddell Creek, climbing ever higher on the ridges to survey the forests and the ocean. Maps are available at an Interpretive Center at Waddell Creek.

The next point north from Ano Nuevo, near Pescadero, is the Pigeon Point Light Station, celebrated for its classic brick architecture, one of the grand legacies of lighthouse design on the west coast. Stop in for a look around and a self-guided tour. Cottages on the property now serve as an all-ages hostel, providing a rustic but intriguing lodging option.

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SANTA CRUZ: IF YOU GO

Contact the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council, 1211 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 800/833-3494, www.santacruzca.org.

This article was written by Lee Foster of Foster Travel Publishing. Contact him at his website www.fostertravel.com or via email at lee@fostertravel.com. Copyright Lee Foster.

Lee Foster's most recent travel guidebook is Northern California History Weekends (Globe Pequot), which won a Lowell Thomas Award.

Lee Foster's new literary book is Travels in an American Imagination: The Spiritual Geography of Our Time.

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